What to do in different lockout situations

Ask anyone on the street what they should do if they got locked out of their house or car, and they will invariably tell you that they’d call a locksmith. It’s like saying what do you do after high school? The answer, of course is, go to college! As we know, reality and what people say are often two different things! Most people do not call a locksmith and many, if not most, do not go on to college.

What’s the likelihood?

At first, you may wonder; what are the odds of you getting locked out? Isn’t it always “the other guy” that this happens to? That’s what they thought, too! Lockouts happen all the time and most folks have been locked out of home, workplace, car or business at least once in their life. We all know someone who has been locked out. People handle the incident in different ways and manners. Some people remain calm and methodical; trying different keys and other methods of getting back inside. Others panic and don’t know what to do. All experience a range of emotions including fear, surprise, panic, anger, guilt and even dread. Each lockout situation is different and how you handle yourself during a lockout will factor in to how you get back inside.

Oh no!

Lockouts are mostly innocent. You go out to bring in the newspaper or mail and the locked door closes behind you. You have a thousand things on your mind while running errands and forget to pull the keys out of the ignition. You find them dangling there later from the outside of your locked car. You innocently go on a smoke break at work and you make sure that the back door is propped open by a folding chair. A coworker joins you and accidentally bumps the chair loose and the door closes and locks you out of your work place. It’s easy to get locked out and it usually happens in mere seconds.

Do not become a vandal!

In an effort to save on locksmith fees, people sometimes try and break back inside their own property. This is not recommended! Splintered wood and shattered glass can cause expensive repair bills and equally expensive medical bills, too. Moreover, a roommate, family member, neighbor or law enforcement officer might mistake you for a crook and accost you and even shoot you! Incidents like these are in the news on a regular basis. Recently a homeowner was bitten by his own dog after attempting to crawl through the pet door! There’s no need for extremes; just call a locksmith or find a previously hidden spare key and spare yourself the dramatic re-entry efforts which could cost you plenty!

Spare keys

Spare keys come highly recommended by us. Spare keys can be a benefit or a problem; depending on how you use them. Let’s say you are careless with your spare key(s) and they fall into the wrong hands. This is bad as you don’t know what they’ll do with them and you don’t have access to those spare keys if they are needed. On the other hand, careful spare key management might involve giving one to a trusted person like a family member, roommate, co-worker, close friend or even a neighbor. When relying on spare keys, be sure to that your spare works and is in good condition. You’d hate to be in a lockout situation and find that your spare key was to something else or was too damaged to use. Always remember who you gave spares to as this can get confusing as time and relationships go by. Keep your hidden spare keys in good, safe places that are NOT obvious. By this, we mean no keys under the door mat or inside the front porch flower pot. Get creative and find places where you could hide a spare and find it easily and without a big hassle or tearing your property apart in the process.

Be ready for anything

Lockouts can occur anytime and anywhere. They don’t always have to happen to you, either. You might be home and a child gets locked inside his or her room or a bathroom and you need fast service to undo the problem. Pets often close doors by accident as do some elderly or handicapped persons. Many lockout situations occur at home simply because we let our “guard” down because we are at home where we can relax and unwind. You can’t always prevent a lockout, no matter how careful or observant you are. All you can do is be ready for one so that you can quickly and affordably put it behind you.