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I thought in American you could live wherever you want.
Really? What America are you talking about? If I can live anywhere I want, then I want to live in the huge mansion on that palatial estate over in Buckhead.
In America, we can live anywhere that we can afford. That's a little different.
I didn't when I lived in small town New England even though it was suburban Boston during the 60's 70's. I immediately locked the doors when I lived in San Diego in the late 70's.
I keep hearing stories from all sorts of people, on this forum and off it, about how people back in the 60s and 70s felt safe enough to leave their cars and even their homes unlocked in many parts of the country.
As a person who was born in the 80s, the idea of leaving your car unlocked anywhere but inside your own garage is inconcievable to me. Even in my parents' quiet suburban development--where the biggest crime to have happened there in ten years was probably a minor zoning ordinance violation--I lock my car when I park it on the street. Even at places where I feel completely safe I still double check to make sure my car is locked.
But I heard from people who back in the day would park in front of stores, in downtown areas, etc, and leave their cars unlocked, sometimes even with the keys in the ignition! I've even heard stories where people would double park and leave the keys in the ignition, so that if the owner of the first car comes back first he can simply move the second car to get his out! Did this actually happen or was the person who told me that story just pulling my leg?
I'm really interested to hear if any of the members of the forum who were around in the 60s and 70s left their cars unlocked, and if so, where did you do it and around what years?
In the 60s, and even the 50s, we locked the house at night and when we left. My brother and I used to worry about how Santa would get in the house on Christmas Eve as we had no chimney and the front door was locked at night! My parents generally didn't lock their cars, but my mom once had her purse stolen out of her car in a rural area back in the late 50s or early 60s. This was in the Pittsburgh area. In Champaign, IL in the 70s, you locked up everything! Lots of petty theft, probably also grand theft auto! Everyone I knew in that town had had a bicycle stolen, including me. I also had my car broken into when I left it unlocked b/c the locks kept freezing in the winter.
Actually, I didn't grow up in Williamsport; I only moved there last year. Up until the age of 10 I live in McHenry County, Illinois, a suburban county of Chicago. After that, I lived in Bucks County, Pennsylvania. I've heard the same stories about how Williamsport used to be though.
However, it might just be my family. My parents are the type who would lock up a car even if they were parked in an open field with no one around for five miles in any direction!
Still, it's not quite as silly as my doofus friend--he went to gas up his car and LOCKED IT, even though he, firstly, paid at the pump and was never more than two feet from the car, secondly, had the WINDOWS DOWN so that anyone could reach in and unlock it if they wanted, and thirdly, I was sitting right there in the passanger seat!! To top it off, he then fiddled for his keys for about a minute to unlock the door even though I was right there to unlock it for him and/or he could have reached right through the window. Of course I just sat and grinned at him while he did it, hehe. Sometimes I wonder how this guy manages to get his shoes on the right feet every morning, but I love the guy nonetheless.
HAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!Don't you just love folks like that?? He'd probably want to lock the flap of his tent while camping in Potter County!!
Really? What America are you talking about? If I can live anywhere I want, then I want to live in the huge mansion on that palatial estate over in Buckhead.
In America, we can live anywhere that we can afford. That's a little different.
My income is social security, which is below the poverty line, and I can live anywhere I want. In fact, I do live where I want. I never heard of Buckhead, but I bet I'd never want to live there. I bet people lock their cars there.
My income is social security, which is below the poverty line, and I can live anywhere I want. In fact, I do live where I want. I never heard of Buckhead, but I bet I'd never want to live there. I bet people lock their cars there.
I think Buckhead is in Atlanta
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Don't you just love folks like that?? He'd probably want to lock the flap of his tent while camping in Potter County!!
