We have hooks in our mudroom where we keep all of our keys. Our cars each came with two sets of keys so the spare keys are always on the hooks. My kids are not yet old enough to drive (next year will be my first one!) but I'm hopeful that since they have grown up using the hooks for keys, they will be somewhat trained to continue using it once they start driving so we aren't having to chase them down to find keys. However, that wouldn't solve the problem of having to move cars every morning, it only means we don't usually have to look for someone's keys. We currently do have a bit of a scramble as dh just bought a new car but hasn't gotten rid of his old car. Our driveway is short but wide, so we can fit two cars across but to park a car behind one, the butt of the car sticks out a wee bit. While we could park on the street, our street is narrow with no curb. There are only two other driveways on our street (it's a dead end) so we don't get much through traffic, but dh continues to pull his car in behind the other two every night. Several times now he has had to move his car in the morning if I leave before him. So it will be interesting to see how this all works out if/when we have a third car permanently for the kids to use.

well, I tried to use my new skinny key this weekend, for the first time--and it doesn't work. Apparently there's some sort of passive security ignition cut-off in the electronic key that tells the car it's OK to turn on. I will * have* to use the big key, I think. Now I'm going to really have to think about this. My car-key situation is probably VERY different from most of yours. We own a car, but we do NOT use it daily. *I* only use it once a week. On Sundays, coming home from church, usually (not even going there). So that's ONE TRIP in which I actually use my key. About one other time a week, I *ride* in the car, so it would be useful to have my key w/ me in case we need to switch drivers. So carrying the key w/ me all the time, as I've done in the past, seems like an a pain in the neck now that it's so huge. However, if I keep the key separately, it'll be much more likely to get lost, or for me to forget to bring it with me. And it'll be two objects to keep track of. Maybe I can try out the idea of leaving it in the bottom of my purse, under my wallet. If it's flat enough. Then it'll be with me (I might go out back in the garden of our apt. complex w/o my wallet, but I'd never go in the car, to the store, etc., without it). I used to keep my loose change int he bottom of my purse, but w/ this purse, there's a little side pocket, and I put my change in there. (I honestly think this key would be too big for that side pocket, it's so huge!) I agree, Chris--they have deficient design teams. But I'd think the GUYS would be the ones complaining about a too-huge key because they're the ones who put it in their pockets, and would be ripping their pockets out w/ these huge things.

It's a good idea and it would probably scare off an intruder, I think. I would test it though, to make sure it'll work from your bedroom to the garage. I keep my keys in the car, which is probably not smart, but it's locked into the garage which is right under our house so if the garage door goes up we know it instantly. The four dogs (big, mean and scary sounding) would let us know if anything was happening that we weren't aware of. Do you ever watch "It Takes a Thief"? It's about home protection and one of the biggest things the thieves worry about is barking dogs. They target homes that don't have any of them. So obviously, noise is a huge factor.

Are you sure it wasn't there when you left the hospital? The problem with things like this is people walking next to a vehicle will rub with purses, keys clipped to the belt, strollers, carts, briefcases, backpacks, wheelchairs and any number of things. My poor van is getting more than its share of dings from parking lots. It's too bad when you have a vehicle in good shape and this stuff happens. Some are so oblivious to their surroundings they don't even know that they did it. The police could take a report but it's only going to be a file it to make the complainant happy since there's not much they can do. Problem is you really can't prove when and where it happened so short of someone admitting they did it, it'll be like any number of other vandalism hits. And before calling your agent, check to see what it'd cost to fix to see if it's worth it considering the deductible. Have a safe and happy trip. Much nicer weather for traveling now.