Amateur, my ignition lock didn’t work and I’d disconnect my battery to shut the car off. I was the only one that knew the magic tricks to crank it back up. I dunno, my key got stuck in the ignition, so I just left it there. Like, who thinks to jam a flat screwdriver into the steering column tilt hinge to crank a car up?
Nobody could steal that car even if they wanted to, unless they knew the internal mechanical structure of the steering column. When I used the screwdriver method, the screwdriver did not go into the ignition or any other intuitive location you might be thinking of.
The key that was stuck in the ignition wouldn’t turn to the start position, nor would it turn back to the off position to remove it. So it was a combination of connecting the battery then using the screwdriver as a lever in just the right spot in the steering column tilt hinge gap area to start it, and disconnecting the battery to shut it down.
I had never let anyone see exactly how I used the screwdriver on that car. Besides, it was such a rusted out beater, I could have parked it in a back alley in the Bronx and most likely nobody would have wanted to touch it, except maybe to steal the gas out of it LOL!
Most americans have no thoughts related to france owning northern africa. I know the joke is that algeria is independent now but most american never knew france ruled that region at all
Try cherry and grape tomatoes. I’ve grown cherry tomatoes for the past two years along with starting grape tomatoes this year and I’ve had much more success with them than larger varieties. I think they tend to be more disease resistant, more vigorous, more productive, and fruit matures more quickly.
Also try growing them in bags or raised beds where it’s kept away from the ground where pests can get at them easier. Another thing you can do is cover the soil around them with straw mulch in order to reduce soil splash onto the plant when it’s being watered–this can transmit diseases to the plant. Pick off all the bottom half foot of leaves or so on the plant when it’s big enough too to reduce soil splash hitting leaves.
I stopped growing grape tomatoes. They’re easy to grow but they’re an indeterminate variety, and since they grow so fast they require a lot of pruning. I found a determinate variety of cherry tomato that grows so sturdy that it could potentially stand on its own without any trellis or cage until it starts fruiting, not willing to test it though.
Honestly, might not be a popular opinion but I live in a big city and the amount of gardening-related local Facebook groups is insane. And since it’s Facebook, it’s all old people who have decades of experience with this shit. AND it’s region specific so they are constantly throwing down relevant advice for the zone you live in. 10/10 it’s literally the reason why I keep Facebook haha.
Cut (or break) the leaves off. They only take growing-energy away from the actual tomato. And harvest on time. If you leave them on too long, they start to rot. Also l, they’re best if you give them a little time to ripen after picking.
You could look into: companion planting (some plants help or hinder others. Eg, basil and tomato are good friends); no-dig gardening (alongside having a good soil microbiome); green manure; sacrificial crops to lure pests away from your main crops; aspect and soil type.
Higher potassium and phosphates increase flower and fruit growth. Higher nitrogen increases leafy growth.
Don’t grow the same type of plant in the same patch every year.
It’s so hard to know any specific advice but I’d say when you’re getting into gardening plant more than you need and try different things - ideally write on labels what you’re doing with that one, like try some in bigger pots, different soil, more light or shade, different pruning styles or planting times. It’s fun and a great way to get a feel for your plants, instead of thinking ‘oh this plant is rubbish’ try to come at it more like ‘oh that’s what happens to a tomato without enough light’
Also YouTube is full of great gardening videos, the lesson type ones get boring once you know what they’re going to say but watching people show you their garden and talk you though everything and how it’s been growing, what they’ve done too it and etc can be endlessly fascinating
Northern California is exactly like this. I saw someone with the wheel jack thing just the other day and was like what the hell is that.
They tell visitors here in CA to leave cars unlocked and take your belongings so at least the windows don’t get broken into when the burglars break into your rental vehicle.
Only in San Francisco and LA. My small town neighborhood has most of the cars parked on the street with doors unlocked because nobody steals shit here.
Yeah it is. There was a guy trying to break into the cars when my mother in law came out to visit and we took her out for pasta - cop car literally casing the lot where we were, then her and my family went to SF for a visit and she had to call the police because there was a guy actively casing cars.
Got our bikes stolen after leaving them out in silicon valley too inside of a very upscale walled off apartment complex. Took me by surprise because we live in a nice area.
I’ve had a lot of different first hand experiences that have made me extremely weary.
Why do steering wheel locks seem so much less popular now? Same with the reflectors. Nothing’s changed about the best way to keep the car cool while you’re not in it but I almost never see them anymore and I’m in Australia of all places. Those things and to a lesser extent the steering wheel locks were everywhere in the 90s.
In my area the wheel locks have come back a little. Not as ubiquitous as I remember in the 90s, but they are back here and there. The reflectors are quite common in Colorado though. See those constantly.
Because engine immobilisers are a thing, that’s also why car keys are so expensive. The engine won’t start without the correct key so no need to worry about the wheel.
As for reflectors, the people that use them might just opt for ceramic window tints.
Tinting your windshield is illegal, but I guess you could just use a super clear ceramic film… Except it’s still super expensive and not as effective compared to a simple reflector.
Actually, in most places there’s a maximum opacity for safety reasons rather than an outright ban. Granted, some jurisdictions set the limit so low that it makes the whole thing pretty much pointless 🤷
I still see reflectors a lot. But I guess they might not be so popular anymore because with today’s ACs you can cool down your car in seconds, while with only ventilation cooling it took way more time.
This seems like the most satisfactory explanation. I totally forgot that not every car had AC when I grew up in the 90s and I’m pretty sure my mum’s old car that she used to lock with a steering wheel lock and try to keep cool with a reflector didn’t have AC now that you mention it.
Many EVs also have ways to either keep the cabin temp for extrended periods of time or precondition the car a few minutes before getting into the car (at the expense of a little energy).
Your steering wheel probably already has a lock built in from the factory, give it a tug without the key and it’ll lock in place, to unlock it you need the key
Deterrent for when someone jams a flathead screwdriver in your ignition and starts the car you still can’t really drive anywhere because you can’t turn. Remember this was before expensive NFC or radio car keys.
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