camper shot dead at rv park

[Dacotah]

We live about 25 miles from that park. Last year we went down to the Ft. Lauderdale area in the car looking for RV parks and drove through that one; like previous posters have said it is not a good park and RV park reviews do not like it either.

South Florida is a very dangerous place and many neighborhoods are not safe at night. The best advise to campers coming here is to check RV park reviews carefully before you book anything. This particular incident was a random event and the unlucky camper should not have opened the door; he should have called 911 and reported an attempted break in.

The neighborhood we live in has had four home break-ins in the last month; we have sold the house and move out in March and will live full time in the motorhome until I retire July 1st. We will pick a park very carefully in this area before we head out on our adventure. DACOTAH

[corjaguar]

Local paper saids that the guy knocked on the door the Canadian opened the door and the intruder asked for his cell phone......the Canadian did not speak English of didn't understand what he wanted so he shot him twice, once in the chest and the second shot was to the face.......as per the article
Reference : sun sentinel, broward

[CLIFFTALL]

Originally Posted by Dacotah

South Florida is a very dangerous place and many neighborhoods are not safe at night. DACOTAH

Never quite heard So. Fl. described this way

[jfran304]

Originally Posted by Clifftall

Never quite heard So. Fl. described this way

I've heard some stories about traveling in Florida. At one time there was a warning about tourists traveling in rental cars being targeted. The criminals figured the foreign tourists wouldn't stick around to testify against them if they got caught and went to trial.

Jon

[Hipshot]

Originally Posted by jfran304

I've heard some stories about traveling in Florida. At one time there was a warning about tourists traveling in rental cars being targeted. The criminals figured the foreign tourists wouldn't stick around to testify against them if they got caught and went to trial.

Jon

I remember the news stories also. The criminals also figured people in rental cars would be less likely to be armed and therefore easy prey.

[FormerBoater]

Originally Posted by Hipshot

I remember the news stories also. The criminals also figured people in rental cars would be less likely to be armed and therefore easy prey.

Just so folks know, this was in the 1990's in Miami-Dade and centered around the airport.

Has not been an issue for at least 15 years or so.

[CLIFFTALL]

Originally Posted by FormerBoater

Just so folks know, this was in the 1990's in Miami-Dade and centered around the airport.

Has not been an issue for at least 15 years or so.

Thank you. That's exactly the point I was referring to when I said that I hadn't heard So. Fl. called a dangerous place. It's a lot bigger than most think and encompass's quite a lot of people. I've lived here for 16 years and consider it to be safe. Ask me how I know. I grew up in NYC when it wasn't as safe as it is now.

[tncruiser]

as a canadien he is not allowed to own protection stronger than wasp spray
there is no 2nd amendment in the great white norte
brianj

[HMXDave]

Originally Posted by tncruiser

as a canadien he is not allowed to own protection stronger than wasp spray
there is no 2nd amendment in the great white norte
brianj

Your first statement is wrong....in spelling and in content. Your second statement is correct...we don't have the US Constitution in Canada. As Canucks we can arm ourselves just as legally and readily as our US neighbors, however most of us do not as we don't live in a state of perpetual fear of our fellow man.

[RVNeophytes2]

Originally Posted by HMXDave

Your first statement is wrong....in spelling and in content. Your second statement is correct...we don't have the US Constitution in Canada. As Canucks we can arm ourselves just as legally and readily as our US neighbors, however most of us do not as we don't live in a state of perpetual fear of our fellow man.

Thanks, Dave. We Americans tend to believe our Black smells like Fresh. Arrogant as we are, those of us in the Lower 48 have much to learn from you Canucks.

Comparing Canada to the US in terms of violent crime is like comparing the US to Mexico.

Even in the gun-crazy US, most of us might not hesitate to answer the door, in the secure confines of an RV park.

The idea that if the elderly Canadian victim had only been packing heat, he'd have survived the encounter, is obviously from an untrained individual, frankly. The victim could have been shouldering an AK-47 and have been equally helpless peering out into the darkness at a sillouette.

The right answer when the knock comes, after dark: kill the lights inside your rig, crack the window, and kindly but firmly offer to summon help from where you are. Let's spread that around our forum as a mantra of sorts, okay?

[Txcirclem]

Originally Posted by Clifftall

Thank you. That's exactly the point I was referring to when I said that I hadn't heard So. Fl. called a dangerous place. It's a lot bigger than most think and encompass's quite a lot of people. I've lived here for 16 years and consider it to be safe. Ask me how I know. I grew up in NYC when it wasn't as safe as it is now.

Used to live there in the 90s and remember the thugs who preyed on tourists. Until they murdered one. I don't remember the entire south of Florida being unsafe. Still have cousins who still live there. What I do remember is that crime happens everywhere, even in the small town I live in today. Please remember that just like there are good people everywhere, there are also predators from whom you should be wary. This is a classic example of such. One poster had a great suggestion of having callers stand in front of the coach for positive ID.

Being well armed helps also.

[Davdeb1]

Originally Posted by Clifftall

Never quite heard So. Fl. described this way

I've been traveling there for the last 25 years, 2-3 times a year. I've never had any problems.

As for Canadians and guns, they are legal. In the great white north. You may have a rifle or hunting gun with a permit, but handguns are strictly
Limited.

The very premise that this park or vehicle was targeted because of Canadian plates is absurd.

Why do a few people :

A. Make Their judgements and decisions on people by the news headlines? (Heaven forbid they actually read the body of the article)

B. Base their life choices on rumors, then actually spread the rumors.

C. Probably base their decisions about voting on political ads.

This world is such a wonderful place, and most of the people in it just want to live and let live. I am hoping that all my fellow campers are the
type of people that are like minded and hope to make many friends on the way

[Ramblin]

Originally Posted by HMXDave

...most of us [Canucks] do not as we don't live in a state of perpetual fear of our fellow man.

...which was the undoing of this unfortunate guy. He 'fearlessly' opened the door to this particular 'fellow man'. Not a wholly unreasonable thing to do if he felt secure in the RV park. I can see letting my guard down and making this mistake, almost.

It's not really about 'fearing our fellow man' though, it's about trust. Some people seem to be able to trust by default, which is a great thing. Personally, I don't open the (literal or metaphorical) door to people I don't trust. And, I don't trust anyone until they have proven themselves trustworthy. It's not about fear. It's about avoiding situations like this.

[raccoonman]

perhaps Canadians seem standoffish and aloof because they have no idea what the American Gangster wants from them in the middle of the night.

i don't live in perpetual fear of my fellow man, either; i have the right and the ability and the means with which to defend myself until the police arrive.