I locked myself out of my house and two factor authentication made it more difficult

[Leros]

A few nights ago, I went out into my garage to put a load of laundry in the washing machine (yes, my laundry is in the garage) and the door somehow locked behind me. I checked all the doors to my house. All locked. Yup, I'm locked out of my house. I was just wearing some house clothes so I didn't have my keys or phone with me.

No problem. I'll call a friend who has a spare key. But... my phone is inside my locked house. No problem, I'll use a neighbor's phone. But... I don't actually remember anybody's phone number. No problem, I'll log into GMail and find a phone number there. But... I can't log into GMail without the Google Authenticator app on my phone which is locked in my house. No problem, I'll use the backup authentication codes I printed out. But... they're locked in my house.

I didn't want to pay to call a locksmith out at night. Luckily I had a garage of tools at my disposal and was eventually able to pry the lock open and get back inside.

I just think it's interesting how much easier the situation would have been if I didn't enable two factor authentication. I could have gone over to my neighbor's house and got my friend's phone number from GMail, called him, and had my keys in a few minutes.

 

[Captante]

two factor authentication made it more difficult

I think that's the idea..?

 

[Red Squirrel]

I would just smash my way through my patio door.

I need to replace it anyway, would be a good excuse. Make it look like a break in and get insurance to cover it. J/K

 

[Leros]

I would just smash my way through my patio door.

I need to replace it anyway, would be a good excuse. Make it look like a break in and get insurance to cover it. J/K

I probably would have broken a small window instead of calling a locksmith. I imagine it would be cheaper to repair a small window than call a locksmith out at night.

 

[bbhaag]

#firstworldproblem

 

[Rakehellion]

Now you know never to wash your clothes again.

 

[Markbnj]

I found myself locked out of my house a few years back. A neighbor down the street saw me standing out front and wandered over to see what was up. He couldn't help me get in but he went and got two beers. After we drank the beers I used my empty to break the back window and entered. I was vacuuming up the glass when a cop shined a flashlight in the back window. I managed to convince them that burglars didn't usually vacuum up the broken glass, and eventually they decided to believe me.

 

[Rakehellion]

I found myself locked out of my house a few years back. A neighbor down the street saw me standing out front and wandered over to see what was up. He couldn't help me get in but he went and got two beers. After we drank the beers I used my empty to break the back window and entered. I was vacuuming up the glass when a cop shined a flashlight in the back window. I managed to convince them that burglars didn't usually vacuum up the broken glass, and eventually they decided to believe me.

 

[gotsmack]

tape a spare key to the back of the washing machine or behind the slop sink.

 

[Leros]

tape a spare key to the back of the washing machine or behind the slop sink.

Yeah. I did that about 2 minutes after I got back in the house. Of course, I'll never need it.

 

[cubby1223]

You have one of those doors that allow you to open it from the inside while it is locked? Get that replaced and you'll never be locked out again... because you cannot exit the house while the door is locked, you must have the key with you to lock up (which just becomes routine).

 

[Jaskalas]

Friend's number, write it down. You know... ancient tools of primitive man. Pen and paper.

 

[blotto]

My wife had locked us out more than once from our old place. Our new house has a keypad lock for the deadbolt on the front door. Handiest thing ever, never have to worry about who has keys, as long as the batteries don't die.

 

[mikeford]

Typical doors between house and garage are easy to open. The striker is curved on the front to retract as the door closes, then spring back open securing the door in the latch. Any sort of thin item, wire, putty knife, credit card, that can slip between the door and frame and push on the striker from the front will make it retract and the door opens.

 

[Genx87]

Heh I had that happen to me. Had to use a neighbor's ladder to break through the screen on a second floor window. It as funny because both of my cats came running towards me and sniffed the crap out of me as I was crawling through the window.

 

[manimal]

I installed thumb print ID locks on our garage door to the house and our big garage door has a key code so we can open the garage door and get in the house that way.

My wife often leaves her keys at home and uses the garage door opener to get in the house. She called me asking about the garage door that didnt have a keyhole in it after I installed the thumb lock and she looked at it for ten minutes before it dawned on her. Gave her shit for weeks

 

[Murloc]

You have one of those doors that allow you to open it from the inside while it is locked? Get that replaced and you'll never be locked out again... because you cannot exit the house while the door is locked, you must have the key with you to lock up (which just becomes routine).

yeah but the point of having the doors that can't be opened from the outside without the key is not having to go back to make sure you locked the door every time you feel a tingle 10 meters away from the door.

 

[dave_the_nerd]

Besides keeping a spare key somewhere safe, I would suggest memorizing a few phone numbers.

 

[ISAslot]

I was locked out a bit ago. Windows are double pane insulated, didn't want to break those. Ended up calling a locksmith. Two sketchy guys show up. One had a thick russian accent. They couldn't get in either messing with the lock. Tried to take the pins out of the hinges, but door was too tight in the frame. Ended up drilling lock. So it ended up costing me $80 to have my lock destroyed. I could have done that for $0... gah.

 

[TXHokie]

I probably would have broken a small window instead of calling a locksmith. I imagine it would be cheaper to repair a small window than call a locksmith out at night.

Had to make this call two years ago. It was Sunday late afternoon. $100 to fix the window glass vs $250 locksmith call after hours on weekend. Plus it would've been two hrs wait in the heat vs instant entry into an air conditioned house. No brainer there.

 

[Markbnj]

Yep, pretty much, but in a Budweiser bottle.

 

[TwiceOver]

 

[Zee]

i was just about to post that. get rid of that extra key and put a numpad lock on.

 

[GagHalfrunt]

I just think it's interesting how much easier the situation would have been if I didn't enable two factor authentication.

I just think it's interesting how much easier the situation would have been if you had a spare key stashed somewhere like a normal person.

 

[Bubbleawsome]

Why do you have 2 factor on email? Are you a high-class executive or something?