# Thanks for taking the keys out of the Zipcar DICKHEAD! **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [May 24, 2010, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thanks-for-taking-the-keys-out-of-the-zipcar-dickhead/540574 "2010-05-24T15:09:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2010, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thanks-for-taking-the-keys-out-of-the-zipcar-dickhead/540574/1 "2010-05-24T15:09:43Z")
For those of you unfamiliar with the service, Zipcar is a rental agency where cars are strategically placed around town for use when you need them. You go online, select the date and time block you need the car for and select the closest available car. As other people may be waiting to use the car when you are done, there are still penalties for failing to bring it back to it’s home spot in time. It’s actually very convenient in cities where many people would rather not own a car full time. Well, one of the failings of this system is IT DOES NOT FUCKING WORK IF YOU TAKE THE GODDAMN KEYS WITH YOU WHEN YOU LEAVE! ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2010, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thanks-for-taking-the-keys-out-of-the-zipcar-dickhead/540574/2 "2010-05-24T15:24:02Z")
Does that happen a lot? ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2010, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thanks-for-taking-the-keys-out-of-the-zipcar-dickhead/540574/3 "2010-05-24T15:52:19Z")
> [@tdn](#): > > Does that happen a lot? This is the first time it’s happened to me. Usually the key is wired to the dashboard so you can’t accidently take it. I’ve noticed in the past year or so they’ve added more cars, but I’ve been having more problems with things like keys missing or stuff not working. In this particular case, they found me a replacement car, but it was in the next town over. By the time I finished dealing with them, called a cab and found the new car, I had wasted an hour. not to mention I had to return it to the same spot and then find my way home again. The bigger issue is if it had been a busy weekend and a car wasn’t available, my plans would have been fucked. ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Poster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c89c15/32.png) [@Happy\_Poster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Poster)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2010, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thanks-for-taking-the-keys-out-of-the-zipcar-dickhead/540574/4 "2010-05-24T16:01:12Z")
Ah, you’ll be the folk streetcar have merged with in the UK. I’ve been using streetcar for a while, how does Zip stack up? ---
**Author:** ![bup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6bbea6/32.png) [@bup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bup)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2010, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thanks-for-taking-the-keys-out-of-the-zipcar-dickhead/540574/5 "2010-05-24T16:01:52Z")
Yeah, whoever did that’s a dickhead, but this is such a predictable problem I blame Zipcar too for not coming up with a process to prevent it. ---
**Author:** ![Snarky\_Kong](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a183cd/32.png) [@Snarky\_Kong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snarky_Kong)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2010, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thanks-for-taking-the-keys-out-of-the-zipcar-dickhead/540574/6 "2010-05-24T16:06:31Z")
Are the doors locked? What prevents some random person from going on a joyride in any Zipcar? ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Poster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c89c15/32.png) [@Happy\_Poster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Poster)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2010, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thanks-for-taking-the-keys-out-of-the-zipcar-dickhead/540574/7 "2010-05-24T16:09:23Z")
I’ve no idea about Zipcars, but in Streetcars you have a RFID card which you put up against a reader inside on the windscreen which unlocks the doors (or if you’ve forgotten your card you phone them up and they unlock it remotely). Then you enter a PIN and immobiliser is disabled, then you take keys from glovebox and off you go. (You have to book in advance, but only about 15 minutes) ---
**Author:** ![Chessic\_Sense](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7c8e57/32.png) [@Chessic\_Sense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chessic_Sense)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2010, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thanks-for-taking-the-keys-out-of-the-zipcar-dickhead/540574/8 "2010-05-24T16:15:37Z")
> [@Angry Lurker](#): > > I’ve no idea about Zipcars, but in Streetcars you have a RFID card which you put up against a reader inside on the windscreen which unlocks the doors (or if you’ve forgotten your card you phone them up and they unlock it remotely). Then you enter a PIN and immobiliser is disabled, then you take keys from glovebox and off you go. > > (You have to book in advance, but only about 15 minutes) Same for Zipcars. ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Poster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c89c15/32.png) [@Happy\_Poster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Poster)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2010, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thanks-for-taking-the-keys-out-of-the-zipcar-dickhead/540574/9 "2010-05-24T16:28:49Z")
And yeah, I’d advise them for anyone living in a city\*. Even if you’re thinking “I have a car”, sell it, buy something else far more fun, and sign up to one of these schemes. Even on a marginal cost basis they work out cheaper than essentially any other car, and you can buy something fun to keep on the road instead. \*In UK this only applies to London, to be fair. ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2010, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thanks-for-taking-the-keys-out-of-the-zipcar-dickhead/540574/10 "2010-05-24T16:40:37Z")
> [@Snarky\_Kong](#): > > Are the doors locked? What prevents some random person from going on a joyride in any Zipcar? You receive a membership card when you sign up for the service. You swipe the card over a sensor on the windshield to unlock it. > [@bup](#): > > Yeah, whoever did that’s a dickhead, but this is such a predictable problem I blame Zipcar too for not coming up with a process to prevent it. A simple lanyard attached to the dashboard would have sufficed. ---
**Author:** ![MHaye](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/bbe5ce/32.png) [@MHaye](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MHaye)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2010, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thanks-for-taking-the-keys-out-of-the-zipcar-dickhead/540574/11 "2010-05-24T18:07:28Z")
If I can intrude a factual question on this rant thread, how much does membership cost in the UK? There’s a car about a mile from here, and another a short busride away, so it might be practical. I fully support the OP’s rant though; my main reason for renting this would be to meet Someone at the airport (the terminus for the coach service is not the nicest place in town). Having that mucked up would upset both of us. ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Poster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c89c15/32.png) [@Happy\_Poster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Poster)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2010, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thanks-for-taking-the-keys-out-of-the-zipcar-dickhead/540574/12 "2010-05-24T18:13:34Z")
I have lifetime membership for some reason cause I signed up in the beginning; iirc current rates are about sixty quid a year. Correct rates will be at their website 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![madmonk28](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madmonk28/32/20811_2.png) [@madmonk28](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madmonk28)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2010, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thanks-for-taking-the-keys-out-of-the-zipcar-dickhead/540574/13 "2010-05-24T19:04:20Z")
I use zipcar a lot. In DC, I’ve never seen one that didn’t have the keys attached to the dash. Did the user have to break the wire off its moorings to take it with him? ---
**Author:** ![Billdo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/billdo/32/315_2.png) [@Billdo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Billdo)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2010, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thanks-for-taking-the-keys-out-of-the-zipcar-dickhead/540574/14 "2010-05-24T21:14:45Z")
I’m a big fan of Zipcar here in New York. It’s about 50/50 whether they have the keys on a lanyard attached to the dash. However, every car that I’ve used of theirs has been in an attended parking garage, and when I return them, the attendants habitually ask me whether I’ve left the key. I’ve never had a problem. ---
**Author:** ![kjbrasda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/74df32/32.png) [@kjbrasda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kjbrasda)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2010, 5:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thanks-for-taking-the-keys-out-of-the-zipcar-dickhead/540574/15 "2010-05-25T05:04:27Z")
If they’re going to be just leaving the keys in the car to begin with, why don’t they just use keyless starts? ---
**Author:** ![Lynn\_Bodoni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2010, 6:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thanks-for-taking-the-keys-out-of-the-zipcar-dickhead/540574/16 "2010-05-25T06:32:24Z")
This is a design flaw, the keys shouldn’t be removable. I AUTOMATICALLY take my keys with me when I turn off the car, I’ve trained myself to do this. I imagine that most drivers have similar habits, unless they use a Zipcar a lot. ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2010, 6:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thanks-for-taking-the-keys-out-of-the-zipcar-dickhead/540574/17 "2010-05-25T06:37:25Z")
Why can’t the ignition also be triggered by the RFID? ---
**Author:** ![brickbacon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/898d66/32.png) [@brickbacon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brickbacon)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2010, 7:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thanks-for-taking-the-keys-out-of-the-zipcar-dickhead/540574/18 "2010-05-25T07:23:29Z")
> [@Monty](#): > > Why can’t the ignition also be triggered by the RFID? Cost. Question for the OP. Did Zipcar cover your cab fare, or at least give you a free car? If not, you should call them back and tell them they should. ---
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2010, 10:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thanks-for-taking-the-keys-out-of-the-zipcar-dickhead/540574/19 "2010-05-25T10:25:18Z")
> [@kjbrasda](#): > > If they’re going to be just leaving the keys in the car to begin with, why don’t they just use keyless starts? Those still use a keyfob, which still leaves the “taking it with you” problem intact. “Keyless starters” are also more confusing in emergency situations where you might want to shut down the car’s engine, like in those “out of control Toyota” cases - you have to press and hold the start button for three seconds, I think. I’m pretty sure I’d read that in at least one of the Toyota cases, the driver didn’t know how to shut down the keyless start engine in an emergency, and that it was a rental. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2010, 10:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thanks-for-taking-the-keys-out-of-the-zipcar-dickhead/540574/20 "2010-05-25T10:58:59Z")
Why not just glue the key into the ignition? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thanks-for-taking-the-keys-out-of-the-zipcar-dickhead/540574.md?page=2)