Car keys - what to do with whilst caving?

[EwanCameron]

They have a number lock key box that's like a big black padlock it clips to the underneath of you car and you use a 4 number code to open it to get your keys out

I just put my keys on my wheel my Land Rover will not start 75% of the time anyway so no one can rob it with the keys


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[enki_ck]

How about something as simple as a chewing gum bottle most probably have in their car? Weatherproof and cheap.

And you hide it somewhere along the way to the cave.

 

[paul]

I have a small personal bag with odd bits I take underground clipped to my belt and in that I have a small Nalgene bottle. I stick the car key in there along with spare Petzl Tikka, some AAA batteries, roll of insulating tape, etc.

 

[Alex]

I was having the same issue yesterday, as it was a solo trip I did not have my usual option of locking it in my mates car, so I just hid it in a wall some distance from the car. Generally this is okay even if it rains a bit as water tends to not get inside drystone walls. But if you are in a region that does not have these walls (i.e. anywhere outside of Yorkshire) then I am not sure what to do with them. I have taken them to an entrance of a cave before but have forgotten them and had to do a very long walk back.

I also used to take my keys underground but lost it when my pocket opened prompting a frantic search of a significant section of Easegill whist's on the Easegill traverse. luckily I found them but since them I have banned myself from taking them underground.

 

[ttxela]

I have a container I pinched from work designed for shipping biological hazards, it's quite large but will fit my car keys, wallet and phone.

I'm pretty sure if you had your car stolen and were forced to admit (for instance by the car being found burnt out with the keys in the ignition  : ) that you had left the keys on/in the vehicle your insurance would have a good excuse not to pay out.

On balance I'd always prefer to have this stuff with me, if my car is stolen I can at least ring someone, pay for taxi/train/bus and not have any arguments with insurance companies.

* just realised it's in my profile pic! 

 

[ttxela]

They have a number lock key box that's like a big black padlock it clips to the underneath of you car and you use a 4 number code to open it to get your keys out

I just put my keys on my wheel my Land Rover will not start 75% of the time anyway so no one can rob it with the keys

Not sure I'd clip that to the door handle as in the picture, pretty sure a large rock bashed on it would get a miscreant in and away in seconds 

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[Peter Burgess]

You could clip it to someone else's car, but I can see "problems" with that too.  :-\

 

[webby]

I used to hide them in a dry stone wall close to parking area until one day I returned from a caving trip to a blizzard and the wall covered in snow, spent a while to find them

 

[paul]

Somewhere in the wall near Braida Garth Farm, Kingsdale are the remains of my friend's wallet. Many years ago he hid it behind a stone on the wall some distance away from the layby, without taking careful note of exactly where... We never did find it.

 

[ogofmole]

This is why I always leave my keys just inside the cave entrance at a suitable position that is easy to find. As a few years ago we did a Draenen trip and put our keys under a stone on the surface, but it snowed whilst we were underground which made finding that stone rather entertaining.

 

[moorebooks]

I had a freelander 2 the key in that was a rechargeable unit that plugs into a slot in. The dashboard, it didn't like getting wet or any slight abuse, at over ?200 a time including reprogramming it became an expensive option I could best do without. If with friends in other vehicles with trad keys could hide key in their vehicle somewhere.

The simple solution has to be get a small box and hide it a place near the entrance or vehicle. It's all to easy to drop a key into a shaft or crevasse if you risk taking underground  Mind you I lost my keys at the cinema whilst watching the Everest film

Mike

 

[Damo]

Been leaving mine in the ignition for the past 2 years and still nobody has taken the bloody thing!

Maybe I'll start leaving the door wide open! :spank:

 

[Rachel]

I cave with my car key clipped to my bra strap, although that may or may not be a useful tip for the OP!

 

[david3392]

Lock the car. Put the key fob/key/electronic thingy in an an Aquapac case. Put the case inside a waterproof drum that contains your spare batteries/survival bag/Mars bar etc . Put the drum inside your tackle bag. Simples!

 

[Pitlamp]

Blimey - I started something here didn't I?

Just come back to this topic and read the latest suggestions - again, thank you.

 

[bograt]

I recall an exploding ammo can incident (damp carbide), threw me 10ft down the passage, festoons of first aid bandages, tail end Charlie, the van owner, saw where the keys flew and we managed to recover them, never took the keys underground ever again.
One of the Girl Guides we were leading said  "is it always this exiting?",  not realising their 'leader' was a deaf gibbering wreck!!....

MORAL-- Don't let ANYONE else load your emergency kit, the guy washed out the spare carbide cartridge then put fresh  stuff in it without drying it out.

 

[Tangent_tracker]

I always stuff my keys under a rock or in a wall and show folk where it ism should the worst happen. Never failed yet

 

[ChrisDavies73]

My 4x4 key only goes around my neck on a bit of string. Easy

My saab key fob. You press the raised logo and a real key poops out. Lock electronic bit in the car and lock/unlock via passenger side yay job done.

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[Over the Hill]

I recall an exploding ammo can incident (damp carbide), threw me 10ft down the passage, festoons of first aid bandages, tail end Charlie, the van owner, saw where the keys flew and we managed to recover them, never took the keys underground ever again.
One of the Girl Guides we were leading said  "is it always this exiting?",  not realising their 'leader' was a deaf gibbering wreck!!....

MORAL-- Don't let ANYONE else load your emergency kit, the guy washed out the spare carbide cartridge then put fresh  stuff in it without drying it out.

Snap, I had a ammo can go off big time in Hammer Pot in a crawl in front of my head as I tossed it forward. Jesus I was a jabbering wreck, big bang and flames. No keys in it though. Wonder if the smell has gone now and I don't mean carbide. 

 

[Pitlamp]

I think rsch has nailed this one for me; I've just looked around the "keysinthepost" website and I think using their services is the best thing to do (in my case).

So thanks everybody for those ideas but especially rsch.

Thanks for keeping me entertained Over the Hill!