If they really want your Prius, I can think of only two ways they could drive it away under its own power:
1) Steal the key fob from you, your home, or your desk at work, and use it to drive the car away
..or..
2) Carjack you, and either drive your car away by themselves, or force you to drive with them in the passenger or back seat.
Best defense:
As always,
be alert. I like to park in a way that could give me two exit paths..forward OR backward, especially when I know I'll be coming back to the car after dark and/or in a poorly lit area. When alone, I approach and enter the car as quickly as possible.
Sometimes, I won't even stop to put stuff in the trunk; I'll get right into the driver's side and dump whatever it is I have on the passenger seat without bothering to be neat about it.
I know this speed thing would be difficult if you have kids to put into the car seats.
But speed and smoothness may well be the key to your survival, especially since violent crime can happen anyplace, at any time.
And if somebody's bound and determined to take your car directly from your possession, then it would be wise to assume that there's a good liklihood that they'll have no compunction about doing harm to you or those you may be with.
Speed and smoothness may also make you a less desirable target. If you're moving aimlessly, slowly, or carelessly, you're a prime target.
Immediately upon entering, I lock the doors, power it up, and while it's booting, I release the parking brake while holding the stick so that it will go immediately into gear. THEN and only then will I buckle up. THEN and only then will I feel free to mess with the radio or nav computer.
Consider this: The car is still silent; the ICE hasn't kicked in yet,
but I am ready to drive even
before I buckle up. I just keep my foot on the brake until I'm ready to go.
In an emergency, all I need to do is let go of the brake, and the car starts moving (if in "D"). If I punch it, it will jump forward (or backward) silently, but very quickly. An attacker unfamiliar with hybrids would not be prepared for sudden motive power! Hey, maybe I'll get lucky and I'll run over a potential attacker's feet! :twisted:
My best chance for survival is to escape a potentially bad situation, even if I just get 40 or 50 feet away before I have to figure out what to do next (merge into traffic, go left, go right, call 911). If the car isn't started, my chances for survival are greatly diminished.
Maybe this is all overkill. It's no doubt far more than you asked for. But I share it because I believe chance favors the prepared mind. I don't know who said that first; and yes, I did plagarize it!
