Safety in Government Campgrounds

[Jann Todd]

Originally Posted by RV Doctor

Hi All.
Wanted to ask a question on camping in National, State and County Park Campgrounds.
We are leaving Mexico soon after a wonderful three months and are returning to the US for a while before heading back to Canada.
With the Federal Government problems a lot of folks have expressed concern about certain essential services being compromised. It made me think that in a lot of government parks lately there has not been a visible presence of Rangers, Police and even the Hosts which normally are around to keep an eye on things.
We have seen an increasing number of homeless and sketchy people in a lot of these Campgrounds and are concerned that crime may increase without proper security.
We really like these parks and prefer them but in the last year have seen a huge increase in junky and cluttered campsites along with living in cars and loud and inappropriate behaviour. We have been afraid that because we don’t want or possess any kind of weapons that we could be vulnerable to gun violence. We are always mindful of our surroundings and will avoid uncomfortable situations but when you are camping and that site is your home, what do you do?
It just seems that with cutbacks increasing, safety is at risk.

Big Bend National Park in TX and Organ Pipe National Park in AZ tells you that it is dangerous and camp at your own risk because of bandits in the areas. We were told directly at Big Bend and saw it about Organ Pipe.

[Jann Todd]

Originally Posted by lewisma9

Another way to look at RV crime is to note all the new security products that have come online. For example, many/most RVs now come with locking water tanks (to prevent anyone from adding distasteful or dangerous stuff, I presume); locking front containers for batteries &/or propane tanks; I even saw a lockable cap to go over the front ball joint connecter, so someone can't haul off your trailer when you are away.

Now, this could just be the market taking advantage of nervous consumers. But it also could be the result of our times, when this kind of crime is indeed more prevalent. I don't know the answer.

The locks for the ball connector makes sense because many trailers are stolen even out of people's yards. We have one and also a pad lock on the latch so the trailer can't come off accidentally when traveling. In the campgrounds we put both on. There has been some big discussions on this site about this very thing. One person even had their trailer stolen out of their yard with only the chains because they had a ball lock. Locking water fillers are definitely good. Thieves will take anything that you don't have locked or idiots will do anything they can for fun like putting bad stuff in your water tank. At least if your stuff is locked they will go to the next trailer where it isn't locked.

[Glenn Baglo]

I want to know if RV Doctor has ever been called out to remove a teen's penis from a trailer water filler. Anybody else seen these teens in the act?

[Jann Todd]

Originally Posted by Glenn Baglo

I want to know if RV Doctor has ever been called out to remove a teen's penis from a trailer water filler. Anybody else seen these teens in the act?

I can imagine some teen or even younger person peeing in a water tank thinking it was funny. I have a bunch of nephews and you would be shocked at what boys will do for fun. They are really good young men but have told stories of things they did as pranks. They never got into trouble but just had fun.

[Byron Kinnaman]

Originally Posted by Jann Todd

Big Bend National Park in TX and Organ Pipe National Park in AZ tells you that it is dangerous and camp at your own risk because of bandits in the areas. We were told directly at Big Bend and saw it about Organ Pipe.

THIS IS BS. We just left Organ Pipe Cactus NM after over 3 week there. We've camped there for several years and never never a problem. This just plane bad publicity.

[RV Doctor]

Glenn.
I am not in that business let me assure you! I have dealt with all manner of bodily fluids and solids in working on waste tanks and that is bad enough!
The neighbour kid to my customer was about 7 years old. He had a spat with the customers kid and thought he would get back at him!
Some day I am going to do a stand up comedy routine. It will be titled 101 RV Tales and All that you DIDNT want to know about RVing!

[RogerDat]

I think the point is good about anecdote vs hard data but just based on my own experience I know a whole lot of people who have been in auto accidents, fewer that have been robbed, and even less than that who have been the victim of violent crime.

People will tell the story of the "bad" experience often, and the people that hear it will be more likely to both pay attention and repeat it if there is an element of threat or danger.

And two people can view same conflict totally differently.

Brother in law and sister where a good example of this when talking about how he went to talk to some rowdy campers who were being very noisy late at night. Sisters version involved concerns for every horrible consequence of mob action one can think of, his version was I went over and told them I would call the cops if that what it takes to make them obey the quiet hours. One was a little mouthy but I told him the government spent a lot on training me to kill and hurt people and if he thought he could do better than the Viet Cong he should just up and try. They toned it down and one of them told the mouthy one to shut up, it was all good.

I have been at places while traveling that struck me as sketchy, so I kept going. My instincts said something's not right. I listened. Transients can be a target for crime but most of that is due to not knowing where to avoid. At home we know where not to be or go. Especially with expensive items.

I was once warned off of going to far end of island in Bahamas by bus driver. He said you be there too late, be dark soon and not safe for you and lady. No bus back, taxi's don't go there at night. Go tomorrow in morning. I was simply ignorant of anything beyond there was a beach and market there. I listened and didn't go. Most campground in state and federal parks are not "unknown".

[Jann Todd]

Originally Posted by Byron Kinnaman

THIS IS BS. We just left Organ Pipe Cactus NM after over 3 week there. We've camped there for several years and never never a problem. This just plane bad publicity.

Organ Pipe is so close to Mexico that we were warned. If in a nice campground that is patrolled it is probably safe. It's not everyday that this happens but a warning is a warning.

[Glenn Baglo]

Originally Posted by RV Doctor

Some day I am going to do a stand up comedy routine. It will be titled 101 RV Tales and All that you DIDNT want to know about RVing!

Better, sounds like a 'Reality TV' show.

[RV Doctor]

Jann.
We were in Organ Pipe two years ago. We were on a hike south of the campground to ? Old cabin.
Saw a dude heading North with WHITE skin. I mean SNOW WHITE! He was dressed all in black. And dressed like a hiker.
He waved as we passed and he didn’t want to be seen.
It wasn’t a problem.

[floyd]

Originally Posted by Jann Todd

The locks for the ball connector makes sense because many trailers are stolen even out of people's yards. We have one and also a pad lock on the latch so the trailer can't come off accidentally when traveling. In the campgrounds we put both on. There has been some big discussions on this site about this very thing. One person even had their trailer stolen out of their yard with only the chains because they had a ball lock. Locking water fillers are definitely good. Thieves will take anything that you don't have locked or idiots will do anything they can for fun like putting bad stuff in your water tank. At least if your stuff is locked they will go to the next trailer where it isn't locked.

I never thought about it much but my 13Scamp has a 1-7/8" coupler, that's about as effective as a coupler lock since the vast majority of hitches have 2"

[Byron Kinnaman]

Originally Posted by Jann Todd

Organ Pipe is so close to Mexico that we were warned. If in a nice campground that is patrolled it is probably safe. It's not everyday that this happens but a warning is a warning.

I suggest you look at the map and see exactly where both Organ Pipe and Big BEnd are located.
From Big Bend it's well over 100 miles to the nearest town and it anit much.
The desert from Organ Pipe is rough mountains and anybody that tries to cross is looking to die. There's at least two Border Patrol check points to go through to get any where in the US. Not so much happening this year, in years past there was a large presents of border patrol in the camp ground. Along with state and local law enforcement regular patrols and National Park enforcement people.
In my opinion Organ Pipe Cactus NM is the safest in the National Park System. The biggest worry in Organ Pipe Cactus in "Jumpin Cholla".

[WizWid]

Originally Posted by Byron Kinnaman

I suggest you look at the map and see exactly where both Organ Pipe and Big BEnd are located.
From Big Bend it's well over 100 miles to the nearest town and it anit much.
The desert from Organ Pipe is rough mountains and anybody that tries to cross is looking to die. There's at least two Border Patrol check points to go through to get any where in the US. Not so much happening this year, in years past there was a large presents of border patrol in the camp ground. Along with state and local law enforcement regular patrols and National Park enforcement people.
In my opinion Organ Pipe Cactus NM is the safest in the National Park System. The biggest worry in Organ Pipe Cactus in "Jumpin Cholla".

On my map - Organ pipe touches the border. Am I missing something?

[Byron Kinnaman]

Originally Posted by widgetwizard

On my map - Organ pipe touches the border. Am I missing something?

What's the area like North of the border?

[steve dunham]

Originally Posted by Jann Todd

The parks do know which campsites are reserved. Reserve America has to send the park a list of reserved sites every day so the signs can be put on the site of who and for how long the site is for. I've never run into a park that had a site empty that the park ranger would not let you have for one night. They never let you have more than one night in case there has been a reservation for the next night. Sounds like the ranger just wanted the park to get the fee.

Just explain one thing to me , If I go outside the Ranger Station, connect with Reserve America on my phone , make a reservation with Reserve America , give Reserve America my VISA account # and pay Reserve America a reservation fee , How does the Park Ranger or the Park come out ahead ?
After thinking about it your probably right , the park ranger has found a way to have Reserve America launder the money from the reservation fees and direct deposit it in his Swiss bank account.