Beep beep, toot toot

It took less than a week after buying my car for me to feel uncomfortable with the beeping noise it made when I clicked the key fob to lock the vehicle doors. What right did I have to unleash annoying sounds on my neighbors? It's inconsiderate, unnecessary and, I found, easy to undo. I checked the car's manual and found it was simple to disable the beeps. My doors still lock and my lights blink to tell me they're locked, but I am not creating noise pollution in the process.

Of course, most people -- my neighbors included -- seem to either accept the beeps as part of modern life or don't know that they can eliminate them without any threat to their vehicle's security. Therefore, I am subjected to the sounds whenever people get in or out of their cars all day every time I am at home. This, of course, is in addition to the several times each day -- and night -- that car alarms go off, which is another issue altogether.

It's a small matter, but it is quite annoying. How many times have you jumped in a parking lot when someone, standing many feet away, opens or locks a vehicle you are next to -- and some of the beeps can be quite loud. I just don't understand how car owners can hear that noise and believe it is OK to subject everyone else to the cacophony.