Do you keep Vehicle Registration, Insurance card, and Garage door opener in your car? I don't anymore.

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HiHo
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Do you keep Vehicle Registration, Insurance card, and Garage door opener in your car? I don't anymore.

Post by HiHo »

A few months ago, a friend of mine parked her car on a parking lot. When she returned after finishing her business, she found out that her car was broken into and her vehicle registration, insurance card and a garage door opener were stolen.

She knew that what the thieves were going to do with them and drove back to her house as fast as she could. Soon after she got to her house, they also arrived with a rented U-haul van. When they saw her car, they turned around and sped away.

After I heard this scary story, I removed any paper with my address on it as well as a garage door opener from my car.
Then I scanned Vehicle Registration and Insurance card, and stored them in my cell phone.
I can also open/close the garage door with my phone app. So this is not a problem.

My question is, is it ok to not have a paper copy in case if I get stopped by the police ? (I am in WA State) Would the digital copy be enough ?
I was thinking about hiding it somewhere in the car too. What do you do with them ?
Last edited by HiHo on Sun Oct 02, 2022 5:32 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Cheez-It Guy
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Re: Do you keep Vehicle Registration, Insurance card, and Garage door opener in your car? I don't anymore.

Post by Cheez-It Guy »

I don't have a garage door opener or a garage.
bob60014
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Re: Do you keep Vehicle Registration, Insurance card, and Garage door opener in your car? I don't anymore.

Post by bob60014 »

FWIW, in my almost 50 years of driving I've never been asked for the registration. Requirements to carry paper or digital will vary by state.
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HueyLD
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Re: Do you keep Vehicle Registration, Insurance card, and Garage door opener in your car? I don't anymore.

Post by HueyLD »

The state of WA allows electronic carry of automobile registration. Google is your friend.

https://app.leg.wa.gov/rcw/default.aspx?cite=46.16A.180
Marseille07
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Re: Do you keep Vehicle Registration, Insurance card, and Garage door opener in your car? I don't anymore.

Post by Marseille07 »

Thanks for this. It appears we can carry digital copies: https://midcolumbiainsurance.com/show-p ... cell-phone. I'm going to do this myself.

The tricky piece is the garage opener. If you don't have it in the car, it's quite inconvenient. However, if I am going for hiking or something, I tend to take it with me.
Last edited by Marseille07 on Sun Oct 02, 2022 5:37 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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JoMoney
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Re: Do you keep Vehicle Registration, Insurance card, and Garage door opener in your car? I don't anymore.

Post by JoMoney »

Yes, I keep those items in my car... And while I don't have anything to hide, I'm not going to hand my smart-phone and associated account access over to anyone. A paper copy of those items simplifies that. If I was concerned about my address being on various documents, I'd get a different mailing address.
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Californiastate
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Re: Do you keep Vehicle Registration, Insurance card, and Garage door opener in your car? I don't anymore.

Post by Californiastate »

My alarm system notifies me when my garage doors open. My vehicle has a built in garage door opener.
Last edited by Californiastate on Sun Oct 02, 2022 5:38 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Doom&Gloom
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Re: Do you keep Vehicle Registration, Insurance card, and Garage door opener in your car? I don't anymore.

Post by Doom&Gloom »

Cheez-It Guy wrote: Sun Oct 02, 2022 5:28 pm I don't have a garage door opener or a garage.
+1
The last time I had a garage door opener was about 30 years ago and I once wore it on my belt to a party to see if any of my pretentious friends who had their pagers prominently displayed would notice.

Only in the past few years have jurisdictions around me begun asking for registration and proof of insurance. After nearly being forced to make a 150 mile round trip to court because DW did not have proof of insurance in her car that I was driving, I have ensured that I have both in my car. I will continue to do so.
jebmke
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Re: Do you keep Vehicle Registration, Insurance card, and Garage door opener in your car? I don't anymore.

Post by jebmke »

HueyLD wrote: Sun Oct 02, 2022 5:35 pm The state of WA allows electronic carry of automobile registration. Google is your friend.

https://app.leg.wa.gov/rcw/default.aspx?cite=46.16A.180
Maryland has a digital drivers license except law enforcement will not accept it. Only good for TSA. :?
Don't trust me, look it up. https://www.irs.gov/forms-instructions-and-publications
Woodshark
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Re: Do you keep Vehicle Registration, Insurance card, and Garage door opener in your car? I don't anymore.

Post by Woodshark »

I've often worried about keeping my garage door opener clipped to the visor, but have never done anything about it. The biggest threat I can see is if they know you will be away from your house for a few hours and there is no one at home. They also need to know you don't have nosy neighbors, an armed spouse or a big dog laying in wait. I don't think most common auto B&E thief's are willing to play those odds.
Wanderingwheelz
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Re: Do you keep Vehicle Registration, Insurance card, and Garage door opener in your car? I don't anymore.

Post by Wanderingwheelz »

The 2022 Jeep Wrangler I recently bought, which I park in the garage, included an option for HomeLink garage door opener. Good to have, but for $495? That seemed pretty steep to me for 3 little buttons.

Anyway, after reading OP, I feel slightly less violated.
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jebmke
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Re: Do you keep Vehicle Registration, Insurance card, and Garage door opener in your car? I don't anymore.

Post by jebmke »

Woodshark wrote: Sun Oct 02, 2022 5:41 pm I've often worried about keeping my garage door opener clipped to the visor, but have never done anything about it. The biggest threat I can see is if they know you will be away from your house for a few hours and there is no one at home. They also need to know you don't have nosy neighbors, an armed spouse or a big dog laying in wait. I don't think most common auto B&E thief's are willing to play those odds.
If someone came along and took a lot of stuff from my garage I'd be a happy person.
Don't trust me, look it up. https://www.irs.gov/forms-instructions-and-publications
TravelGeek
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Re: Do you keep Vehicle Registration, Insurance card, and Garage door opener in your car? I don't anymore.

Post by TravelGeek »

Maybe a greater risk if you park your car with a visible garage door remote in the airport long term parking lot. At the local grocery store or a trailhead? Seems less of a risk. My garage door opener is in the door side pocket, and my registration and insurance paperwork is in the locked glove box (no button, requires the car to be turned on).

When we are away from home for more than a day, we generally physically lock the garage door. And our neighbors stand guard (not really, but they’d notice an unexpected uhaul truck in the driveway).
Marseille07
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Re: Do you keep Vehicle Registration, Insurance card, and Garage door opener in your car? I don't anymore.

Post by Marseille07 »

TravelGeek wrote: Sun Oct 02, 2022 5:49 pm Maybe a greater risk if you park your car with a visible garage door remote in the airport long term parking lot. At the local grocery store or a trailhead? Seems less of a risk. My garage door opener is in the door side pocket, and my registration and insurance paperwork is in the locked glove box (no button, requires the car to be turned on).

When we are away from home for more than a day, we generally physically lock the garage door. And our neighbors stand guard (not really, but they’d notice an unexpected uhaul truck in the driveway).
Local grocery store is low risk but a trailhead can be high risk. This is when they know you'd be away for hours.
MGBMartin
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Re: Do you keep Vehicle Registration, Insurance card, and Garage door opener in your car? I don't anymore.

Post by MGBMartin »

jebmke wrote: Sun Oct 02, 2022 5:45 pm
Woodshark wrote: Sun Oct 02, 2022 5:41 pm I've often worried about keeping my garage door opener clipped to the visor, but have never done anything about it. The biggest threat I can see is if they know you will be away from your house for a few hours and there is no one at home. They also need to know you don't have nosy neighbors, an armed spouse or a big dog laying in wait. I don't think most common auto B&E thief's are willing to play those odds.
If someone came along and took a lot of stuff from my garage I'd be a happy person.
That’s why I just leave my garage door open but my stuff must be real junk as I can’t say I’ve seen anything missing.

I do keep the opener and documents in the car but the opening is in the little cubby between the seats or door pocket and I keep the door from the garage into the house locked.
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dknightd
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Re: Do you keep Vehicle Registration, Insurance card, and Garage door opener in your car? I don't anymore.

Post by dknightd »

I'm not sure, but suspect, with my vehicle license plate, or VIN, both easily visible, you could find out my name and address.
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Geologist
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Re: Do you keep Vehicle Registration, Insurance card, and Garage door opener in your car? I don't anymore.

Post by Geologist »

I've never kept my vehicle registration or insurance card in my car. I have them in my wallet along with my driver's license.

Like an earlier poster, I have neither a garage or a garage door opener.
PoppyA
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Re: Do you keep Vehicle Registration, Insurance card, and Garage door opener in your car? I don't anymore.

Post by PoppyA »

Additionally your GPS & garage remote make bad bed fellows! We use a near by alternative address in our GPS…..the police department.
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KlingKlang
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Re: Do you keep Vehicle Registration, Insurance card, and Garage door opener in your car? I don't anymore.

Post by KlingKlang »

The Ohio BMV gives you two copies of your vehicle registration, one with your address to keep in your wallet and one without to keep in the car. Likewise my insurance card does not list my address. Of course there are plenty of ways to obtain someones's address with only their name.

Once someone gets into my garage using the door opener there is still the matter of the steel door with the deadbolt lock keeping them from entering the rest of the house, not to mention the alarm system. There isn't much worth stealing in the garage itself.

It's still a good idea to check your car to make sure you don't have personal identification in it.
vfinx
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Re: Do you keep Vehicle Registration, Insurance card, and Garage door opener in your car? I don't anymore.

Post by vfinx »

Slightly tangential, but both of our cars have built in garage remotes, and only one of them blocks its usage without the key nearby (we tested this by leaving someone in the car while someone else locked the car with the FOB and walked away). We always put both cars into the garage so it’s not a big deal, but I’ve always found that troubling.
Hypersion
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Re: Do you keep Vehicle Registration, Insurance card, and Garage door opener in your car? I don't anymore.

Post by Hypersion »

This sounds like an urban legend. So a thief rented a u-haul which is expensive and you have to how a DL and have a valid credit card. Broken into a car just to get the address hoping nobody else was at the house nor was it a detached garage or just a house with nothing worst stealing.
upstate90
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Re: Do you keep Vehicle Registration, Insurance card, and Garage door opener in your car? I don't anymore.

Post by upstate90 »

PoppyA wrote: Sun Oct 02, 2022 6:00 pm Additionally your GPS & garage remote make bad bed fellows! We use a near by alternative address in our GPS…..the police department.
Smart! I think I'm going to steal that idea from you. :sharebeer
ronno2018
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Re: Do you keep Vehicle Registration, Insurance card, and Garage door opener in your car? I don't anymore.

Post by ronno2018 »

I am buying the Himiway big dog bike soon and will not own a car ever again. https://himiwaybike.com/products/electric-cargo-bike

Good luck with your pricey car.
smitcat
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Re: Do you keep Vehicle Registration, Insurance card, and Garage door opener in your car? I don't anymore.

Post by smitcat »

HiHo wrote: Sun Oct 02, 2022 5:24 pm A few months ago, a friend of mine parked her car on a parking lot. When she returned after finishing her business, she found out that her car was broken into and her vehicle registration, insurance card and a garage door opener were stolen.
she found out that her car was broken into and her vehicle registration, insurance card and a garage door opener were stolen. . Soon after she got to her house, they also arrived with a rented U-haul van. When they saw her car, they turned around and sped away.

After I heard this scary story, I removed any paper with my address on it as well as a garage door opener from my car.
Then I scanned Vehicle Registration and Insurance card, and stored them in my cell phone.
I can also open/close the garage door with my phone app. So this is not a problem.

My question is, is it ok to not have a paper copy in case if I get stopped by the police ? (I am in WA State) Would the digital copy be enough ?
I was thinking about hiding it somewhere in the car too. What do you do with them ?
We keep our registration and insurance cards in the cars.
The garage door openers are incorporated into the car/truck themselves these past 10+ years.

"she found out that her car was broken into and her vehicle registration, insurance card and a garage door opener were stolen."
You immediately call the police and inform them of the theft and what may happen next.

"she found out that her car was broken into and her vehicle registration, insurance card and a garage door opener were stolen."
A poor decision.

"Soon after she got to her house, they also arrived with a rented U-haul van."
Again, you call police and advise of a possible break in, get the plate number if safe, get a picture if safe.

"When they saw her car, they turned around and sped away."
Hope she reported it by now, they still have her address.
smitcat
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Re: Do you keep Vehicle Registration, Insurance card, and Garage door opener in your car? I don't anymore.

Post by smitcat »

ronno2018 wrote: Sun Oct 02, 2022 6:25 pm I am buying the Himiway big dog bike soon and will not own a car ever again. https://himiwaybike.com/products/electric-cargo-bike

Good luck with your pricey car.
Good for long trips, carrying groceries, picking up kids at school, shopping for building materials, in the rain, in the snow, and going out with friends?
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quantAndHold
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Re: Do you keep Vehicle Registration, Insurance card, and Garage door opener in your car? I don't anymore.

Post by quantAndHold »

It does seem like an urban legend, doesn't it?

Anyway, I have a detached garage. Anyone showing up with my garage remote and a UHaul is welcome to the can of diesel oil, bottle of windshield washer fluid, stepladder, and little red wagon full of potting soil.
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quantAndHold
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Re: Do you keep Vehicle Registration, Insurance card, and Garage door opener in your car? I don't anymore.

Post by quantAndHold »

smitcat wrote: Sun Oct 02, 2022 6:30 pm
ronno2018 wrote: Sun Oct 02, 2022 6:25 pm I am buying the Himiway big dog bike soon and will not own a car ever again. https://himiwaybike.com/products/electric-cargo-bike

Good luck with your pricey car.
Good for long trips, carrying groceries, picking up kids at school, shopping for building materials, in the rain, in the snow, and going out with friends?
It doesn't rain or snow here, but otherwise, people living around me use their electric cargo bikes for all of that, yes.

If the load is too big, UHaul and Home Depot both rent trucks for reasonable rates.
ronno2018
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Re: Do you keep Vehicle Registration, Insurance card, and Garage door opener in your car? I don't anymore.

Post by ronno2018 »

smitcat wrote: Sun Oct 02, 2022 6:30 pm
ronno2018 wrote: Sun Oct 02, 2022 6:25 pm I am buying the Himiway big dog bike soon and will not own a car ever again. https://himiwaybike.com/products/electric-cargo-bike

Good luck with your pricey car.
Good for long trips, carrying groceries, picking up kids at school, shopping for building materials, in the rain, in the snow, and going out with friends?
My circumstances are in the Pacific NW, urban location, widower, daughter is in grad school, no real home renovation activities (or Home Depot can deliver, Amazon can deliver, etc. I think it will be OK. I will rent a car to drive to Fernie BC to ski etc...
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quantAndHold
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Re: Do you keep Vehicle Registration, Insurance card, and Garage door opener in your car? I don't anymore.

Post by quantAndHold »

ronno2018 wrote: Sun Oct 02, 2022 6:35 pm
smitcat wrote: Sun Oct 02, 2022 6:30 pm
ronno2018 wrote: Sun Oct 02, 2022 6:25 pm I am buying the Himiway big dog bike soon and will not own a car ever again. https://himiwaybike.com/products/electric-cargo-bike

Good luck with your pricey car.
Good for long trips, carrying groceries, picking up kids at school, shopping for building materials, in the rain, in the snow, and going out with friends?
My circumstances are in the Pacific NW, urban location, widower, daughter is in grad school, no real home renovation activities (or Home Depot can deliver, Amazon can deliver, etc. I think it will be OK. I will rent a car to drive to Fernie BC to ski etc...
Not to derail the thread any further, but in cities with impacted parking, an electric bike is actually better for all of those things than a car is. Even my regular, non electric bike gets me to places within 3 miles of my house faster than my car does, because I can ride right to the front door of the business without having to deal with finding parking or walking from wherever I parked. An electric bike would expand that 3 mile range to 5 or 6 miles.
UpperNwGuy
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Re: Do you keep Vehicle Registration, Insurance card, and Garage door opener in your car? I don't anymore.

Post by UpperNwGuy »

Yes, I keep my vehicle registration and my insurance card in my glove compartment. I lock my car 100% of the time when I am not in it. When I had a garage 20 years ago, I kept the opener clipped to the visor.
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anon_investor
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Re: Do you keep Vehicle Registration, Insurance card, and Garage door opener in your car? I don't anymore.

Post by anon_investor »

HiHo wrote: Sun Oct 02, 2022 5:24 pm A few months ago, a friend of mine parked her car on a parking lot. When she returned after finishing her business, she found out that her car was broken into and her vehicle registration, insurance card and a garage door opener were stolen.

She knew that what the thieves were going to do with them and drove back to her house as fast as she could. Soon after she got to her house, they also arrived with a rented U-haul van. When they saw her car, they turned around and sped away.

After I heard this scary story, I removed any paper with my address on it as well as a garage door opener from my car.
Then I scanned Vehicle Registration and Insurance card, and stored them in my cell phone.
I can also open/close the garage door with my phone app. So this is not a problem.

My question is, is it ok to not have a paper copy in case if I get stopped by the police ? (I am in WA State) Would the digital copy be enough ?
I was thinking about hiding it somewhere in the car too. What do you do with them ?
I keep my insurance card and registration in my wallet. I don't park in a garage.
stoptothink
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Re: Do you keep Vehicle Registration, Insurance card, and Garage door opener in your car? I don't anymore.

Post by stoptothink »

Last year someone broke into our car (it was parked in our driveway and not in our garage for some reason) then used the garage door opener to get into the garage at ~3am. Fortunately all that there was interesting to them in the garage was our kids' gym bag. We found the bag, their gloves, hand wraps, shinguards, headgear, etc. tossed all over the neighborhood the next morning. We found everything. They did the exact same thing a few houses down and they were not so fortunate; absolutely cleaned out my neighbor, stealing $10k+ in mountain bikes and snowboards, DJ equipment, and drones. Neighbor had it all videotaped on his Ring doorbell, but there was nothing they could do.

We now have some expensive things in our garage that a thief would easily be able to sell (e-bikes, electric scooters) so we park in the garage whenever possible now and take the garage door opener with us.
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Stinky
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Re: Do you keep Vehicle Registration, Insurance card, and Garage door opener in your car? I don't anymore.

Post by Stinky »

My state (Alabama) says that registration or copy thereof must be kept in vehicle.

As to garage door opener, get a car with Homelink.
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Marshall-Dillon
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Re: Do you keep Vehicle Registration, Insurance card, and Garage door opener in your car? I don't anymore.

Post by Marshall-Dillon »

We know your friend doesn't live in California because all of the U-Hauls have been used up by folks moving to Texas, Tennessee and Florida. :mrgreen: :mrgreen:
biscuit5
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Re: Do you keep Vehicle Registration, Insurance card, and Garage door opener in your car? I don't anymore.

Post by biscuit5 »

JoMoney wrote: Sun Oct 02, 2022 5:37 pm Yes, I keep those items in my car... And while I don't have anything to hide, I'm not going to hand my smart-phone and associated account access over to anyone.
^^ this. Having a digital copy of ones registration then handing over your phone to an Officer seems to grant them access to searching your phones contents. Not for me either.
TravelGeek
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Re: Do you keep Vehicle Registration, Insurance card, and Garage door opener in your car? I don't anymore.

Post by TravelGeek »

Marseille07 wrote: Sun Oct 02, 2022 5:52 pm
Local grocery store is low risk but a trailhead can be high risk. This is when they know you'd be away for hours.
They don’t know how long I hike. Or if everyone else in the household is hiking with me.

There are probably better ways to identify currently empty properties.

Here the current hiking trail scam is to siphon fuel out of parked vehicles.
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HiHo
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Re: Do you keep Vehicle Registration, Insurance card, and Garage door opener in your car? I don't anymore.

Post by HiHo »

HueyLD wrote: Sun Oct 02, 2022 5:35 pm The state of WA allows electronic carry of automobile registration. Google is your friend.

https://app.leg.wa.gov/rcw/default.aspx?cite=46.16A.180
Thank you. This is good to know.
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HiHo
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Re: Do you keep Vehicle Registration, Insurance card, and Garage door opener in your car? I don't anymore.

Post by HiHo »

Marseille07 wrote: Sun Oct 02, 2022 5:36 pm Thanks for this. It appears we can carry digital copies: https://midcolumbiainsurance.com/show-p ... cell-phone. I'm going to do this myself.

The tricky piece is the garage opener. If you don't have it in the car, it's quite inconvenient. However, if I am going for hiking or something, I tend to take it with me.
I replaced my garage door opener with this app based (wi-fi and internet) controlled opener. Works great and send me an alarm whenever it opens/ or closes. And I can check the status anytime. ( In the past, there had been many times that I had to come back to my house to make sure I closed the garage door. Not any more.)

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07TD ... =UTF8&th=1
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HiHo
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Re: Do you keep Vehicle Registration, Insurance card, and Garage door opener in your car? I don't anymore.

Post by HiHo »

Woodshark wrote: Sun Oct 02, 2022 5:41 pm I've often worried about keeping my garage door opener clipped to the visor, but have never done anything about it. The biggest threat I can see is if they know you will be away from your house for a few hours and there is no one at home. They also need to know you don't have nosy neighbors, an armed spouse or a big dog laying in wait. I don't think most common auto B&E thief's are willing to play those odds.
I suspect this was the case. I don't think it was a random thievery. I think it was targeted. They knew her routine ( taking a walk every Saturday morning) and at that time there was no one at home.
michaeljc70
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Re: Do you keep Vehicle Registration, Insurance card, and Garage door opener in your car? I don't anymore.

Post by michaeljc70 »

My state allows digital insurance cards but not digital registration. We have an attached garage. I assume the person the OP mentioned did or I don't see how the garage door opener would get them in the house. I don't lock the door from the garage to the house because it is an inconvenience. We do have another gate you have to get through to get to the garage, but if you had the opener (which is in the car) you could get through both.

Where do you keep the opener if not in the car? A woman could put it in her purse. I don't have anywhere to carry it when I leave the car. I just don't overly worry about such things. Though we don't have junk, we don't have anything priceless or many irreplaceable items.
LiterallyIronic
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Re: Do you keep Vehicle Registration, Insurance card, and Garage door opener in your car? I don't anymore.

Post by LiterallyIronic »

I don't have a garage, but I'd have to imagine someone getting into it would be about the same as someone getting into my shed. What are they going to steal? My lawn mower?
michaeljc70
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Re: Do you keep Vehicle Registration, Insurance card, and Garage door opener in your car? I don't anymore.

Post by michaeljc70 »

LiterallyIronic wrote: Sun Oct 02, 2022 10:16 pm I don't have a garage, but I'd have to imagine someone getting into it would be about the same as someone getting into my shed. What are they going to steal? My lawn mower?
I imagine it was an attached garage. If not, some people do have a lot of tools that can be expensive. Our garage is spillover for the house since we don't have a basement and there is a lot of stuff in there.
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HiHo
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Re: Do you keep Vehicle Registration, Insurance card, and Garage door opener in your car? I don't anymore.

Post by HiHo »

michaeljc70 wrote: Sun Oct 02, 2022 10:14 pm My state allows digital insurance cards but not digital registration. We have an attached garage. I assume the person the OP mentioned did or I don't see how the garage door opener would get them in the house. I don't lock the door from the garage to the house because it is an inconvenience. We do have another gate you have to get through to get to the garage, but if you had the opener (which is in the car) you could get through both.

Where do you keep the opener if not in the car? A woman could put it in her purse. I don't have anywhere to carry it when I leave the car. I just don't overly worry about such things. Though we don't have junk, we don't have anything priceless or many irreplaceable items.
After the incident, I went to her house to reprogram her remaining garage door opener so the one got stolen wouldn't work anymore. I didn't check the door from the garage to house. Mine has a lock, but it's a joke. You can push a nail through a hole in the doorknob and anybody can open it.
LittleMaggieMae
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Re: Do you keep Vehicle Registration, Insurance card, and Garage door opener in your car? I don't anymore.

Post by LittleMaggieMae »

This sounds like an Urban Legend. Is this a scary story for Halloween??? :)

Or maybe a targeted attack - the thieves knew the vehicle would lead them to a house with "good pickings". I'm guessing it was an expensive vehicle? maybe with the right kind of city sticker (or some other type of sticker) on it? Or maybe it had some "tattoos/decals" on it that screamed I have expensive hobbies! or something (I see a warning about having vanity plates and bumper stickers and tattoos/decals on your vehicle because it helps thieves target you and your vehicle - I'm skeptical of this).

I'm scratching my head about how the thieves knew it was "her car" coming and decided to flee... It must have been a unique vehicle. Why wouldn't the woman have called the police and reported the theft/break in right away? I would think she was driving a Hoity Toity vehicle and maybe lived in a Hoity Toity area and that she might be able to convince the police to also check on her home - since the thieves had her address and a way to get into her garage (and probably her home).

For those wondering WHY having access to the garage would interest thieves - there are lots of people with attached garages who do not lock their interior door to the garage. So, if you get access to the garage - it's easy to just walk into the house.
LittleMaggieMae
Posts: 2569
Joined: Mon Aug 12, 2019 9:06 pm

Re: Do you keep Vehicle Registration, Insurance card, and Garage door opener in your car? I don't anymore.

Post by LittleMaggieMae »

HiHo wrote: Sun Oct 02, 2022 10:47 pm
michaeljc70 wrote: Sun Oct 02, 2022 10:14 pm My state allows digital insurance cards but not digital registration. We have an attached garage. I assume the person the OP mentioned did or I don't see how the garage door opener would get them in the house. I don't lock the door from the garage to the house because it is an inconvenience. We do have another gate you have to get through to get to the garage, but if you had the opener (which is in the car) you could get through both.

Where do you keep the opener if not in the car? A woman could put it in her purse. I don't have anywhere to carry it when I leave the car. I just don't overly worry about such things. Though we don't have junk, we don't have anything priceless or many irreplaceable items.
After the incident, I went to her house to reprogram her remaining garage door opener so the one got stolen wouldn't work anymore. I didn't check the door from the garage to house. Mine has a lock, but it's a joke. You can push a nail through a hole in the doorknob and anybody can open it.
Has she filed a police report? She's got "organized thieves" who know where she lives (and what goodies they can get). Her safety seems like it's hanging on the ability of the thieves to wield a prybar.... they don't need her garage door opener to get into her house especially since this seems like a targeted attack.
Last edited by LittleMaggieMae on Sun Oct 02, 2022 10:53 pm, edited 3 times in total.
Topic Author
HiHo
Posts: 41
Joined: Fri Jan 03, 2020 6:58 pm

Re: Do you keep Vehicle Registration, Insurance card, and Garage door opener in your car? I don't anymore.

Post by HiHo »

michaeljc70 wrote: Sun Oct 02, 2022 10:44 pm
LiterallyIronic wrote: Sun Oct 02, 2022 10:16 pm I don't have a garage, but I'd have to imagine someone getting into it would be about the same as someone getting into my shed. What are they going to steal? My lawn mower?
I imagine it was an attached garage. If not, some people do have a lot of tools that can be expensive. Our garage is spillover for the house since we don't have a basement and there is a lot of stuff in there.
Yes, it's an attached garage and I don't think the door from the garage to the house is secure. She works from home and her computer and other things could have been stolen too.
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Metsfan91
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Location: Rust Belt

Re: Do you keep Vehicle Registration, Insurance card, and Garage door opener in your car? I don't anymore.

Post by Metsfan91 »

I always keep insurance and registration with me. (Edited to add) This is a safety practice. Reduce risk.

I keep garage door opener when away from home (someone broke into my car and got the garage opener. So what? How would this person know where the garage is?)
Last edited by Metsfan91 on Sun Oct 02, 2022 11:03 pm, edited 1 time in total.
"Know what you own, and know why you own it." — Peter Lynch
Topic Author
HiHo
Posts: 41
Joined: Fri Jan 03, 2020 6:58 pm

Re: Do you keep Vehicle Registration, Insurance card, and Garage door opener in your car? I don't anymore.

Post by HiHo »

LittleMaggieMae wrote: Sun Oct 02, 2022 10:51 pm
HiHo wrote: Sun Oct 02, 2022 10:47 pm
michaeljc70 wrote: Sun Oct 02, 2022 10:14 pm My state allows digital insurance cards but not digital registration. We have an attached garage. I assume the person the OP mentioned did or I don't see how the garage door opener would get them in the house. I don't lock the door from the garage to the house because it is an inconvenience. We do have another gate you have to get through to get to the garage, but if you had the opener (which is in the car) you could get through both.

Where do you keep the opener if not in the car? A woman could put it in her purse. I don't have anywhere to carry it when I leave the car. I just don't overly worry about such things. Though we don't have junk, we don't have anything priceless or many irreplaceable items.
After the incident, I went to her house to reprogram her remaining garage door opener so the one got stolen wouldn't work anymore. I didn't check the door from the garage to house. Mine has a lock, but it's a joke. You can push a nail through a hole in the doorknob and anybody can open it.
Has she filed a police report? She's got "organized thieves" who know where she lives (and what goodies they can get). Her safety seems like it's hanging on the ability of the thieves to wield a prybar....
Yes, she did. After the incident, she installed an alarm system provided by Xfinity with $40 or so monthly fee.
Last edited by HiHo on Sun Oct 02, 2022 11:06 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Topic Author
HiHo
Posts: 41
Joined: Fri Jan 03, 2020 6:58 pm

Re: Do you keep Vehicle Registration, Insurance card, and Garage door opener in your car? I don't anymore.

Post by HiHo »

LittleMaggieMae wrote: Sun Oct 02, 2022 10:48 pm This sounds like an Urban Legend. Is this a scary story for Halloween??? :)

Or maybe a targeted attack - the thieves knew the vehicle would lead them to a house with "good pickings". I'm guessing it was an expensive vehicle? maybe with the right kind of city sticker (or some other type of sticker) on it? Or maybe it had some "tattoos/decals" on it that screamed I have expensive hobbies! or something (I see a warning about having vanity plates and bumper stickers and tattoos/decals on your vehicle because it helps thieves target you and your vehicle - I'm skeptical of this).

I'm scratching my head about how the thieves knew it was "her car" coming and decided to flee... It must have been a unique vehicle. Why wouldn't the woman have called the police and reported the theft/break in right away? I would think she was driving a Hoity Toity vehicle and maybe lived in a Hoity Toity area and that she might be able to convince the police to also check on her home - since the thieves had her address and a way to get into her garage (and probably her home).

For those wondering WHY having access to the garage would interest thieves - there are lots of people with attached garages who do not lock their interior door to the garage. So, if you get access to the garage - it's easy to just walk into the house.
Yes, as I replied above, I also think this was a targeted crime. They probably knew her weekly routine. Her car was not fancy at all. Just plain old Hyundai sedan with no stickers.
jfave33
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Joined: Thu Mar 19, 2015 6:18 pm

Re: Do you keep Vehicle Registration, Insurance card, and Garage door opener in your car? I don't anymore.

Post by jfave33 »

LittleMaggieMae wrote: Sun Oct 02, 2022 10:48 pm
For those wondering WHY having access to the garage would interest thieves - there are lots of people with attached garages who do not lock their interior door to the garage. So, if you get access to the garage - it's easy to just walk into the house.
The interior door doesn't even have to be unlocked. Open the garage, drive in the uhaul and close the garage door behind you. No one can see you working at the door and taking what you want when inside.
Locked