I stole a car

[cynic]

I ask for the crew car at a small airport and the guy says 'Its a van in the parking lot and the keys are in it.'

So I go outside, open the door to a nice Nissan Minivan and the keys are in the ash tray. I go to lunch, come back in an hour and the guy says 'I thought you wanted the crew car.' I say, yeah, I took the white van. He says that wasn't the crew car.

Oh well. Don't leave your keys in the car with the door unlocked!

 

[NW_Pilot]

I ask for the crew car at a small airport and the guy says 'Its a van in the parking lot and the keys are in it.'

So I go outside, open the door to a nice Nissan Minivan and the keys are in the ash tray. I go to lunch, come back in an hour and the guy says 'I thought you wanted the crew car.' I say, yeah, I took the white van. He says that wasn't the crew car.

Oh well. Don't leave your keys in the car with the door unlocked!

Thats Funny!

 

[scoreboard]

Rentals.

No ditch to deep nor curb to high. Offramp speed limits negotiable.

 

[ACT700]

That is hillarious!

Oh, and scoreboard, don't forget reverse 180s when backing up, and donuts.
Don't do that stuff in cars with Onstar or whatever the Ford version of that is.
So, I'm doing this beautiful donut in a Lincoln Towncar, and some friggin phone rings inside the car, and the lady asks "are you alright?".
...

 

[Alin10123]

hahahaha, that's actually pretty funny. Wonder why someone would leave the door unlocked and then leaves the keys in it.

 

[FN FAL]

hahahaha, that's actually pretty funny. Wonder why someone would leave the door unlocked and then leaves the keys in it.

That might have been his back up set or maybe the car was dropped off by family or friends of a pilot that was flying in.

If the guy wanted to be smart ass, when he found out his car had been operated without consent he could look up who had it by reviewing the FBO records. Then, he could take a look around the car for fresh damage like scratched rims, door dings, any dent that appeared new and file a lawsuit for damages. It would be his word against the person who used the car without permission, but civil juries only need to have a preponderance of the evidence in a civil case.

As for pursuing state charges of operating a motor vehicle without the owner's consent, that could be a waste of time...or not. Depends on how much the guy was ticked that someone took the vehicle and whether or not the DA would take the case.

 

[mcjohn]

FN FAL, how do you know so much about legalities. Av Bug was the same way. Did you guys do an online law degree or something?!

 

[FN FAL]

It would be a bit of a stretch, but in WI they could nail you for 3m if anybody of importance wasn't believing your story about driving the vehicle by mistake. 3m modifies 3.​

943.23 Operating vehicle without owner’s consent.​

(1)​

In this section:​

(a) "Drive" means the exercise of physical control over the

speed and direction of a vehicle while it is in motion.​

(c) "Operate" includes the physical manipulation or activation
of any of the controls of a vehicle necessary to put it in motion.​

​

(2)​

Except as provided in sub. (3m), whoever intentionally​

takes and drives any vehicle without the consent of the owner is
guilty of a Class H felony.​

(3)​

Except as provided in sub. (3m), whoever intentionally​

drives or operates any vehicle without the consent of the owner is
guilty of a Class I felony.​

(3m)​

It is an affirmative defense to a prosecution for a violation​

of sub. (2) or (3) if the defendant abandoned the vehicle without
damage within 24 hours after the vehicle was taken from the
possession of the owner. An affirmative defense under this sub-​

section mitigates the offense to a Class A misdemeanor. A defendant

who raises this affirmative defense has the burden of proving
the defense by a preponderance of the evidence.​

​

 

[FN FAL]

FN FAL, how do you know so much about legalities. Av Bug was the same way. Did you guys do an online law degree or something?!

No, I live upstairs from a cop and he talks in his sleep.

Yea, I'm almost done with a bachelor degree in a related subject.

In case you guys are wondering, I believe the accidental story myself. I'm just practicing looking cases and laws up, because it forces me to read them.

I just posted the relevant WI law, so you didn't see that yet. But notice how they amend the lesser class I felony to a class A misdemeanor if the car is returned unharmed in 24 hours? Kind of weird, probably for joy riders?

This OMVWOC is an intentional thing, meaning you intended to do it...you'd have to run into a real pricky situation with the cops and the owner making a complaint before that would become something. But you could see where something as innocent as driving off with someone's car by 'accident' could turn sour, if people became "confused" right after you drove away?

I can actually picture the same exact thing happening at the FBO I go to...sliver FBO van, it's a beater. Keys are in it! Go outside and next thing you know, you're in the mayors suv and he's called the cops. Go figure.

On the civil side, I'm not kidding. If the guy that owns the car is a dick, remember that anybody can sue anyone, for anything.

 

[mcjohn]

Interesting......I think? Good work!

 

[FN FAL]

Interesting......I think? Good work!

I don't know if it's good work or not. I just get bored...starting a new class on tues and the jump season is already started with flying to be done this weekend and tues for the DZ.

Maybe I can give you guys a break and concentrate on getting good grades and having fun for a change.

I was merely pointing out that confused small town cops and irate car owners could be a bad day for someone who might have been stopped after driving off. Most people would understand what happened, but there's always that one guy in the newspaper saying, "I didn't do it!!! Honest!"

You're right, the owner should have not had the car unlocked with keys in it, but notice that the Wisconsin law doesn't say a thing about how the car became operated or driven...other than "intentionally" and "without consent".

My biggest worry for the guy that got in the car would have been in the case of an accident? Who's insurance would cover? Mine covers other people's cars if they loan me theirs. My company covers me in other cars, if they are rented for work.

But who's car insurance covers you when you don't belong in the car?

 

[Gorilla]

I had a similar incident, and it was VERY embarassing.

I had placed a nice boat in storage near a lake. Months went by; the time finally came for me to get the boat out and clean it up. I drove the long distance to the storage facility only to realize I had long since lost the key to my lock. So I drove to a hardware store and bought one of those HUGE lock cutters, like the ones the janitor used in school to snip locks off of lockers.

If you've never used one, they're impressive. I chopped that old lock off in moments. Too bad when I rolled up the storage door, I found some other dude's boat (and a jet ski) in MY storage unit. Oh, wait, COULD THIS BE SOMEONE ELSE'S UNIT? AUUGGG! (think Charlie Brown) Unfortunately, the security guy watched this whole thing go down, a bit suspicious, I'm sure.

I apologized profusely, and handed him the new lock and key that I'd bought for my storage unit. He laughed a bit and realized we were harmless and stupid. I was at least 4 doors off from the correct unit.

 

[labbats]

Mark (Lrjtcaptain) and I tore up a rental Explorer in Powell, Wyoming.

That was hysterical. We're rolling through mud, peeling out, offroading everywhere. At one point Mark turns to me and says "I don't think this is a road" we both look at each other, laugh, and I floor it.
Then we pick up our passenger and the truck is coated in mud.

Man that was fun.

 

[FN FAL]

I had a similar incident, and it was VERY embarassing.

I had placed a nice boat in storage near a lake. Months went by; the time finally came for me to get the boat out and clean it up. I drove the long distance to the storage facility only to realize I had long since lost the key to my lock. So I drove to a hardware store and bought one of those HUGE lock cutters, like the ones the janitor used in school to snip locks off of lockers.

If you've never used one, they're impressive. I chopped that old lock off in moments. Too bad when I rolled up the storage door, I found some other dude's boat (and a jet ski) in MY storage unit. Oh, wait, COULD THIS BE SOMEONE ELSE'S UNIT? AUUGGG! (think Charlie Brown) Unfortunately, the security guy watched this whole thing go down, a bit suspicious, I'm sure.

I apologized profusely, and handed him the new lock and key that I'd bought for my storage unit. He laughed a bit and realized we were harmless and stupid. I was at least 4 doors off from the correct unit.

That's hilarious...I have caught myself wondering why my key wouldn't open the door to my car, only to find that it was one that looked similar, parked in the same area.

 

[sky37d]

my wife has a black jeep grand cherokee. I walked up to it, did the unlock thing, and it didn't light up. I did it again, same result, then I looked inside and saw the baby seat, realized it was the wrong car.

 

[FN FAL]

my wife has a black jeep grand cherokee. I walked up to it, did the unlock thing, and it didn't light up. I did it again, same result, then I looked inside and saw the baby seat, realized it was the wrong car.

Was that before or after you saw the paternity suit papers laying on the front seat?


:beer:

 

[Occam's Razor]

Sorta related: One of my college roommates and I drove up to our other roommate's parent's cabin at Lake Tahoe. He described the place and gave us the address...and told us he'd meet us there on Saturday. We got in late on Frday night, finally found the place, and hit the rack. It was very nice two-story A-frame...well equipped.

The next morning we got up and foraged for food. The fridge was full of diabetes medicines and baby formula. Hmmmmm?

We ate pretzels and a couple of cans of peaches we found in the pantry. We spent the next few hours watching TV and wondering why there was so much baby stuff all over, since Marc was the youngest in his family.

At noon we were bored and starving so we hopped in the car to drive to McDonalds. On the other side of the street we spotted Marc's bright yellow Jeep.

Rut Row!

We ran back inside, grabbed all our crap, cleaned up everything that could be cleaned in 90-seconds, and hauled-butt over to the correct cabin.

After a few hours of peeking thru the blinds to see if the owners showed up (to be followed by the inevitable call to the cops), we agreed to drive back to school and avoid Lake Tahoe for the rest of our lives.

 

[Lilah]

Hasn't there been a story of regional carrier pilots flying away in a plane belonging to another carrier.... i.e. ASA,ACA,Comair,SkyWest?, I don't remember the details, but have heard the story.

Lilah

 

[epic!]

haha thats incredible, could have been a sticky situation if they noticed

 

[fxbat]

I don’t know about taking another company’s a/c. But I remember a company e-mail about checking the release with the a/c n-number. In beagle speak means “some one took the wrong a/c don’t you do it”.
I really liked the e-mail about turning off both the engines before you leave.