Lost keys AGAIN! Isnt there a less brutal solution?

My keys are in pocket, in ignition, or on nightstand. Rarely ever anywhere else.

You really shouldn't accept the fact that you lose keys 4 times a year. Stop losing keys is the solution.

 

So I had a tile on my key. I lost it during trick or treat a couple of years ago. I accidentally gave them to someone while handing out candy. My app showed the last place they were within rAnge of my phone and then poof! They were gone. A year later I got a ping that they were about 2 miles from my house. I drove to the location and tried to ping them with my phone, but they were gone. I never found them, but that tile kept sending a signal until the battery died which was at least 14 months.
I still think it's a good idea to use the tile.

 

My keys are either in my pocket or in the ignition of my truck. The only exception is when I go on a fire call I leave them on my gear rack. In 30+ years of driving I have never lost a set of keys.

To the OP, a solution for you might be a hitch vault. There was a thread on here a couple weeks ago about one that looked pretty good. You would just have to make it habit that when you use the key form the vault you immediately put it back.

Here it is: https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/hitch-vault.566733/

 

I think you need a truck with a keypad door entry. Then leave your keys in the truck.

 

I used to do that with my Ford.

Well, just endure for a couple more years. I’m sure we’ll see Touch ID by then.

 

I'm going to answer your original question. The working key has an RFID tag in it that must be in VERY close proximity to work. Probably within inches as they don't have a power source. I've seen people get around this by mounting a working key on the back of the dash panel, near the ignition switch with a small piece of industrial velcro so it can be removed if necessary. Then you can turn the ignition with a dead copy.

I also had a friend get around this by cutting the "key" portion off of the working key (so someone else couldn't use it) and he mounted the head right next to the ignition switch. Then he used a dead copy to start the truck.

It all depends on you understanding the risk and willing to accept it. Your truck. You do you.

 

I vote for always placing your keys in the same place when not in use.

 

Lmfao. I didn’t fully mean it like that. Just they were calling her brother and showing a picture of a wallet a dude would wear....

 

I am admittedly OCD, due to that I have not lost a key/key chain or any other, for me, "normal" carry items. I can not comprehend loosing keys or even locking them in the vehicle because, damned near everything I do has a routine. Prior to PTS Tacoma and Rav 4, I would not close a door on a vehicle I owned until I was holding the keys in my hand or saw them held up in someone's hand OUTSIDE the car. I have a rack mounted on the wall that holds "spare" keys to every vehicle, door, and the hurricane shutters. My daily use/carry items go in a basket when my pants come off, pants go in the hamper or are hung up, boots go in the closet on the spot designated for that pair of boots, etc. Most, if not all, blind people have taught themselves to be OCD because they pretty much have to know where every item is to be able to find and not run into/trip over it later.

With that said I have lost many items after someone else had touched/moved it, normally this person is my wife. My kids used to move some of my stuff because they "borrowed" an item or whatever, they are now all adults and on their own.

Ideally, creating a habit will solve the problem. However, None of that or most of what folks have posted takes your historical injury into account.

My suggestions would be to add a locator, add the RFID tag (key head) inside the dash near the lock, convert to PTS (key are more expensive I think), or some combination of those things.

One additional thought, assuming you are not constantly loosing your phone as well. There are tags you can put on your key chain that link to your phone. When that key gets x feet, range may be adjustable, your phone starts to make noise and or vibrate. You may also be able to add a warning like "get your keys" or something much like any other alert on your phone. With one of those if/when you loose or walk away from your keys you get notified THEN not hours later when you may be far from the lost key(s).

I hope you find the solution that works for you. Best of luck!!

 

Maybe already been said but my wife uses one of those tether cords for holding casino slot cards . She has one end on the keys and one end hooked to her purse . Now she also does not have to dig through the purse to find the keys , and they are always with the purse .

 

I never would have thought of that!!! sounds like a good idea and cheap. VERY cheap when compared to replacement key costs.

 

About 35 years ago I am awaken by screaming to hurry up and move my car because another car was on fire and rolling toward my car, naturally I could not find my keys! From that day forward I have 1 dedicated spot for my keys and can always find them.

 

Thots seem to lose their keys all the time for some reason.

I suggest a nice valet tray.

https://www.tannergoods.com/products/valet-tray-5

 

This kind of help is utterly unhelpful...

 

This should do the trick

 

What about a key coil as someone previously suggested or those key lanyards with sports team logos that all the kids are wearing these days? I find them annoying and cumbersome myself, but that might be helpful to you. Basically the larger the footprint of the keys themselves, the harder it would be to miss them or walk past them without noticing.

One of the things I learned a long time ago to help with cognitive memory function was to think of your keys (or any small item that can be misplaced) as a grenade... stay with and it'll make sense. Basically, every time you put your keys down, think about what would be damaged if they blew up- the lamp, the coffee table, you favorite butterscotch candy tray, the picture of the dog, etc. If you happen to lose track of them, it's easier to remember where they are because you start to put these images in your head of the broken lamp, the burned coffee table and so on. Now this does require you to be active in putting things down and you mentioned that may not be something you want to do but it's easy to get the hang of it once it becomes more routine.

Those are my two suggestions- make your keys "bigger" or make them "dangerous".
Other than that we're all people and will still lose things if we're not paying attention. Hell, people are still locking kids in their car because they forget they were there.

Good luck.

 

The other thing is to add a small tag on your key ring (sort of like a dog tag), that says something along the line of "I have TBI and lose my keys, if found please call xxx". You can usually get them made at pet stores relatively cheap. You'd be surprised at the amount of good people still out there.

 

Beets, bears, battle star galactica.

 

That is a good idea. Cheap and likely to get some results.