By the dawn’s early light I see the SUV tailgate wide open. I’ve featured unusual sights in front of this house before. It never disappoints. The front door is closed. No one is walking in and out of the house unloading groceries or loading up luggage for a trip.
The tailgate has been open all night.
I know it happens. It’s late, you’re tired, and no one is helping you carry in your stuff. Once inside the house, you get into a conversation, or you have to go to the bathroom, something on TV catches your attention, or you thought the other person closed the door. Just like that you forget all about the vehicle.
Until the next morning.
Did it drain the battery? Probably not. The light automatically turns off after a minute or two. Has a lizard or bug crawled in? Probably. But neither will appear until you’re driving down the highway. Is everything damp with morning dew? Yep. That’ll wake you up when you sit on the seat in the morning. Did anyone take anything? Maybe. Cars crawl through the neighborhood at all hours.
I’ve left a car window open overnight. On occasion I forget to close the garage door. I’ll find outside doors unlocked at home. Lights get left on in the house.
We’re so used to automation that we forget what we’re supposed to do. Headlights turn on when it gets dark. A thermostat is programmed to control my air conditioning. My washer and dryer fare smart enough t figure out the needed cycle for a load. My toothbrush turns off after two minutes.
So why doesn’t my car have my back when my arms are full of groceries?
Waite for it... 