Can You Open a Locked Car Door With a Tennis Ball?

re: Can You Open a Locked Car Door With a Tennis Ball?

raysarge — Wed, 01 Aug 2007 13:16:32 GMT

I don't normally carry a tennis ball and hot screwdriver with me. I do carry something in my wallet that is 100% more effective for opening my car door. It can be obtained for about a buck at a hardware store. Get a copy of your car's door key cut and slide it into your wallet. Works every time!

re: Can You Open a Locked Car Door With a Tennis Ball?

Snappy Pea — Wed, 01 Aug 2007 12:29:41 GMT

My husband is a locksmith.

He has unlocked doors in vehicles that are equipped with GPS . Two were in garages and one was out in the rain. Each of those times, the device didn't work. These were newer cars. They called their roadside service club, and my husband was called.

Last weekend he unlocked a brand new Nisson. It had a remote (in place of a key) that was supposed to prevent becoming locked in the car or trunk. Guess what. My husband had to unlock the door and get the remote out of the trunk.

As you can see, these devices don't always work. My husband has several ways to open vehicles and house locks. He has also studied extensively about locks and keys and knows how to pick them, etc. He practices all the time.

I'll have to tell him about the tennis ball thing. I know that a vehicle lock cannot be picked, only a house lock. So vehicles must have a different kind of lock...maybe nothing has to turn in it. I don't know.

re: Can You Open a Locked Car Door With a Tennis Ball?

samurai — Wed, 01 Aug 2007 04:41:00 GMT

Uh, why is this article even here. What was it's purpose??

re: Can You Open a Locked Car Door With a Tennis Ball?

RobCrouse — Tue, 31 Jul 2007 21:27:18 GMT

Quit playing the government's and the oil company's game: sell your car, walk, ride a bike, move closer to work and the market, cancel your cell phone contract (if you have an emergency just ask the first person that comes along to use THEIR cell - they're everywhere. You can serenely live without them. You are not so important that you can't afford to be out of touch with people while commuting [via leg power!]).

Save money, save the environment, simplify your life and be healthy and happy. Wake up America! Quit giving away your autonomy and then bitching about it! Take control of your life. God needs you to be vitally healthy and free so that you can be an agent for growth and change. God can't speak to your conscience if your talking on the damn phone and full of roadrage all the time.

Peace.

I love ya!

re: Can You Open a Locked Car Door With a Tennis Ball?

rrgrassi — Tue, 31 Jul 2007 17:55:45 GMT

Hmmm GPS, etc. That is why I drive an '82 model diesel car.

re: Can You Open a Locked Car Door With a Tennis Ball?

MichellePhoenix — Tue, 31 Jul 2007 15:43:20 GMT

Having the ability to call a toll-free number is cool, but having just read the article on the FBI listening in on your cell phone when it is off points out that this is another way you may be tracked....the government can just get a GPS reading on your car and find you. Most cars are built now with the automatic keys so you can't lock yourself out (a thing I used to do about twice a year), so I'm glad for that, but I'll pass on the GPS and other electronic toys that allow you to be monitored by a government that sees nothing wrong with doing it illegally.

re: Can You Open a Locked Car Door With a Tennis Ball?

Danna Seevers — Tue, 31 Jul 2007 13:17:08 GMT

So dumb.....why am I wasting time reading this????

re: Can You Open a Locked Car Door With a Tennis Ball?

Sean Uisce — Tue, 31 Jul 2007 10:07:11 GMT

Umm... the guy did not replicate the original technique... he seemed to use his thumbs to press on the tennis ball... meanwhile the woman seemed to be using the flat of her hand. Pity about the bad science invalidating his efforts!

Heard a story (perhaps a myth of course) where a mechanic was called to unlock a car for someone who'd locked their keys in. Top of the range machine... one of those cars that "thinks" for itself. The mechanic said "this will be easy" and then took out a very heavy sledgehammer and approached the car. The very (suddenly very nervous) driver interrupted and was reassured their car was not going to be harmed in anyway.

The mechanic slammed the hammer against one of the front tyres.

The car thought it had been in an accident and unlocked all the doors as a safety precaution!

re: Can You Open a Locked Car Door With a Tennis Ball?

stevethebass — Wed, 18 Jul 2007 03:21:39 GMT

It would probably work a little better if there were a more efficient seal between the ball and the key hole assuming that the goal is to push air into the lock.

re: Can You Open a Locked Car Door With a Tennis Ball?

Russ Bianchi — Mon, 16 Jul 2007 16:12:49 GMT

Is this some Urban Legend thing started by Wilson Tennis Balls?

Needless to say, it's full of non hot air.

re: Can You Open a Locked Car Door With a Tennis Ball?

Arizona — Sat, 14 Jul 2007 04:11:20 GMT

I enjoyed seeing the results of this idea!! I would have wondered what I did wrong ,if the car door didn't open. Now I see that the idea does not work at all.

re: Can You Open a Locked Car Door With a Tennis Ball?

Laserman — Sat, 14 Jul 2007 00:22:51 GMT

How the heck could anyone think that such a crazy scheme could work? What is going to grab the lock mechanism? I remember a couple of years ago when I locked the keys in my vehicle. It was quite amazing how the tow truck driver got access. First, he wedged a badder beween the door and the vehicle frame. Then he inflated the bladder, which created enough of an opening to insert a little device which he maneuvered to tap on the electric door unlock. So fast and easy it was scary. And that was with taking care not to damage the vehicle.

re: Can You Open a Locked Car Door With a Tennis Ball?

annapavlova42 — Fri, 13 Jul 2007 14:19:47 GMT

Thanks for the smile this video placed on my face.