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Car doors locked?

2K views 32 replies 30 participants last post by  RemMod597 
#1 ·
Being fairly new to the forum, I hope I'm not repeating a question. After reading the thread on the Knoxville horrific crime I was just wondering how many people always lock their vehicle doors when driving? Not to say that the TN crime could have been prevented by locked vehicle doors. I've always been very AR about locking my doors even before I carried-just figured if they can't get the door open, I can get away. Most of my friends don't lock their doors at all and often leave purses out on the seat!!
 
#2 ·
Most new cars have automatic door locks...at least GM cars do. My doors lock as soon as my car is put in gear. Even so, I always lock my doors as I'm closing the door when getting in, if not before.
 
#3 ·
i all ways have locked my door. i have a viper sercuity system now so if any one ever got into my truck i would leave the car running and take my keys with me so then when they went to take off the truck would cut off.
 
#4 ·
I also keep my doors locked. Someone is going to have to demand I exit my vehicle, rather than just rip me out. In which case, I will demand they see a doctor about the holes in their chest, and payment for the hole in my door or window.
 
#5 ·
My Dodge Intrepid doors lock automatically when your speedometer hits 10 mph. However, at night and in a large parking lot, I have been known to lock them as soon as I shut the door. I should do that all the time, but with the automatic door locks, I've kind of gotten lazy about that.

On my Toyota 4Runner, the doors lock as soon as the gear shift is taken out of PARK. Likewise, they also unlock as soon as you put the gear shift selector into PARK. Again, I've been known to lock them as soon as I close the door, but usually I let the automatic lock feature handle it. I do kind of wish that it wouldn't "unlock" the doors automatically when putting it into PARK on the Toyota, but that's the design, so you live with it.
 
#6 ·
I always lock the doors as soon as I am in the car.
 
#8 ·
All of my vehicles lock as soon as the engine is started due to the after-market alarms in them. I was carjacked once as I got in the car and was not able to start the car quick enough. (Before I had my CCP) I try to leave them locked as much as possible.
 
#10 ·
Always

I always lock the doors of my truck. If I can do what I need to do just by opening my door, which is most of the time, then that is the only door I unlock, instead of unlocking the whole truck to get in and out. It's too easy then for someone to slide in the passenger seat with a weapon. It annoys most of my passengers, who are eager to just fling the door open, but it's my truck, my rules.

Everyone laughed at me for it, but we had a carjacking about two blocks from my house last year, so to me it proves the very minor inconvienience is worth it.
 
#11 ·
My vehicle doors lock automatically after going over a certain speed.
 
#12 ·
Yup, others think I'm nuts or something but EVERY time I get in my truck I hit the door locks. My wife's car locks the doors too but not until she's moving so I have her trained to lock 'em too. :wink:
 
#13 ·
I think you can set up some cars to lock and unlock to your specifications. It is buried in the owners manual someplace. Our car locks as soon as the software allows and stays locked the longest allowed.

The pickup, however, has a battle switch. Have to lock the doors with a button. Not much security there. I am pretty sure the kids these days would still try to jump the battle switch, having never seen one.
 
#14 ·
My Chrysler 300 automatically locks when beginning to move, but I hit the button as soon as I enter...I scan the area prior to getting in, and after I get inside.:comeandgetsome:
 
#15 ·
Driving a Jeep with a soft top and half doors I seldom lock the doors. With that said, I do when in what I thaink are situations that might demand extra security or passing through an area I feel un secure in during my travels.

In my wifes car the doors lock automatically, a good feature I have grown to endure. :king: Along with locking the doors always leave yourself an "Out" in traffic just in case. Getting away from a situation is much better than defending yourself in one.
 
#16 ·
Just an FYI - I've noticed that Chrysler vehicles are the only ones that wait until you hit a certain speed before locking. I used to work at Chrysler in the EE dept. and the reason that was done is that some kid got behind the wheel one time and put it in gear, which locked the doors and drove off somewhere. The parents chased but couldn't get in the car. I never heard if the kid was hurt or not but they got sued for it anyhow.

From that time forward, the vehicle speed had to be above 10 or 15 or something like that before the auto door locks engaged. I guess all the other car makers haven't been sued over that yet.
 
#17 ·
My trailblazer has auto doors locks. So does my grand am. I dont think about it all that much anymore.
 
#18 ·
My alarm system locks the doors as soon as the engine is started, but I seldom wait for that. I open the door, as I'm getting in I press the lock button, as soon as the door is closed, it's locked.
 
#19 ·
Two of our vehicles the doors lock when it is taken out of park, and unlock when placed into park. I leave them that way. One has the option of not unlocking when placed in park, but I haven't switched it over. My Jeep, I don't ever lock the doors even at night. It really doesn't do much good with the soft top on.
 
#20 ·
Always!

Same as I always lock my house door upon entry & exit.
The lock is there for a very good reason and not as decoration.

I lock the doors immediately after closing my doors.
I do not wait for engine starts and such. I open the door, get in, close the door behind me and next step is to lock ALL of the doors as by the button.
After that I start my car and such whatever else.

I don't know how many times I've read news accounts of victims being pulled out of their vehicles and assaulted for simply not having locked their car door. Duh.
Further I went to HS with a kid who wound up with his whole face being smashed in under boots resulting in him being in a coma for months followed by years of facial reconstruction surgery and speech therapy following a 'simple' car jacking...all because he did not lock the door to his car and came to a red light stop at a major intersection in front of very many witnesses...who watched him be stomped nearly to death.

Lock your doors. This should be a no brainer, and literally will be if and when you find yourself on a surgeons if not coroners table as a direct result.

YouTube - 7-11 Security tape car jacking caught in the act

My friend from HS BTW never fully recuperated in physical capacity and as with lasting mental issues too.

- Janq
 
#21 ·
Always!

Same as I always lock my house door upon entry & exit.
The lock is there for a very good reason and not as decoration.
- Janq
I agree. I always lock house doors as soon as I close them. On my car it's reflexive and it's usually locked before the door closes. Hitting the button is more muscle memory than planning. Seatbelt also.

I'd rather be delayed by having to unlock the door to get out than to be carjacked.

Someone tried it on me and my mom when I was 6 y/o and she said "that's why we ALWAYS lock the doors." That is one lesson that stuck fast and deep.
 
#22 ·
I always lock my doors. First thing I do when I get in the car before I start the car of truck.
 
#23 ·
Both our car and truck have choices for when the auto door locks activate and deactivate. Both lock all doors as soon as the shift lever is moved from park. My wife's is set to only unlock the driver's door when put back into park. My truck is set for me to grab "iron" if I feel threatened.
 
#24 ·
Normally, yes. Recently, no. I used to drive a 98 Mitsubishi Galant that had a viper security system, one of the fancier ones, that would auto lock/arm 30secs after you opened and shut any door. I always used the key fob to lock it though. Now I'm driving a 1990 Ford Mustang convertible. I leave the doors open because there is nothing of value in there, and its not difficult at all to get into even if they are locked. I figure leave it open and save the cost of a new top, or some glass, both of which I have already went through the expense of replacing (due to my own stupidity)

As for a car jacking, since I can't legally carry yet, I have OC and a tendency to carry a key between my middle and ring finger, though I doubt it would do anything when punching someone. I also have a knife, but no training. so I wouldn't want to rely on that.
 
#26 ·
My '98 Sable's doors lock automatically the first time you touch the breaks once the car has started driving. But I make it a habbit to hit the locks imidiatly after getting in the car.
 
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