The One About My Car Gone Wacko: My Kingdom For Some Earplugs

/ Ally Bean

This is not my sweet Olivia, but it is a lovely 1908 Ford Model T car. I bet it had a heck of a horn on it. [Image via autos/yahoo.com on Pinterest]

And then this happened… 

I went shopping in a real store instead of online.  [My first mistake perhaps?]  The store was about 20 minutes from home.

I parked my sweet Olivia, my 19 y.o. Honda Accord, in the parking lot then went inside a store to buy a few things.  I returned to the parking lot and put my bags of stuff into Olivia’s trunk.

No problemo.

Then I got inside the car, began to turn on the ignition with my key, but before I could get Olivia started THE POOR DEAR WENT WACKO and began blaring her security alarm with me inside the car.

I tried getting in and out of the car, but to no avail.  She continued to produce a jarring cacophony.

I tried pushing random buttons on the dashboard, but the noise continued.

I tried using the little button on my key to deactivate the alarm but the battery in my key had gone dead. Did. not. work.

Given up the ghost.

This left me sitting inside my car in a parking lot with no way to turn off the alarm while the alarm continued to shriek in a pattern of 3 long honks, 2 second pause, 3 long honks, 2 seconds pause, ad infinitum.

Thus it came to be that I drove Olivia home serenaded by her ear-piercing security alarm system, noticed by many other drivers on the road.

Oh yes I was.

But the story does not end here… 

Once home I pulled into our garage.

You may remember that a few months ago a car was stolen at gunpoint from inside a neighbor’s garage;  the neighbor walked into his garage while the car was being stolen [weird story here].  It was the talk of the subdivision.

Unnerving.

At that time Zen-Den and I agreed that if I ever knew or thought someone was following me home, I should pull into our garage and start blaring my car horn, thus alerting him to trouble.

Which, of course, is exactly WHAT I UNINTENTIONALLY DID when I pulled into our garage because I couldn’t turn off Olivia’s rather robust alarm system.

Big problemo.

Thus it came to be that a worried Zen-Den, who was working from home, heard the alarm and figured I was in trouble.

But before I could get inside the house to tell him what had happened, he came running into the garage to rescue me from harm, not realizing it was just my sweet Olivia throwing a hissy fit.

Oh yes she was.

QUESTIONS OF THE DAY

Has your vehicle [car, truck, SUV, van, motorcycle] ever set off its security alarm system for reasons unclear?

If so, what did you do?

Do you prefer to shop online thus avoiding any and all drama associated with going to a brick & mortar store?

[Gold star to anyone who understands the literary allusion in the title of this post.]

~ ~ 🚗 ~ ~

167 thoughts on “The One About My Car Gone Wacko: My Kingdom For Some Earplugs”

  2. I’m glad you didn’t get pulled over for disturbing the peace or grand theft auto!

    My 21 year old CIVIC has misbehaved on a few occasions ~ no windshield wipers except manually turning them on and off, no radio, no CD player . . . but I’ve never been alarmed by an unwanted alarm.

    Liked by 4 people

    • Nancy, this experience was lousy. I don’t like noise so there was that, but I realized that it seemed like I might have stolen a car. Then Z-D’s reaction… I’m shopping online henceforth.

      Liked by 1 person

  3. I am sorry you had to go through that! Did you google it? I found many suggestions on how to try and turn it off. Did you check your car manual? I am sure in the heat of the moment it would be hard to think straight with that noise blaring at you. At least, you know that if you were in danger, Zen-Den would not hesitate to rescue you!

    Liked by 4 people

    • Ellen D, I didn’t try to read the manual while I was sitting in the parking lot. I was too flustered. Once home, Z-D figured out how to shut her up, then we immediately purchased a new battery for the key. Of course you have to give props to a key battery that lasts 19 years. 🤔

      Liked by 3 people

  7. The very first time Katie and I went camping in a campground was sort of a test to see if she’d bark all night. I have it on record she did not. But she DID insist on her breakfast very early, around 5 am., as is usual for a princess. Her breakfast was in the car. The campsites were very small, the neighbors on either side of us were within touching distance. In fact Katie and I had spent the evening in our tent, me reading, her watching the neighbor’s campfire, both of us listening to them quietly telling family stories. But I digress. She wanted breakfast. She wanted it NOW! She was going to start barking at me if I didn’t produce breakfast. So we crept out of the tent and I opened the door of the car, grabbed her food but didn’t want to slam the door and wake the neighbors, so I gently pushed the door shut and for whatever reason that set off the car alarm. And I couldn’t find my key fob, and when I did I couldn’t get it to stop the alarm. And when I finally DID get it to stop I was so embarassed I took down the tent in 3 minutes flat, stuffed it in the car and we left before anyone else in the campground got up.

    Liked by 4 people

    • Dawn, oh what a story! I’m laughing but I realize how stressful this situation would have been for you– and Katie, of course. I wonder if your campsite neighbors ate their breakfasts muttering about that crazy lady and her princess doggo? I can understand how what happened to you happened, having recently found myself in a similar situation– sans tent. It does get the blood moving. Thanks for sharing your *perilous* story here. 🤣

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  8. Reader nrhatch gets a gold star, which I’ll add to: Shakespeare’s King Richard III.

    I didn’t get clanging, repetitive noises on my car yesterday, but I got unnerving warnings on the dash: low tire pressure + oil change needed. My “Zen-Den” took care of both issues without making a fuss. Bless him!

    Liked by 3 people

    • Marian, here is your ⭐️ [I wrote the title of this post then realized I was showing my English Lit Major roots. Kind of an obscure reference, but oh well.]

      I don’t like seeing those dashboard messages. They seem ominous, and always involve going somewhere to have something done. I’m glad your “Zen-Den” took care of things for you. Mine does the same thing, btw. 😊

      Liked by 1 person

  9. I know is it “my Kingdom for a horse,” and know it is Shakespeare, but had to look up “King Richard the Third.” So glad Olivia is back to normal now – and we did learn as a result that we could change your key battery ourselves so there was something positive that come out of it all.

    Liked by 3 people

    • Zen-Den, ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ to you for knowing the reference, looking up its source, AND getting Olivia to calm down. Learning about the battery and how easy it was to replace it ourselves saved us $125.00 that the dealership wanted to do that. Yay for us, boo to them.

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  10. I don’t know if the embarrassment or the sheer volume for a sustained period would be worse! I feel for you…although it’s nice to know that your husband was ready to battle on your behalf.

    I am very impressed that you have a car older than one of ours, BTW. Ours is only 18.

    Liked by 2 people

    • AutumnAshbough, the noise was deafening. I didn’t know what else to do except drive home, so I kept my eyes on the road and did so. I tried to not feel embarrassed, but I was. It seems like I’m old enough to know how to keep my car in line, but I didn’t.

      Your car is 18 years old? Another person who gets their money’s worth out of a vehicle! Why buy another car when the one you have works, present story excepted. 🙄

      Liked by 1 person

  11. You’ve left me perplexed. I remember that I once had the same experience of driving home with the alarm blaring, but I can’t remember a thing about how I turned it off. I suspect it might have been in 2011, when I got my current car. It was the first I’d ever had with a key fob, and I probably set it off myself and didn’t know how to turn it off. My hunch is that I punched buttons until it finally stopped.

    Did you ever figure out what set yours off? You said the battery in your key fob was dead, but I wonder if it came to life just long enough to trigger the alarm — then, went back into retirement. Who knows how these things happen. Poor Zen-Den: at least you know he’ll respond!

    Liked by 3 people

    • Linda, I like your approach of pushing buttons in your attempt to turn off your alarm system. I tried that. Didn’t work.

      We still don’t know for sure what set off the alarm spontaneously. I do wonder if you’re right that the battery was wonky enough to turn on long enough to trigger the alarm, then died completely. That’d explain what happened. I can go with that.

      You’re right. I’m sorry that I accidentally scared Z-D into action, but pleased that he came to my rescue. But talk about a situation…

      Liked by 1 person

  13. OMG Ally! You have to laugh, I guess! I’m just imagining your husband thinking you’re in grave danger. And driving home with the alarm going! I’m laughing, but in a horrified, ack kind of way. Here’s the question: how did you finally turn it off?

    Liked by 2 people

    • Nicole, I could see the humor in what was happening as it was happening. I mean Olivia is an old car so things go wrong, BUT the thought of being stopped by the police for driving a *stolen* car made me worry.

      Zen-Den found the valet key that has no battery in it and he locked the doors from the outside. She instantly shut up. Then we ordered a new battery to be delivered asap.

      Liked by 1 person

  14. I love laughing about (along with) your stories! Have you ever wondered how often these sorts of things happen to others because you’ve shared some really outlandish stories over the years with us. I kept thinking, as you described driving home with Olivia, that a police officer probably wouldn’t have even taken the time to pull you over- just assuming that a real thief would not be crazy enough to steal a car, set off the alarm and then actually drive away with it blaring.

    Liked by 3 people

    • Deb, I knew that what was going on was funny, but in the moment I felt more frazzled than entertained. Of course in the telling it is humorous. It didn’t occur to me that a police officer might give me a pass considering I was a woman of a certain age was driving a car of a certain age. Good point. My worries about the cops were a big old nothingburger.

      Liked by 1 person

  15. What a wild loud crazy experience that must have been. Makes me wonder if it had anything to do with the dead battery in the key. Yikes. I don’t know how you managed to drive it while it was honking like that. My ears would have gone crazy… I probably would have continued to hear it long after it was silent. Ah, silence. Enjoy every moment of it.

    Liked by 3 people

    • Robin, I’m a quiet person so this honking just about did me in BUT I had to get home so onward I went. Then to scare Z-D into thinking something awful was happening, well– it was a moment. The battery has been replaced and all is quiet again when it comes to my sweet Olivia.

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  17. This reminds me of one of my favorite movies LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE. Have you seen it? The Volkswagen bus has a broken horn and it won’t stop honking as they drive a long distance. So funny.

    I drive a 12 seater Chevy Express van. The dealer, a friend, insisted on putting a sensor on it so that when I back up it would beep, if there was something behind me. Well, we’ve had the car for like 12 or 13 years. The sensor has always beeped just when I’ve backed down the driveway when nothing is behind me, so not all that accurate. Now, it sounds off in general just when I start driving, no longer a beep – just a high pitched squeak and it doesn’t stop when it should. Definitely in malfunction mode.

    I was envisioning Zen Den calling 911 from inside the house. I can only imagine how long that drive felt.

    I would love to grocery shop online, but I am an in person kind of shopper. I don’t mind ordering things online but I do like to try on clothes.

    Liked by 3 people

    • Ernie, I’d forgotten all about Little Miss Sunshine and I enjoyed that movie when I saw it. Good memory, great comparison.

      Your malfunctioning Chevy would drive me bonkers. I don’t have a backup sensor on Olivia, she’s from the time before they existed. I don’t like it when the vehicle I’m in starts making any unnecessary noises. Call me fussy if you must.

      I shop for food in person most of the time, but clothes and such I shop online. Except that I didn’t the other day– AND SEE WHAT MAYHEM ENSUED? 😵‍💫

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  18. Oh, dear! A blaring alarm hasn’t happened to me before but my daughter’s ancient car’s horn misbehaved while parked in Seattle once. She couldn’t make it stop! The police came and he couldn’t stop it either. Did you ever find out why it was doing that? I’m assuming you somehow got it quiet!!

    Liked by 3 people

    • Margaret, I was worried that the police might stop me as I was driving home in the car, but I got home without incident. Interesting that in your daughter’s experience a cop couldn’t get the car to shut up.

      I don’t know why Olivia lost her sh!t. Once I got home Z-D used the valet key [without a battery in it] to lock the door and she stopped blaring. Now with a new battery in my key Olivia is back to normal, the poor dear.

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  19. First of all, aren’t Honda’s wonderful? We got our first one in 1986 and had it for 20 years I think. I went with a couple of other brands for a while but have now gone back to a Honda CRV and won’t leave again. Second, did you think about calling ZD from the parking lot to see if he had any suggestions to quiet Olivia down? I’m sure you were not as offensive driving down the road with your beeping than some folks I’ve heard with their rappy music blaring. My face would have been beet red the whole time. Glad all worked out okay.

    Liked by 3 people

    • Janet, yes Hondas are great, overall. Does your CRV make it up and down your steep hills okay? Someday I will be getting a new car, just don’t tell Olivia.

      I thought about calling Z-D but I knew he had Zoom meetings scheduled all afternoon and I didn’t want to bother him while he was working… for something you’d think I could figure out.

      You’re right about the rap music. The alarm system had no bass beat going on, just a whole lot of shrill so not as annoying.

      Liked by 1 person

      • When I was doing my A to Z last year I had an HRV and it did fine on the hills. I’m sure my CRV would have no problem either since it has more get up and go. Also, automatic. I’d be afraid to try those hills with a stick shift!

        Liked by 2 people

          • Turns out the HRV was too small for my husband to sit in comfortably, especially for long rides. I liked the CRV better because I like to be up high when I drive. Plus it has more power. I have been known to floor it to pass a slow poke – LOL. The Honda dealership called me to ask if I wanted to trade in my lease early so I took advantage of that and struck a good bargain to get what I wanted.

            Liked by 2 people

    • Mark, it was soooo weird. I’ve been driving Olivia since mile 4 and nothing like this has happened before. It was annoying and I was frazzled, but not scared. As for Z-D, I think he was scared for me when he came running to my rescue, expecting the worse.

      Liked by 1 person

  21. My kingdom for . . . is from a long ago story, either has to do with knights or Shakespeare. The Three Musketeers?

    I accidentally hit the alarm button on my key fob once and I’ve been worried about doing it again ever since! How did you turn it off?

    I prefer shopping in person so I can see and feel the quality of items. I’ve been burned on Amazon with cheap ass toasters and toys, despite good reviews. And I’m not about to use Instacart and have someone else pick my produce. I’m old fashioned like that.

    Liked by 3 people

    • Bijoux, here is your ⭐️ for knowing that the phrase came from… Shakespeare. It’s a line from Richard III.

      I’ve hit the alarm button before on my key but this was different. The darned system just went off. Once I got home Z-D used the valet key to lock the doors and the alarm stopped. The valet key doesn’t have a battery so I think the prob was all about an old battery.

      I prefer to shop for food in person, but when it comes to clothes or household items I like online shopping. I mean, looks what happens when I venture into a store!

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  22. “Baby”, my sweet P,T, Cruiser, is 17 years old this year. I’ve owned her for ten of those years. They keep telling me at the dealership where I take her for maintenance, that she’s becoming ‘obsolete’ and soon parts won’t be made for her, but pbbbllllltttt to them. I don’t happen to have $50,000 just lying around to purchase a new car, plus they don’t make P.T.s any more. I can just see me a brand new Charger. Yeah. NOT. I am glad that no police got involved. That must have been, besides deafening, embarrassing too. Oliva I, Owners 0 (except obviously you did figure out the issue and fix it). 😀

    Liked by 2 people

    • Melanie, I have a friend who has a PT Cruiser & feels the same way as you. I don’t know what you do when there are no more parts but you’ll find out! I understand your loyalty to Baby. As for Olivia’s hissy fit, I’ve no idea what started it and am hoping it’s a singular occurrence. If nothing else I have a new appreciation for just how loud a security system can be.

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  23. When I was in high school, my mother’s car alarm would sound at random moments and there was no way to turn it off; you just had to wait it out. You can imagine how life-threateningly humiliating this was for a high schooler, breezing through town with the alarm blaring.

    I think eventually my mom took it into the car dealer who fixed the issue. But oh how I remember the devastation.

    Liked by 3 people

    • Suzanne, as a girl in high school I’d have been MORTIFIED if that happened to me. I can understand your humiliation. As an adult I was more ticked off than anything else. Slightly embarrassed, but more worried about how much it was going to cost to fix this stupid problem. Answer: turns out the price of a new battery.

      Liked by 1 person

  24. First, with regard to potential car trouble, I understand because my beloved seven-year old pick up kept dying because of a bad battery provided by, wait for it, AAA. Now, that I have replaced said battery with one that works, that problem went away. I have set the car/truck alarm off several times, and every logical thought leaves your head. I usually got it by pressing the fob. As far as ear plugs go, I would like a pair too. This condo we are in has beautiful engineered wood floors, various colors with some bluish gray, a very beachy theme. However, the upright floor vacuum that cleans them quite well is so loud that my ears hurt while I’m doing it. I have a leaf blower at home that makes less noise. So, bottom line, I can relate!

    Liked by 3 people

    • Judy, phooey on AAA for giving you a bad battery. Now that I have a new battery in my key, Olivia and are best buddies again. All is well.

      We had a condo at one point that had tile floors. The upright vacuum we used did what yours is doing. The noise was deafening, maybe not quite as loud as a leaf blower, but close. It drove me crazy to vacuum, crazy to not vacuum. I get your problem. There is no solution except a new vacuum.

      Liked by 1 person

  25. I had a similar experience with my old Mitsubishi Montero. Came out of Home Depot loaded with paint, turned the key in the ignition and bam! Instant migraine. I tried everything and was beyond frustrated. It wouldn’t stop! A random stranger took pity on me, popped the hood, fiddled with something and blissful silence returned. We had the stupid thing disconnected shortly after.

    Liked by 2 people

  27. How about: a horse for earplugs, my kingdom for a car that obeys voice (or telepathic!) commands? 🙂

    When we had our house alarm installed, many many (many!) years ago, the alarm person told us that it’s “safe” to live in neighborhoods where there are only a few neighbors. He said that then people know each other, and each others’ friends and family and know who a stranger is in the neighborhood. When there are lot of neighbors, he said, then people are more “alienated”, less inclined to help. I found that interesting (or disturbing?) enough tor remember it after all these years. And your story brought up the same sentiment again: what does it tell us when so few people lend a helping hand to someone in loud [insert loud emoji here! 🙂 ] distress? Perhaps they’re social distancing out of desire to keep the community safe because of Omicron. Let’s go with that 🙂

    Liked by 3 people

    • First you get a ⭐️ for understanding the reference.

      I remember while studying communication theory in college that we learned something similar to what the alarm person told you. We learned that the more closely people live near other people [think high-rise apartments] the less inclined they are to talk to their neighbors.

      As a student I though it seemed counterintuitive, but as an adult I’ve found it to be true. We live in a subdivision with houses spaced far enough apart that strangers stand out immediately, but in other places where we lived on top of/close by each other… who knew who belonged there and who didn’t?

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      • Woohoo! I shall cherish it! I like hidden (and not so hidden) references/quotes.

        I wonder if that lesson is why they say “it takes a village.” I used to think it was because it was the minimum number of people required. Now I’m wondering if what you’re saying is it’s the maximum number of people for a successful endeavor, and a town would be too much? Another Goldilocks rule, perhaps? You can’t do it alone, you can’t do it with too many people, you need JUST the right number?

        Liked by 2 people

  29. I used to work on a car lot, so I am very familiar with this problem. If the battery in the fob goes dead and you use the key to unlock the door, the onboard computer reads it as a break-in because the fob doesn’t register (even for older cars). The answer is to pull the fuse for the alarm but most people don’t know how (it would be in your manual if you still have it). I got the allusion in your title; I hope you retained your hearing without having to give up your kingdom (or run from your enemies). 😉
    I avoid online shopping, especially Amazon. I think they have enough. 🙂

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  30. The thought of you driving home with the alarm going off gave me anxiety. I can imagine how I would feel in that situation. I’m glad you can laugh about it now, but it had to be stressful at the time. These car alarms seem to be more of a nuisance than a help. 🙂

    Liked by 3 people

    • Kari, I was worried as I drove home. Worried about the police stopping me. Worried that something else was going to break on the car while I drove it. Worried I’d freak out from the noise. I made it home and all is working now, but I agree with you. Car alarms are a nuisance.

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  33. I haven’t read ALL of your comments, as there are many, but I did see one about ominous dashboard lights, which reminded me of a time when my husband and I were out and about, and the oil light came on. Not the ‘change oil’, but another one. We looked in the owner’s manual, and it said to take your car IMMEDIATELY to the dealer for repairs. We looked online, and it said it may be time for a new car, as it can mean something has gone horribly wrong in your engine. Great. We were on our way to the movies, and we decided to blow off the car worries and go to the movies. While watching the film (no idea what it was), I went through the 5 stages of grief for my beloved 2005 Camry, and for the fact that we were once again going to have car payments. I was not happy, but I did come to a level of acceptance.

    After the movie, we went to our trusty mechanic, and he said it COULD be something very serious, or it COULD be that the car needs a new gas cap. Emission regulations are very strict in California, and if the seal isn’t perfect on the gas cap, it will set of the sensor. We went across the street to the dealer, but they didn’t have any gas caps in stock for our model. We went to the auto supply place down the street and bought one that said it would fit our car. We put that in, and brought it back to the mechanic, who turned off the sensor for us. He said that if we drove it around for a bit and the light didn’t come back on, we were good to go. Long story long, the light did NOT come back on, and this has been several years ago now, certainly at least 2 since we haven’t been to a movie in FOREVER, and we are still happily driving our 2005 Camry, whose name is Fancy. Because she is Fancy.

    Whew! I love a happy ending. I’m glad ZD was able to figure out the issue, and oh goodness, what a fright he must have had when you came in blaring with your pre-arranged signal for car jacking!

    Liked by 2 people

    • J, what a story! I had my fingers crossed that the dashboard message was a red herring and that you’d keep your car. I’m smiling about you going through the 5 stages of grief during a movie, bracing yourself for what was to come.

      I didn’t know that a gas cap seal could cause this much trouble, but now that I do I’m going to file that away in the back of my mind. I’m glad your mechanic was honest with you otherwise a dealership could have convinced you to buy a new car on the spot. Fancy clearly is the sort of car that knows how to make her problems known, then patiently [quietly] wait for you to get her fixed. Happy ending, indeed.

      I know that Z-D was VERY surprised when he heard the horn and came running, but once he realized what the problem was, one that was more annoying than serious, he figured out how to make my sweet Olivia happy and QUIET.

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  34. I can relate to your mortification at having your car going berserk. I’ve accidentally hit the alarm button on my fob before and it shuts off if I hit the unlock or lock button, but very jarring even for one round of honks. Can’t imagine driving all the way home like that. Well I hope Olivia has settled back into her normal routine (snoozing in the garage, presumably).

    Liked by 3 people

    • Eilene, this was a surprise and one that I’d like to avoid in the future. The noise was deafening. I felt foolish/annoyed/worried driving home but I had to get back home so I did it. Olivia is fine now, quiet as a proverbial mouse. Yay!

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  35. OMG, I can’t imagine having to drive 20 minutes with that alarm blaring. Ugh! Did it stop when you turned the car off? And has it stayed off? Jeepers! I’ll bet your neighbors loved that. It will be the NEW talk of the neighborhood! 😛

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  36. As I was reading this, I was horrified FOR you. When I got to the part about your ‘signal’ to Zen Den, I had a big chuckle. Sorry.
    I’ve never had this happen! How on earth did you make it stop? Poor Olivia.

    I’m about 50/50 on my in-person vs online shopping. I had to go into a busy shopping area just before Christmas to get a birthday gift for Linds; when I came out another car was parked SO close to mine, I had to enter from my passenger side door and climb over the center console. I was annoyed but noted and was shocked that they didn’t hit my driver’s door. When I got home, I noticed they DID hit/side swipe my back bumper and corner panel. I’m still annoyed when I think of it. If only I’d ordered the gift online!

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    • Suz, thanks for your empathetic horrification. The idea of the emergency signal made so much sense when we planned it, but who knew such a weird car thing could happen. By using the valet key to lock Olivia, she got quiet. Z-D thought of that, bless him.

      Someone damaged your car in the parking lot while you were out Christmas gift shopping? I am outraged. That sucks, but oh the irony. If you’d shopped online you’d have a pristine car– and I’d have no story to tell here. Some days you cannot win for losing.

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  37. We always keep our cars until they just roll over and die. I have had failures, but never with the alarm system. I have had the alarm button pushed by some random object in my purse and thus a scramble to find the keys and turn it off. Why do those alarms cause such a feeling of panic? I hate shopping online, but it is the predominate choice these days for pandemic precautions.

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  38. Just reading this was stressful. So happy it’s been resolved.

    My last car was the kind where all you had to do was push a button to start it. As long as the key fob was with you, it was great. Until the battery in the fob died and you were stranded. Lesson learned – keep a spare battery in the car at all times!

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  39. Yikes! Driving 20 minutes with the alarm blaring? I find it ironic that your car is 19 years old. The newer ones – one of which I own – are so computerized (really, just a computer on wheels) that they do all sorts of random things for no apparent reason. Phantom braking? Why not! Can’t figure out how to defog your windows WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN YOU CAN’T SEE A FLIPPING THING OUT OF THEM? Oh, that ability is buried somewhere in your screen under “safety.” My advice? Find out how to keep Olivia happily tooling along for many years to come.

    Liked by 3 people

    • Janis, it was a noisy drive that I survived but didn’t enjoy. Who would?

      I know that newer cars have all sorts of beeps and blips and bothersome announcements that I’d find annoying. I’m disheartened to read that the mere desire to defog your windows was nearly impossible. Not surprised, but discouraged about the prospect of me ever getting a new car. Every year I’m less and less enthused with computers, the random hijinks of said. Olivia stays for as long as possible.

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  41. LOL!! Oh my gosh it’s funny now in the telling about it, but at the time I’m sure it was AWFUL!!

    No, none of my cars or trucks have ever done that. I hope they don’t! How did you get the alarm to stop…yank it out?!

    I’m doing most of my shopping online, but we went to an actual store to buy He-Man a new suit not too long ago which wasn’t fun as most the stores don’t have the fitting rooms open due to lack of staff. Sigh.

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    • Deborah, it’s a funny story, I get that. It was however annoying and distressing and embarrassing while it was happening. Though I lived to tell, obviously.

      Z-D got Olivia to shut up when he used the valet key, without a battery in it, to lock her doors. That stopped the racket. Hallelujah!

      I haven’t been clothes shopping inside a store for so long that I didn’t know about the lack of open fitting rooms. Fortunately I [we] live a casual clothes lifestyle, so I [we] order online and usually get something that fits well enough.

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  42. This made me laugh so much, though I’m sure you weren’t laughing at the time Ally!

    I definitely opt for online shopping where possible, the world of retail has fallen into the category of no longer fun, though I go when I must.

    I have been sat inside a car when the alarm went off but only because my husband locked me and the kids in while he popped into the shop and one of us moved (he locked us in accidentally I hasten to add!)

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    • Rae Cod, I realize it’s a funny story in the telling, I even realized in the back of my mind while it was happening that it was funny, but I was rattled and annoyed in the moment. I mean, my sweet Olivia has always been so charming and reliable.

      I’m with you about shopping. It’s no longer fun. I am sorry your husband accidentally locked you in the car and your alarm system went off. Noisy little buggers, aren’t they?

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  43. Yikes! What a story! Your nerves must have been shattered and I can only imagine Zen Den’s adrenaline rush before he knew what was going on… Thankfully that’s never happened to me, although I don’t drive any more. As for shopping online vs. shopping in person — it’s a draw, both feel like such unpleasant chores these days.

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    • Barbara, you said it. By the time I got home my nerves were shattered and Z-D was hyped up all because Olivia lost her mind. Such a strange thing to happen. I know what you mean about shopping being an unpleasant chore. Not a fan of doing it, but sometimes you have to.

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  44. Oh my…I was not expecting that ending. I bet Z-D was hyped up and ready to go. At least, you know he’d come to your rescue in a crisis. We’ve accidentally set off our car alarm before, but never had it blaring and not been able to turn it off. I can just imagine that drive home. Once my husband’s automatic start went off while we were thousands of miles away in Alaska. Luckily, the vehicle was parked on the side of the house and not in a closed garage. Our neighbor noticed it, knew we were out of town, and called Larry. We were able to instruct the neighbor on how to shut it down. Crazy.

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    • Christie, it was a drive home to remember. I am pleased that Zen-Den was able to hear me in the garage because that means our pre-arranged “I need help” system works. But he was, as you said, hyped– and there was no real trouble.

      That’s quite a story about your husband’s automatic start. I’m glad your neighbor was able to get in touch with you and fix the problem BUT why did the vehicle start on its own to begin with? Kind of weird, kind of scary.

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  45. no, never by an alarm. BUT we have a 2019 Nissan Pathfinder push button and one cannot walk away if you have the key in on your person if the car is started. Why? The cars security will let you know. YEP.

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    • Linda, is that right? That’s interesting. So newfangled! Obviously my sweet Olivia is so old that she doesn’t have a push button starter option, so I can walk away with her running. Not that I do that often.

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  46. No gold stars here–the title eludes me. (or is it alludes?) My goodness what excitement, Ally Bean! I am feeling for you so much. Have never had this happen. Yet. We are headed out shopping soon so please may it not happen today.

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  47. You should have had a horse to ride home in peace. This makes for a great post, but I’m positive you were not happy the entire time Olivia was having a hissy fit. How did you make it stop? I guess I would have driven my vehicle to my garage and asked them to make it stop, but perhaps that wasn’t an option for you.

    As for the brick and mortar stores, I only go to the grocery stores (with a mask) and once a month, I put on an N95 and attend in-person church service (I go to the early service and it’s a small church, so not a ton of people). Otherwise, I order from Amazon or curbside whenever possible, which I actually prefer because then I don’t go wandering and buying things I don’t need. And I stay a bit safer from Covid.

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    • Mary, while this is a funny story to tell now, while it was happening I was, shall we say, ANNOYED. Once I got home Z-D used the valet key, that doesn’t have a battery in it, to lock Olivia. She immediately got quiet.

      I like your approach to shopping in these Covid-19 times because you’re being safe and practical. I try to avoid brick and mortar stores when possible but sometimes it can’t be helped. Like you when I shop online I buy less, which is good. Well, good at least for our bank account– maybe not the economy. 🙄

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  48. I’ve been fortunate to never have this issue before… at least, over the past four years since I had to buy a new car. My beloved old 1998 Neon would have never become a non-stop circus car, as it didn’t have any kind of security system (other than the fact that it looked rather unenticing to the criminal element and I kept nothing of value in it)….

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    • evilsquirrel13, this unstoppable car alarm was a first for me– and it was loud. I hope your new vehicle never loses its mind and does what my sweet old Olivia did. I like how your old car in it’s own quiet way thwarted anyone from stealing it. Boring and basic, not a bad way to keep criminals away.

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  49. At least Z-D didn’t call the police to rescue you. That’s where I thought you were headed.

    My mom had something similar happen and I forget what actually happened…. Something about pushing the lock button in some odd circumstances. And you have to know what she did in order to turn it back off. That would be handy to know.

    I avoid brick and mortar stores for a variety of reasons. Lately, I’ve been wishing for the freedom of easily going to one just for a change of scenery.

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    • Zazzy, you’re right if Z-D had called the police before checking on me, this story would have had a different ending. A couple of people have told me that this sort of crazed car alarm system has happened to them, or someone they knew. It was disconcerting.

      I only went into a brick and mortar store for a particular reason, no dilly-dallying around. It was a change of scenery which was nice– until it wasn’t. 🙄

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  50. My kingdom for some earplugs, a mechanic or someone knowledgeable about cars, or even better, a horse! In the case of the horse, it may have been a quieter, less embarrassing and less headache-inducing ride home.
    Situations like this are not fun. As a child, I remember accidentally setting off an alarm on a secure worktruck my Uncle had that was parked at the shops. I had no alternative but to sit inside the truck with the alarm blaring, waiting for him to come back from his shopping. It felt like hours, but was probably only ten minutes. If ever there was a way to slow down time, this is it!
    Glad you sorted Olivia out. This may have been just her mid-life crisis/menopause/senior moment but she sounds sturdy and reliable in other ways.

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    • Amanda, you get a ⭐️. I see that you understand the horror of being inside a vehicle that won’t shut up. It was about as annoying as anything can be. You’re right it slows down time.

      I love the idea that Olivia is going through menopause. She is an older car so makes sense. In other ways she’s great and I’m frugal enough to keep her around. Despite this kerfuffle I love her, oh yes I do.

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  51. How awful! And, of course, a very funny story. You’re so lucky that Z-D quickly figured out what to do.

    It’s amazing how often we have reason to quote Shakespeare. He wrote so many phrases we use all the time.

    I haven’t had a horn problem, but long ago, when I was driving my daughter from Washington, DC for an interview at Notre Dame in a friend’s old car while my husband stayed back to talk with the friend, the muffler fell off. I think it was in New Haven, CT. We drove all the way back to DC sounding like a freight train.

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    • Nicki, ⭐️ to you for knowing the reference was from Willy Shakes. His words are imbedded in our minds more than many people realize.

      No muffler? Oh that does make for a loud driving experience. I can imagine that for you two the stretch from CT to DC was interminable. Could you even hear anything after that drive?!!

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  53. Yikes, that sounds toe curling…. Hope all is now well again and that Z-D’s blood pressure has returned to normal 🙂

    Fortunately none of my cars have had any form of security fitted, and I’ve never paid to add it, as my experience of life in suburbia is how alarms can ruin a neighbour’s peace. One neighbour’s alarm went off everything time they went on holiday, over and over and over until the battery ran dead. I came to dread certain times of the year.

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    • Deb, Olivia, Zen-Den, and I are all well. She’s quiet now, Z-D has calmed down, and I am back to shopping online. But what a LOUD thing to happen!

      Our cars have come to us with factory installed car alarms. No choice, just there. I’d hate to live by anyone whose car alarm went off while they were away. How completely annoying and rude. Bad neighbors!

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  54. I feel for you! My 19 year-old Acura has gone cuckoo but maintenance wise. I posted about the catalytic converter having been stolen. The moment that got fixed, the transmission started to go out. I can drive locally, but only at 40 mph. Now the heater motor has gone out. Sigh. I also have a factor installed alarm.

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    • L. Marie, oh your poor Acura is beginning to lose it. I am sorry. I remember your post about the catalytic converter because that was a lousy thing to happen, but now all of this, too. Will you keep your car or get a new one? I’m on the fence about what to do with my sweet Olivia.

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  55. haha (am I allowed to laugh??) This sounds exactly like something that would happen to me… and actually it kind of did lolll but in my case it was TOTALLY my fault lol… I was playing with a loonie (I’m Canadian) in my car waiting for a friend to finish their shopping… bored and impatient as I was, I mindlessly started to trace the natural crevices of the steering wheel with the loonie and then accidently dropped it in the crevice between part of the steering wheel and I guess the inner workings of the horn (??! I’m no car expert lol) and then I thought nothing of it except that damnit I just lost a bloody loonie! But once my friend came out and we started driving off, every time I turned my steering wheel the loonie I guess would jam against some wire connected to the horn so it would randomly beep every time I turned a corner or slightly turned my wheel to switch lanes! It was sooo embarrassing because everyone on the road thought I was honking at them for NO REASON!!! Finally got to my friends house and used a wire hanger to jimmy it out of the crevice! OY!!! lol..

    Also, I thought your story was going to end with your husband calling 911 and the police arriving at your house LOL..

    I love online shopping in the moment because the anticipatory feeling I get is amazing but then after that wears off within like an hour I feel totally impatient and hate waiting for items to be delivered.. I do prefer looking and feeling things in store and bringing it home immediately with me! 🙂

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    • bosssybabe, YOUR STORY IS HILARIOUS. I can understand what happened because goofy things happen– and I can imagine the mean stares you got when you inadvertently honked at other drivers on the road. Very funny, very believable. Love how you got the loonie out of the steering column. Made my day with this one. Thanks.

      I like online shopping because I never feel rushed, whereas in an actual store I feel like I’m supposed to be in a hurry. But I know what you mean about how you want the merchandise now. I try to forget that I ordered something so I don’t fret, but I usually remember and get cranky.

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  56. Lightening storms sets off my north side neighbors DIY beefed up old truck that looks like a war zone monster truck.

    The first three weeks that I actually lived in my cottage in May 2020 we had heavy spring lightening storms. I heard a car alarm go off and I kept checking to see if it was my VW Beetle (The Doodle). Nope, not mine!

    It took me a very long time to figure out where it was coming from. A contractor was visiting me, and he heard it too. And asked me about it. By then I had discovered that it was my neighbors truck. He is 85 and can no longer hear. So, I adjusted to acceptance of this phenomenon. It does stop eventually!

    What you went through… EGADS!!! You braved it through without an anxiety attack or emotional meltdown! You and Z-D make a great partnership. All ends well.

    And yes, after two years the monster truck still alarms during lightening storms. Comical now.

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    • TD, lightning can set off a car alarm?!! I didn’t know that, but *sure* why not? I’m sorry you live somewhere that involves you hearing one of these car alarms on a somewhat regular basis. Even if you have adjusted.

      Yes, what happened with Olivia was a new kind of driving experience. I don’t want to go through that again, but I did make it home in one piece. And Z-D’s response proved that he can hear what happens in the garage when he’s sitting in his home office. All good, overall.

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  57. We have a home alarm that is supposed to keep us safe. Unfortunately, the darn thing has gone off a few times inadvertently—once in the middle of the night when we were sound asleep. I located my trusty baseball bat (like any respectable criminal is going to hang around when a blaring alarm goes off), but not before twisting my ankle. How do you explain that to your doctor? I’m estimating that whole unsettling experience took about five years off my life, but hey, we’re safe!🤣

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    • Pete, oh that’s a story that sounds about right. I’m sorry your stupid home alarm system went off when it did and you twisted your stupid ankle, BUT AIN’T THAT JUST THE WAY? I can imagine how many years it took off your life, but it is nice knowing now. 😁

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  59. Hi ally – I read a few comments here and see the title connected to willy shakes (but new to me) and wow – that must have been nerve wracking driving home with the alarm blaring – and hope it does not happen again.
    I never had that happen, but I did have a sedan with electrical issues – sometimes it would randomly lock and unlock the doors – annoying – and then sometimes the power windows wouldn’t work – more than annoying and even maybe dangerous – !
    —
    what color is Olivia? (just curious) maroon? gold?

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    • Yvette, the title of this post just came to me. Say what I will about my high school, I did learn lots of Shakespeare quotes.

      A vehicle with electrical issues sounds awful. I wouldn’t like that at all. Beyond being annoying, it’d be dangerous like you said. Cars are great, but they do have their quirks. Olivia is white with a spoiler. She’s snazzy.

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  60. Our Jeep occasionally (rarely) decides that it will not recognize my keyfob. I know that as long as I do not try to open the door, I will be fine. But I cannot start the Jeep. If it is particularly hot (or cold), I cannot wait until said Jeep decides to co-operate. Arghh!! I prefer to send my husband to brick and mortar stores while I stay home. 😉

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  61. I do know the quote Ally and there are times when I have wished for a horse in the midst of car troubles, which is something akin to cursing a computer and wishing for a quill pen. I got my VW Beetle retrofitted with a security alarm after someone tried to steal it while I was working at the diner. The owner of the diner came upon the man trying to get into my car and confronted him (with a pistol to the head – OMG). I had pin-stripe detail and my school sticker on the rear window … so not believable. But every time the wind blew too hard, the alarm would start screaming … I had the alarm disconnected a few weeks later. But … even more fun than that story was my Regal that developed a “mushy horn pad” and yes, that is a “thing” and the subject of a recall, but was never corrected. If I drove the car, I put the horn fuse in, but when I parked it anywhere, including in the garage at night, I used the fuse puller and removed it, lest it go off on its very own. I had a huge sign on the seat to remind me about the fuse and I prayed a lot while driving that the car wouldn’t honk on its own and someone thought I was a honker with road rage. 🙂 I finally went to a mechanic that put a “mini horn” on the steering wheel and disconnected the “real horn” – I never used the horn, but nice to know it was there.

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    • Linda, first you get a ⭐️ for being in the know. You’ve had all sorts of weird troubles with your cars. I’m horrified about someone trying to steal your car– and there was a gun involved. Oy vey

      As for your mushy horn, that’s funny except I’m sure it wasn’t funny. Recalls can be dubious affairs. I didn’t know that a car’s horn could go mushy, but am also glad that you got it fixed in a very clever way. Thanks heavens for the sensible mechanic.

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      • I think I heard the expression, but not in conjunction with reading the Shakespeare work. I read an article not long ago about all the words we use in everyday language that are attributed to Shakespeare. It was an interesting story.

        Yes, the diner where I worked all through school was fun and great people, all from the South. The owner, a very slight man who always carried a handgun, had several restaurants and went missing the last year I was there – murdered by the Mafia, body discovered several months later in the trunk of his car. But he came into the diner and told me he put the gun to the guy’s head. Yikes!

        The Regal was in the garage and suddenly started honking on its own. My mom happened to be talking on the phone to a neighbor. They both remarked that someone’s alarm was going off. The neighbor hung up and realized the honking was coming from our garage. I had a little Tupperware filled with fuses for the horn. The car fuse box was in a hard-to-reach area and sometimes I’d drop the fuse trying to put it in the slot as my nails were long. That car, which I had for 21 years, had multiple recalls, the mushy horn pad, the worst of the bunch, but I loved the car so just kind of jollied along with its issues.

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        • I’m aware that there are many things I say that come from Shakespeare, but I don’t always know it. This reference I knew for sure. It’s from Richard III [the play in the movie The Goodbye Girl, if you saw it].

          I like the idea of a Tupperware container filled with car fuses and that you kept your car for as long as you did. I’m hoping to have Olivia for at least 20 years.

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          • I did see The Goodbye Girl and liked it. If I come across that list I’ll send you the link. I think I may have seen it on Mental Floss which I used to follow but they had so many posts I finally stopped.

            I hope you have Olivia a long time – I wanted to have the Regal for 25 years to let it have “classic car status” but sadly at 21 years it had just too many electrical issues and was not safe to drive.

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