Forum Index > Trail Talk > Trailhead troubles- the nightshift strikes again
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D. Inscho
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Joined: 28 Feb 2010
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D. Inscho
Not bored yet...
PostSun Oct 11, 2020 10:32 am 
Being a regular at Monogram/Lookout Mtn TH I am well-versed in the nightshift hijinks of the Marbelmount area, but this time it was a little different. Over the years I've learned to leave the truck unlocked (94 4runner), hood cable-locked down, battery chained to chassis, leave <1/4 tank gas and pop the fuel hatch, address information razored from insurance/registration, remove stereo face plate, place club across steering wheel. For this trip I forgot to remove the axe and tow strap, so they were the only losses of consequence. I thought a Tuesday night would be safer (usually it is a Saturday night in my experience). It was the usual buzz-kill to return to a ransacking, but at least the battery was still in the truck rolleyes.gif The inside smelled like grease and gas fumes, but it must have been from their "work" on other cars earlier in the night; my gas was untouched. My registration/insurance was on the ground next to a hypodermic and several Hi Chew wrappers. Other losses:
  • dog dish
  • phone charger cord
  • tire pressure gauge
  • an old worn-out coleman sleeping bag
  • one of my spare masks!?
The thing that makes this incident a little different is there was an attempt to cut through the steering wheel to remove the club; a power tool was used to cut about 1/4" into the steel. Perhaps the tool broke or they were interrupted, but it raises the specter of vehicle theft to the list of concerns bawl.gif I did report to Sheriff who was familiar with heroin issues in the area, and finding 4 runners and pathfinders after they've been abused and abandoned after theft. This was 10/6-10/7 BTW. Anyway, a warning to hiker comrades. It seems as though we can't even have crappy things anymore... I'm going to have to find a way to easily disable the engine mad.gif

http://david-inscho.smugmug.com/ The key to a successful trip is to do the planning during work hours. -- John Muir “My most memorable hikes can be classified as 'Shortcuts that Backfired'.” --Ed Abbey
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nordique
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PostSun Oct 11, 2020 11:39 am 
Thanks for the post! This site needs a place where we can check for trailheads that are unsafe for hikers.

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fourteen410
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PostSun Oct 11, 2020 12:20 pm 
Ugh. Sorry to hear this. Did you know you can keep a photo of your registration on your phone in lieu of a hard copy? One less thing for crooks to steal. RCW 46.16A.180(1)(d): The registration certificate required by this section may be provided in either paper or electronic format. Acceptable electronic formats include the display of electronic images on a cellular phone or any other type of portable electronic device.

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altasnob
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PostSun Oct 11, 2020 12:31 pm 
In addition to showing a cop proof of vehicle registration on your cell phone, you can also provide proof of insurance on cell phone as well per RCW 46.30.020. So there is really nothing that you need to keep in your vehicle with your name and address on it.

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HitTheTrail
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PostSun Oct 11, 2020 1:51 pm 
And you don't even have to carry a physical copy of your drivers license. It can be on your phone as well.

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olderthanIusedtobe
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PostSun Oct 11, 2020 2:01 pm 
Honestly, with the huge explosion of numbers of people out hiking this year, and economic woes, both at least somewhat connected to covid shutdowns, I'm quite shocked there haven't been more reports of trailhead break ins here, WTA and other places. Seems like it was much worse a couple years ago. It wasn't that long ago 20 or 30 vehicles were getting hit at various THs along the MLH just about every weekend. I do feel bad for the OP. I've been hit a few times. Always sucks.

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Cyclopath
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PostSun Oct 11, 2020 2:05 pm 
I didn't know this stuff about being able to keep these documents on your phone. Thanks everybody for posting. Make sure these are stored on your phone physically and not in the cloud. And you should probably keep a car charger for your phone in the car. I like to keep a change of clothes in my trunk, so I hate reading about break-ins. I know it's ill advised, but ever since I turned 40 I can't remember what I had for breakfast. It sucks to get saturated on a rainy hike and realize you forgot to pack a change of shoes when you get back to the car.

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yorknl
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PostSun Oct 11, 2020 2:15 pm 
Or take registration and proof-of-insurane with you while hiking. The weight penalty is fairly close to zero, even if placed in a small ziploc bag as I do.

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altasnob
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PostSun Oct 11, 2020 2:28 pm 
HitTheTrail wrote:
And you don't even have to carry a physical copy of your drivers license. It can be on your phone as well.
I wasn't aware of this. Do you have cite to the law that permits this? The only law I am aware of this is: RCW 46.20.017 Immediate possession and displayed on demand. Every licensee shall have his or her driver's license in his or her immediate possession at all times when operating a motor vehicle and shall display the same upon demand to any police officer or to any other person when and if required by law to do so. The offense described in this section is a nonmoving offense.

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Chief Joseph
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PostSun Oct 11, 2020 2:32 pm 
Tweekers will definitely take weird items. Years ago my wife and I were dining out and left the truck unlocked. Someone ransacked it, a coin holder with a couple of dollars in quarters was lying on the floor, some medium quality sunglasses were left, but a pair of dollar store sunglasses were taken and my wife’s spare pair or panties were gone from the console, lol. One way to help prevent vehicle left is to install an ignition cut off switch under the dash or a battery cut off switch under the hood.

Go placidly amid the noise and waste, and remember what comfort there may be in owning a piece thereof.
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ejain
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PostSun Oct 11, 2020 3:26 pm 
altasnob wrote:
I wasn't aware of this. Do you have cite to the law that permits this?
RCW 46.16A.180(1) (d)
Quote:
The registration certificate required by this section may be provided in either paper or electronic format. Acceptable electronic formats include the display of electronic images on a cellular phone or any other type of portable electronic device.

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KascadeFlat
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PostSun Oct 11, 2020 4:23 pm 
Quote:
One way to help prevent vehicle left is to install an ignition cut off switch under the dash or a battery cut off switch under the hood.
I like to pull my fuel pump fuse out and take it with me or stash it. I call it the Poor Man's Kill Switch. biggrin.gif Just don't forget where to plug it back in!

For a good time call: 1-800-SLD-ALDR.
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altasnob
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PostSun Oct 11, 2020 4:55 pm 
ejain wrote:
altasnob wrote:
I wasn't aware of this. Do you have cite to the law that permits this?
RCW 46.16A.180(1) (d)
Quote:
The registration certificate required by this section may be provided in either paper or electronic format. Acceptable electronic formats include the display of electronic images on a cellular phone or any other type of portable electronic device.
That is the statute for vehicle registration. As I understand the law, you can have vehicle registration and proof of insurance on your phone, but you must actually carry your plastic driver's license and not display a photo. I think the logic being it would too easy to forge your driver's license if all you had to do was display a photo (people with suspended driver's licenses would have an incentive to forge).

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Seventy2002
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PostSun Oct 11, 2020 5:42 pm 
HitTheTrail wrote:
you don't even have to carry a physical copy of your drivers license
RCW 46.20.017 says "Every licensee shall have his or her driver's license in his or her immediate possession at all times when operating a motor vehicle." Where's the electronic part?

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D. Inscho
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D. Inscho
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PostSun Oct 11, 2020 5:45 pm 
Quote:
I like to pull my fuel pump fuse out and take it with me or stash it. I call it the Poor Man's Kill Switch. biggrin.gif Just don't forget where to plug it back in!
Since this TH is a reality for me up to 10 nights a year for me I am going to use a variation of this, swapping-out a blown fuse for a crucial operating component like fuel pump. That way it takes more work and time to figure out the problem. Thanks for the feedback everyone; this certainly is an issue we have to live with in some TH locations.

http://david-inscho.smugmug.com/ The key to a successful trip is to do the planning during work hours. -- John Muir “My most memorable hikes can be classified as 'Shortcuts that Backfired'.” --Ed Abbey
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