Oakland Heights Owners Association, Inc.

6 GOOD REASONS TO PARK YOUR CAR IN YOUR GARAGE!

PROVIDED BECAUSE OF THE RASH OF CAR BREAKINS IN OAKLAND HTS

There are six reasons that you should seriously consider keeping your vehicles in your garages. Some of these reasons may be more compelling than others to some of you (or not).

1. Reducing potential accidents, both motor vehicle/motor vehicle and motor vehicle/pedestrian. Residents/Guests/Construction workers operate vehicles at higher rates of speed at any given time than most people would desire. Vehicles parked on the street provide a visual barrier to children that could dart out in front of your vehicle. Likewise, vehicles taking turns too quickly are more apt to collide with a parked vehicle on the street.

2. Reducing auto theft/break-in/vandalism. If a vehicle is parked on the street it is a more easy target than if it's on a driveway or in a garage.

3. Visual appearance of the community. Appearance for the community is less cluttered without vehicles in the streets, and the community will be more likely to reach completion sooner (increased sales) if the community is perceived as more attractive.

4. Insurance liability. Most of us are paying a certain rate for our insurance and in order to get that rate you answered a series of questions from your insurance company. One of those questions normally has to do with whether the automobile will be garaged or not. One reason for that question is simple. Given atmospheric/geographic conditions, we are subject to hail and as such the storage of a vehicle in a garage lessens the likelihood that your vehicle would be damaged by hail and subsequently lowers your premiums. Hail damage claims, as with any claim, also normally involve a series of questions to include where the vehicle was at the time of the incident. If your vehicle was parked on the street at the time, and you indicate your vehicle was somewhere else that would be fraud and I'm sure that noone in this community would go down that road. Conversely, if you indicate that you were parked on the street or driveway when there was garage space available and you so indicate on your insurance questionnaire, you stand the potential for your insurance carrier to either refuse to pay or to limit their payment beyond what they might otherwise pay as you did not exercise due diligence.

5. Home security. Experience has shown that thieves/burglars look for patterns in a target home. If you regularly park all or most of your vehicles outside, anyone that drives by or who has capability to visually monitor your property from a distance can determine who is home and who is not. Pretty simple math. All the cars are gone, more than likely all the people are gone. Much better time to break in. By removing the ability to determine the patterns of your lifestyle, you reduce the threat to the safety in your home. Gated community or not, people can and do get in that do not belong here.

6. School bus access. School buses will not enter the sub-divisions until they have capability to turn around without backing up. Cars in the street limit the school bus ability to maneuver. Children having to be picked up outside the gates is both a nuisance to vehicle operators going in and out of the community and is a safety hazard for the children having to stand out on a very busy Vance Jackson. Consciously parking cars in the street is making a conscious decision by default for the community to reduce safety for our children.

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OHOA@satx.rr.com