Coincidence or is some one out to get us or am I paranoid?

No - it is being worked on among the insurance companies. Dummy didn't realize that if you don't replace a water heater it will fail.

Painter is over now, repainting our ceilings - the one positive - the ceilings will be painted nice for viewing for potential buyers - negative we may have to pay the $500 deductible as usually they do not consider some one's water heater leaking as negligant.

My husband has been parking across the street - in a more visable parking space. I parked my car in our reserved spot (the one he had been parking in). The other day, I noticed my back tire seemed to be getting low. This morning it appeared almost flat. I used my tire pressure thingy and there was very little pressure. It appeared the tire was not damaged or anything wrong with it. I filled the tire up with air this morning and all seems fine.

Told my husband - he is going to Best Buy today and see what sort of camera we could get that can film at night and be useful for this.

It could just be the tire losing air - but there just seems to be too much of a coincidence.

so my husband talked to our maintenance guy. He said that they were looking into getting cameras for around the clubhouse (our cars are parked not too far from there). He said when they do - he will aim them toward where we park as well.

He also said that the wireless cameras could have interferance with other wireless stuff so it may not be a good solution to get one from Best Buy. Our alarm company is a better resource - unfortunately they cannot get over until near the end of the month.

I think I will look into the tack thing (in the mean time) - really. I am thinking of going to Home Depot and finding some dark tacks (big enough to do a little damage) to put around the back tires. That way if some bozo is kneeling down or around the back of my car - they will have will a nice surprise.

Won't those tacks just be additional ammo for them?

You mean for something for them to use on the tires? or something else that would get them mad?

I figure that it would hurt them enough and know that we caught onto them. Get some dark ones so they can't see them at night. Problem is I'd have to go outside late and then remove them first thing in the morning.

My suggestion is surveillance cameras. Hook 'em up and record to a DVR.

Most of the new ones can be accessed over the web or even with a mobile phone app.

You know what's really irritating?

Toothpicks snapped off in a lock.

Just sayin'.

Happened to me once when my car was parked at my MIL's. (She was a teacher at the time.)

I don't think the tack thing is a good idea. You have been on the side of right all this time...

See above - we talked about this and was told that the type you are discussing would most likely have too much interference.

The condo assoc is looking to install some - and the maintenance guy said he would include the area where we park in the viewing. And we have our alarm company coming out end of this month to see if they can suggest anything.

But in the mean time - I'm looking for something else....

How is that wrong? I am not proposing to put it any where that a car or anyone without intend to do harm to my vechile would be near. I am not proposing to lay under some one else's car. Just right next to my back tires. The only reason for some one to be out next to my back tires would be to do something to the tires.

or somebody's dog or cat could step on a tack


(the doing something to your car could be peeing, but I still wouldn't want to run the risk of injuring an animal)

Dogs shouldn't be off leash to begin with, and I've rarely seen cats or dogs hanging out around tires. If they stepped on one, I'm sure they wouldn't be too injured and they likely wouldn't return.

I think she's desperate to stop the vandalism. I don't know what to suggest, frankly, except maybe going and telling them (and maybe other neighbours) that someone is doing this to her/their car and that it might be happening to others, so they're installing cameras for the safety of the neighbourhood. That way, if they're guilty, it might stop. If not, they might be grateful.

Well, from a practical point of view, I think it would only aggravate the situation.
From a procedure point of view, I think it's tacky, heh, and brings you down a level.
As for someone by your back tires other than the culprit, unlikely maybe, but a dog or even a cat could be there.

I've told the story before on a2k how a co-worker punished students who parked in staff parking by keeping a record of license plates and letting the air out of a tire per offense, second offense, two tires, third, three. She was, ah, a little wacky, or considered so by the rest of us.

In contrast, I think the camera thing in general is a good idea.

Oops, missed your post.

I've seen a dog and a cat leashed somehow together in a parking lot. The dog kept wanting to run, the cat kept going under cars. Funny at the time.

Cats get away from heat, or conversely, like the warmth under a car engine, and the routes they take don't always make sense to humans.

What are the odds a dog or cat will be out alone at night and hanging around that particular car, that close to the tires?

Yup, cats like to get into/onto/around cars. I see footprints all over them during the dusty summer and snowy winter as I walk to the bus stop in the morning.

Dogs seem to love to pee on cars/tires. Something about those vertical surfaces.

I said "unlikely maybe".

I think another problem is that if this is done until such time as cameras are in, you get to put down and pick up tacks every evening and early morning, and the likely one to drive over them is you or your husband.

My key point is that it puts the tack setter closer (not all the way) to her level.

I am not suggesting or agreeing to her putting tacks down, just commenting on the likelihood of animals being 'injured'. Even if they encountered a tack, I doubt they would be 'injured' if it were just sitting there. I'm sure there's all kinds of 'dangerous' bits and pieces out there, broken glass, for example, that are more dangerous.

I had a different suggestion.

True.
On the odds, I suppose it varies with where one lives. We had a lot of stray dogs and cats, and cats who had homes who went outdoors too, back in Venice.