"T i m" wrote in message
...
Hi All,

I am considering fitting a security chain / device to the front (and
possibly rear) doors so that I can leave both ajar over the hot
evenings to get a through draught without having someone 'just wander
in'.

Also it would be handy for generally answering the door to 'unknowns',
especially for the wife and daughter ( who generally won't answer
the door less we are in anyway).

Have they had a personal bad experience?

Both sets of our parents used to lock, bolt and chain doors, as children we
couldn't understand the fuss. During our married life we've only locked our
doors at night, unless it's cold the back door at least is ajar most of the
time. Each door has two locks, they use just one key. We removed the latches
and bolts.

I answer the door to anyone ... I suppose that's just because we're too laid
back, our attitude is that no-one's gong to want to attack us and we've
nothing to steal which anyone would want. If there was it wouldn't matter
anyway ... people are more important than things. Ours is the only house in
the street without a burglar alarm. Perhaps we're wrong.

Our next door neighbour has locks and chain on his door. When he goes into
the garden he locks the door after him, when he takes rubbish to the dustbin
he locks the door after him. I don't know what valuables he's protecting.
When his partner comes back from work and has forgotten her keys she has to
ring him to open the door, he can't hear a knock on the door or the
doorbell.

The other next door neighbour has a drive gate which is locked all the time,
as well as the usual door hardware and security gate which are kept locked.

Next-door-but-one neighbour was paranoid about locking her doors with bolts,
locks and a chain. Then she had fitted one of those ugly 'security' gates
and kept that locked all the time too, whether she was in or out.

During one night early this year she had to call the ambulance. She managed
to open her door when they came but the security gate had to be unlocked
from the outside, she couldn't reach round to do it and wouldn't give the
ambulance crew the key. They had to watch her fall to the floor and die
before the police arrived with the power to force an entry.

I think about this every time I lock our doors at night and wonder ...

Mary