Buy all your VW California Accessories at the Club Shop Visit Shop

What have you bought for your Cali today :-)

Come on, stop beating around the bush and give the criticism you want to air :Grin
You know very well the point I’m making.
The California cannot be hot wired by joyriders, so having a Bearlock with the key kept with the Ignition key/ immobiliser at any point makes it redundant.
Just like having 2 padlocks with both keys on the same key ring. Get the key ring and the fact you have 2 locks is immaterial. There is no added security.
Just the same as a Disclock with the key kept with the ignition key.

Now, if the California had keyless entry and the vehicle can be unlocked and started electronically it would be of benefit eg: Range Rover etc. Otherwise it gives a false sense of security.

A Ghost Immobiliser would be a better system.

As far as I’m aware thefts of Californias are either with the keys or on a low loader.
 
You know very well the point I’m making.
The California cannot be hot wired by joyriders, so having a Bearlock with the key kept with the Ignition key/ immobiliser at any point makes it redundant.
Just like having 2 padlocks with both keys on the same key ring. Get the key ring and the fact you have 2 locks is immaterial. There is no added security.
Just the same as a Disclock with the key kept with the ignition key.

Now, if the California had keyless entry and the vehicle can be unlocked and started electronically it would be of benefit eg: Range Rover etc. Otherwise it gives a false sense of security.

A Ghost Immobiliser would be a better system.

As far as I’m aware thefts of Californias are either with the keys or on a low loader.
There you go, you feel better now? Now you think -again- that you know best?
And with you I never know the point your making or it should be arguing over about everything you don’t like, know or understand.
Anyway: I asked you before: just leave me alone and react on everything else but just leave me alone! no hard feelings, but you and i are not a match.
 
Last edited:
There you go, you feel better now? Now you think -again- that you know best?
And with you I never know the point your making or it should be arguing over about everything you don’t like, know or understand.
Anyway: I asked you before: just leave me alone and react on everything else but just leave me alone!
I know it’s not what you want to hear, but that’s life I’m afraid.
You do what makes you comfortable. Just don’t keep the keys together.:thumb
 
You know very well the point I’m making.
The California cannot be hot wired by joyriders, so having a Bearlock with the key kept with the Ignition key/ immobiliser at any point makes it redundant.
Just like having 2 padlocks with both keys on the same key ring. Get the key ring and the fact you have 2 locks is immaterial. There is no added security.
Just the same as a Disclock with the key kept with the ignition key.

Now, if the California had keyless entry and the vehicle can be unlocked and started electronically it would be of benefit eg: Range Rover etc. Otherwise it gives a false sense of security.

A Ghost Immobiliser would be a better system.

As far as I’m aware thefts of Californias are either with the keys or on a low loader.
To be honest, it doesn’t matter what you think which or what is better. It’s the insurance company who thinks you need it to be insured At their company.
 
I know it’s not what you want to hear, but that’s life I’m afraid.
You do what makes you comfortable. Just don’t keep the keys together.:thumb
Well, It’s just that I don’t like to hear inaccuracies and one-sided rigid opinions; So according to you they are only stolen with the key or on a low loader. I haven't heard of a single case of a stolen California on a low loader but you obviously did and I can’t can't have heard or read everything so who am I to argue, right? But I certainly won't tell you or anyone else where the key is to my bearlock.
Come on, none of us should think that we all have a monopoly on the truth. I don't have it nor do you. But a manual theft prevention system is not pointless at all as you want to demonstrate. Do you really want to be proven right? Contact bearlock and anyone else who makes such a thing, convince them and have them take it off the market.
Now, surely I can't be important to you to dismiss and tear down what I say, experience or do several times by now?
I’ll leave it here.
 
Last edited:
To be honest, it doesn’t matter what you think which or what is better. It’s the insurance company who thinks you need it to be insured At their company.
In Belgium it doesn’t matter. It was completely and solely my own decision ;)
But I thought so it matters in the Netherlands. I simply had it installed in the Netherlands because they have enough expertise there and because they were a lot cheaper than here in Belgium.
 
Last edited:
It's wrong really as they'd be hard pressed to turn away a pram or pushchair which takes up loads more room. But in these little market towns many of the cafes have never even seen a Brompton before.

I use one of those Dimpa bags as they're a fraction of the cost of the Brompton ones, but you've still got to carry them with you on the bike and it's not as quick as you think putting them in and out of the bags.

My Brompton is coming up to 20 years old, and it has seen some adventures.

But its #1 adventure must have been on 27 June 2017 when I rode it down the Flam Railway navvies road towing two toddlers in a trailer behind.

Here’s my blog post on the descent.

 
Yesterday I stumbled across LoRa Meshtastic devices - exceptionally cheap, low power-cost long range radio chipsets that create mesh of relays. Once bluetoothed to your phone using your Meshtastic chipset, your messages can relay between other redvices to someone without any network, data, etc.

Just in the midst of printing some 3D-print cases for them, and going to get one setup in the van as a permanent relay, hooked up to the 12v, with the solar panels providing a constant charge.

Perfect for when theres sod all signal at camp sites and want to message the mrs - but equally for when the end of the world happens, and I realise I was a closet prepper all along. :D

A bit of fun, but might actually be interesting to use!
 
Well, It’s just that I don’t like to hear inaccuracies and one-sided rigid opinions; So according to you they are only stolen with the key or on a low loader. I haven't heard of a single case of a stolen California on a low loader but you obviously did and I can’t can't have heard or read everything so who am I to argue, right? But I certainly won't tell you or anyone else where the key is to my bearlock.
Come on, none of us should think that we all have a monopoly on the truth. I don't have it nor do you. But a manual theft prevention system is not pointless at all as you want to demonstrate. Do you really want to be proven right? Contact bearlock and anyone else who makes such a thing, convince them and have them take it off the market.
Now, surely I can't be important to you to dismiss and tear down what I say, experience or do several times by now?
I’ll leave it here.
Obviously you don't understand the point I am making. For vehicles that can be hot wired or the modern keyless entry and start vehicles that can be spoofed electronically and driven away the BearLock is excellent, but for the California that requires the key to be inserted and the immobiliser remote to be present within a short distance of the ignition lock in order to start then the presence of the BearLock key and ignition key together negates the security function of the BearLock.
I don't care where your Bearlock key is or your ignition key, but as soon as you get in the vehicle to drive away both are together. When you go camping both are together or shopping at the supermarket both are together.
For a keyless entry vehicle it is a good security system. For the California it adds nothing.

As far as the Insurance companies and discounts its probable they just make a blanket policy Fit a Bearlock you pay X€ , don't fit a Bearlock then pay X + 10% €. They will know which vehicles would benefit from a BearLock and which don't and so the customer that has a vehicle that is coveted by thieves will pay over the odds for insurance if he doesn't fit a BearLock.
 
Yesterday I stumbled across LoRa Meshtastic devices - exceptionally cheap, low power-cost long range radio chipsets that create mesh of relays. Once bluetoothed to your phone using your Meshtastic chipset, your messages can relay between other redvices to someone without any network, data, etc.

Just in the midst of printing some 3D-print cases for them, and going to get one setup in the van as a permanent relay, hooked up to the 12v, with the solar panels providing a constant charge.

Perfect for when theres sod all signal at camp sites and want to message the mrs - but equally for when the end of the world happens, and I realise I was a closet prepper all along. :D

A bit of fun, but might actually be interesting to use!
Bluetooth is the devils radar
 
Obviously you don't understand the point I am making. For vehicles that can be hot wired or the modern keyless entry and start vehicles that can be spoofed electronically and driven away the BearLock is excellent, but for the California that requires the key to be inserted and the immobiliser remote to be present within a short distance of the ignition lock in order to start then the presence of the BearLock key and ignition key together negates the security function of the BearLock.
I don't care where your Bearlock key is or your ignition key, but as soon as you get in the vehicle to drive away both are together. When you go camping both are together or shopping at the supermarket both are together.
For a keyless entry vehicle it is a good security system. For the California it adds nothing.

As far as the Insurance companies and discounts its probable they just make a blanket policy Fit a Bearlock you pay X€ , don't fit a Bearlock then pay X + 10% €. They will know which vehicles would benefit from a BearLock and which don't and so the customer that has a vehicle that is coveted by thieves will pay over the odds for insurance if he doesn't fit a BearLock.
Hey, I get up this morning and realize I've been robbed! Robbed of the idea that I can decide for myself what I do if it doesn't harm anything or anyone.
Well, you know, if you don't even bother to like anything I post, you can also keep your one-sided, rigid and in this case downright misguided thoughts on my messages to yourself.
Just this: any theft protection is better than none, even if it's just stickers. A ghost immobiliser can be a good one and so can a bearlock
 
Hey, I get up this morning and realize I've been robbed! Robbed of the idea that I can decide for myself what I do if it doesn't harm anything or anyone.
Well, you know, if you don't even bother to like anything I post, you can also keep your one-sided, rigid and in this case downright misguided thoughts on my messages to yourself.
Just this: any theft protection is better than none, even if it's just stickers. A ghost immobiliser can be a good one and so can a bearlock

Let it go brother. Opinionated people are everywhere online. I love my bearlock and it gives me peace of mind as well. Especially when I’m out surfing in remote places in Portugal or Morroco. Keep the van key in a key safe locked to the van and take the bear lock key with me in the wetsuit. Or when riding my e-bike to town for supplies taking both keys with me.

I’ve also placed numerous Apple AirTags strategically in different places of the van so even if they find one of them there are others that are more difficult to find and would give me enough time to track them down should they manage to steal the van any other way. Could care less what others think as it’s best for me. Also mounted an air tag to the e-bike underneath the battery mount just in case and use a bike lock with a very loud motion activated alarm.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Hey, I get up this morning and realize I've been robbed! Robbed of the idea that I can decide for myself what I do if it doesn't harm anything or anyone.
Well, you know, if you don't even bother to like anything I post, you can also keep your one-sided, rigid and in this case downright misguided thoughts on my messages to yourself.
Just this: any theft protection is better than none, even if it's just stickers. A ghost immobiliser can be a good one and so can a bearlock
I agree , as long as the 2 keys are not kept together.
As used by @Webbah_in_Switzerland .
 
Let it go brother. Opinionated people are everywhere online. I love my bearlock and it gives me peace of mind as well. Especially when I’m out surfing in remote places in Portugal or Morroco. Keep the van key in a key safe locked to the van and take the bear lock key with me in the wetsuit. Or when riding my e-bike to town for supplies taking both keys with me.

I’ve also placed numerous Apple AirTags strategically in different places of the van so even if they find one of them there are others that are more difficult to find and would give me enough time to track them down should they manage to steal the van any other way. Could care less what others think as it’s best for me. Also mounted an air tag to the e-bike underneath the battery mount just in case and use a bike lock with a very loud motion activated alarm.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Nothing to do with my opinion or not. Just common sense. Keeping the 2 keys together negates any additional security of a Bear Lock.
 
I'm not sure any Cali has been stolen as a result of car jacking. I don't see a problem with the keys being kept together so long as they are not left together in the house (plenty of reports of burglaries to steal keys), unattended or in the vehicle.
 
As I mentioned I only separate the keys when surfing as the bearlock key is not susceptible to water. When out and away on land I have them both with me and don’t see that as an issue.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I just swivel the drivers chair and put on the handbrake if I feel my van might be vulnerable to theft.

I expect over 90% of thieves wanting to drive away with a California would look through the window first, shrug their shoulders and move on to look for a California without a swivelled driver’s seat.

When it comes to opportunists looking for valuables in a car the best defence is remove valuables or if that is not possible, keep them hidden from view.
 
Let it go brother. Opinionated people are everywhere online. I love my bearlock and it gives me peace of mind as well. Especially when I’m out surfing in remote places in Portugal or Morroco. Keep the van key in a key safe locked to the van and take the bear lock key with me in the wetsuit. Or when riding my e-bike to town for supplies taking both keys with me.

I’ve also placed numerous Apple AirTags strategically in different places of the van so even if they find one of them there are others that are more difficult to find and would give me enough time to track them down should they manage to steal the van any other way. Could care less what others think as it’s best for me. Also mounted an air tag to the e-bike underneath the battery mount just in case and use a bike lock with a very loud motion activated alarm.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
When I want your opinion, I will give it to you.
 
I just swivel the drivers chair and put on the handbrake if I feel my van might be vulnerable to theft.

I expect over 90% of thieves wanting to drive away with a California would look through the window first, shrug their shoulders and move on to look for a California without a swivelled driver’s seat.

When it comes to opportunists looking for valuables in a car the best defence is remove valuables or if that is not possible, keep them hidden from view.

For valuables in the van I bolted a MasterLock fingerprint gun safe to the floor under the bench seat. I often travel solo and this gives peace of mind. All these things add up to a layered security model and each layer has its own benefits when combined improves the overall security posture.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Let it go brother. Opinionated people are everywhere online. I love my bearlock and it gives me peace of mind as well. Especially when I’m out surfing in remote places in Portugal or Morroco. Keep the van key in a key safe locked to the van and take the bear lock key with me in the wetsuit. Or when riding my e-bike to town for supplies taking both keys with me.

I’ve also placed numerous Apple AirTags strategically in different places of the van so even if they find one of them there are others that are more difficult to find and would give me enough time to track them down should they manage to steal the van any other way. Could care less what others think as it’s best for me. Also mounted an air tag to the e-bike underneath the battery mount just in case and use a bike lock with a very loud motion activated alarm.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Now I know where your air tags are. See you in Nazaré. I have my eye on your air suspension.

Amongst other bits…
 
Now I know where your air tags are. See you in Nazaré. I have my eye on your air suspension.

Amongst other bits…

Would be great to meet up! Challenge accepted, but I warn you. Certain other defense mechanisms that won’t be mentioned might cause you bodily harm.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
I'm not sure any Cali has been stolen as a result of car jacking. I don't see a problem with the keys being kept together so long as they are not left together in the house (plenty of reports of burglaries to steal keys), unattended or in the vehicle.
Isn’t it a crazy world we live in. We’ve deployed tech in every aspect of car security. Which has ended up making them more vulnerable in many ways.

At least with manual locks someone had to have a bit of cahones to risk being spotted smashing a window or using a rod to pop the locks. Not much of a deterrent in Toxteth, but might help in Central London.

Now a couple of thieves can loiter quietly with transponders and make off with an £150k RR in minutes.

And for the convenience of keyless entry/start, I need to lock my keys in a Farraday box when I get home. I suppose no different to a key rack. But, still paradoxical.

Paraboxical?
 
For valuables in the van I bolted a MasterLock fingerprint gun safe to the floor under the bench seat. I often travel solo and this gives peace of mind. All these things add up to a layered security model and each layer has its own benefits when combined improves the overall security posture.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
layers are what it’s all about.

I wonder how difficult it would be to mock up an AirTag as a decoy. Not that the real things are that expensive. But it would be fun to scatter them about.

Like the CIA with hotel room bugs during the Nixon era.
 
Said like a true swamper.

Layered security even for tracking. My “other” method allows me to easily import any date/time range into Google Earth via KML file. Pretty cool for viewing long journeys and vacations too:

434d48028b700039ecea55db26360bf8.png

463b1f5a78b1e474e265d89ead691886.png



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Back
Top