Rig safety - RV-Dreams Community Forum

Ann-Hank · RV-Dreams Family Member

Rig safety

Terry and Jo · RV-Dreams Family Member

It's been a while since we were out in the wilderness, but when we did, we had no problems whatsoever. Now, it was an earlier time, but if one was gone for a day-trip, one's neighbors tended to watch out for loose things blowing around in a sudden wind.

In honesty, we were generally miles and miles away from any large communities, and most criminals are too lazy to do too much in the way of getting one's stuff. They generally didn't go beyond the communities because they probably figured that "campers" didn't have anything of value worth driving miles to get it.

Terry

Lucky Mike · RV-Dreams Family Member

When Boondocking in unpopulated areas I have never run into problems........if I am parking within a populated area I tend to size up my surroundings. If I dont feel good about what I see and Feel I move on.

If it is a big issue to you. have an alarm system installed with outside motion sensors............

The Bear II · RV-Dreams Family Member

In Southern California some of the popular boondocking spots have history of break ins.

One of our favorites, Rincon Parkway near Ventura has had problems. A lot of RVers will come on Wednesday to secure a spot for the weekend. They will leave their RV unattended until Friday when they return for the weekend. The RV will be ransacked.

Same problem at popular trailheads.

We always put everything away and let our neighbors (if any close enough) know how long we will be gone and if we are expecting anyone to show up. We tell them to call the sheriff if they see anyone unexpected around our RV while we are gone.

We haven't had any problems. They only break in we've experienced was at a storage lot where we kept the trailer.

Lucky Mike · RV-Dreams Family Member

The more popular the area is to the Tourist.....the more popular it will be to the thief!!!!!

I like many others Boondock more than stay commercially.......

Simple rules of thumb.

Keep your Rig out of High Traffic area's....if the spot you picked is frequented by transient campers and visitors....you might be in the wrong spot!!

simple alarm systems go along way.....outside motion sensors that detect inside of 6 feet......if your within 6 ft of my coach in the woods your 2 miles to close.....and the alarm will let everyone within 2 miles know it!!!!!

Trust me if your in an area where frequent break ins and problems occur , then it will be a well known fact with the locals!!!

if you have a neighbor while your boondocking that even looks shady or transient , dont set up camp or get a pen out...and write down tag numbers. at least when you come back and they are gone, the law has a little more than paperwork and doughnuts to work with!!!

most break ins happen because they checked you out , not because they just happened upon you..

What did you do to make your stick and brick less attractive to theft....use those same methods

And most of all if you are boondocking...you stand a greater chance of of being attacked!!!!!!!.............By Bears , Snakes , boar hogs, moose, Wild fires,flash floods........or if you wait around long enough Lightning

Another Method to judge if your in a bad area.......Call the local Pizza shoppe or Chinese food.........if they will deliver to you, the thieves will also!!!!

PIEERE · RV-Dreams Family Member

I think RVers who boondock like the people in The Slabs do is safer. If one boondocks, it may be safer in Numbers.

Jwar · RV-Dreams Family Member

Good Morning Mike...wwlllelll its actualy noon...but havent had my second pot of coffeeeeeee yet. What is the brand of your security system so I can google it...perhaps after I goooogle another java.

Thanks Mike..Have a fantastic day..BTW my DW is comming in at 11am tomorrow...if ya dont hear from me....Im dead meat....and wont need to install it..LOL

Raytronx · RV-Dreams Family Member

Only theft Ive encoutered in 2 years fulltime was near Crescent City, Ca and someone lifted my 2 gallon gas jug from the back of the truck. Other than that no issues.

I usually throw up a Beware Of Dog Sign in the window, *shrug* u never know, might work. smile

Jwar · RV-Dreams Family Member

Raytronx...ROFLOL When the DW and I had a class C twenty or more years ago, we drove into Crescent City to resupply, drop the tank and fuel up. It was a very cold rain while in a hurry at the service station being I wore glasses, picked up a baseball cap and drove to the KFC to get the big bucket. While standing in line I was kinda put off by five or six men in line, all just glared at me and turned to the one picking up his order and they all left quickly in a line out the door, thought it was kind of weird as they called a few orders out and I was then the only one standing there. The manager gave kind of a glareing look too, asked my number and quickley gave it to me and I left. Needless to say I was a bit put off by it all, While I was hanging up my green parka and hat in the RV, I then noticed the round patch on the hat,..."Border Patrol".

The wife and I chuckled a bit over it then she said "Good thing you didnt yell BORDER PATROL...you would had to fix our meal" LOL

bigboomer · RV-Dreams Family Member

ROFLMAO Jwar!!!!

Raytronx · RV-Dreams Family Member

Haha!

Terry and Jo · RV-Dreams Family Member

Hank and Ann,

While it won't do anything with regards to safety in an immediate sense, if you were to put up some outdoor game cameras (sometimes called "trail cameras"), you could at least check the photos in them after you had been gone to see if anyone was nosing around your RV's site. If you were to see folks nosing around, it would at least give you an idea of whether you needed to move on or not.

I wrote a thread up in "Community Chat" about using those kinds of cameras as surveillance after reading a story about folks here in Oklahoma who were looking for some folks who broke into their home.

Terry

Ann-Hank · RV-Dreams Family Member

We don't anticipate any trouble, but you never know. We have always tent camped in very remote areas and never thought about trouble, always felt safer in the boonies than any big city.
Thanks for the idea of using a camera, yesterday Hank found the one we had one at our store. Jwar, the one we have is a small, ac or battery, motion activated camera made by Defender, model #Stealth1.
I think going with your gut is probably the best line of defense, that little inner voice is pretty smart.
Ann

Buzz · RV-Dreams Community Member

Ann-Hank, I have had the same concern. We're not fulltime yet, but I've wondered if fellow RVer's have had any trouble. My husband doesn't worry about it at all. He really wants to do alot of boondocking when we get on the road. Reading everyones posts give me a little reassurance and helps me to think about it differently. Thank you all for your input! Deb

Hina · RV-Dreams Family Member

Good thoughts, I'll have to get out my Radio Shack motion sensor when I'm parked!

Trix · RV-Dreams Family Member

Hi Ann and Hank,

I try to boondock or at least dry camp as much as possible since I went hit the road in December. I prefer public lands and haven't had any trouble in those places. Dry camping I try to pick Walmarts or Casinos, they usually have security all night. The only Walmart I ever passed up was either in or near Pendleton, OR. I drove in, saw the kids in the parking lot looking like gang bangers and drug dealers...I just drove on.

Hope to see you on the road again soon,

Kyra

mjlitz · RV-Dreams Family Member

We have boon docked a lot in Arizona without any problems or concerns. We have now been full timing for over 6 months now. There have been times when I haven't felt safe and my husband says lets move on. He realizes that I will be awake all night and it just isn't worth it.
I came to the realization while we were in Mississippi that a lot of if it is your mind. We were in a Natchez State Park Campground and were thinking of staying further north at Rocky Springs Campground on the Natchez Trace allowing us easier travelling to Vicksburg. I became hesitant when we looked at the campground as there appeared to be two homeless travelers there but the campground was nice and free!! When we got back to the State Park I started to realize that anything could happen in that campground just as easily at the free campground. There was no gate, very little people around, no camp host and the ranger station was a way from the campground itself. During the day, anyone could drive through and take what they wanted or even break in and no one would notice. I started to figure it was all in the mind - pay and feel safe, free and feel unsafe - but it didn't make sense.
I am not saying that it can't happen but like it has been said, make yourself aware of the surroundings and if you have a funny feeling, go with it and move on.
Most of our best memories are from boon docking and be away from everyone and everything. It is true bliss.