Exterior door lock mechanism

[Guest 39_Chrysler]

1939 Chrysler Royal Just curious and have noticed many other cars in pictures only have a lock on the front passenger door and on the trunk.  Can someone please explain why this is?

[Spinneyhill]

So you don't step out into the traffic, where you are susceptible to being run over at worst and splashed at least?

[Digger914]

Darn good question which leaves me to ponder Spinneyhill's answer and wonder why the new cars are coming with only one keyed door lock and it's now on the drivers door.

[Restorer32]

Back in the day it was considered proper and safer to exit from the pass side. Watch old movies and you will often see folks exiting and sometimes entering cars parked on the street this way.

[jpage]

With the old cars with flat front floors and bench seats, it was a lot easier and safer to enter the car from the passenger side so as not to open doors into traffic. Today, you have to climb the center consoles to get to the driver's side , provided you can bend that much!

[46 woodie]

Some Model T's only had passenger side doors for so called "safety reasons". Many early cars only had the door key in the passenger side, it's not unusual.

[TerryB]

My 37 Dodge truck had the door lock on the passenger side too for the safety reasons mentioned above.

Terry

[joe_padavano]

10 hours ago, Digger914 said:

Darn good question which leaves me to ponder Spinneyhill's answer and wonder why the new cars are coming with only one keyed door lock and it's now on the drivers door.

 

Because every car sold in America today has power locks and a remote control.  The key lock is only in case the battery dies.

[Guest 39_Chrysler]

thanks for all the replies I guess I had never thought of the safety issue but makes perfect sense.