[mixin visuals]

just wondering what others have to do. i lock ours sometimes, but we are out in the country and have good guard dogs to the point we really don't have to worry locks.

how about you?

[Ozmodiar]

My parents live in the timber in Iowa, and they lock all the doors before going to bed. Made for interesting wake-up calls when I would stumble in two hours past curfew and not have my keys.

I make sure all the doors are locked and windows are latched in my apartment before I go to bed. Even though I live on the third floor, this town is still a hole and anything is possible.

[DeathMan]

I lock my door, but not when I'm home. At night when I'm home, I guess I do, like when I got to bed.

I used to live in a smaller town, and we never locked our doors, but as things change, and the town grew, and there started to be the odd burglary, we started locking the door. Its sad when it gets to that point.

[itistoday]

yes

[iXavier]

I lock the door to the apartment as soon as I come in, and I use the deadbolt when I'm turning in for the night.

Growing up in the city, we always locked our doors but then my parents moved to the suburbs and left the doors opened when they were home but in the yard or something of that nature.

One day, a man who had just been released from a courthouse near their house walked in through the back door to their dining room and went to the bathroom (all while on some sort of drug). My dad found him there and held him at gunpoint until the police came. It makes for an interesting story, let me tell you, especially when the guy started throwing all of the medicine from the cabinet out of the window along with the shampoo, and soap, etc.

x.

[Cipher13]

Yes.

Even if I lived in the middle of nowhere, I would. Better safe than sorry, no?

[mixin visuals]

Originally posted by iXavier:
I lock the door to the apartment as soon as I come in, and I use the deadbolt when I'm turning in for the night.

Growing up in the city, we always locked our doors but then my parents moved to the suburbs and left the doors opened when they were home but in the yard or something of that nature.

One day, a man who had just been released from a courthouse near their house walked in through the back door to their dining room and went to the bathroom (all while on some sort of drug). My dad found him there and held him at gunpoint until the police came. It makes for an interesting story, let me tell you, especially when the guy started throwing all of the medicine from the cabinet out of the window along with the shampoo, and soap, etc.

x.

i locked mine immediately too when i lived in philly

[MikeM33]

Even though I've lived in the same town all my life I lock my doors now. When I was growing-up and living with my parents they never locked thier doors. I grew up in a nicer section of town than I live in now. I think over the years we started locking the doors because the nieghborhood had changed alot. After my remaining parent (my mother) passed away when I was 23 I moved out on my own for the first time. I instictively kept the doors locked and have always kept the doors locked living on my own.

MikeM

[sideus]

I was going to answer but I could not find where to vote.

[wulf]

Only when I don't want to have all my stuff stolen

...but then I do live in a city. I probably wouldn't if I lived out in the country.

[Mediaman_12]

I lived all my life on the edge of a small town/village and have never known the idea of not locking doors when you leave the house even for short periods, I have always done it and so has my mum. and I wouldn't say the area was a hotbed of crime.

[yakkiebah]

only when i leave the house, otherwise no, not even when i'm asleep.

[Dogma]

If I'm sleeping or upstairs in my "Studio" and no-one else is in, I'll lock the door. Of course it's locked when I'm out.

The safer than sorry argument - for one, the insurance wouldn't pay out if it wasn't locked.

Plus, we got Neds - which is now an official word! See Here

[bradoesch]

If you get robbed and your doors were unlocked, does insurance still cover what was stolen?

[Zimphire]

Nope, not even when I leave.

[Kilbey]

I have remote opertate locks and I only lock because I like the novelty of it.

I leave the keys to my car in the ignition when I am at work. I hate carrying keys in work.

[Mastrap]

Where I live you don't lock your front door you won't have one left next time you lock.

Whereas other parts of London have been desribed as 'up and coming' Bethnal Green has taken the ladder and flogged it down the market.

[philzilla]

(meanwhile, the scouser takes notes on where all the unlocked doors are... *evil laugh*)

[maxelson]

I got three dogs of my own and occasionally puppysit the rottie next door, I live around the corner from the local constabulary, got nosey neighbors all round who know our schedules. Sometimes I do, sometimes I don't. I don't get freaked if I don't.

::emails pic of philzilla to dogs...*evil bark*::

[dampeoples]

Definately when we're sleeping, not that it does much good, it just gives me an extra second or two to hear if someone is trying to get inside. They can have my stuff, leave my kids alone. Or else.

[maxelson]

Dogs are one of the BEST anti intruder devices ever invented. Someone's in my yard and I know it. Unfortunately, if a friggin squirrel is in my yard I know it.

[andi*pandi]

Not when I'm home and it's daylight. This of course freaks out my motherinlaw, who feels more safe in the city then she does in the scary suburbs where people actually sit outside. When she comes over she wants to lock all the doors and pull the blinds. Sigh.

I lock at night though, and keep the basement locked, because I wouldn't hear what's going on there. It's nice to have freedom in your home, but not be overly optimistic.

Plus, there's a cop who lives down the block.

[g. olson]

When my wife and I went on vacation several years ago, I couldn't find the key to the front door. It hadn't been locked in years. Normally, my six dogs provide all the protection one would need, but in this case we were leaving our house in care of the cats.

Gary Olson
Duluth, MN

[maxelson]

Criticism of cats: Cats. Don't. Care.

[Mastrap]

Originally posted by g. olson:
but in this case we were leaving our house in care of the cats.

[voodoo]

Yeah, I always lock the door. Even when I am at home.

[Demonhood]

always.

and sometimes i tie a string to the door. you know, a string attached to the trigger on a crossbow. i just have to remember to open the door myself, and not let friends, significant others, pizza delivery men, etc.. do it themselves. because damn, lawsuits are expensive.

[wdlove]

Always keep our front door locked, feel safer even though we live in a safe neighborhood. The back door is unlocked during the day only, it's always locked at bedtime and when leaving!

[OldManMac]

Always. Even when I'm home, the door is locked and the deadbolt is set. My housemate was asleep once in his Lazy Boy, by the front door, when he was awakened by a loud bang. I came home a few minutes later, and two burners were lit on the stove. We think that one of the neighbor boys was testing door locks, found ours unlocked, came in to snoop around, and for some reason lit the stove (hopefully not to do greater damage). My buddy is a heavy sleeper, so he wouldn't necessarily have heard him in the house. That was two years ago. Shortly after that, someone tried to twist the door knob off the front door with pliers. We had the locks changed, and have kept it locked ever since.

[dampeoples]

Originally posted by wdlove:
Always keep our front door locked, feel safer even though we live in a safe neighborhood. The back door is unlocked during the day only, it's always locked at bedtime and when leaving!

Nobody lives in a safe neighborood.

[Zimphire]

Originally posted by maxelson:
Dogs are one of the BEST anti intruder devices ever invented. Someone's in my yard and I know it. Unfortunately, if a friggin squirrel is in my yard I know it.

Or if a leaf blows across the yard..

[Zimphire]

Originally posted by dampeoples:
Nobody lives in a safe neighborood.

I would argue that. Mine is pretty darn safe. You could probably walk down the main street here naked in the middle of the night. You'd probably get harassed by cops, but you wouldn't get harmed.

Not from experience or anything.

[dampeoples]

Originally posted by Zimphire:
I would argue that. Mine is pretty darn safe. You could probably walk down the main street here naked in the middle of the night. You'd probably get harassed by cops, but you wouldn't get harmed.

Not from experience or anything.

Yeah, but criminals have cars and bus passes, etc. No need to push your luck.

[dencamp]

Always and every place I've lived.

On the mammal-as-means-of-protection discussion, about six years ago when I lived in Chicago someone broke into my apartment on Thanksgiving. I got home, called the cops and about an hour later a wonderful example of Chicago's finest stands at my door. He comes in, asks a few questions, glances down at my cat, glances at me, glances at the cat...long pause..."son, that's a pretty ineffectual means of protection, don't you think?"

Sometimes I miss that magical city...

[maxelson]

Originally posted by Zimphire:
Or if a leaf blows across the yard..

You know my dog.

[maxelson]

Originally posted by dampeoples:
Yeah, but criminals have cars and bus passes, etc. No need to push your luck.

Criminals are basically lazy creatures. They tend to stick to victimizing what is reasonably close to them.

I'd also argue that while NO ONE is GUARENTEED 100% safe, there places that can be qualified as a lot safer than others.

My neighborhood is pretty damned safe. ONe of the resons we bought there.

The neighborhood I lived in in NYC was comparitively safe (and the 91st Precinct LOVED to advertise the fact that they had every other precinct beat out by at least half).

Degrees.

[maxelson]

Originally posted by dencamp:
Always and every place I've lived.

On the mammal-as-means-of-protection discussion, about six years ago when I lived in Chicago someone broke into my apartment on Thanksgiving. I got home, called the cops and about an hour later a wonderful example of Chicago's finest stands at my door. He comes in, asks a few questions, glances down at my cat, glances at me, glances at the cat...long pause..."son, that's a pretty ineffectual means of protection, don't you think?"

Sometimes I miss that magical city...

Proof. Case in Point. Cats don't care.

[IUJHJSDHE]

Originally posted by dencamp:
Always and every place I've lived.

On the mammal-as-means-of-protection discussion, about six years ago when I lived in Chicago someone broke into my apartment on Thanksgiving. I got home, called the cops and about an hour later a wonderful example of Chicago's finest stands at my door. He comes in, asks a few questions, glances down at my cat, glances at me, glances at the cat...long pause..."son, that's a pretty ineffectual means of protection, don't you think?"

Sometimes I miss that magical city...

I thought it was a dog-as-means-of-protection discussion, who said anything about cats?

And like the other guy said, cats will almost never defend you or your apartment.

From what I have seen most of the time cats will don't defend unless they feel they feel directly threatend.

Originally posted by maxelson:
Dogs are one of the BEST anti intruder devices ever invented. Someone's in my yard and I know it. Unfortunately, if a friggin squirrel is in my yard I know it.

Very very true.

I lock my doors all the time, when I am home, when I goto sleep, all the time. I am simply just used to locking the door after I use it.

[dencamp]

Originally posted by maxelson:
Proof. Case in Point. Cats don't care.

I maintain that cats use their allergy-inducing dander to threaten intruders with the distant possibility that they may collapse due to anaphylactic shock. Devilishly clever little buggers.

[mixin visuals]

Originally posted by dampeoples:
Nobody lives in a safe neighborood.

i live in a safe neighborhood

[Cellery]

Only one door to my place, and it's always locked due to the drunken college students stumbling around in the hallway every weekend (sometimes weekdays too) looking to make some trouble.

[Mac Zealot]

Always.. not that it really would do much good.

I guess you could just say for insurance purposes. If I don't have a sword or knife under my bed I have something nearby

[ThinkInsane]

Originally posted by philzilla:
(meanwhile, the scouser takes notes on where all the unlocked doors are... *evil laugh*)

I don't lock mine, and if I remember correctly, a search of the archive will turn up directions to my house.

Actually, the only time I ever had my house broken into, they came in the window, which seems kind of foolish since the front and back doors were unlocked. Idjits.

[kmkkid]

Hmmm I have always locked the door when I go out, and when I'm sleeping. Not usually when I'm home, but now I have an auto lock door, so all's well.


I hate thieves. Someone stole a bike right from my balcony a week ago, and the worst part is, there is a security light and it would be basically dusk out all night long. Someone had some balls. I was sleeping just 10 feet away on the couch too. Oh and they even cut, and stole the lock.


Chris

[11011001]

Originally posted by maxelson:
Criticism of cats: Cats. Don't. Care.

haha... yup

well, sort of

knowing my cats, and how they like strangers, they would probably come up to a crook and beg for a chin scratch, or belly rub.

[Mac Zealot]

*shrug* keep a sword around? It's still not as good as a gun but can be a hell of a lot more intimidating

[MisterX]

Alwayss!

[malvolio]

Originally posted by maxelson:
Proof. Case in Point. Cats don't care.

Sure they care. About themselves.

I always lock. My parents, who live in a rural setting, don't.
I used to live in the city of Albany, NY, which has a higher crime rate in recent years than New York City. I was on the second floor of a converted former one-family house. The first floor tenant was the retired director of security for a local bank. He had a licensed handgun, and three sons on the city police force. I felt reasonably secure.

[Face Ache]

Originally posted by Mac Zealot:
*shrug* keep a sword around? It's still not as good as a gun but can be a hell of a lot more intimidating

You can't swing a sword (or a baseball bat) in a hallway.

Lock your doors and windows people. Even a gun won't save you if you don't hear them come in.

[Mac Zealot]

actually you can ^_^ unless it's a 4' long one like the one I like to keep laying around...

but there are other ways to use it sending it straight at them.. throwing it (which is 50/50), swinging it over the head, etc.)