Leaving your horn in your car?

[tofu]

I took my cue from Chris Olka of the Seattle Symphony who keeps one YamaYork at home and one at work. I do the same thing (well not with YamaYorks ) and keep a horn at our rehearsal/concert venue in a locked/fire-sprinkler/police monitored storage room and its twin at home. Due to my frantic just in time schedule/life this eliminates the worry of horn in car and also the PITA of schlepping a horn around. Beyond the fact that insurance rarely gives you all of what a horn is worth, it is also hard to replace those horns that have that "it" factor. If you can afford to and your venue has a locked room perhaps this is an option for you too. If you want to be dismayed read your local police blotter and see all the car break ins. I live in a community ranked as one of the lowest in crime in the US and it is amazing how many incidents we have. Just last week my neighbor left his 765 Li Bimmer in his driveway overnight and they smashed out the drivers side window just to steal the loose change and the kids baseball glove. Broken window / scratches in the paint etc. - the cost of the damage to the vehicle often far exceeds the cost of what is stolen. I know people with convertibles who leave them wide open so that thieves won't cut the tops to break in. Car alarms don't seem to cause much concern for thieves. Nobody is going to risk their life to save your stuff.

[Tuba Guy]

What is everyone's thoughts on a locked trunk? I chose my camry specifically so that I can lock a tuba in the back. It is set up so that the only way the trunk can be opened is with the remote that I keep on my person (the lock disables the in-car handle). I obviously still don't leave anything in there if I don't have to, but I've been less averse to leaving stuff while I'm in a different rehearsal or whatnot. The theory is that if they tried to steal anything, it's much easier for the police to find an eye gougingly bright white V12 camry than a stolen tuba.
That said, make a list with the brand, model number, and serial number of any and all instruments you might have. Ya never know when it'll come in helpful

[nycbone]

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[nycbone]

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[deputysgttuba]

Sometimes, my PT-20 stays in the trunk longer than I like, but it never stays there overnight. My family is used to carrying guitars, fiddles, ukeleles, and even an Autoharp into places to eat and stay so they are not damaged by temperature extremes. I should probably drag the tuba along as well but, you know, it is just so big....I do make every attempt to park the car where it can be watched from my table while eating...

[MaryAnn]

I have Clarion insurance on my expensive instruments. No deductible, you decide how much you want to insure it for, and it's covered anywhere. If you're a union member there is a discount, and for me the discount is more than the union membership cost.
That said, there are times I leave the horn in the car, but it is daylight and I always park it in a place with high visibility, hopefully right next to the street. The windows are tinted too, and I put something on top of it. My horn is irreplaceable....not another one out there like it.
MA

[TubaRay]

Random question -- I'm joining a community band and the practices are on Monday evenings right after work. Am I crazy for leaving my horn in my car during the day, or should I bring it inside my office for safe-keeping? I live in a nice city, and park on the 5th floor of a parking garage. The only way anyone would even see it is if they were to really look into my car window and see it sitting there (in a gig bag). I'm just trying to determine whether I'm taking a really unnecessary risk by not bringing it inside, so I thought I'd gauge the collective opinion about this.

Your practices are on Monday evenings? What kind of tuba do you play? And, you park on the 5th floor of what parking garage, in what city?

[tokuno]

Your practices are on Monday evenings? What kind of tuba do you play? And, you park on the 5th floor of what parking garage, in what city?

Hey, I've got a used Bach 24aw for sale, cheap. Nice, heavy comfort rim for max momentum, with a sharp enough edge to penetrate glass in a single, firm blow, and a broad lip to shield your fist from the shards.
Very handy for a quick play test, too, to determine whether your prize is of sufficient quality to merit the hassle of carrying it away.

[Donn]

Your practices are on Monday evenings? What kind of tuba do you play? And, you park on the 5th floor of what parking garage, in what city?

Hey, I've got a used Bach 24aw for sale, cheap. Nice, heavy comfort rim for max momentum, with a sharp enough edge to penetrate glass in a single, firm blow, and a broad lip to shield your fist from the shards.
Very handy for a quick play test, too, to determine whether your prize is of sufficient quality to merit the hassle of carrying it away.

Car windows can be tougher than you might think, though. News Reporter Can't Break Into Car

[tokuno]

Hey, I've got a used Bach 24aw for sale, cheap. Nice, heavy comfort rim for max momentum, with a sharp enough edge to penetrate glass in a single, firm blow, and a broad lip to shield your fist from the shards.
Very handy for a quick play test, too, to determine whether your prize is of sufficient quality to merit the hassle of carrying it away.

Car windows can be tougher than you might think, though. News Reporter Can't Break Into Car

Yeah, see? He should buy my 24aw. Right tool gets the job done right. Also, he clearly needed the big, fat rim to protect his hand. Admittedly, hitting the right spot can be hard with this mouthpiece . . . . wide slots.

[tofu]

Hey, I've got a used Bach 24aw for sale, cheap. Nice, heavy comfort rim for max momentum, with a sharp enough edge to penetrate glass in a single, firm blow, and a broad lip to shield your fist from the shards.
Very handy for a quick play test, too, to determine whether your prize is of sufficient quality to merit the hassle of carrying it away.

Car windows can be tougher than you might think, though. News Reporter Can't Break Into Car

Yeah, see? He should buy my 24aw. Right tool gets the job done right. Also, he clearly needed the big, fat rim to protect his hand. Admittedly, hitting the right spot can be hard with this mouthpiece . . . . wide slots.

Actually a couple of tuba mouthpieces in a gym sock with a knot tied on the end is a great way to beat a little sense into a thief if you happen to catch them in the act. Some of those old heavy weight versions work wonders - however plastic Kelly mouthpieces are to be avoided for the purpose of administering beatings.

[tofu]

it may be best, financially speaking, to "beat" until the beatee can no longer file suit.

Well THAT goes without saying!

[TubaSteve]

Leave your doberman in the car with some food, water, poop-and-pee paper, and a 1/2" cracked-open window.

This is what you need!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8avOiTUcD4Y&feature=kp" target="_blank

[Mark]

Unless I'm in a coffee shop and have clear line of sight to my car.....

Not even once. Just don't tempt fate, you'll regret it. I do.

Don't you mean clear line of fire?

[LJLovegren]

Thieves suck, but they aren't stupid.

Maybe thieves are smarter now. 20 years ago, I was on my way to a costumed recorder gig and parked for a few minutes on a busy street. When I got to the gig, I thought I had forgotten to pack my shoes. Then I noticed my belt and leather pouch were gone. The thief ignored over $500 of recorders for a few dollars worth of leather accessories.

Mea culpa - I should have put the instruments out of sight in the trunk.

[Dan Castillo]

I used to leave my tuba in my car. Then one day somebody broke into it and thankfully didn't take it! I guess they decided they couldn't make a quick get away with a tuba in hand. Anyway, after that near miss, never again do I leave my tuba in the car...regardless of how nice the neighborhood.