Car Lockout in Columbia, MO

Snow routes raise the stakes

The city ranks its streets in three snow priority tiers. Broadway and Vandiver Drive sit among the first-priority routes, and Derby Ridge Drive and Fairview among the second. The parking ban starts once 2 inches of snow have fallen, and after that a car on a priority route faces a fine of 100 dollars plus towing and storage charges. Most of the roughly 16.5 inches of snow the city gets in a season falls between December and March, so a winter lockout on one of these streets comes with a deadline. This is general information, not legal advice.

Game weekends on campus

Mizzou football weekends move a lot of parked cars. On the Friday before the game, many campus permit holders have to move their cars between 5 and 10 p.m., mostly into the Conley Avenue, Hitt Street, Turner Avenue or University Avenue parking structures, and they may return from 12 a.m. Sunday to 7 a.m. Monday. A car left behind may be ticketed or towed, and the owner pays. If the keys are locked inside a car that has to move that Friday, say so up front and name the lot.

Heat, cold and people inside

If a child or a pet is in the locked car, call 911 before anything else. On a humid Missouri summer afternoon a shut car climbs well past the outdoor temperature, and in January it loses its warmth soon after the engine stops. If the car is running with the keys inside, clear any snow from around the tailpipe. Do not yank a frozen door handle or pry at the door; a broken handle or torn weatherstrip turns one problem into two.

What to send

• The street and nearest cross street, or the campus lot or structure and its level
• Whether the car is on a snow priority route or in a lot being cleared for a game
• Make, model and year, and whether it has push-button start
• Whether the keys are in the cabin, in the trunk, or lost
• Whether anyone is inside

Keep photo ID and the registration handy, since proof that the car is yours may be asked for. If the keys are lost, see car key replacement.