Originally Posted by
asdf1234
Whilst there is always a price to pay for convenience, would you be happy to state to a fatal aircraft investigation board that your convenience was more important than the lives lost of the people sat behind you, lives lost because you needed your carry on from the overhead bin? Or would you be happy telling the family of a deceased passenger that their loved one died because you didn't want the inconvenience of checking in to a hotel without a credit card? The answer will determine what kind of person you are, and what kind of world you wish to live in. I know where I stand and I vote for lockable overhead bins.
I honestly don't remember such a histrionic situation actually arising from any evacuation. Sure there are continuing reports of bags being taken (the one that always struck me was the woman standing on the outer wing of Sully's A320 floating in the Hudson, firmly holding on to the handle of her roller suitcase), but only to the extent of "how silly".
Regarding your big bunch of house keys, a standard evacuation briefing is to "remove sharp objects from your pockets as they may tear the slide". Now apart from the fact that genuinely sharp objects were banned by security from about 50 years ago, what can this apply to other than such keys. And yet there is a desire among the aviation-knowledgeable above to have them with you. Incidentally, being aware of the heavyweight structure of such slides, has anyone ever known them to be torn by possessions. "Remove high heeled shoes" is another one. What provision is made to continue walking afterwards.