Most of us have locked our keys in the car at least once. Or our kids or significant other have done it for us. It happens when warming up the car in the morning, making a “quick run”, or just fooling around. A long “Uggghhhh” and some colorful vernacular usually follow the event.

It’s common for people to misplace their spare keys too. Stuff happens. If you’re ever in a situation where you don’t have a spare key or a family member you can call for backup, this hack could help. If you simply want to avoid the lecture or scolding that will come from said family member, try this.

Or if you don’t want to give money to a locksmith and you’re feeling your own handiness, you can do this. What you will need however, is a car that has exposed locks on top of the door. Locks that are nested on the inside panel of the door are unreachable with this trick. And remember, use this on your car, not a stranger’s.

Materials

• String that is the length of your car door plus 1 foot (the video uses 2 meters)

Instructions

1. Tie a Knot

   Fold the string in half, and in the center place a small slip knot. It should tighten up when you pull each end.

2. String it Through

   With the string ends in your hands, slip the string over the door frame. It should fit through the crack where the door meets the frame.

3. Lasso the Lock

   Loop your lasso string over the lock’s knob, and pull it so that it’s tightly secured around the lock.

4. Pop the Lock

   Pull up the ends of the string up until the lock pops up.

Watch the video to see how to do each of these quick steps. To pull this off it’s also suggested to use a shoestring if regular string isn’t available. If you’re lace isn’t long enough, you may be able to tie two of them together. If you have a car that unlocks by pulling the handle open from the inside, you can try to slip the string over the door latch instead.

Let’s be honest. We all know that the internet is swimming with DIY (wink wink) hacks like these. Just keep in mind that no one is encouraging you to join the criminal underworld. Sometimes it pays to know things like busting out of handcuffs or cracking locks. Emergencies pop up.

Emergencies like lockouts. Getting locked out of your car or house is no picnic so be prepared. What if you don’t have access to a phone – perhaps because it’s locked in the place where you’re locked out? Laugh if that’s happened to you.

When you’re attempting to do this, make sure you’re in a safe space so people (including cops) don’t think you’re trying to rob yourself. At the very least, try to have some ID on you.

Have you ever been locked out of your car and had to use your wits to open it? Would you use this trick if you were in a lockout situation? Do you have a preference for hacks or calling a professional? Tell us in the comments!