It can be an unpleasant thought, but if it was to happen to you, it's important to know the best courses of action. Imagine being about to get into your car late at night to make your way home, only to discover that your keys are gone. Perhaps they have been lost, left behind somewhere, or even stolen. The reason might not even be all that important at this stage, and the most pressing issue is that it's late at night and you can't get into your car. So what should you do if you find yourself in this situation?
Retracing Your Steps
Have you just come from a performance, a party or a function? It might be necessary to make a phone call. Perhaps you were sitting with friends who are still at the event, and it might (hopefully) be the case that your keys are still there. You could also call the ticket office and ask if someone has handed your keys into lost and found. It's generally easier to walk back to obtain your keys rather than making other arrangements. If you cannot locate your keys, then you will need to come up with a suitable workaround for the issue.
A Lifeline from Home
How far are you from home and is there a spare set of keys there? If it's feasible for someone to bring the spare set of keys to you in a timely manner, then this is obviously an easy solution. But perhaps there's nobody at home, or perhaps there are no spare keys.
Secure Parking
Where is the car actually parked? If it's in a secure parking area, then it might be easier to simply leave it where it is for the night, make your own way home, before returning in the morning with a locksmith. You need to ensure that it will still be there in the morning though. Is there a signposted contact telephone number for the carpark's management? Contact them to inform them that the vehicle will be left overnight. This will prevent it from being towed, although an overnight stay will of course result in a higher fee for the carpark than you might have been inspecting.
Parking on the Street
If the car is parked on the street, it might not be possible to leave it overnight. It might not be permitted to do so, and there can also be some security issues. This is when you will need to utilise the services of an emergency locksmith as this will be far less expensive than if the vehicle was to be towed (or indeed, stolen).
Security Issues
There can be some security issues that can arise as a result of lost keys. If the keys were on a fob that allowed for keyless entry, it could be possible for a thief to identify and steal your vehicle at a later stage. However unlikely this might be, it can be prudent to have the new fob set to a different frequency and to have your vehicle's locks rekeyed by an auto locksmith.
Hopefully you will never find yourself in this rather unsettling predicament, but if it was to happen, you now know the best ways to solve the issue.
Share