It's one of those frigid winter mornings that push you closer to the belief that living in Mississippi wouldn't be so bad after all.
It's a morning you dread sitting inside your car like a package of Birds Eye peas while waiting for the engine to get warm. So, you rush out to start the car and leave it running as you rush back to the comfort of your home.
You even gain a bonus: A few extra minutes to down that last cup of coffee.
Convenient for you, sure. But this also happens to be the stuff of every car thief's dreams.
The dangers of leaving an idling car unattended was highlighted by the story of the Northwest Baltimore family whose van was stolen last Monday while it warmed up in the driveway with six children inside.
Thankfully, the frightening ordeal was brief and none of the youngsters was seriously injured. While no one should wish to add to the family's pain over the incident, it's still worth pointing out that this car theft and many others like it would not have occurred if the vehicles hadn't been left running and unguarded. As a matter of fact, a rash of just this type of theft took place late last year in the Greenspring area of Baltimore County, according to the county police department.
Nationally, about one in five car thefts can be traced to a driver leaving the keys in the vehicle or letting it run unattended. Such carelessness can cost a Maryland driver a $40 fine and a point on his or her driving record. However, as police officials say, the law is intended not to hassle citizens but to protect them from the hassle of a car theft -- one of the more common forms of crime these days in the metropolitan area. Drivers should not add to the statistics on auto heists by making things so easy for the thieves.
Sitting inside an icebox-like car while it warms up, or turning off the engine before a quick stop at a convenience store, might strike some people as a bother. Wouldn't it be more bothersome, though, to walk back to your car and find nothing but an empty parking space?