I was taught to always keep the doors locked so that they don't fly open in an accident, but you're right, potential road rage is another good reason.

I think most newer cars lock them automatically. I know that mine locks them when I pull out (I think it's when it hits around 7 mph).

I think it helps to keep the passenger compartment intact in an accident also.

Locking the doors just keeps the outside handles from operating. It doesn't change the integrity of the passenger compartment.

The doors on my Sentra can't be opened from the inside while it's locked.

I was replying to the statement that implied it would be safer in a collision. In your case the inside handles would be disabled as you say. It doesn't change the integrity of the body strength.

It often results in death in an accident when the first responders cannot get ones injured body out of the car in time to save ones life.

All because of paranoia? Not worth it.

Auto-magic door locks often result in auto-magic death in a collision. They don't call them jaws of life for nothing. If only such things did not take so long a time. In the case of trauma, time is everything. Tick, tick, tick,... Quick, get the jaws of life! Oopsie! Not quick enough. You are a goner.

I never, ever lock my doors when I am driving. Neither should anybody. And if yours lock auto-magically when you start driving, dump the damned car before it kills you.

I found out how to disable it, mostly because it's inconvenient. I didn't think about first responders trying to get my injured body out of a locked car, thanks for the tip.

I still will lock my doors in the big cities, when not on the highways. I wouldn't imagine that I'd be in a collision that knocked me unconscious at city speeds. And in some places, the paranoia is justified.

Slow speeds do not stop flip over accidents there. In fact, they encourage them.

I keep my doors unlocked when driving. If one is that worried about driving, one should sell the damned car and hire somebody to do errands for you. Probably it would be cheaper that way, too. Plus, one doesn't have to wring ones hands all the time. Regardless, I suspect too many would still do that.

You are only much more likely to die in the wreck than a carjacking. But go ahead and ignore the wreck and protect against the car jacking. I see a Darwin Award in anybody's future who adopts that strategy. (At least statistically.)



Better advice... Keep doors unlocked and keep a tire iron under your seat.

Either that... Or Trunk Monkey!!!

but again, you've made me think. I guess the only rational time to lock the doors while you're in the car is if some kind of commotion is going on in the immediate area, and even then, it would not take a lot of doing to shatter your door glass. Best thing to do is get out of the area, if possible, if you feel the urge to lock the doors.

I meant to comment on that, very amusing!

My best.


I like the guy pitched off the bridge the best.

It would probablty only slow a first responder down by a few seconds

I try to remember to do it, but it's not habit yet.

I threw her out of the truck by her hair and the ass of her pants when she refused to get out.I was pulled over and arrested 3 blocks later.True story.
Today I would have been killed I am sure,Seattle being homicide central for the cops in Washington state.My lawyer had a field day with them.

The rule has never changed - watch out for the other guy!

"Stranger danger" is always out there.

And I don't move that fast.

the car is put into "Drive" and then unlock when it's stopped and put into "Park".


I think it's also a good idea for people to have a plan for what to do in various scenarios.

Like, for instance, being followed by another car (first confirm by making a series of random turns). Drive straight to a fire or police station.

Someone manages to jump into the passenger seat and forces me to drive someplace...first opportunity and when it's safest, my car gets turned into a fire hydrant or some other stationary object with the main focus being on wrecking the passenger's seat.

Someone corners me in a parking lot and tries to hijack my car with me in it... I hurl my car keys as far as I can and start screaming bloody murder.

I hope I'll never have to do any of those things, but if I ever do, I also hope that I'd have the presence of mind to do something to avoid being a victim.

their legal behavior just to lesson the likelihood that some other person will commit a crime?

Do you tell potential rape victims to change their behavior/actions/attire too?

against others illegal behavior? Why should I alter my lifestyle in any way just because it may make me more likely to be the victim of a crime? Is that not the CRIMINALS fault?

You can't eliminate carjackings but you can decrease your chance of getting carjacked.

are depending on you to protect them, then you should probably lock your doors. Sometimes carjackers kick the parents out and drive off with kids in the car.

interdicting criminals tend to be 10-plus minutes away (only after you've taken at least 2 minutes on the phone with the dispatcher) anything that delays and frustrates the criminals is an advantage to their intended victims.

There's a difference between blaming someone for their victimization, and giving advice about how to avoid becoming a victim in the first place.

becoming a victim in the first place be appropriate? I think not. I think that would be victim blaming.

If someone carjacks me and the question becomes "Did you have your car doors locked?", how is that different than the asshats who ask a rape victim "What were you wearing?"?

Actually wanted it to happen.

There are places in Chicago I wouldnt go at 2am. I see nothing wrong telling people not to go there at 2am.

That is different than after the fact saying "its your fault you were there at night"

The thing with rape is people actually do blame the victim in a way they don't with other crimes.

Even asking if door was locked usually doesn't result in blame for the actual act on the victim.

But with rape there is often the "she wanted it" type of attack on victim which isn't there with other crimes.

I think that activating a security device and choosing a mode of dress are two wholly different concepts; neither one implicitly validating, nor invalidating the other.

"...and the question becomes "Did you have your car doors locked?"
That question being referenced by you alone, upon which, you predicate your entire premise.

Victim blaming is the idea that the victim somehow shares responsibility for the attack because of something they said or did. That's a fundamentally different conversation than giving advice on how to avoid becoming a victim in the first place.

Fail.

a person entering someone else's car illegally has nothing to do with if the door is locked or not.

"a person entering someone else's car illegally has nothing to do with if the door is locked or not."

What specifically leads you to believe that a locked, secure car door is irrelevant to an intruder entering that car? Applying your contention consistently would lead one to criticize the posting of swimming pool safety tips. If not, what then is the precise and relevant difference?

has nothing to do with vaulted or not vaulted funds.

A store or house robbery never has to do with a locked or unlocked door.

Your "logic" is not.

makes you a criminal. Again, the victim of a crime has no responsibility for the criminal actions of another. That is my entire point/philosophy on this matter.

The Just have no need of the Law. The law is not for the Just but the Unjust. The Law does not make one Just but convicts the Unjust.

Yet, we know the Unjust are a fact of life and because of them we have the Law (and door locks).

Deserving of what happened to them as happens to rape victims? I understand your point of not blaming the victim of a crime, but your comparison is not comparable.

deter someone who is going to commit a crime. It's the same type of advice as "lock your door at night." Also, everybody knows a women's attire does not deter or cause rape including the right wing jerks who say it. The far right pulls stuff out of their ass to appeal to their cold-hearted supporters.

advise women to be aware of their surroundings, not to trust pushy males after you say "No, thank you," and to read the book "The Gift of Fear."

it's not how a woman dresses, or even her age, that will cause her to be a victim of rape.

Women in burqas can be victims of rape.

So can elderly women. And babies/children.


But if you're a woman who knows that rapists roam the streets looking for victims, you take certain precautions.

Like NOT getting into an elevator occupied by one or more males.

NOT walking alone down an unlit/poorly lit street or alleyway.

Being aware of one's surroundings. Having car keys ready to unlock one's car immediately.

If those things are too much trouble, then whatever. Take your chances.

that there are folks out there that wish to do you harm...and all you need to do is cross paths and appear to be an easy victim.

It's more about protecting yourself.

Locking doors is a reasonable precaution. Changing your manner of dress isn't. If you're in a seedy bar, don't leave your wallet on the bar while you go to the men's room. If you're at the beach, don't leave you expensive watch on the beach towel while you go for a dip. Wear your seatbelts.

and you have your SSN tattooed on your forehead. The argument gets really exhausting when you have to argue your principles while you are recovering from an assault.

If you don't take simple, easy precautions to make it more difficult for criminals to hurt you, you are taking a big risk. Life-altering risks. Visit the Rape-recovery forum if you don't believe me. There is shit that can happen to you that can steal years of your life. And it isn't the victims' fault. But the fact is, we live in a violent world.

while I was stopped at a stop light in Denver. It was a pretty spooky experience. Glad the door was locked. I didn't see a weapon, but he could easily yanked me out.

My car has locks that can be locked from inside but not unlocked... the button is designed to go all the way down so there is nothing to grab hold of when you're in the car to unlock the door again. Stupid ass design meant to make it hard for people outside the car to break in by slipping a coat hanger in and pulling up the button.

There also isn't any way to unlock the trunk without using the key.

In any car I've had before I've always locked the doors when I was in it, and I REALLY hate it that I can't do this in the car I have now without having a way to unlock the car from the inside to get out.

Dash board cameras though are something that people should start investing in, you never know what can happen while you're on the road.

It depends on your views on the relative likelihood of someone hostile trying to get in, and someone friendly needing to get you out after an accident.

But I suspect that in many areas the latter is less unlikely.

You never know who is going to get in the car with you.

Thank God for power locks. With my old car, I had to lock them manually and if I forgot to lock a door, some criminal or road rager could have opened the door and God knows what would have happened to me.

on my bicycle. Or doors!

I'd rather they do it when I put it into drive.

unsavory neighborhoods on my way to the job.

Stopped at a traffic light.This man jumped into our car, we kicked his ass he got out the car.

the dreaded mythical carjacker. As soon as the road rage warrior was mentioned, I understood. My doors will be locked from now on.

doors.

The OP is suggesting taking sensible precautions.

It is why we:
look in both directions before crossing a street;
install smoke alarms;
put an ID on and/or a microchip in pets;
wear a seat-belt in a car with air-bags;
test hair-dye before full application;
carry an umbrella when rain is forecast;
use a bank safety-deposit box;
have all types of insurance;
don't take candy from psychopathic Ted Bundys;
AND LOCK OUR DOORS.

Hate and refuse to take precautions? Good luck with that.

don't leave them exposed with the doors open. Lock the doors.

Would this be orange level, red?

I ride my bike almost everywhere. I run every morning.

I am a small woman (5'3&quot . I get off work after dark at night.

Oh yes, I have my eyes open at all times, but seriously? Should I give up my runs, my walks, my biking?

Nah. Ain't gonna happen.

And with road rage, and the gun nuts, locking doors will only stop physical attacks.

Yu should also lock your car doors when you start filling your gas tank, because thieves called "sliders" will crouch down where you cannot see them on the opposite side of your car and slip (slide) into the car to grab your purse that you have left on the front seat.

Here is a video of a TV news report, with security footage of such a theft:

if you live and drive in an area prone to risk. Higher population density, or something else?

I don't even always lock my doors when I park in public. I've been known to stop at one store, toss my bags in the bed of the truck, and leave them there when I stop at the next place.

When I bought this place 10 years ago, there were no keys. The previous owner hadn't locked a door for 20 years.

Locking the doors tends to just result in me locking my keys in the car - I know your comment was about while driving, but I purposefully converted both my cars from power windows/locks to manual windows/locks. So locking the passenger side from the driver's side is difficult unless I get out and go into the passenger side. This always gives me a way to get myself back in if I F up and lock the driver's side door.

I lock my house door because it is never inconvenient to do so like it is with my car. When I leave house I go out through the automatic garage door - unless I'm just going running around the block or taking the trash out or something.

In order to lock myself out of the house I'd have to leave my keys inside and the garage door would have to stop working (there is a keypad outside so I can get in with a code as well). In order to lock myself out of my car... well... much easier!