I have heard about this happening before we had a member who was stuck in a field because of overhead power lines do the same thing. But his was a classic shape impreza so would have thought it would have been with an older car's, guess not.
I remember a few years back I came out of asda's and I see this guy kicking the crap out of his car Peugeot I think it was. With his Missus crying and a newborn baby and a trolley full of shopping. I went over to see if I could help I couldn't get the dam thing started, I got them laughing eventually they was going to get a taxi but said stuff that it was too cold it was about this time of year so I took them the other side of town to drop them off with the shopping. I'm such a nice guy like that :)
turns out the magnets that lock the trolleys from leaving the carpark had messed with his :( So I'm not sure if there is a way around stopping it or not.