Locking Cars

[SSSdave]

As someone that has done several hundred backpacking and day hiking trips, I cannot recall ever doing that where I had to walk back more than a few feet. It is something that registers rather high on my awareness immediately when leaving a vehicle. On the other hand many years ago after being distracted by an odd sequence of departure, I once left my townhouse on a skiing day with not only the front door unlocked but with the door wide open. When I returned the next day my neighbor related a story of how in the evening they thought it rather odd the door remained wide open and yelled into my home. With no reply they shut the door, and kept an eye open. Fortunately I live in a rather secure area where doors to any unit can be seen outdoors by a several others. After that incredibly unbelievable for this person mental lapse I've been rather worried about repeating that. So a few years later a friend and I were leaving my place packed for a backpack and had driven about a dozen miles. I could not with cetainty recall shutting my door and finally turned around to go back when I realised I would be worrying to no end if I didn't. It was locked. My method for car keys has for decades been always having two sets in my pocket at all times except out on a trail where I may store one set in my gear. A few times has been extremely valuable after losing one key set.

[John Dittli]

I have an '81 pickup I leave at the trailhead, don't lock it so no worries. Always figure someone will do more damage if they have to "break" in.
I once saw someone that took it a step farther; left all the windows open too so the bears would do less damage breaking in. Wonder how many critters were living in there when he got back?

JD

[giantbrookie]

In more trips than I can count, I've only turned back once and I don't exactly remember the reasons. Given the vintage and make of the vehicles I commonly park at trailheads and the complete lack of anything of value within, I am not too worried about whether I locked the vehicle or not (always have, though out of ingrained inner city habit). I think the one time I turned back had to do with not being able to find my keys, although I'm not totally sure. This was at the North Lake trailhead in the summer of 2001. As many of you know, the parking area is not at the trailhead--I'm the one that drops off the others and packs (my wife in this case), parks the car, then walks back to trailhead. For whatever reason, I remember doing a two round trip jogs back to the car before figuring out where my keys were or at least that's what I think the reason for the two backtracks was. I was very thoroughly warmed up for hiking after 2.5 trips between the car and the trailhead. Too bad all those round trips cost precious time on a day when it started raining hard nearly from the first step on the trail.