A:Answer If the locking mechanism is installed properly and NOT locked (closed, it's like a clamp kind of thing), then you will have no problem opening the door, regardless of what side you're on. However, if the lock is closed, you will NOT be able to open the door from either side. AND if you're unfortunately on the side of the door that doesn't have the locking mechanism while it engaged (locked/closed), you will be STUCK until a person who knows how to unlock it comes along! We got ours because we have very smart cats that can open doors, but we've never accidentally locked each other in a room or anything. Think we've had these installed for at least 6 months. A lot of this brands' safety locks have buttons that don't do anything except become a decoy button for your children to push. And I seriously doubt a toddler will have the strength to pinch the 2 sides of the lock for it to clamp down and close. I'm not a body builder or anything, just a chunky 36 year old woman and sometimes I have a hard time squeezing the sides to lock the mechanism in place, but it's not super hard for an adult to do either. Hope this helps!
