# What do you call that thing you boop to lock your car doors as you walk away? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 3, 2013, 8:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-call-that-thing-you-boop-to-lock-your-car-doors-as-you-walk-away/662516 "2013-07-03T08:03:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2013, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-call-that-thing-you-boop-to-lock-your-car-doors-as-you-walk-away/662516/21 "2013-07-03T17:09:48Z")
Betty. šŸ˜‰ ---
**Author:** ![Sicks\_Ate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/258eb7/32.png) [@Sicks\_Ate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sicks_Ate)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2013, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-call-that-thing-you-boop-to-lock-your-car-doors-as-you-walk-away/662516/22 "2013-07-03T17:10:59Z")
Fob ---
**Author:** ![campp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c5a1d2/32.png) [@campp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/campp)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2013, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-call-that-thing-you-boop-to-lock-your-car-doors-as-you-walk-away/662516/23 "2013-07-03T17:12:51Z")
Fob ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2013, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-call-that-thing-you-boop-to-lock-your-car-doors-as-you-walk-away/662516/24 "2013-07-03T17:15:44Z")
A _dooter_, and the act of using it _dooting_. [Boops](http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Z0yVmEHXOac/ScMOGDwQJ0I/AAAAAAAAAwc/ArbaD2Nf9Z8/s400/boopnose.jpg) are for noses. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2013, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-call-that-thing-you-boop-to-lock-your-car-doors-as-you-walk-away/662516/25 "2013-07-03T17:40:57Z")
Clicker ---
**Author:** ![Gagundathar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a183cd/32.png) [@Gagundathar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gagundathar)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2013, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-call-that-thing-you-boop-to-lock-your-car-doors-as-you-walk-away/662516/26 "2013-07-03T17:48:19Z")
> [@Nava](#): > > The car remote. > > I know people who call it ā€œthe beep-beepā€. I call it a remote. The people who call this ā€˜the beep-beepā€™, are they adults? That is one of the funniest things Iā€™ve read today, but then I am easily amused. ---
**Author:** ![JBDivmstr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b4bc9f/32.png) [@JBDivmstr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JBDivmstr)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2013, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-call-that-thing-you-boop-to-lock-your-car-doors-as-you-walk-away/662516/27 "2013-07-03T18:15:31Z")
> [@Joey\_P](#): > > A key fob. > > A year or two ago, I remember reading that word in an old Sherlock Holmes or Agatha Christie book in reference to a key chain or bracelet charm or necklace pendent or something along those lines, so itā€™s not exactly a new term. IMHO, youā€™re thinking of the term [watch fob](http://www.google.com/imgres?q=watch+fob&sa=X&hl=en&qscrl=1&rlz=1T4ACGW_enUS393US433&biw=1536&bih=723&tbm=isch&tbnid=w-7CESYFoGOGmM:&imgrefurl=http://mb.nawcc.org/showthread.php%3F8490-Watch-Fob-Collection&docid=cgR5bhDr123N7M&imgurl=http://static.flickr.com/40/121917963_61d0614978_b.jpg&w=719&h=1024&ei=SmjUUY7jGo-vqQHyooHYCQ&zoom=1&ved=1t:3588,r:89,s:0,i:365&iact=rc&page=4&tbnh=192&tbnw=137&start=77&ndsp=31&tx=64&ty=117). In answer to the OPā€™s question, I call mine an ā€˜alarm remoteā€™. ---
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2013, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-call-that-thing-you-boop-to-lock-your-car-doors-as-you-walk-away/662516/28 "2013-07-03T20:11:04Z")
Key fob. I actually have to use a key to unlock the door. I also have hand crank windows. My mirrors require hands on adjustment too. ---
**Author:** ![JBDivmstr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b4bc9f/32.png) [@JBDivmstr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JBDivmstr)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2013, 2:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-call-that-thing-you-boop-to-lock-your-car-doors-as-you-walk-away/662516/29 "2013-07-04T02:23:37Z")
> [@Harmonious\_Discord](#): > > Key fob. I actually have to use a key to unlock the door. I also have hand crank windows. My mirrors require hands on adjustment too. No rumble seat and crank handle? ;)šŸ˜ƒ ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2013, 3:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-call-that-thing-you-boop-to-lock-your-car-doors-as-you-walk-away/662516/30 "2013-07-04T03:30:59Z")
I call it the ā€œ(key) fob.ā€ ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2013, 5:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-call-that-thing-you-boop-to-lock-your-car-doors-as-you-walk-away/662516/31 "2013-07-04T05:43:25Z")
> [@Gagundathar](#): > > I call it a remote. The people who call this ā€˜the beep-beepā€™, are they adults? > That is one of the funniest things Iā€™ve read today, but then I am easily amused. Hey, **Antigen** said she calls it ā€œthe beepy thingā€ šŸ™‚ Most of the people I know who call it ā€œthe beep-beepā€ are retirement-age adults. They will also use the expression to refer to the whole mechanism, as in ā€œhis car has a beep-beep but the van is older, it doesnā€™tā€. Or, when they lose something and referring to the practice of using the remote to echolocate your car in a public parking lot, ā€œI need a beep-beep for my glasses!ā€ ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2013, 6:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-call-that-thing-you-boop-to-lock-your-car-doors-as-you-walk-away/662516/32 "2013-07-04T06:01:27Z")
Car Key. ---
**Author:** ![Ranger\_Jeff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranger_jeff/32/2065_2.png) [@Ranger\_Jeff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranger_Jeff)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2013, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-call-that-thing-you-boop-to-lock-your-car-doors-as-you-walk-away/662516/33 "2013-07-04T21:36:41Z")
I call mine ā€œDiedreā€. ---
**Author:** ![bob\_2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bob_2/32/3341_2.png) [@bob\_2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bob_2)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2013, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-call-that-thing-you-boop-to-lock-your-car-doors-as-you-walk-away/662516/34 "2013-07-04T22:42:09Z")
So how many of you still call the TV remote a ā€˜clickerā€™? ---
**Author:** ![engineer\_comp\_geek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/engineer_comp_geek/32/504_2.png) [@engineer\_comp\_geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engineer_comp_geek)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2013, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-call-that-thing-you-boop-to-lock-your-car-doors-as-you-walk-away/662516/35 "2013-07-05T00:05:26Z")
> [@bob\_2](#): > > So how many of you still call the TV remote a ā€˜clickerā€™? I used to just call it the remote but my wife calls it the clicker and itā€™s rubbed off on me a bit. ---
**Author:** ![Leo\_Bloom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leo_bloom/32/10377_2.png) [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2013, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-call-that-thing-you-boop-to-lock-your-car-doors-as-you-walk-away/662516/36 "2013-07-05T01:37:33Z")
Well, exactly. (OP here.) I actually meant, originally, what does ā€œoneā€ call it, and now I know, so thanks to all. I should have thought that people would have their own names (eg, the clicker for the tv). So, if Iā€™ve read correctly, some people here might say, ā€œHon, the fob isnā€™t working.ā€ But thatā€™s just a guessā€“it probably doesnā€™t come up in speech that often: ā€œHon, whereā€™s the fob?ā€ā€“I doubt it, but what do I know. ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2013, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-call-that-thing-you-boop-to-lock-your-car-doors-as-you-walk-away/662516/37 "2013-07-05T02:00:27Z")
> [@Senegoid](#): > > A carbooperator. ā€¦_(crickets)_ Unfortunately, your mic _is_ on. ā˜¹ ---
**Author:** ![Leo\_Bloom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leo_bloom/32/10377_2.png) [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2013, 6:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-call-that-thing-you-boop-to-lock-your-car-doors-as-you-walk-away/662516/38 "2013-07-28T06:09:24Z")
[Scientist banned from revealing codes used to start luxury cars](http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2013/jul/26/scientist-banned-revealing-codes-cars) High court imposes injunction on Flavio Garcia, who has cracked security system of cars including Porsches and Bentleys Lisa Oā€™Carroll [guardian.co.uk](http://guardian.co.uk), Friday 26 July 2013 13.18 EDT [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-call-that-thing-you-boop-to-lock-your-car-doors-as-you-walk-away/662516.md?page=1)