What to do with "stuff" when diving...

[NDL_Diver]

Kids joyriding and vehicles being chopping up for parts. Just saying, i don't want to buy a truck because of being fully liable because I cannot produce the key. I just put it in a dry box and take with me. I don't take the risk.

YMMV

Cheers

 

[dmaziuk]

That's why we rent from AB: full insurance coverage and conditions are "leave the doors and glovebox unlocked".

 

[Lorenzoid]

Kids joyriding and vehicles being chopping up for parts. Just saying, i don't want to buy a truck because of being fully liable because I cannot produce the key. I just put it in a dry box and take with me. I don't take the risk.

YMMV

Cheers

I agree with taking the key, but as I alluded to above, it's because I think a key left in open sight would be more likely stolen/moved as a prank or random act of vandalism than to actually steal the truck, even temporarily for a joyride. Just a guess, but I don't think joyriding is a thing in Bonaire. A joyrider would be quickly apprehended, or at least the truck would be quickly recovered--there just isn't anywhere to hide on Bonaire. Same for chop shops. There are only so many roads and so many buildings that could house a secret chop shop.

But it's all speculation. Regardless of our disagreement over the rationale, we do agree that taking the key along on the dive in a dry case is best. Judging from the rustiness of every key I have had, I would say most divers take the key and don't even bother with a dry box. Granted, I have not yet seen one of those electronic keys or key fobs.

 

[gajahduduk]

We rented from AB last time and had a regular key, IIRC. That doesn't matter, though, as @wwguy says you leave the windows part-way down to make sure whoever wants to get in doesn't put a brick through one, doors unlocked, and nothing of value in the truck.

How does that not matter? You have to take the FOB down in a box then. I don't understand what Trailboss says about leaving the FOB. I guess I've either seen car keys that are a metal key that starts the ignition or a FOB that starts in proximity. Not one where you need both as he's explaining.

Anyway, I trust it will work out, I bought the dildo-looking screw-on tube box someone recommended a few posts up. That should work for small glasses and the FOB.

FYI, this is the reply I got from AB Rentals about getting a truck without a FOB key:

We do undestand the problem, however nowadays most cars are delivered with electronic keys...we either are not very pleased with it, we don't like all the electronic stuff, prefer manual, however not possible to avoid...When you take your key with you when you're diving, please keep your key in a waterresistant box, are for sale in our diveshop.

 

[gajahduduk]

I buy 'sunglasses' at the welding gas supply place for Bonaire. They have 3 great benefits. First, they are super cheap ($5ish), they do a great job of blocking the sun, and they are apparently immune from theft on the island. Never had a pair stolen.

Nice if you don't need a prescription.

 

[wgw04024]

I think alot of keys have a sensor inside them even if they have to go in the ignition for some sort of anti theft measure. That's why most cars you can't just have a 'key cut' and use it. Although that could be just a revenue idea from the automakers.......

 

[Lorenzoid]

. . .

FYI, this is the reply I got from AB Rentals about getting a truck without a FOB key:

We do undestand the problem, however nowadays most cars are delivered with electronic keys...we either are not very pleased with it, we don't like all the electronic stuff, prefer manual, however not possible to avoid...When you take your key with you when you're diving, please keep your key in a waterresistant box, are for sale in our diveshop.

If AB sells "water resistant" boxes in their shop, I would buy one there and put the blame on them for any damage to the electronic key or fob.

By the way, why spell fob in all capitals? Key fobs, pocketwatch fobs ... it's not an acronym.

 

[Trailboss123]

I don't understand what Trailboss says about leaving the FOB. I guess I've either seen car keys that are a metal key that starts the ignition or a FOB that starts in proximity. Not one where you need both as he's explaining.

Well, until I started going to Bonaire, neither had I seen anything like it. Trust me though, with my rentals, there has always been a fob (small, round and pretty flat- similar to what people in high rise urban apartments use to swipe a wall mounted pad to enter through a door or access certain floors on an elevator) PLUS a metal key. Both items are required in order to start the truck. If you stick the key in the ignition without swiping the fob over the ignition just prior, the truck will not turnover and start. They have done something electronically that requires the fob to be swiped prior to starting the truck.

As an example, here is a photo of my fob for my condo complex. It is very similar to the fobs used by Avis and Budget on Bonaire-- in combo with the flat metal ignition key.

 

[gajahduduk]

By the way, why spell fob in all capitals? Key fobs, pocketwatch fobs ... it's not an acronym.

haha, thx for the correction. it should be! Fresh Off the Boat is what came to my mind (in an endearing way), and since we're keeping the keys fresh in the water, worked for me. And there's this acronym as well.

until I started going to Bonaire, neither had I seen anything like it.

Thanks. Helpful. Weird.

 

[dmaziuk]

How does that not matter? You have to take the FOB down in a box then.

Threat analysis.

Your likely threats are petty theft and some dumb kid might be tempted to go for a joyride if he sees the key in the ignition.

Open doors and nothing of value is for the former. Hiding the key is good enough for the latter.

And if I were AB I'd never sell anything like dry boxes, nor tell the customers where to buy one, precisely because the customers will try to blame AB for flooded fobs. How dumb do you have to be to willingly set yourself up for that.