locking yourself in

Somehow, we didn't get keys to the inside lock when we moved in.  This resulted in my husband locking me in 2 times once I arrived.  Luckily, he was able to come home and let me out and, eventually, our landlords gave us the indoor keys.  At night, we lock ourselves in, and leave keys in the foyer (but not reachable through the mail slot by any means short of magic). 

The double whammy is that our door also locks automatically when it closes, so you can easily lock yourself out, too.  We both learned that the hard way.  I answered the door and took a step to receive a package and SLAM, there I was, locked out in my PJs.  My husband had done the same thing, but he managed to get back in using a wire hanger through the mail slot to catch the door latch.  Handy for him and a good reminder for us of just how easy it is to get in.

Iron bars, IMO, are stupid and dangerous for just this reason.

A wooden door is a totally different thing.

Vicky

I guess it would depend on what type of wooden door and if you have time/ability to break through or the luck to have firefighters on the other side to break through to get you.

this scared me when I first came over here...my fiance is used to it cause he lived here his whole life...what I do is I leave the key in the door at night...the door is still locked but in case there was a fire I know right where the key is and I can get out...and if I have the door locked at night or during the day for some reason I keep the key on a hook right next to the door....you will get used to it...but the thought of having a fire and being trapped has crossed my mind occassionally so for overnight I just keep it in the lock and I don't have to worry...

Tim and I are pretty bad at the whole locking door thing at night. 

When he's on the overnight shift, he would always tell me if I locked the door to make sure I took the key out, or he wouldn't be able to get in at 6.  most of the times i didn't bother with locking, but neither does Tim when he's home!

My mom and I are the same - we'll leave the cars unlocked and doors unlocked if we're home.  But we also live in a safe gated community.

My husband took all the UK house keys many times.. and locked me in.  Sure, I could get out through the windows, but then anyone could get in, and it's stupidly dangerous to be able to lock people in in the first place.  I partially solved the problem by leaving a set of keys at the corner store.  I could call them when I was locked in.  No option of leaving keys in the lock at our place. 

Iron bars.. we had to have them in Vancouver.  Also dangerous, I agree, but we lived in the Lower East Side.  There, we kept keys near the doors.

Scary, being locked in.  Even if there never is a fire.

My friend's mom replaced all the locks on her doors after a break in, back in the US. 

She was told there was a city ordinance that if she had children under a certain age, 13 I think it was, then she had to get locks that were not keyed on the inside, so a bolt with a knob thing.  Her kids were all over the age, but she was told it would make the house harder to sell on. 

The better alternative is to live in a respectable neighborhood.

With respect, I live in Gerrards Cross (for only another four days and counting, thank goodness). One of the top 2 or 3 richest areas in England. House price average is something stupid like £500K. Crime happens in fancy neighbourhoods too - maybe even more so given that there's more to steal.

Crime happens in fancy neighbourhoods too - maybe even more so given that there's more to steal.

Well, I would have thought it was obvious that so-called "respectable neighbourhoods" are where the burglars find the richest pickings.

Well, I would have thought it was obvious that so-called "respectable neighbourhoods" are where the burglars find the richest pickings.

Just out of curiosity, do you really not get that Jim was being facetious about respectable neighbourhoods or do you really think he was suggesting we all move?

Overall, most people on this board do not have great things to say about the advatages of being locked in (especially if there is no window on your door). Yet, most of us have locks on our doors that require us to lock ourselves in. Given that the locks can be easily changed to prevent this (at least if you own your place), it surprises me that more of them not been changed.

As for me, my door has an alarm. I do not know how to use the alarm yet, but I think I am going to learn. Once I learn, I will stop locking myself in at night (or leave the key in the lock).

Overall, most people on this board do not have great things to say about the advatages of being locked in (especially if there is no window on your door). Yet, most of us have locks on our doors that require us to lock ourselves in.

I've been silent on this thread because in 20+ years I've lived here, I have never encountered the type of door you're talking about.  I can't even picture it in my mind! 

Same here. We have a locking-up ritual before going to bed.

The front door has:

- A "deadlock" (Yale type lock) with a "snib" (a little button that you can click up so that it cannot be unlocked from outside by anybody.) It uses a Yale type of key but unlike ordinary nightlatch type Yale locks, when going out you can put the key in the lock and turn it twice anticlockwise which locks the mechanism preventing anybody trying to "slip" it with a thin piece of plastic. This also locks in any person remaining in the house!

- A heavy duty mortice lock whose locking bar goes into a reinforced slot in the wall (not just the frame)

- A stout steel chain which is attached to the wall with masonry bolts and hooks into a receptacle on the door.

The back door has a mortice lock and two receessed mortice bolts operated by a key.

All of the uPVC windows have insurance-certified locks.

We feel that this is the minimum level of security that we feel comfortable with.

Do we live in the same house as we have the same type of locks on both doors? 

I've been silent on this thread because in 20+ years I've lived here, I have never encountered the type of door you're talking about.  I can't even picture it in my mind! 

A lock that requires you to use a key on the inside as opposed to a lock that you turn a knob, or what have you to lock it. 

My parents' house has a door with a knob that you turn to lock it inside, but you still need a key to lock from the outside.  It doesn't lock automatically. 

These might be more popular in the US because there is an outer door perhaps?  My parents have a screen or storm door that is hook and eye closure and then the proper door that has the bolt. 

do you really not get that Jim was being facetious about respectable neighbourhoods

It was not immediately apparent to me. Facetiousness is not always obvious on web forums, and -- to be frank -- you come across all sorts of people on here!

Do we live in the same house as we have the same type of locks on both doors? 

Oh, it's you that I keep bumping into on the stairs!