A Lidl supermarket in Gloucestershire, UK, is getting quite a reputation for having a “Bermuda Triangle” of a parking lot, which apparently makes almost all car key fobs malfunction. And no, there’s no explanation for it just yet, hence the “Bermuda” reference.
A report of late last month in The Mirror noted that several residents had been complaining about the Lidl parking lot in Kingswood, a suburb of Bristol City. Apparently, the issue has also made the object of a Facebook group, where upset customers come to vent their frustrations at their malfunctioning fobs.
The malfunction affects fobs both in terms of locking and unlocking the car, and it also affects fobs whose batteries have just been replaced. These people believe that the internet-based security cameras that cover the parking lot may be to blame, as they’re obstructing the signal of the fobs.
That could be a good explanation and it would certainly solve the mystery… only that it’s not accurate. A Lidl spokesperson says that the cameras don’t transmit a signal, which means that there must be something else that blocks the signal of the fobs. If that’s what’s really causing them to malfunction.
“We were concerned to learn of this occurrence, and are currently looking into the matter to help identify the cause, and resolve the situation for our customers,” the spokesperson adds. As of the time of writing, no solution has been found.
Meanwhile, the mysterious occurrence is sending potential customers away. While many of them find some consolation in knowing they’re not alone in what they’re experiencing, most of them lament how unsafe the experience is. After all, no one likes being locked out of their car when they’re returning with groceries, or knowing their car has been left unlocked while they’re out shopping.
The malfunction affects fobs both in terms of locking and unlocking the car, and it also affects fobs whose batteries have just been replaced. These people believe that the internet-based security cameras that cover the parking lot may be to blame, as they’re obstructing the signal of the fobs.
That could be a good explanation and it would certainly solve the mystery… only that it’s not accurate. A Lidl spokesperson says that the cameras don’t transmit a signal, which means that there must be something else that blocks the signal of the fobs. If that’s what’s really causing them to malfunction.
“We were concerned to learn of this occurrence, and are currently looking into the matter to help identify the cause, and resolve the situation for our customers,” the spokesperson adds. As of the time of writing, no solution has been found.
Meanwhile, the mysterious occurrence is sending potential customers away. While many of them find some consolation in knowing they’re not alone in what they’re experiencing, most of them lament how unsafe the experience is. After all, no one likes being locked out of their car when they’re returning with groceries, or knowing their car has been left unlocked while they’re out shopping.