Join The Club...

...or suffer the consequences.

I've been intrigued by the level of "The Club" usage here in Australia. You know what I'm talking about. The Club was the coolest method of car security in America...about 20 years ago. But in Australia, The Club is a big deal. I'd estimate that at least 40% of cars on campus have The Club locked across their steering wheels.

And apparently for good reason.

There's a major car theft problem in this country (and to think Aussies get all touchy when you bring up whom they decended from...). See the second photo? Well, if you don't get The Club, your car might suffer the same fate.

Last Saturday night some hoodlums decided to steal a car and set it on fire right across the street from my house. While the fire brigade did show up to put the fire out, the charred car still sat on the street until Tuesday morning. It would've been there longer had Jenny not called the cops. Apparently, no one else in the neighborhood thought it was a problem. Hell, people even continued parallel parking around the burned out junker even though it was surrounded by chunks of shattered glass.

I don't get it. But I have to commend the Aussies. When they say they live a "no worries" lifestyle, they really mean it. But just to be on the safe side, if you're going to own a car here--get The Club.