DUPLICATE-KEY BILL STILL SUBJECT OF HOT DEBATE.Byline: HARRISON SHEPPARD Sacramento Bureau North Hills locksmith Bruce Schwartz Bruce D. Schwartz is an American puppeteer and sculptor. By extension, he is also a mimic, storyteller and clown. He is using a technique where, unlike most puppeteers, who usually hide their hands in gloves, or use strings or sticks, he does the opposite and shows his hands. knows firsthand first·hand adj. Received from the original source: firsthand information. first the low-tech hassles of high-tech car keys. Schwartz, who owns Security Unlimited Locksmith, gets calls several times a day from people locked out of their cars. He can make a duplicate of the average car key within minutes. But a growing number of keys contain electronic chips and computerized anti-theft ignition systems. And many automakers, particularly high-end European manufacturers, refuse to give locksmiths the codes needed to duplicate them, citing security concerns. And that can leave some drivers rideless for hours or days. ``If they don't give (the code) to us, the customer loses out,'' Schwartz said. ``They're stranded on a weekend or at night. They're not hurting us, they're hurting the customers.'' The electronic keys can also be expensive -- at least several hundred dollars -- to replace. A bill awaiting Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's signature seeks to correct the problem by forcing carmakers to provide locksmiths 24-hour access to information that would allow them to duplicate coded electronic keys. Schwarzenegger has not yet taken a position on the bill, according to according to prep. 1. As stated or indicated by; on the authority of: according to historians. 2. In keeping with: according to instructions. 3. his office. But bill backers said they are optimistic op·ti·mist n. 1. One who usually expects a favorable outcome. 2. A believer in philosophical optimism. op that Schwarzenegger will sign it because they worked with the Governor's Office to craft some of the bill's language. ``These keys are great until they get lost or damaged,'' said Sen. Carole Migden Carole Migden represents the third district in the California State Senate. The Third State Senate district covers parts of San Francisco, all of Marin County and parts of Sonoma County. , D-San Francisco, author of Senate Bill 1542. ``We're all for anti-theft devices. But not when it means leaving people marooned ma·roon 1 tr.v. ma·rooned, ma·roon·ing, ma·roons 1. To put ashore on a deserted island or coast and intentionally abandon. 2. , helpless and stranded.'' The auto industry, however, is urging the governor to veto the bill, arguing that wider dissemination of key information could increase car thefts. Unscrupulous employees of locksmiths or dealers could pass the key information to car thieves, who in many cases could not otherwise operate a stolen vehicle without its unique electronic key, the industry argues. The problem is particularly acute with some high-end European makers like BMW BMW in full Bayerische Motoren Werke AG German automaker. Founded as an aircraft engine manufacturer in 1916, the company assumed the name Bayerische Motoren Werke and became known for its high-speed motorcycles in the 1920s. . That company, industry experts said, will provide replacement keys through only one factory on the East Coast or its main operation in Germany. That means the customer must wait for an overnight shipment of a key that could cost several hundred dollars. Bill George
The wider use of electronic keys, he said, has resulted in a decrease in car theft. ``It's inconvenient to lose a key, but it's really inconvenient to have your car stolen,'' George said. Schwartz said that when he gets a lockout lockout, intentional closing up of a company, factory, or shop by an employer to prevent employees from working during a strike or labor dispute. The term lockout call, he can duplicate a nonelectronic key in a few minutes. But for the electronic keys, his ability to help the customer varies by manufacturer and model. Some manufacturers will provide the key code information, getting the drivers on their way within minutes. For those that don't, there are sometimes ways to obtain key information by taking apart the door panel to search for an imprinted code. That can take several hours -- and usually doubles the cost of making the key. In other cases, the vehicle owner is simply stuck -- forced to hire a tow truck to take the car to a dealership to have a key made, or in some cases, wait several days for a duplicate key duplicate key n → duplicado de una llave to be shipped from an overseas factory. The Auto Club of Southern California Southern California, also colloquially known as SoCal, is the southern portion of the U.S. state of California. Centered on the cities of Los Angeles and San Diego, Southern California is home to nearly 24 million people and is the nation's second most populated region, was one of the sponsors of the bill. Steve Finnegan, the club's manager of government affairs, said out of the 40,000 locksmith calls a year that the club handles, roughly 15 percent cannot be serviced because an electronic key cannot be duplicated. He said that as the largest insurer in Southern California, the Auto Club does not believe providing key information on a wider basis will significantly increase car theft. But the International Association of Auto Theft Investigators believes it will. The group opposes the bill, saying electronic keys have reduced auto theft. According to the group, about 250,000 vehicles were stolen in California last year. ``This is a recipe for disaster,'' said association president Tommy Hansen, a sheriff's investigator in Galveston County, Texas Galveston County is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas within the Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown metropolitan area. As of 2005 U.S. Census estimate, the population is 277,563. Its county seat is Galveston6. . harrison.sheppard(at)dailynews.com (916) 446-6723 |
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