Do you lock your car?

[tvguy]

I just stepped out into our back parking lot at work.
There are 20 cars parked there, 8 are unlocked.
All are cars with key fobs so a push of a button locks them.
Me, we even lock our cars inside the locked garage at home, and always when parked in public.

 

[Floridaman999]

Yes, I make it a habit of just locking them whenever I get out.

 

[JaxDad]

So, just curious, did you check all the car doors in your parking lot to determine that 8 of 20 were unlocked?

 

[CdnCarrie]

I don't lock my car when it's in the attached garage at home. Everywhere else I do.

 

[ronandannette]

No, practically never, although I will if I’m parking downtown or at the mall and have packages in the vehicle. I just never got in the habit. I can report over the years I’ve managed to stop leaving my keys inside (on the floor under the drivers’ seat), which is something my DDad did his entire life.

I’ve had my vehicle “prowled” once - 30 years ago while it was parked in the surface lot of my apartment in what was considered a very good neighbourhood. Interestingly, about a dozen other cars were hit too and the bad guys just went ahead broke the locks or smashed a window on all of those.

 

[Disneylover99]

I always lock my car, even in the garage.

 

[DisTXMom]

Always. Unfortunately there are people that will steal ANYTHING. I’ve experienced it personally.

 

[mjkacmom]

I literally have nothing of value in my van, and it’s 12 years old. I have gotten into other similar vans by accident. One time I couldn’t find it in a parking garage, but it really never occurred to me that it was stolen. My town is very safe, except for unlocked cars being opened and contents stolen. Once my spare change was taken, maybe $2?

 

[wenrob]

Always. I also lock the doors as soon as I’m settled in my seat and have my truck to auto lock the doors once it hits 15mph. I even lock it when I stop for gas.

For me it’s not about my vehicle being broken into. Have at it, I keep zero valuables in there. It’s about someone possibly being in there when I get in or being carjacked. Maybe I watch too much Dateline but I’d rather be safe than sorry.

Even with all of that I’ve had someone smash the window of my car and steal my stereo and of all things, my bowling balls. Neither worth the time it took them to do it. A couple years ago there was a group of kids who were somehow getting into locked vehicles. All three of ours were hit. I can imagine they were pretty disappointed to not score a single thing of value.

 

[sam_gordon]

So, just curious, did you check all the car doors in your parking lot to determine that 8 of 20 were unlocked?

I was wondering the same thing. It's not like the old days when you had the push down knob and could visually check if a car is locked. If the non owner of a car went around checking car doors to see whether they're locked, is that against the law?

It also seems strange to me to lock the car when it's in your garage (unless it's just a habit).

 

[LilyWDW]

Always. I don't want to make it easier on someone to break into my car. Though I also don't keep anything of value in my car when I am not in it.

Not locking your car is like saying "Hey! Come get my stuff!"

 

[Klayfish]

You didn't include a category for "sometimes", so I chose never. If we're running multiple errands, which means we have things in the car between stops....or some other similar situation....we lock it. Otherwise, if there's nothing in it we never do. I can tell you for fact that it really makes no difference whatsoever for someone who is determined to get in your car. The only thing locking it does is deter the "casual" thief looking for a quick and obvious score to grab things. If there's nothing in the car, there's nothing for them to grab. I'd much rather them open my door and find nothing in the car then break my window and find nothing in the car. See it all the time.

 

[georgina]

I grew up in a city where cars were sometimes stolen right of of peoples' driveways, so yes I lock my car everywhere. Where I live now a lot of people don't, a friend was complaining stuff was stolen out of her unlocked car overnight. She said if she locked it they would just break a window, but that is not always the case. What is amazing to me is the number of guns stolen out of cars around here!

 

[tvguy]

So, just curious, did you check all the car doors in your parking lot to determine that 8 of 20 were unlocked?

Like I said, stepped out back (for fresh air and to wake up). I didn't pull door handles, just observed lock buttons that were up.

 

[Happyinwonerland]

Always. I don't keep anything valuable inside, but more than once (several years ago) have forgotten to lock my car and someone rifled thtough my things. It is annoying and makes me feel violated to come outside to a car with a door that's been left open and things that are in my glovebox strewn about.

 

[hereyago]

Yes always. I even (before self lock while in motion) lock my doors while driving and it saved me once from a guy who tried to get in my car.

I don't have anything of value in my car, but I am also not going to let some novice (teens during school break) have easy access.

When I had a garage I still locked it up.

When I was in high school I just got a car that I thought was locked and another student took my feather collection from my rear view mirror.

 

[sam_gordon]

Like I said, stepped out back (for fresh air and to wake up). I didn't pull door handles, just observed lock buttons that were up.

I don't think I've seen 8 cars with visible lock buttons in the last 10 years. You had 20 in your parking lot?

 

[L&Lfan]

Always.... why wouldn’t one?

 

[Dan Murphy]

Previous cars of mine auto locked at about 5 MPH. Current car locks when put in gear as well as about 20 seconds after engine is off and all doors and trunk lid are closed. I have always locked my non-self-locking cars when I left them, except in our attached, locked garage.

 

[SteveH]

Yes!