How careful are you when you leave your house and get into your car?
By dragon54u
@dragon54u (31633)
United States
June 20, 2009 5:33pm CST
When I first moved here, there was a big deal on the news about people being robbed in their garages. When they would pull into the garage someone would run in and get them when they opened their door, or they'd raise the garage door before they shut the car door or locked it.
Since then, even though my lower middle class neighborhood is pretty crime free, I let my dog precede me into the garage before I say goodbye to him and lock the door, leaving him in the yard. (then he goes back in the house through his dog door). I get in my car, lock the doors, put on my seat belt, start the car then use the remote on the visor to raise the door. Coming home, I watch around the garage and the alley as the door raises then watch the mirrors to be sure I'm alone with the door comes down. It's not a lot of trouble and makes me feel a bit safer. I'd rather be safe than sorry.
So how careful are you getting in and out of your garage, if you have one? How about if you have to park on the street? Do you lock the door immediately when you get in? I have the remote in my hand with my purse and hit the "lock" the instant the door shuts. I think it's a good idea to take a few seconds to be safe.
7 responses
@Wizzywig (7847)
•
21 Jun 09
I keep my car on the drive but whenever/wherever I get in, I check the back seat before i get in & lock the doors as soon as I'm in. At work, I often have to park on the roof of the multi-storey when i do the late shift. I finish around 9.45pm and there is no lighting on that floor. The lights are fitted but, there were complaints from local residents that the light shone into their windows... which of course, is far more inconvenient than someone tripping over or being attacked in an unlit car park!!
1 person likes this
@dragon54u (31633)
• United States
22 Jun 09
That's pretty dangerous, I hope you carry a flashlight and have a panic button on your keychain! Be careful on that unlit roof!
@Biomechanoid (2922)
• Estonia
21 Jun 09
Here, where I live isn't that much crime that I should stay sharp and always watch my back. I can leave my car next to shop, go shopping and return without finding my car stolen. It's really safe here, maybe because I don't live in a city.
1 person likes this
@dragon54u (31633)
• United States
22 Jun 09
Cities are very dangerous, which is why I chose a fairly small one to live in. There are only 70,000 people here and there's a small town attitude where people watch out for each other and are polite. In the nearby big cities there's a lot of crime so I'm glad I chose this smaller place. I hope your town stays safe in the coming years!
@Biomechanoid (2922)
• Estonia
22 Jun 09
Here in Estonia we don't have too much big cities, so town with 70 000 people is quite big for me. I live in a very small town with population around 1000 people, so everyone knows everyone and if someone is in trouble, there will always be backup coming to help you.
@dragon54u (31633)
• United States
22 Jun 09
Ha! Anyone sneaking up on you would deserve what they got! 
@maikarumike (457)
• Malaysia
21 Jun 09
My neighborhood used to be really save and then now it seems to be a little dangerous as compared to before.There are a few robing cases happened since a year ago and one had happened before my eyes.I was a little traumatized by that and started to be super cautious when leaving and coming home.For not being so, a second would kill and make a huge differences.
1 person likes this
@dragon54u (31633)
• United States
21 Jun 09
It seems like a lot of formerly "safe" neighborhoods are getting more dangerous. I don't think there is any place that's really safe anymore. I'm glad you're being more careful.
@Shellyann36 (11383)
• United States
21 Jun 09
Currently I live out in the country and even though I do have homes around me most of them are family or friends of the family. I feel rather safe where we live now. That could all change in a heart beat and I know I should probably be alot more careful. I do keep my house doors locked when I am home and when I leave. If I want to leave the wooden door open I will make sure to lock the screen door on the front porch as well as the glass door on the entrance to the house as well. The back door always stays locked unless I am going outside to feed/water the animals, hang up clothes or something of that sort. I do tend to lock my doors on my vehicle after getting into my vehicle but I do not keep them locked overnight.
1 person likes this
@dragon54u (31633)
• United States
21 Jun 09
You should lock your vehicles overnight! We recently had a spate of vandalism and burglaries out in the country--the low lifes knew that people didn't lock their garages or their vehicles because they felt safe, just like you. One house was even broken into and the owner injured. Not to alarm you, but nobody is safe anymore no matter how far away from a city you live. Do yourself a favor and lock your vehicles overnight. A lot of insurance companies give you trouble with claims if your vehicle isn't locked or, in the case of many here, the keys are left in it.
We shouldn't have to do all this, but it's reality these days. Please stay safe!
@scheng1 (24649)
• Singapore
21 Jun 09
Hi Dragon, next time when you visit Singapore, I send you to learn Chinese martial arts, the real Qigong, so that you can wrack whoever wants to steal from you.
Those Qigong practitioners really fantastic, they can break apart a brick with bare hand.
Singapore is really safe, so we dont really take so much precautions when we step out of the house. The cars are parked at the multi-storeys carpark. The worst that can happen is arson. Even then it is very rare.
1 person likes this
@ddfreedie (690)
• India
21 Jun 09
huh...iam lucky in this...cos ive a well protected parking garage...thers no chance of robbers..also its somewhat open so that i could identify if someone is there or not...
1 person likes this
@dragon54u (31633)
• United States
21 Jun 09
That's great! And your car is well shielded from the weather, too. I'm glad you are safe going to and from your car. 
