Some more thoughts on security, where to stay.

[Bowser]

It occurs to me that a lot of thought goes into where it's safe to stay and what to do to stay safe. I think motorhomes anywhere are going to be safer than about anywhere else. I don't think we have to worry that much.

If I'm a badguy, and roaming around a rest area looking for mischief and I see a MH, I'm going to notice several things. One, I don't know how many people are in there. Two, I don't know where they are. Three, I don't know how well armed they are. Four, I don't know what communications they have. Five, I don't know what alarms they have. Six, THEY ARE GOING TO HAVE TO LET ME IN. They can simply refuse to let me in and I'm stymied.

I'm going to compare that with a car in which I see someone sleeping. A known quantity.

I think we in RVs worry too much. We know our weaknesses, but the badguy doesn't. And he has to assume the worst. We're pretty safe, really. I cannot remember reading of anyone attacking a MH, though I can remember reading of a couple of them being hijacked. But not as many as cars.

[RickO]

I believe your thinking is right on the mark. It would be incredibly hard for someone to force their way into even an unarmed MH without being allowed in by the occupants.

I've said it before but it bears repeating. Any bad guy who thinks that mature people traveling in an RV are easy marks hasn't done his homework and is very likely to pop up on the annual Darwin list.

Rick

[slickest1]

The one advantage of being in a motorhome is you can start it up and drive away without having to get out.

[Mr_D]

Originally Posted by Bowser

I cannot remember reading of anyone attacking a MH, though I can remember reading of a couple of them being hijacked. But not as many as cars.

There was one in a Wal*Mart parking lot. The perp didn't live through it as the owner had a 12 Ga.
I had a couple Spanish speaking "gentlemen" think I looked like easy pickings. One tried the door, and finding it locked knocked and tried to get me to open the door. About that time I noticed the second one in their pickup (parked blocking me in, they thought). The one was rumaging under the seat for something. At that point I showed him that he might not want to try coming in. They left hurriedly, had they not I was going to show them that their pickup was no match for high torque, low rpm diesels! Yep, it would have damaged my rig but at that point I wasn't worried about it.

[njs42]

In general the hypothesis is correct; a locked MH/RV provides a measure of security.

The difficulty comes because a lot of bad guys are just opportunist, many cannot count to six, let alone think of six things in chronological order. If they were good at weighing consequences or even worrying about such they would probably be good guys.

Nothing however beats just plain diligence and awareness on our part, to avoid trouble or spot potential trouble and avoid it as well. Your risk factor goes up when you stay at a
rest stop, or a parking lot, or boondock alone etc; but all in all it is generally true (with unfortunate exceptions as with any rule) that MH camping can be made secure.

But to a determined and practiced bad person a MH is not an impregnable fortress. Entry can be gained in a short period of time. So we counter all that with our own common sense and prepartation, hopefully.

[melvonnar]

Originally Posted by Mr_D

There was one in a Wal*Mart parking lot. The perp didn't live through it as the owner had a 12 Ga.
I had a couple Spanish speaking "gentlemen" think I looked like easy pickings. One tried the door, and finding it locked knocked and tried to get me to open the door. About that time I noticed the second one in their pickup (parked blocking me in, they thought). The one was rumaging under the seat for something. At that point I showed him that he might not want to try coming in. They left hurriedly, had they not I was going to show them that their pickup was no match for high torque, low rpm diesels! Yep, it would have damaged my rig but at that point I wasn't worried about it.

Put this in your hard to believe chest:
I once had a motorscooter pull in front of me to try to block me in: He got off the scooter and began hammering on the door on my motorhome and yelling at me to open the door; I yelled back that I would give him 10 seconds to move his scooter or I would run over it; he wisely got on the scooter and rode off.

[Gadget63]

a barking dog no matter its size is a great alarm and deterrent. Very few potential intruders will risk a bite or worse after the element of surprise has been lost.

[Oscar Mike]

Originally Posted by Bowser

It occurs to me that a lot of thought goes into where it's safe to stay and what to do to stay safe. I think motorhomes anywhere are going to be safer than about anywhere else. I don't think we have to worry that much.

If I'm a badguy, and roaming around a rest area looking for mischief and I see a MH, I'm going to notice several things. One, I don't know how many people are in there. Two, I don't know where they are. Three, I don't know how well armed they are. Four, I don't know what communications they have. Five, I don't know what alarms they have. Six, THEY ARE GOING TO HAVE TO LET ME IN. They can simply refuse to let me in and I'm stymied.

I'm going to compare that with a car in which I see someone sleeping. A known quantity.

I think we in RVs worry too much. We know our weaknesses, but the badguy doesn't. And he has to assume the worst. We're pretty safe, really. I cannot remember reading of anyone attacking a MH, though I can remember reading of a couple of them being hijacked. But not as many as cars.

The ONLY problem with your theory, is that it presupposes that the bad guy has a brain/mind in which to produce cognitive thought and reason...in my experience, criminals are not big on thinking...JMO.

[baraff]

I agree that we as a group tend to worry too much, however the occasional meth head who really doesn't care about anything is the one you need to watch out for.

[flaggship1]

Originally Posted by baraff

I agree that we as a group tend to worry too much, however the occasional meth head who really doesn't care about anything is the one you need to watch out for.

I am working on the beta version of Probability of Encounter with Meth Head app right now. I gave up on my Probability of Running Into Armed RV Enthusiast app when it returned 87.5% regardless of location entered.

[rollondown]

1 additional alert type weapon is your airhorn, if equipped. If you think its loud when your running 60, try it at 3am!

[MSHappyCampers]

Originally Posted by rollondown

1 additional alert type weapon is your airhorn, if equipped. If you think its loud when your running 60, try it at 3am!

Excellent idea! I gotta keep that in mind, even though I hope I never have to try it!

[CampDaven]

Originally Posted by rollondown

1 additional alert type weapon is your airhorn, if equipped. If you think its loud when your running 60, try it at 3am!

Hmmmm
Better wire another button in the bedroom

[rollondown]

I was working 2nd shift when I installed a set on a friends rig.
So about 3:15am or so, the compressor was ready to run, the switches were all wired up, and I honestly could not resist!

After the cops left......

If the horns say 100 db during normal hours its about 1000db at 3am