Contrary to popular thought; it is not always the ‘other’ person that gets locked out; sometimes it happens to you, too! If you asked people on the sidewalk what they are supposed to do when locked out, they will usually say to ‘call a locksmith’ and while they are mostly correct, a lot of them still won’t do that very thing. Here in Atlanta, GA there are literally hundreds of locksmiths and locksmith shops in town. Why so many? Do that many people lock themselves out every so often? The answer may surprise you. Not all of those locksmiths handle lockouts exclusively, many technicians also provide dozens of other locksmith products and services for home, auto and business. Our Quick Stop Locksmith LLC crew lists lockout assistance as only one of our dozens of related services. Many locals start becoming customers of ours because of a lockout situation. Later, they remember the good experience they had with our licensed, bonded and insured technicians and call us again for other locksmith related work. Many times, the exact opposite applies and our satisfied customers find themselves locked out and they remember to call our 24-hour emergency locksmiths for fast and affordable lockout assistance.
Lockouts affect everyone differently
Think back to the last time you were locked out of house, car or business. How long ago was it? Some people have experienced several lockouts in their lifetimes while others, not even one! We tend to become emotional after a lockout occurs. Some people immediately panic while other start placing blame. None of these things help. It doesn’t matter if it’s really your fault that you are locked out or the fault of your child, boss, pet or neighbor; you are still locked out! There’s a saying that claims that ‘clearer heads always prevail’ and we agree; staying calm during a lockout is the best way to overcome the problem and gain access back to the inside.
Home lockouts
Many lockouts occur at home and with good reason; we are more relaxed there and less on your guard about everyday security. For instance we may be in our sweats or even pajamas when we go outside to bring in the newspaper or to let the dog out for a ‘walk.’ We not quite so careful that we forget that the front door sometimes locks and if we close it behind us, we are effectively blocking our own access back inside. By the time we realize that the lockout has occurred, it is too late! Not only are you inconvenienced and maybe feeling awkward but you might have a child or elderly person inside that needs your attention.
Business lockouts
Commercial lockouts happen more often than people realize. There are so many possibilities for business lockout mishaps as the buildings are often larger and have more staff or customers than single drivers or home dwellers. When you take into account firms with large numbers of staff and multiple doors, it’s easy to see how a locked door closing behind you can happen in greater frequency at local businesses. Commercial lockouts can happen both indoors and outdoors as there are also hallways, bathrooms, offices, break-rooms, storage facilities and many more places where lockouts might take place.
Automotive lockouts
Driving effectively takes skill and attention to detail. You must always be aware of road signs, pedestrians, fellow passengers, other traffic, stop signs, road signs and a lot of other distractions. While we are keeping track of all of the above, we must still navigate the streets and highways and keep our destination in mind. It’s easy to lose track of your keys for only a second and find yourself locked out of your vehicle or trunk in mere moments. You might be running inside the dry cleaner’s to deliver a load of clothes and come back out to find your ignition keys dangling from the cylinder. Your trunk lock might be locked inside while unloading luggage at the airport and you have to move your car as it is in the temporary parking zone. These are the times when a locksmith is needed!
Don’t become a vandal or criminal
During a lockout, the urge to get back inside is very strong. Resist the urge to use force to get back inside. Sure, it’s your own property and you can pretty much do what you want to it (within reason) but smashing glass and breaking wood and dry wall is not recommended. You can be injured or even shot by neighbors and police if mistaken for a criminal. Besides, doing damage to your own house, car or building makes no sense at all as it is messy and expensive to clean up and repair. If you are injured, the problem is compounded by medical needs, as well.
Spare keys
Spare keys can be a good idea, or not! If used wisely, spare keys can be a real life-saver. The idea is to have one or more keys made and place them in strategic and wise locations so that they are NOT found and used by the wrong people. Forget the usual spare key hiding places like under door mats, over door sills and in flower pots on the porch. These are so commonly used and standard that even your average, amateur burglar will look there first!
Have spare keys made and be judicious in their distribution. Give a copy only to trusted family members, neighbors, coworkers or friends. If you don’t feel comfortable doing that, be sure to hide your spare key(s) in places where you can access them if and when needed. In a rain gutter or inside the smoker in the backyard are possible good locations. Bear in mind that fake rocks look just like fake rocks and fool no one so save your money and don’t buy them or use them. If nothing else works, feel free to call a pre-selected, 24-hour locksmith shop that offers responsive mobile service for home, auto and business lockouts.
Comments
Post a Comment