<p>He’s in good company. I believe I read a story about Elana Kagan doing the same thing.</p>
<p>I went grocery shopping last month and left my new car unlocked and running the whole time I was in there (probably about an hour). I have told no one until now.</p>
<p>So for those of you who have done this - did you ever figure out what you were doing that made you forget to turn off the car? This is quite fascinating to me.</p>
<p>I did it once. A rental car in Florida. Started the car to crank the AC and got out. Accidentally hit the power lock button, and voila. Avis had to send someone with the spare key. Car was freezing when I got back in.</p>
<p>Last week I was shopping with my 16 year old son and I drove him to the store. When we got to the store, discovered that the window wouldn’t roll up. We had to roll it down because the air conditioning is also broken.</p>
<p>So, we went in the store with the car window all the way down. I locked the car but since the window was down . . . oh well. </p>
<p>Coming out of the store, I was furiously searching for my car keys, which I could not find anywhere. Evidently I left them in the ignition - at least the car was not running, too!</p>
<p>My 16 year old said he was glad I did it, not him, so if the car had been stolen, it would have been my fault, not his.</p>
<p>The saddest part is this car is our family’s newest vehicle. It’s only 11 years old.</p>
<p>Not so bad, I’ve seen it done. My older S came home at Christmas break by bus for some reason and said his car wouldn’t start. We bought him a newer car for graduation and asked for the plates and he finally admitted he hadn’t seen his car in 4 months! Of course, it apparently was towed at some point and he had no idea where to look for it. Guess they don’t teach that in the Ivy League.</p>
<p>Indinct - that is hilarious. He wasn’t planning to mention he had lost his car unless you asked about it?</p>
<p>Yep, my son also left his car running in the school parking lot. Lucky for him NOBODY wanted a Ford Taurus grandmothermobile.</p>
<p>Guess not, for months we called him “Hey Dude, where’s my car!” He has recently purchased himself a brand new mazda which I am sure he will never lose.</p>
<p>These are hilarious! </p>
<p>ctyankee, please tell Mrs. ct that she gave me the best laugh I’ve had in a long time. Laughing WITH her, mind you, not AT her. I’m so lucky we have an extra-long garage. I won’t tell you how many times I’ve begun easing (operative word) the car in reverse out of the garage, only to check the rear-view mirror and find I have failed to actually open the door. Each time, my response is, "HOLY &<em>#</em>&%*&^, is there anybody else in the world who does stuff like this??? Now I know…my new best friend, Mrs. ctyankee!</p>
<p>This story is pre-9/11, of course – but my grandparents were flying to Europe and drove 5 hours to the Kansas City Airport (the one in downtown KC, which used to be the main terminal). They were running late, drove up to the front, quickly had someone grab the luggage and ran to catch their flight. 2 weeks later, they get back to KC after a fantastic vacation – and can’t remember where they parked their car.</p>
<p>They step out of the airport – and there it is! Right where they left it, unlocked, with the keys in it and out of gas because they left it running) Hard to believe no one noticed it was “abandoned” and had it towed – or stole it (brand new Cadillac El Dorado).</p>
<p>When home from college on Christmas break a couple of years ago, S1 went out with friends but(unbeknowst to us) left his keys at home. When he returned home well after midnight, the doors were all locked. He doesn’t ring the doorbell because he didn’t want to wake us. It was very cold outside so he came in the garage and got in DH’s truck but it soon got stuffy/claustrophobic with all the windows up.<br>
So he goes to back porch and spends the rest of the night freezing on the porch swing…</p>
<p>Meanwhile, S2 is in his room directly above porch watching tv and facebooking.
The next a.m. S2 asks S1 “why didn’t you call/text me? I would have let you in.”
S1…"oh, I didn’t think of that.</p>
<p>And yes, we do have a key hidden in the garage but S1 didn’t remember/think of that either.</p>
<p>hsmomstef - These days they barely let you get your passenger and their luggage out of the car in front of the airport before they are ready to tow you. That is amazing that after two weeks it was still sitting in the same spot.</p>
<p>OK, in his defense, I often catch myself getting out of the car while it is still running because the radio stays on whether you turn it off or not. I haven’t left it running yet but it is only a matter of time. It’s usually when I am gathering stuff up to get out of the car but apparently I have a little mental check that makes sure I have the keys. </p>
<p>I guess I remember the day when you turned off the car and the lights at the same time and the music went off. Not sure my kids have ever seen a car like that.</p>
<p>*3. Smashed into the closed garage door when trying to leave the garage. *</p>
<p>Does that mean that she starts her car while the garage door is still closed? That is very dangerous…carbon monoxide!</p>
<p>Nope. The gas mileage while parked is the worst it can possibly be: 0 mpg.</p>
<p>S2 forgets his house key on a regular basis. It is scary how easily he is able to break in! He’d rather break in than go across the street to get the spare key from the neighbor. THAT would be embarrassing.</p>
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<p>I rest my case.</p>
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<p>Um . . . OK, so my case doesn’t cover all airhead situations! :)</p>
<p>CaptainMyCaptain - You got me! 0 miles driven would be 0 mph ! Is there a measurement GPHBWS (gallons per hour burned while sitting)?</p>
<p>MomofSongBird,</p>
<p>I will definitely pass your thoughts of solidarity to my wife. Cheers for that. </p>
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<p>Mrs. ctyankee <em>believes</em> that the door was open. She then went into auto-mode and pressed the button thus shutting the door before plowing into it. </p>
<p>Nobody ever told me that marriage was cheap. :)</p>