Some people have cell phones. Other people have the OnStar safety and security system in their cars. Everybody is in touch with everybody. Isn’t technology great?

In the case of my technological illiteracy, some of the simpler systems are almost essential – such as OnStar. For years, I have locked my keys in the car and had to call a locksmith since the electronic devices have eliminated the old fashioned, coat hanger or credit car release of the lock.

These methods were always used when I was a long way from home. Otherwise, a call to my husband to bring the spare keys was the plea. This was not his favorite trip, especially on long distances.

Then along came OnStar. This modern system is quite simple – one easily handled by me, providing I am near a phone or someone passes by with a cell phone. I learned to place the OnStar number on my window as I do not “do” numbers well.

This system requires several “known only to you” questions and detailed car information including the color. They also request your mother’s maiden name, who registered the vehicle and whether or not it is parked in the open or in a garage. I was standing under trees in the twilight in Kentucky, and my purse as well as the keys were locked in the car. No problem.

I don’t carry around the serial number (although, I do know where it is) or even the year of the car, and because of a short memory forced by my stress over the stupidity of creating the situation, I can‘t remember that information, either.

Those wonderful people who answer the OnStar phone are always most patient and give the impression that they have numerous similar situations all the time. All conversation is delivered in a most friendly, patient tone. Usually, the conversation is concluded with “We are glad we could help you.”

After all the information is given, they request you refrain from trying to unlock the car until they release the lock. How? By satellite! Ah, how marvelous! And, then comes the clincher – a phone call back to confirm my car is unlocked and to say, “We are so sorry it took so long.” Long? It was less than five minutes!

In my case, however, the unlocking of the car has had some problems. One of our daughters has the same car model, but a bronze metallic color instead of my silver metallic. Her first name starts with a “G,” and the car registration name starts with a “W.”

While on vacation, I had to phone my faithful friends to unlock my car. After about 10 minutes, it wasn’t unlocked. So I called to see why not.

My daughter and her husband were driving in Gaffney at the time, when suddenly the car doors made a weird noise and unlocked. Remembering that I had OnStar unlock my car several months previously when OnStar had mistakenly unlocked the bronze vehicle instead of mine, my daughter decided the same thing had happened again. In the previous incident, the car had been immediately relocked when the error was discovered. So she phoned OnStar, and they admitted the same thing had reoccurred.

A company representative told my daughter she needed to make some adjustments in getting the two cars better identified, which she has since done.

T&D Correspondent Bettylou R. Terry can be reached by phone at 803-793-3381.

You must be logged in to comment.