Car Lockout in Cambridge, MA

Locked out on a Cambridge street

In winter, a car lockout on a Cambridge street can come with a deadline the city sets. During a snow emergency parking ban, the City of Cambridge tickets and tows vehicles on streets signed "No Parking during Snow Emergency", and that includes a car stuck there because the keys are inside or a fob has died. If a ban has been declared, say so at the start of your request, with the exact street and block.

Snow adds its own problems. NOAA's state climate summary records that Boston's 2014–15 winter set a seasonal record of 110 inches of snow. A car plowed in at the curb may need clearing around the doors before anyone can work on the lock, so say how much snow is against it.

Heat, cold and anyone inside

If a child or a pet is inside the car, call 911 first, in any season. A closed car loses its heat once the engine is off, and on a sunny summer day the inside of a parked car climbs far above the outdoor temperature. Once everyone is safe, the lock becomes a separate question.

Details that help

• The street name, the nearest cross street and which side of the street the car is on.
• Whether the spot is on a street signed for snow emergencies, a resident permit space, a garage or a private lot.
• Make, model and year.
• Whether the car takes a key blade or a push-button start, and whether the fob battery is weak.
• Whether the keys are visible inside, locked in the trunk or lost.
• Whether the engine is running or an alarm is sounding.

If the keys turn out to be lost rather than locked in, see car key replacement. The car lockout page explains the service, and the Cambridge page collects more local notes.