A week before my trip, my suitcase wouldn't open
By the maker of MyLockCode, a traveler in their early 50s ·
I was getting ready for a trip and pulled my suitcase out of the corner for the first time in a long while. Then I got stuck. I couldn't remember the combination. The bag was right there in front of me, and I couldn't open it.
I searched online and found advice about pressing the reset button or trying every combination from 000 to 999. I tried both. My suitcase still wouldn't open.
The next day I called several luggage service centers. None could open it right away. The ones I called told me it would take at least two weeks, perhaps a month. I was leaving in a week. I couldn't wait that long.
So I booked the repair and bought another suitcase. This time I wasn't traveling alone, so I chose a bigger one. The old bag is still locked, waiting for repair. I'd forgotten a lock code and ended up having to buy a whole new bag.
When I set the combination on the new bag, I wondered: would I remember this one next time? A suitcase code isn't something I use every day. By the next trip, I could be in exactly the same situation.
A phone note or a photo would work too. But as notes and photos pile up, I'd still need to find the right one and remember which bag it belonged to. I wanted one place where I knew to look.
That's why I built MyLockCode. It's a place to keep lock combinations with names that tell you what they belong to. Your suitcase, bike lock or locker can each have its own name and code, together in one place.
I didn't want another password to remember just to look up a forgotten code. So you can sign in without creating one. Names, combinations and notes are encrypted before they're stored on the server.
It started with a problem I had, but I wanted other people in the same situation to be able to use it too. It's free. If you've just set a new combination, save it while you still remember it. I'd like this to spare someone else the trouble I went through.
If this story reminds you of your own suitcase, check that you can still open it before your next trip. And if you know someone getting ready to travel, please pass this story along. It might remind them to check their bag too.
- Try opening your suitcase before you start packing. In my case, the methods I found online didn't get it open.
- The service centers I called quoted two weeks to a month. If you're leaving soon, ask about the repair time early so you can arrange another bag if you need one.
- Save a new combination as soon as you set it, along with which bag it's for. Keep it somewhere you can reach without opening the bag.