# When do you lock your door? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 13, 2014, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-do-you-lock-your-door/701204 "2014-10-13T14:47:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Ulfreida](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ulfreida/32/8014_2.png) [@Ulfreida](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ulfreida)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2014, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-do-you-lock-your-door/701204/21 "2014-10-14T00:37:02Z")
I don’t even have locks on my doors. In 30 years there’s never been a problem. ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2014, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-do-you-lock-your-door/701204/22 "2014-10-14T00:40:23Z")
My wife puts her pocketbook on a bench near the front door, so we lock it pretty much all the time so no one can come up on some other business, see it, and swipe it. We have a fairly big house so there is a large chance we wouldn’t hear. However we have lots of doors to the back yard, and they stay open. We do have a locking gate, though. ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2014, 12:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-do-you-lock-your-door/701204/23 "2014-10-14T00:50:02Z")
If I’m not sitting in the front room or front porch, there is a locked door or a locked gate between me and the street. If I’m done going in and out for the day, regardless of how much later I actually go to bed, I’ll lock. Two-sided key cylinders so I cannot accidentally lock myself out. ---
**Author:** ![minor7flat5](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/minor7flat5/32/258_2.png) [@minor7flat5](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/minor7flat5)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2014, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-do-you-lock-your-door/701204/24 "2014-10-14T01:28:00Z")
I live in Jersey. 'Nuff said. ---
**Author:** ![Count\_Blucher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Count\_Blucher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Count_Blucher)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2014, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-do-you-lock-your-door/701204/25 "2014-10-14T01:34:25Z")
> [@jtur88](#): > > Do you keep the door to your home locked all the time, or only when you are away, or only at night, or what? Every time. Come see for yourself… “…and then…go home” …_-Kerim, ‘From Russia With Love’_ ---
**Author:** ![scootergirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e99b99/32.png) [@scootergirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scootergirl)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2014, 1:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-do-you-lock-your-door/701204/26 "2014-10-14T01:39:33Z")
My house is usually locked, but not always. Definitely when nobody is home and always at night when we go to bed. My 1990 Volvo that’s parked in the carport is almost always unlocked. Please take it! For the love of god, just steal it already! Now my Vespa, that’s a different story. If I were to catch someone stealing it while I was home, they better be ready to run…or get shot. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2014, 3:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-do-you-lock-your-door/701204/27 "2014-10-14T03:39:41Z")
It’s occasionally locked at night, but not always. But we always lock up when we leave home, whether for a long time or a short one. ---
**Author:** ![Cunctator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/43a26b/32.png) [@Cunctator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cunctator)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2014, 6:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-do-you-lock-your-door/701204/28 "2014-10-14T06:41:39Z")
At night and when I’m out of the house for any length of time. For short absences - say a quick walk to the shops and back - I’ll leave it unlocked. ---
**Author:** ![fifty-six](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@fifty-six](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fifty-six)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2014, 7:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-do-you-lock-your-door/701204/29 "2014-10-14T07:13:22Z")
I never lock anything. Not my home, car, gym locker or storage units. I just don’t care that much. I have nice things I just don’t have much fear of it I guess. I also live mostly rural. I have had two cars stolen and recovered both. I got a call one time from a cop asking me if I knew where my car was. I assumed outside. He asked me to check. Nope. When I arrived at the scene he asked me if I left the keys in it. I said “yes I always do, that didn’t mean he can have it” Some stuff got stolen from my storage unit this winter/summer?. A few of my most prized possessions. Whatever. This was discovered just a few days ago after being away for 6 months. I delt with it by throwing nearly every thing else out moving a few things to my other unit and closing it out. Possessions are a burdon to me. I am by no means wealthy but can replace day to day needed items like phones and cars. I get sad for a minute when important sentimental things go missing but it goes away quickly when I examine the reasons behind my attachments. Money is an equal burdon. I am not a large man but I don’t think much of anyone could hurt me with out putting themselves in serious danger. Mostly I just can’t be bothered with keys and locks. ---
**Author:** ![Iggy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iggy/32/3364_2.png) [@Iggy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Iggy)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2014, 7:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-do-you-lock-your-door/701204/30 "2014-10-14T07:20:39Z")
While the front door gets locked at night I usually have the door from the bedroom to the porch propped open to hear the waves and let the sea breeze cool things off. ---
**Author:** ![scootergirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e99b99/32.png) [@scootergirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scootergirl)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2014, 7:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-do-you-lock-your-door/701204/31 "2014-10-14T07:23:06Z")
> [@Iggy](#): > > While the front door gets locked at night I usually have the door from the bedroom to the porch propped open to hear the waves and let the sea breeze cool things off. Lucky you! ---
**Author:** ![The\_Holdsworth\_Effect](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/848f3c/32.png) [@The\_Holdsworth\_Effect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Holdsworth_Effect)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2014, 7:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-do-you-lock-your-door/701204/32 "2014-10-14T07:54:07Z")
We lock the back door, because it can blow open if not locked. The pup would likely lick a burglar to death… but recently, our laid back never lock your doors neighborhood (which is pretty much the eastern half of a county) has started removing the keys from vehicles and locking doors. Thieves parked their stolen goods (and them selves, in a stolen trailer with stolen vehicles) way too close up our road a bit. I had thought the resident bears and cougar would have fended them off as they had food scattered about. The other reason for taking the keys out of the car and truck is the 6 year old grandson … ---
**Author:** ![sandra\_nz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/eada6e/32.png) [@sandra\_nz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sandra_nz)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2014, 8:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-do-you-lock-your-door/701204/33 "2014-10-14T08:24:52Z")
If the door is shut, it’s locked. ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2014, 9:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-do-you-lock-your-door/701204/34 "2014-10-14T09:13:19Z")
> [@scootergirl](#): > > My 1990 Volvo that’s parked in the carport is almost always unlocked. Please take it! For the love of god, just steal it already! When I was younger we left our semi-running car unlocked in a city that has consistently been in the top car theft locations in America (Modesto) for the week while we bought a new car and sold the first later. No luck. ---
**Author:** ![AClockworkMelon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aclockworkmelon/32/10803_2.png) [@AClockworkMelon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AClockworkMelon)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2014, 9:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-do-you-lock-your-door/701204/35 "2014-10-14T09:28:19Z")
I’ve broken the window on my front door so that I can leave it locked even when I’m going through it. Can’t be too careful. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2014, 10:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-do-you-lock-your-door/701204/36 "2014-10-14T10:27:44Z")
I’m a city boy from a long line of city boys. The door is always locked, with the bolt on if I’m inside. ---
**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/21906_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2014, 11:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-do-you-lock-your-door/701204/37 "2014-10-14T11:30:51Z")
We enter and exit almost exclusively from the garage, so our front door pretty much stays locked and bolted unless we’re expecting someone. The back door and the basement door are secured when we go away or if I’m home alone overnight. Don’t ask me why it doesn’t bother me when my husband is home, but it doesn’t. We live in a mostly rural area, and while we’re in a developed neighborhood, most of the lots here are 3 or more acres, so it’s spread out, and there are no street lights that I know of - perhaps a few people have installed their own. And we’ve got a very noisy dog. I may leave windows open when we’re out, but we’ve got stops that limit how far they can open - enough for air, not nearly enough for someone to break in. We’ve got a stout bar for the sliding patio door. Last week, we were talking about re-keying all of our doors to be the same. When we bought this place 10 years ago, we had to figure out a huge pile of keys, and to this day, we still have to double-check which ones go with which doors. It’d be nice not to have to deal with that, even tho we rarely need keys. In fact, our pet sitter is pretty much the only one who uses them. Maybe coded keypads would be better? ---
**Author:** ![Cheesesteak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cheesesteak/32/3694_2.png) [@Cheesesteak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheesesteak)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2014, 11:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-do-you-lock-your-door/701204/38 "2014-10-14T11:37:45Z")
Locked if I’m not walking through it, or planning to walk through it in short order, like if I’m in the backyard. Living across from a park, my street is too busy, too much foot traffic, to keep the front door unlocked. ---
**Author:** ![Lsura](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7993a0/32.png) [@Lsura](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lsura)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2014, 11:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-do-you-lock-your-door/701204/39 "2014-10-14T11:55:06Z")
Whenever I’m not walking through it\*. I’m a woman who lives alone in an urban area. I think it’s the only way that makes sense. \*If there’s someone doing work who will need to come in and out of the door several times, of course I’m going to leave it unlocked during that time. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2014, 12:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-do-you-lock-your-door/701204/40 "2014-10-14T12:02:33Z")
Never. In fact, we don’t have any keys. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-do-you-lock-your-door/701204.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-do-you-lock-your-door/701204.md?page=3)