Another quick one Please

[56 c3 & 47 wfa 32 dodge pu]

why on these older trucks is the key to unlock the door is always on the passenger side?  with the 3 trucks we have and had we notice it. can someone please answer this question. 

[johnsartain]

I figure it is sort of related to the issue of why they don't test for parallel parking on the driver's exam any more. It used to be that all parking when you parked on a street was parallel parking. Many cities had laws against entering/exiting on the street side of the vehicle as well. When parallel parked it is sort of dangerous to unlock a vehicle and enter it from the street side. Likely for some of these reasons is why  they left the lock off of the drivers side. Just speculation on my part. I am sure there are other answers, maybe even a correct one.

[56 c3 & 47 wfa 32 dodge pu]

7 minutes ago, johnsartain said:

I figure it is sort of related to the issue of why they don't test for parallel parking on the driver's exam any more. It used to be that all parking when you parked on a street was parallel parking. Many cities had laws against entering/exiting on the street side of the vehicle as well. When parallel parked it is sort of dangerous to unlock a vehicle and enter it from the street side. Likely for some of these reasons is why  they left the lock off of the drivers side. Just speculation on my part. I am sure there are other answers, maybe even a correct one.

 

Thank you. That does make alot sense and is most likely the reason why.  

[ggdad1951]

correct, you were supposed to exit on the passenger side for safety.

[Young Ed]

and I believe at least here those laws still exist. They only come into play if you get your door taken off because you opened it in front of a car from what I hear

 

[pflaming]

Which is why you always count to 10 after you open the door before you exit! 

Edited November 6, 2017 by pflaming

[ggdad1951]

8 hours ago, Young Ed said:

and I believe at least here those laws still exist. They only come into play if you get your door taken off because you opened it in front of a car from what I hear

 

Must take a gymnast to get out of the passenger side for modern vehicles....

[Plymouthy Adams]

I read this book  years ago, not sure if there is a 'current' edition......The Trenton Pickle Ordinance

[johnsartain]

45 minutes ago, Plymouthy Adams said:

I read this book  years ago, not sure if there is a 'current' edition......The Trenton Pickle Ordinance

Yeah, those Jersey Brine Pickles are sure killers!

 

[greg g]

Rumor has it that Henry Ford started this.  Said it was for safety sake encouraging folks to enter and exit curb side.  I call BS on that theory and put my money on it being an example of Henry's storied frugality.  If you could save  $2.00 for deleting one lock cylinder, and you built a million cars and trucks a year, that money could go directly to Henry's numbered Swiss bank account.

[Plymouthy Adams]

I also will run up the    flag.....if he was concerned of public safety he may well have never went into mass production of such an evil life consuming venture as the automobile and the havoc it has wreaked across the nation....I would look to the bureaucratic side of the coin as in public safety commission,....

[pflaming]

IF, Henry Ford was as frugal as stated, I wonder why he didn't  sell new cars with their "original patinas"  and save the cost of paint?  Shucks, compared to me he was a high roller, no pun intended. 

[JaysonK]

I do not have the lock anyone know where I can pick one up? At this point the truck is stored in a locked garage.....I am not sure I care what side the lock is on but I would like to fill the hole in the passenger door!

[Merle Coggins]

If you're not worried about locking up the truck, why not visit your local hardware store for some knock-out plugs for electrical panels. You may be able to find one that will pop right into the hole. 

[B-Watson]

On 2017-11-07 at 10:47 AM, greg g said:

Rumor has it that Henry Ford started this.  Said it was for safety sake encouraging folks to enter and exit curb side.  I call BS on that theory and put my money on it being an example of Henry's storied frugality.  If you could save  $2.00 for deleting one lock cylinder, and you built a million cars and trucks a year, that money could go directly to Henry's numbered Swiss bank account.

Henry Ford have a Swiss bank account?    Not in his life time.   He hated bankers and banks and would have nothing to do them.  In the recession of 1921 he had a surplus of cars and parts.  He shipped the cars to dealers C.O.D. and they were told to take the cars or lose their Ford dealership.  And that was how Ford got through the crisis - using his dealers' money instead of the banks.  (The Ford Model T had over 50% of the car market at that time.) 

From 1915 to 1922 Ford made a 4 door sedan with no front doors.  They called it the Centre Door Sedan.  Apparently the front seat was two pieces with a space between to get to the front seat from the rear.  Which is where you entered or left the vehicle.   Door locks appeared on closed models in the mid 1920's and in 1926 the touring car added a door for the driver.  All kinds of neat ways to cut costs. 

Ford of Canada built their touring cars with four doors as  BC was RHD drive until 1923 while the other eight provinces were LHD.  

 

[Bingster]

I wondered why in old movies drivers exited on the curb side.

[56 c3 & 47 wfa 32 dodge pu]

On Sunday, November 05, 2017 at 11:02 AM, johnsartain said:

I figure it is sort of related to the issue of why they don't test for parallel parking on the driver's exam any more. It used to be that all parking when you parked on a street was parallel parking. Many cities had laws against entering/exiting on the street side of the vehicle as well. When parallel parked it is sort of dangerous to unlock a vehicle and enter it from the street side. Likely for some of these reasons is why  they left the lock off of the drivers side. Just speculation on my part. I am sure there are other answers, maybe even a correct one.

thank you for all the replies. now i understand completely why. 

[greg g]

Maybe I should have said sock drawer or mayonnaise jar instead of bank account.  Henry was the guy who made suppliers ship parts in in wooden crates built to ford specs that when broken down, provided floor boards for Model Ts.

On a related note, my  56 Studebaker pick up has the lock on the pass side only. So the trend was embraced by lots of folks.  

[Don Coatney]

What is aggravating is my wife's 06 SRX Caddy does not have a door key lock on the passenger side. Has one on the drivers side only. My wife has a remote but I do not. And if I am driving and she used the remote to unlock the car it also automatically reverts the seat position to her settings as well as the radio station so I must adjust the seat before I have room to get my long legs into the car.