The dangers of using a floating hide

[peterjclarke]

A couple of weeks ago I decided to get up early on a Sunday morning to have a go at Coots and Moorhens at sunrise at a local lochan. It was the first time I had used my floating hide 'for real'. I had a great time and leaned loads about technique. Alas there was no sunrise and just dark clouds so my shutter speeds were too slow to produce a sharp enough photograph. Feeling quite pleased with coping with the hide and my camera gear floating in about 4-5 feet of water and confident that all I need is better light to make some decent shots next time, I returned to where I had parked the car. THE CAR HAD DISSAPEARED!!!!

I phoned the police to check if it had been towed. They advised me they had nothing on their system, and suspected it had been stolen. Two weeks later I've heard nothing and it is probably never going to be seen again. The car was only worth a couple of hundred pounds and with nearly 140,000 miles on the clock it was nearing the end of it's life. So I'm not going to make a claim on the insurance and loose my 10 years no claims bonus.I was lucky there was nothing elso of any value in the car because of the space needed for the floating hide.

This happened on the outskirts of Bathgate in West Lothian and is a tale of caution, not to go about flashing your gear in public and being careful about parking you car safely. I believed mine was as it was next to a busy road even at 7am on a Sunday and I had parked there many a time with no problems. Theives a clicking onto the idea that bird and nature 'people' have expensive gear and are probably worth robbing. The car had a factory fitted imobiliser so I was under the impression the engine could not be started but it seems I was wrong.

[mh68]

Sorry to hear about that Peter. Sadly there are a lot of scumbags around these days and nothing is safe. It highlights the risks of leaving gear in the car too.

Mark H

[glsammy]

Bad luck Peter. At least you had the most valuable goods with you and not in the car at the time it was taken.
What can you do about experiences like this?
I remember last year seeing the after effects of car thieves smashing a rear window of a car to take the goods they'd watched the owners leave in their car.
I try and not leave my camera gear in the car if it's a public car park and I've had the gear in and out. You never know who is watching.
One things for certain nothing will stop me from going out.

[Maccattack]

Sorry to hear this, seems important to keep a mobile phone around ,I often forget to take one as I dont like them going off unexpectedly. Bang goes my theory that Sunday morning was a safer time to go out .

malcolm Mac

[Tormentil]

Originally Posted by Maccattack

Bang goes my theory that Sunday morning was a safer time to go out .

Scrots don't go to church, Mal. :

[John D]

Sorry to read about your recent ordeal Peter. Since I'm from West Lothian and out and about quite a bit taking photos throughout the county, I wonder if in fact I may have parked in a similar area. I sometimes do wonder about leaving the car in some locations, you just never know these days.
John D

[denisg]

Bad news. Trouble is, the culprits have nothing to worry about

John D...................can I have my dogs back please!, mine are the spitting image of yours, see DenisG Photography - Pets/7DPICT3523 (among others!)

Denis.

[naturelover]

so sorry peter what a nasty thing to happen,thank heavens you never had your gear in the car.

[big bill]

So sorry to hear about what happened Peter I used to live in West Lothian at first when I came ot of the army at Livingston back in 1980 it was a nice place but have been back since as I still have family in the area and what I have seen I do not like,where I stay now you can leave your car in isolated area`s unlocked windows open and still return hours later to see it sill there and contents intact it beggers belief nowadays some of the youth of today have no respect for peoples property and I blame it on the PC brigade for their interferance in the way parents are allowed to bring up their offspring to much interferance from them,better post and get of my soapbox blood starting to boil

[peterjclarke]

I parked at a layby next to the B7002 which runs alon gside half loaf loch (I think). A place called Inchcross. Let's just say that I won't be parking there again.