Integrity and ethics in lockpicking?

[Ubersquirell]

I'm kinda in a rough spot. My parents are dead against it. I tried explaining to them, but they refuse to reason, and think to the stereotypical lockpicking = criminal intent (apparently they watch too many movies, i hate you hollywood). On the other hand, my friends think it's weird, but at the same time cool. Good luck on explaining it, ima try again soon.

[ratyoke]

I started putting my picks and locks away when my parents are over. But it really doesn't matter what they think, cause I'm an adult, and I don't feel I need to justify my hobbies to them.

[Grifter]

I started putting my picks and locks away when my parents are over. But it really doesn't matter what they think, cause I'm an adult, and I don't feel I need to justify my hobbies to them.

If it really didn't matter, then you wouldn't put your stuff away. Just sayin'.

[ratyoke]

I started putting my picks and locks away when my parents are over. But it really doesn't matter what they think, cause I'm an adult, and I don't feel I need to justify my hobbies to them.

If it really didn't matter, then you wouldn't put your stuff away. Just sayin'.

Yeah, you're right. Maybe it maters a little.

[johnp]

I don't know. I've just recently been taught some at work; previously I had no idea how to pick a lock although I thought it would be good to know in a pinch. I did pick a filing cabinet with a leatherman and a paperclip years ago, but I had no idea what I was doing and the thing mostly opened by accident. It took me quite awhile. Even then some people (the same ones who asked me if I would try to get into it-as if I had any idea how to) looked at me strange for a week or two.
It's interesting that the same people who would assume the only reason for picking a lock is to commit a crime (and hopefully that is not the intent of anyone on here) are the same people with a coat hanger jammed down into their windows the first time they lock themselves out of their car.

John P.

[Abus]

I've had to have a few conversations about it that were uncomfortable in the past. Generally, I'll not mention that I have anything to do with it, unless there's an obvious need, i.e. coworker locked out of a car, etc. In those situations I'll either say that I work best without the pressure of someone watching...and get the audience away, or I'll act like I sort of learned a little bit of it from a friend that was, oh, say a police officer.

Now, that's not really a lie, though hilariously, the only lock related things I've learned from police officer friends tend to be what not to do, as in using slim jims to screw up door linkages, etc.

My family is pretty understanding about it, though they probably didn't know that I was involved in it until I was 20 or so, and I had plenty of other unusual hobbies by then. It was a way bigger deal at 26 when they found out that I had bought a motorcycle.

[raimundo]

Some people are OK, but I have helped people who kept their mouths shut until I got them in then they couldn't resist the disparaging burglar comment. Unless you know the person well enough to know the personality and how they will respond, you should not jump readily into someone elses problem, but let them experience the frustration for a while, suggest a locksmith to them before comeing to the rescue, and even then, you should ask for money because many of them are total ingrates, who will not hesitate to speak badly of you afterwards.

Gratitude is radioactive, its slightly warm and has a halflife of less than a week.