A lockout is usually a 20-minute, one-price problem. These five things turn it into something bigger.
1. Don't break a window
A car window costs several times more than a lockout, and you'll drive around in the rain until it's replaced. House windows are worse. Call first.
2. Don't use a coat hanger or a slim jim
Modern car doors have wiring, airbag sensors and lock rods packed inside. A hanger pushed in blind snaps rods and cuts wires. A locksmith uses an air wedge and a long-reach tool made for your door.
3. Don't kick or shoulder the door
You'll split the frame before the lock gives. Then you need a locksmith and a carpenter.
4. Don't try to pick it yourself
Bobby pins bend off inside the cylinder. Now the lock is jammed and the locksmith has to extract the pin before opening it.
5. Don't call the first number on a billboard-style ad
Some "$15 lockout" ads are national call centers that send an unlicensed subcontractor who quotes ten times that on arrival. Ask for the company's real name, whether they're local to Seattle, and a firm price before you agree to anything.
What to do instead
Stay somewhere safe, have your ID ready, and call a licensed local locksmith. You'll get an arrival time and a price before you hang up.