Is automatic unlock on "Park" a bad thing?

If you don't feel safe when you are in park and waiting in the car, just hit the 'LOCK BUTTON" on the door panel to lock the car. It's that simple.

 

I like unlock on park because I can push one button that takes the car out of drive or reverse and unlocks the back doors for my children to enter in a pickup line. For us, it is a safety feature. I'm a big city girl and watch out where I use that, though!

 

I think the two issues should be kept separate.

As far as automatic unlock in park? That's the way I have my vehicle configured. As you say to each their own.

IMO I figure the designation is called "Park" with the greatest of hopes that it will be used primarily almost exclusively when you are PARKING the car.

There is no "Red Light" or in the flow of traffic situation where I put my vehicle in park. In most cases I see no advantage to slipping the vehicle in park in situations where you have come to a momentary stop. Infact, even at a red light, I would say it's unwise. With surrounding traffic you never know when you might need to move or react A.S.A.P., being at a stop and needing the time to slip back into drive then go, seems like a potentially dangerous and wasteful operation. IMO vehicles are designed to be driven in traffic and designed to be stopped by their brakes, I've never read a recommendation in any owners manual about temporarily putting a vehicle in Park in flow of traffic driving. But evidently people see some advantage...again to each their own.

As a result of Prius Chat and becoming cognizant of fuel savings I've learned to put my vehicle in Park and turn off the ICE while waiting in a line for a drive-through. But basically? If I feel like I'm going to be moving in less than 60 seconds, I just keep the vehicle in drive and my foot on the brake.

I personally find automatic unlock in Park to be a convienent feature. As mentioned above, if I'm parking (actually stopping and turning off my vehicle) I can hit lock as soon as I stop, if for some reason I feel I'm in a dangerous area. Otherwise Automatic Unlock just helps with everyone exiting the vehicle. You don't get the mad...."Unlock my door!"

So in a nutshell...I use "Park" for Parking...

Brakes for coming to a stop.

And I unlock my doors before exiting my vehicle.

 

The tv news says the perp entered the car and held a gun on the victim. So the door was unlocked. It also showed where the crime started. It was in a level business area. So no need to be in park. This woman is very lucky that she wasn't raped and/or murdered. Unfortunately she does have to deal with the emotional trauma. So far they haven't found the criminal or the car. I recommend everyone always have your doors locked.

 

Why would the doors be unlocked if it's not in park? The car automatically locks the doors when shifting out of "P" by default.

 

Lock your doors when you start moving. Just because your car may not do it for you doesn't mean you can't ... and furthermore, if someone has a gun, give them your car. No argument! Take your kid(s) or try and get your ID but if they have a loaded weapon, last I checked, bullets go thru glass... so a locked door won't stop a bullet.

 

Why would you ever use Park, when you are not actually parking? That is just inviting a problem, and not just the one mentioned here.
1) this issue
2) you look in your mirror and see a car coming in behind you that clearly isn't going to stop in time, you have the abilty to get out of the way -- do you want to have to take the time to a) move foot off brake and place on gas or b) move foot off floor, put foot on brake, place hand on shift lever, shift into drive, ensure drive is engaged, then move foot to gas -- all while seeing the car grill getting larger and larger in your mirror. Is it a HUGE time difference, no, of course not. But seconds can matter in avoiding an accident, and less steps mean less chance for a mistake that delays you even further (remember you are likely operating in a panic at that point)
3) on a hill, without the brake engaged you are putting all the car's wieght on the tranny, which while it can take it, isn't really designed for that, as opposed to the brake, which is designed and built to stop the car and hold it in place
4) car breaks, now you can't get out of park and are blocking the intersection. Unlikely, but not unheard of

The brakes in the Prius are "by wire" and require very little effort to hold the car. It isn't like you have to exert the full pressure to hold the car using an unboosted and hydraulic brake pedal system.

If you are concerned about auto lock when you are actually parking, and in a questionable area, the solution is simple and is a good idea whether you have the auto lock or not, is to look around at your immediate area. Don't park the car if you feel you are in danger. Remain in the car, with the car in drive. If I am parking in a questionable area, I am not going to stop the car so close that someone could grab me immediately. Even without the auto lock, you would eventually have to unlock your door to get out, so why park at all?

Yeaup, called being aware of your surroundings and responding to them.

The Prius can't outrun a bullet nor can the body panels keep one from entering the cabin. If they have a gun, and actually aimed at you, it is hard to say what to do. Would depend on the area and time of day and iff they are waiving you out or want in from the passenger side. Also if you are at a busy intersection with active traffic in front of you and stopped cars behind you - not an uncommon scenario, where are you going to go?
Whether I had auto lock or not would not affect my actions.

I like the auto lock feature and have kept it on. That said I am fairly safety concious and had my car set up so that when you go to the driver's door, it only unlocks the driver's door (smart key) not all the doors. The reason being that on the very odd ocassion that my wife drives the car, and feels threatened when outside the car, I want her to be able to get into the realitive safety of the car ASAP and without having an opening for someone to come in another door. Very rare chance of it happening, but if it did, I would want that added safety net, even though it is a pain when I have passengers on a normal day.

 

if the gun is already out, and they are prepared, pulling the trigger is pretty quick and easy, you aren't going to be that far away. And if you are stopped at a light, there is a good chance that the way is blocked, either by stopped cars or moving traffic, you couldn't just step on the gas and go.
Agreed, the second location is almost always a bad situation. So my reaction would depend, is the person at the driver's door trying to get me out and him/her in? Or are they at the passenger door wanting me to drive them somewhere? And is my escape route clear?

Really? when the Prius brake takes almost no effort and your foot is likley already on the brake to slow and stop the car for the light anyway?
Besides which, you are then not using the car as it was designed and intended and is prudent to do, so you have brought the risk on yourself. Park isn't called "stop" for a reason, it is for when you are parking the car. NOT for when you are stopped or standing.

 

I don't understand your question. i don't now what gear it was in. I was just saying that the news said the door was unlocked. Some people wondered about that. Also some people said they go into park sometimes when they are at a light. That's all.

 

Since the car automatically engages Park when you hit the power button to shut it down, I shut it down when I'm getting out so the doors unlock then.