Posted by Jon Renaut
Thu, 17 May 2007 21:56:00 GMT
A comment on this post, wondering how I liked our Vector security system, reminded me that I said I'd update everyone with a review after we'd had it for a bit. I suspect the guy who left the comment works for Vector, but that's okay. He didn't try and flood my site with spam or anything, so I think the comment is acceptable.
Anyway, we have no complaints. We haven't asked much of the system, and we haven't had an alarm, but the system has never done anything it wasn't supposed to do, nothing has broken, nothing has malfunctioned. I suppose the real test is what happens if someone tries to break in, or if we accidentally set off the alarm. Luckily, neither of those things have happened.
So, after almost two months, I would still recommend Vector Security. I'd recommend them even more if they got around to sending us our referral bonus since some of our upstairs neighbors signed up on our recommendation.
Posted in Life, Safety | 2 comments
Posted by Jon Renaut
Mon, 23 Apr 2007 11:40:00 GMT
Washingtonpost.com: High School Senior Killed in Northwest
An 18-year-old kid who lives on my street was shot about three blocks from my house late Saturday night. Maybe it was gang-related, but they don't seem to have much in the way of details.
When we moved into the city, some people thought we were crazy. Why would we move from the nice, safe suburbs into the scary, busy city? People wondered about Columbia Heights, too. It's not the most dangerous place in the city, but it's also not Georgetown (Thankfully. I don't want to live in Georgetown. It's a nice place to go shopping if you have too much money on your hands, but I don't like the feel of the area. Not quite sure why.). But this is the first major crime I'm aware of in the area since we moved.
I have not yet felt unsafe at any time in Columbia Heights. Sure, I've passed some people talking loudly to themselves, and I've been asked for money. But I've never had to cross the street because I felt threatened or anything like that.
We were out at a bar on P St Saturday night, and we were just walking home shortly before this happened. I guess that makes this a bigger deal. I've probably scared my mom and my mother-in-law by now. But I've talked to my wife, and we think we're going to be more inclined to take a cab home if we're out late. I still don't feel unsafe, but that doesn't mean we shouldn't be careful.
Posted in Life, Safety, Community | 6 comments
Posted by Jon Renaut
Fri, 23 Mar 2007 14:23:00 GMT
Yesterday, we had Vector Security install a system in our condo. We're on the first floor, so a few of our windows are pretty exposed, and we figured it would be a bit of peace of mind.
So far, I'm very impressed with Vector. We talked to ADT and ASC, and weren't impressed with either. ADT was okay, but I don't feel like they were being completely straight with us. ASC postponed the first appointment by calling 45 minutes before they were supposed to arrive, and then forgot to show up for the second appointment. When I called at 4:30, half an hour after the guy was supposed to show, their answering machine told me to call back during business hours, 8-5. So we didn't expect much from Vector, who actually sent us junk mail that turned out to be good for both us and them.
I wasn't there for the installation. My wife took care of it, which she's done a lot of lately, and for which I'm very grateful. She said the install guy was exceptionally polite. He waited to be invited in to enter the house, he swept up the dust from drilling in the closet when he was finished, and just did about everything you'd want from someone coming to your home to do some work. Vector has also been responsive and very pleasant on the phone, and I love their web interface to the alarm. If I forget to turn the alarm on when I leave for work, I can go online and turn it on from there, or see the status, and all kinds of information about the alarm. It's pretty cool.
Anyway, it's too early to give a full evaluation of Vector, but so far I'd highly recommend them to anyone looking into a security system.
Posted in Life, Safety | 1 comment
