Living In USA

As humorist Garrison Keillor once observed, there are still small towns in the U.S. where some people not only refuse to lock their doors, they forget where they put their keys years ago! Nevertheless, locks only work if you use them. Never leave the door to your house, hotel, or apartment unlocked; be careful not to leave a key in the door by mistake, even for a short time. Also, don't leave your door open, ajar, or unlocked, even if you are just going out to empty the trash or talk with a neighbor. It is a good precaution to use the inside chain on the door, especially at night. Most hotels, apartments, and homes are now equipped with dead-bolt locks in addition to the regular locks on the doorknobs.

Most city apartments have peepholes through which you can see who is at your door before you open it. Others have TV systems in the front lobby or some voice identification arrangement. Use whatever system is provided; it is there for your protection. If you live on the ground floor or face a fire escape and are worried about your windows, talk to the superintendent about window locks or security screens. Don't open a door unless you know who is there. Don't admit a salesperson, repairman, or delivery person unless you know or are expecting the person. Many service people carry an identification card issued to them by their companies. Ask to see it.

None of this is meant to frighten you, but it is common sense. If you use the various safeguards that exist, then you can feel secure, relaxed, and protected. If you do not, you are taking a chance almost anywhere nowadays.

If you lock yourself out of your apartment by mistake, the superintendent can let you in again with a master key kept for such emergencies. Some people also leave a spare key with a trusted neighbor for just such moments of need. In most large cities there are locksmiths available on 24hour duty. Look under "Locksmiths" in the Yellow Pages. They can be lifesavers if, for example, you break off the key in your car lock by mistake.