Staying Safe While Boondocking hint

[astrnmrtom]

One of the best suggestions I've ever read was to leave the key in the ignition. Quickly separating yourself from the threat is one of the best tactics.

If I don't have time for that, or they are already in the coach, the back-up will be the squalls of our Siamese cat expecting the new visitor to feed him a snack, or brush him. That'll send even the most hardened criminal scurrying for the exit.

[MSHappyCampers]

Originally Posted by CWSWine

I agree that safety in numbers in a RV park but this happen about week after we stayed at this campgrounds. I'm not paid nor trained to chase down bad guys in RV park but I do take my family security seriously.

https://www.kmov.com/news/2-killed-a...f0b0a7425.html

WOW! That's scary!

We have a simple door alarm on the entry door. In the night mode it goes off instantly when the door is opened, and makes an awful noise that most intruders would not stay around to listen to!

[Souljourner]

It’s always surprised me the numbers of RVers who choose to overnight in a relatively deserted parking lot. I live in a nice area but even the Walmart near me changes after midnight and I wouldn’t want to be spending the night there.

Another vote for Harvest Hosts as an alternative. I read the reviews, look at photos, look at Google Earth for a broader perspective of the parking situation and I’ve always felt safe by my choices and tucked away. I’ll take an orchard or a vineyard over a Walmart any day.

[MingusPirate]

Regarding answering the door I open a window. On a fiver the bedroom window is too high for intrusion. On a TT the window is much better than opening the door

[ByeTheWay]

Park for an easy escape. If your toad is not attached, do not park it in front of your motor home. Lock the door. Bring the step in. Shut the blinds. Leave the dash cam on. Keep your toad keys bedside and know where they are so that you can sound your toad alarm as needed. Keep your cell phone bedside to call 911 if needed. Don’t turn on a light if you you hear someone outside. Install motion detector scare lights on each side of the coach.

[Rexlion]

I don't worry about intruders, at least not the 2-legged type. I am slightly more concerned about bears, though; one doesn't often hear of them invading an occupied rv, but a desperate enough bear might.

[Nwcid]

I know your title is about boondocking, however that means a lot of different things. You do specifically say spending the night in parking lots vs staying out on public land.

We mostly boondock. I want to be away from people so there is nothing appealing about campground to me. We are typically off the main path so if anyone pulls up we can assess the situation.

When we overnight on the road be it parking lots, truck stops, or similar locations we just make sure things are locked up and have situational awareness. Sure we could go to a campground but again nothing appealing about it and they have nothing we need, especially for an overnight. I have onboard water/waste/power/heat/TV/Internet/etc. I do not have to worry about coming in early or late, filling out paperwork, or bugging the neighbors. We stay in campgrounds when they have something to offer us, which is typically only when we are traveling with a group and they are staying there.

[CWSWine]

[Moderator Edit]

In the early 70s I was in military and traveling home I would pickup hitch hikers for someone to talk to while traveling and now there no way I would pick someone up. Things have changed over the years to the point I always watching where we go and where we camp. I always have a plan if something goes sideways.

[FL420]

Originally Posted by CWSWine

A lot of times while traveling mode we will stay at place that allows over night parking for free. I’m always thinking of security and how to improve my chance of surviving a break-in. I was given a tip from an experience Class A owner of pulling in my steps at night and also putting the step cover over the step well to slow down the intruder. Hopefully that will give me time to react to a break-in and take defense measures.

Any other tips.....

We did a lot of traveling, much of it at night, so we did a lot of dry camping in WMs and rest areas when we started on our fulltiming adventure. With time and experience we developed a number of techniques to reduce our risks.
I purchased 2 solar charged, battery powered, motion sensor activated lights for installation with Extreme/Outdoor Velcro under the passenger window above the stairs and below the rear bedroom window above my motorcycle on its carrier or locked to the carrier when it's off the carrier. They are quite sensitive so I usually don't leave them on driving at night or camped in a busy place. The one near the door is invaluable to light our path to the door, illuminate the deadbolt and light our way up the stairs. See pic #1
I also mounted a 6 LED 12Vdc light just in front of the door and a matching one on the opposite side of the coach. They are controlled by a lighted ON/OFF switch next to the fog light switch. They really light up the sides of the coach and beyond from ground level to above the coach when trying to navigate under low hanging branches in campgrounds.
When someone knocks on the door the first thing I do is turn on those lights and look through the entry door window and the passenger window to see who, what and how many people I'm dealing with before opening the door. See pic #2
When I do open the door I have several items within an arm's reach to discourage unwanted boarders from trying to come in. They include a small tactical flashlight and a 3 D cell MagLite(a pretty good head knocker) both with fresh batteries and bright LED bulbs. A pressurized air powered Marine Klaxon Horn is loud enough to wake the dead and draw attention to the front of the coach. A can of bear spray is a good legal substitute for pepper spray if you go north of the border or outside the coach in bear country anywhere. The aluminum Tee Ball bat might be useful for drumming some sense in somebody's head. The folding knife has a legal 3 1/2" long blade useful for cleaning your fingernails and other useful things. The big things fit in the driver's and passenger's seatback pockets and the little things fit in the cup holder in the passenger's armrest. See pic #3
I also have several small, medium and large tools that make loud bang and boom sounds but they are an absolute last resort to prevent serious injury to DW or myself.
Finally, I raise the stairs, lock the deadbolt and report "up and locked" to my DW before heading to bed. Anytime we both leave the coach or the DW stays in the coach while I leave the campground I tell her I'm locking the deadbolt and raising the stairs.
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[Bobby F]

I've been boondocking and roaming around about 70% of the time in ten or eleven states for the past few years, from the SE corner of the US up to MN. Stayed in Walmarts, Cabelas, rest stops, wide places on the road, truck stops, local parks, campgrounds, national and state parks . . . any place that looks inviting and legal, in other words.

I generally feel much safer in these spots than I do in my S&B place up in a suburb of Minneapolis.

Sure, you need to be smart - put expensive toys out of sight, lock doors, be aware all the time - but you need to do that at home, too.

[Max Headroom]

Originally Posted by Old-Biscuit

Woof, Woof, Bang

Yep, that is my plan as well. My mutts like to sleep at opposite ends of the coach, so it would be hard to sneak by them.

I do keep the stairs in, and the cover closed.

[LETMGROW]

If my wife meets them at the door in the middle of the night with her hair down and no make up on they'll leave on their own.

[ArtJoyce]

We don't "parking lot" a lot. The few times we have we picked some lots that look safe and we were out in the open, not hidden in some back corner.

Now boondocking; We once picked a spot that develop way too much traffic. Not sure what was going on? But it just did not seem right. So in the night we picked up and left.

[Crasher]

Originally Posted by LETMGROW

If my wife meets them at the door in the middle of the night with her hair down and no make up on they'll leave on their own.

WOW, you have more nerve than I have. After she reads this, let us know where to send the flowers.