I thought it was dumb too. I know some people who are not the sharpest tools in the shed and if they found it with the bold down and locked, they would open it and pull it back andit will not close again, these few people would force it because it was down when they found it and it would break something and they would not tell you so the next time you pull it out to use it, it would have to be repaired. I hate all safety locks. More people die in bicycle accidents than gun accidents.