Okay, last night was not fun, and truth be told, entirely my fault. Frequently, I mull over things a long time before purchasing, and I paid for my hesitation last night. Instead of purchasing one of the suggested items in this thread, when I go out and don't take the car (which is my preference), I have been going key-less.
I was at a friend's house, and rode home on my bike. I will embarass myself by mentioning that I was not using my Lockblocks last night, which was/is a whole other issue (and the main reason I am hunting for a PLI MC-E!).
I *did* have a rear blinky so cars could see me from behind. When I arrived home, I looked around to see if there were any lights on in the garage. No go; it was black as pitch. I checked by the deck, brand new with stairs, and peeked in the deck door. Dark there as well. I rang the doorbell twice, and no one came. Now, here I am, at my own house, and locked out because of my own stupidity and lack of planning.
I went to the shed and unlocked it, looking for the spare key. Unfortunately, someone else must have used it and not returned it, because the keys on the ring did not fit! Then, realizing that the opener in the car might open the garage, I went around to one of the cars. I did not know the combination for the keypad, but knowing most people make easy passwords, I tried one that I thought might work, and it did on the first try. I pulled out the opener, sure I would be in bed any minute. Fingers curled around the rectangular box, I squeezed the button, and-
Nothing. Someone had turned off the power to the garage door. Now, picture being outside your house with no way in. It is a very, very frustrating feeling!
Then, I realized there was a phone (a work phone, but a work
ing phone no less) inside the vehicle I had previously unlocked. I unlocked the car, grabbed the phone, powered it up, called my house, woke up one of the occupants, and simultaneously entered the house while exiting one of the most embarrassing situations I've ever thrust myself into.
Lesson learned: tomorrow, I will cycle to town and take care of two things:
1) Pay my credit card bill.
2) Make two copies of my house key.
a) the first will get permanently attached to a necklace which holds my quick-release key and bike lock key.
b) the second will get attached to one of the straps/contraptions in this thread.
I feel like such an idiot.