ATL: Why do some locksmiths insist on opening a car ONLY from the passenger side, while others say it makes no difference?
Ask The Locksmith Question:Why do some locksmiths insist on opening a car ONLY from the passenger side, while others say it makes no difference?
- First 3 rules of car opening? Passenger side, passenger side, passenger side. Any locksmith, friend, kind stranger, tow truck driver, police officer, etc., that approaches and begins work on opening your vehicle from the drivers side right off the bat does not know what they are doing. Unequivocally, without exception... There ARE instances and reasons for making an attempt from the drivers side, but they are last resort (previously damaged/broken linkages in the passenger door, etc.), and should be extremely few and far between. In addition, even with those reasons, a drivers side door attempt should only be tried AFTER trying the passenger door, all back doors, hatchback, trunk, etc. If a locksmith or anyone else insists on beginning work on the drivers side, thank them politely, and send them on their way. There are many locksmiths in the phonebook, it's YOUR car, and at the very least you should have a highly trained professional working on it.
To be completely honest, the main reason that any professional works ONLY on the passenger side is to protect both you, and himself. If anything should go badly during an opening, a linkage jarred loose, etc., you would far rather have a temporarily non-working passenger door than a drivers side door, right? This protects you, the customer, from undue risk and inconvenience, and protects the locksmith as well. If he/she is NOT working on the drivers side, no damage can occur to the drivers side, inadvertent or not, and no claim can be made against him/her.
NEVER let anyone work on/in the delicate linkages of your drivers side, period.
We're not your normal locksmith company™... :)
