My spare key is not well hidden - much to the dismay of some family members. I'd much rather someone breaking in to steal something use a key than break in a door or window. I've never sweated someone breaking in to steal electronics - that's what insurance is for.

seetheworld, I'm near the Wye River in MD. Am I your neighbor?

Oh gosh, this brings back a memory for me. I had gone to Austin from Dallas to visit some friends from college. The next morning I got up and could not find my car keys. I looked all over the place and finally thought, well, maybe I locked them in the car. Well, they were in the car...the door lock of the car! I had taken my bags out of my trunk the night before and must have dropped the keys next to the car. Whoever found them picked up the keys, rummaged through my car (there was nothing worth steeling), and left the key in the lock of the driver's side door. It did freak me out, I was so fortunate they didn't just steal the car. It would have been so easy for them, or anyone who walked by in the hotel parking lot and saw the keys in the lock, to have taken off with the car! Whew!! That was a definite "I feel like such an idiot" moment.

No George, just another fellow who, every now and again, keeps his garage door open at night. :)

When I first moved to Reno 30 years ago, I left my doors unlocked all the time. I don't do it anymore. I just don't feel as safe with the growth we have in the town, and with so much construction going on, there are a lot of transient people in and out of town. We also have a gang problem. Not as severe as some places, but enough that I don't like it. I still don't lock my car..if the want in they'll just break out the windows and I don't have anything in it that anyone would want..no fancy CD player etc.

Apparently I'm the only one who lives in the city, but I did it once and it scared the crap out of me! This was when I was living in a rowhouse in Baltimore, so my front door was pretty much right on the sidewalk and since it's Baltimore the neighborhood could be sketchy at times. I had a bracing lock inside the door (bought after we had the standard "welcome-to-the-neighborhood" robbery), but someone could have used the keys to steal my car or try to get back in the later. I guess I don't give the neighborhood enough credit, though, since nobody took them, and I even accidentally left my car unlocked while I was on my honeymoon for two weeks and it too was undisturbed.

It would not freak me out here. Our town/street are as safe as they can be nowdays.

About 10 years ago we had a Jeep Grand Cherokee that was only about 2 years old but such a lemon. We purposely left it unlocked at JFK for 2 weeks HOPING someone would steal it. No such luck!!! LOL! We even had it arranged that a friend would pick us up if it was gone when we returned. Wonder if someone took it and then returned it? ;)

I sure hope you never do that anywhere near a big city. Window breakage makes noise; your invitation will be accepted.

I live in a suburb of Boston and live on a numbered road in the downtown area. I would guess I've left the keys in the door clearly visable form the street and sidewalk, at least a dozen times. Every time it happens I just feel grateful that I live in a safe area, although I guess there's really no such thing anymore.

When we lived in Eugene, we left the front door unlocked until a group of party-bound students walked in one night thinking it was the lobby/foyer entrance to the apartment upstairs. After that, we locked the door.
Also in Eugene, on one hot night, we thought about letting the front door open; the family across the street had theirs opened and we needed the cross ventilation. But then we watched an entire family of raccoons wander into that house followed by mass panic (human and raccoon) when the two families encountered each other.

In a small German town outside Nuremberg, almost everyone leaves their keys (all their keys, including car and house keys) hanging in the outside door, locking the house only when they are all leaving to go somewhere. I couldn't do that.

Yes, I have left the key in the door once or twice and it has creeped me out later. And on another occasion, the door to our UK cottage shrunk so much that I came down to find the door wide open even though it had been firmly locked the night before. We had words with the landlord about that!

While I was growing up in small-town Minnesota during the sixties, there was a period of about five years where the key to my family home was stuck in the door. No amount of tugging, pulling or digging with pliers would coax the key out of the lock. I have no idea how it became stuck, because we NEVER locked our doors. My parents certainly weren't worried enough to call a locksmith or try to replace the lock.

One day our very young neighbor walked into our house holding the key. He had just pulled it out like nothing had ever happened. After that, we called him "King Arthur".

Now, in suburbia, I always lock my doors at night. I also don't let my dog run loose all day, but that's another story....

Starrsville, you sound exactly like my DH with your statement: "I'd much rather someone breaking in to steal something use a key than break in a door or window. I've never sweated someone breaking in to steal electronics - that's what insurance is for." When we first married, DH and I fussed about locking the doors. He would say he would rather not have to replace a window or door. When we married last year, I was surprised to learn that he never locked his front door. At the time, his 17 year old son and 21 year old daughter lived with him, and they didn't even own a house key. (I think this was his way of controlling their curfew, as he was the only one who could let them in late at night.)
Long story short, we moved into a new (for us) house shortly after the wedding, and I made extra copies of the key for the kids. I have a fear of coming in and finding the house unlocked and some prowler inside. The daughter moved out several months ago, but the son is still with us, and he is much better now about locking the door.
As an aside, in the past, I have left my keys in the front door overnight and have been relieved that I suffered no harm.

I guess I would feel pretty safe considering I have to hunt for the key to the front door when I rarely need to lock it. :)

On the same note, one of my sliding glass doors was installed backwards and the inside push lock is on the outside of the door. :D Oh well....life in the islands.

A lot of you seem to live where things are pretty safe..at least I hope that is true.

My small city is considered quite safe and a couple of years ago was given the rating of the safest city in CA for its population size.

However, the PD has put flyers on all vehicles and have sent mailings, and have articles in the local newspaper and in the monthly city magazine regarding..lock your vehicle even if you will be in a store for just a couple of minutes. Do not leave anything valuable in your vehicle that will be in view of anyone looking in the vehicle windows etc. They also give advise to always (with no exceptions) keep all exterior doors locked, windows locked when not a home and to never leave doors or first story windows unlocked at night. To keep bushes, shrubs etc. pruned so as to not give criminals a place to hide behind while breaking into ones house.
Most of our problem is that I-80 cuts through our city..it seems as those a good percent of those that are arrested are from out of town, places that do have high crime rates.

About insurance..and I say this after having spent decades working in the insurance industry. If you have a claim and the insurance company finds you did not adequately try to protect your property you could find yourself with a Nonrenewal notice for your insurance policy. The insurance companies expect their insureds to protect their property in a reasonable manner (lock doors, don't leave valuables in plain sight etc) to cut down on the amount of claims. And in doing so we all can help in not receiving higher premium rates.

But most important..value your life and the life and wellfare of your family members. There was a young wife who was sleeping with her husband in a very nice and "safe" neighbor here in my city during our very horrible hot spell. They had their first story bedroom window open. A creep came in through the window, and raped her several times plus he beat her up. Thank goodness he was aprehended..but that is a trauma she and her husband will live with the rest of their life I am sure.

Keep safe dear Fodorites!!

GoTravel,

I have really been enjoying the use of your clubhouse! Next time can you leave more beer in the fridge? :)

Kudos to Mrs Kravitz across the street who calls me occasionally to inform me that I left my garage door opened.

Kudos, LoveItaly.

Way safe here on the mountain in SMdA, Gto.
Dogs, and some serious weapons.
M

ditto mikemo

The dogs would alert me WAY before there would be any "breaking glass". Anyone who knows, knows better than to actually ENTER if someone is home.

I completely agree with the insurance story, LoveItaly. I've never filed a claim on my homeowners' but trust USAA to do the right thing. They were great to deal with when our home partially burned due to an electrical fire.

Don't you just love the Mrs. kravitz's of the world!!??

I have one that informs me that my lights are still on on the third floor at 1am! Well, is she trying to save me $ on the electric bill or tell me that my teen is up way too late??!!

I have left keys in the front door, side door and back door.....

mikemo, imagine it is quite safe where you are!! I did read today however a lot of tourist are cancelling trips to Mexico City etc., due to all the protest/demonstrations etc. Hotels etc., are getting very worried, from a financial viewpoint of course.

We finally are having almost coolish weather here..what a relief. Have a fun weekend and don't party to much!!