The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area General Truck Talk Why is there no "keyed" door lock on driver's side?

Wondering why there is no "keyed" door lock on the driver's side of my truck? 1956 Task Force. I have seen others like this also.........What was this all about?

This is discussed at least once a month. No one knows why but there are a couple hundred theories.

Here's a recent thread.

The most logical theory as to why the passenger door was the only standard-equipment door with a lock:

- In pre-Interstate highway years, most trucks drove close to home; and, close-to-home roads were two-lanes.
- It was common/safer to get out and in on the passenger side (rather than get in/out in the road).
- So, you lock the driver's door from the inside.
- Slide over the seat to the passenger side, and get out on the passenger side.
- Then, lock the passenger door from the outside.

Were some drivers doors keyed? My 55.2 GMC has keyed door.

extra locks was an option [Chevy list] on the 55-59s, but also easy enough for an owner to do

Bill

I am an Andy Griffith Show addict, and you will see them, from time to time, sliding across the seat to exit the vehicle from the passenger door.
Carl

I seem to remember once someone telling me or reading that it was illegal in some areas to exit a vehicle on the "road" side when paralleled parked.

That's another theory.

How about: Exiting on the right was done in horse and buggy days and it carried over into horseless carriage days.

I believe it was Denny Graham who posted a video not to long ago and in it the video it mentioned exiting on the passenger side for safety...... the video was a GM produced and showed a 1950 car.
My grandfather, 1887-1971, use to tell us his old trucks were that way so grandma wouldn't get her dress dirty. She could step out of the truck onto the BOARDwalk. Plus all the other reasons mentioned!

Those who would like a drivers side door lock on their AD truck CAN HAVE ONE if they like...joe

It was in one of those fine old Jam Handy films and I think it was a 1938.

dg

I always wondered why Andy Griffith slid across the seat to get out. I thought it was because of the camera. Think I saw somewhere they filmed with only one camera.

I had an old timer tell me once that," In the old days you would always open the door for the misses and then she would have unlocked your door by the time you got around the vehicle"
Chivalry at it best.

Watched an old 1955 B rated monster flick over the weekend (Tarantula) and they had several scenes where the actors get in/out of their cars when parked in town by sliding across the seat and to the passengers side.
Course they used both doors when the giant spider got after them

I'd say the advent of the bucket seats put a stop to that.
Dave

Two things about the video. Chevy didn't have vacuum assisted shift in '38 in cars. They just used the interior of a '38 to show the shifting process with the floor shifter. The car with the column shift was a '39. No. 2 they obviously didn't know the dangers of handling mercury in those days.

A line by Chazz Palminteri in the movie "A Bronx Tale":

"If she don't reach over and lift that button she's a selfish broad and can't be trusted."

http://media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/236x/25/64/cb/2564cb168c1c8fc9ecebcc9e4d607a0d.jpg

Not much more to discuss here.