Car Trouble: update

So, mention the Devil and he'll find you, right?

This morning no amount of banging on the key would allow it to turn, and I had to give up on being any kind of on-time to work and call AAA.

They sent out a locksmith, who fixed the problem for a reasonable sum of $150. I learned a little more about how locks work (locksmithing seems like it might be a pretty good profession; if this internet thing dies out I might look into it), I learned a little more about how my car works, and I learned that my key has a microchip in it, which means it costs $120 to get a spare. Yay!

But the most important thing I learned was that you should try not to have a heavy keychain. The problem my car had (the wafers in the tumbler were bent and blunted and would not slide easily) was caused at least mostly by the weight of my keychain levering my key up against them for hours at at time while I drive. I have a stiff suspension, so all of the knocks and bumps make the keys bounce and wear on the wafers.

So it seems that Todd's plan of keeping a thin billfold and a sparse keychain is not only ergonomically and philosophically pleasing - it's helpful advise!