Personal Safety of Trailer vs. Motorhome

[Glenn Baglo]

He?

[gordon2]

Originally Posted by Jon in AZ

Norm, you may be thinking of Willcox, not Winslow. Winslow is on I-40 near the Painted Desert in northern Arizona. Willcox is in southeastern Arizona.

All this talk about panhandlers in Winslow, Arizona, hasn’t anyone there seen a girl in a flatbed Ford slowin' down to take a look at you? It would be such a fine sight to see. In any case, we oughta take it easy. Don't let the sound of your own wheels drive you crazy. Lighten up while you still can.

[floyd]

Originally Posted by rbryan

Norm and Ginny nailed it. The key is to avoid situations where there could be a problem.

If you're going to overnight in a Wal-Mart parking lot in a busy or frequented area instead of a campground, then you can reasonably expect there will be tradeoffs for having saved a few bucks - like a bum banging on your door at 5 am.

After many years of in-route overnighting at Walmarts, truckstops, rest areas etc. We have never had anyone bang on our door, with the possible exception of someone (usually in a campground) wanting to compliment our Scamp and ask where we got it!
The panhandler's have always been at the pumps when stoppling for fuel and that has been rare and nonthreatening.

[Cathi]

Originally Posted by jen b

Violent crime has been trending steadily downwards. It's way safer now than it ever was.

I travel and camp alone quite a lot as well as going on all-day solo hikes, and I often get asked whether I feel unsafe. For women, statistically speaking, their number one danger scenario is their intimate partners and male family members, so by that measure women are probably safer ditching everybody they know and heading out camping alone.

So true.
Campgrounds are generally very safe, it seems to me, and safer than where many people live (or with whom).

There is often a host and/or ranger and they are often patrolled at night. We tend to use public places but the private ones seem very safe usually. People new to camping often question this but they will see when they are out there.

[stude]

Originally Posted by padlin00

Pretty much the same as Norm and Ginny.

Never had a good nights sleep at a WM so we avoid them if possible. From what we've seen many easy access free overnight spots attract more then their share of undesirables. I'd rather pay $30 to feel safe and sleep well.

Homilovi State Park is just outside Winslow.

:some of our best sleeps are WM especially when the tractors are there so park close to them as the drivers all sleep in their rigs, another place I have always felt safe is Rest Stops, everyone there is there to sleep and they have patrol cars going by all the time plus if there is someone serving coffee you can bet they will be watching. Sometimes there are no campgrounds available so we just find a spot alongside the Hwy and pull in for the night. Take Zion not to many camp spots there so one looks on the outside of the park down the road a ways to pull in or same for other parks like this one does the best to get into a campground but big problem today they are not $30 anymore they are more up around $45 and higher. The more I can save goes into my gas tank, if those Campgrounds that have been there forever kept their rates in the $30 range then I would be there early and stay a week.
Stude

[Raspy]

Originally Posted by floyd

Some trust inanimate objects like Smith and Wesson.
Some trust government to protect them....
I trust the Holy Spirit to guide my decisions on where to stop overnight and on whether to give charity. He has never steered me wrong, being smarter and a better friend than any useful inanimate object.
Guns don't make men anymore than wrenches make mechanics.
Proverbs 3:5-6

So, does that mean that believers never get hassled, never get ripped off, never get scared by their surroundings? Never have to call the police for help, or for that matter, never have to evaluate a situation for themselves?

I'm glad your method works for you. I'm more likely to look through the windshield and decide if the the folks standing around in the middle of the night deserve my trust, or not. And since I haven't been hassled to any great degree, I would have to say that my common sense method is just as affective as yours. Guess I'd rather look around and decide, than close my eyes and ask.

Either way, it seems believers get just as much trouble, or more, than the rest of us.

BTW, you're right, wrenches don't make mechanics, but mechanics must have tools. Tools come in many forms and they serve those best that take responsibility for themselves.

[rbryan]

I believe in faith as much as the next guy, but I can tell you that doesn't mean I should put myself in hazardous or precarious situations unnecessarily. Just my two cents.

[TomandCallie]

Originally Posted by Raspy

So, does that mean that believers never get hassled, never get ripped off, never get scared by their surroundings? Never have to call the police for help, or for that matter, never have to evaluate a situation for themselves?

I'm glad your method works for you. I'm more likely to look through the windshield and decide if the the folks standing around in the middle of the night deserve my trust, or not. And since I haven't been hassled to any great degree, I would have to say that my common sense method is just as affective as yours. Guess I'd rather look around and decide, than close my eyes and ask.

Either way, it seems believers get just as much trouble, or more, than the rest of us.

BTW, you're right, wrenches don't make mechanics, but mechanics must have tools. Tools come in many forms and they serve those best that take responsibility for themselves.

Well said! Using our "big brains" and a bit of common sense will serve us well. Trusting magic and superstition to keep us out of a jam...not so much.

[Raspy]

Cruising along through life and wanting to do more than just live under a rock, we all take chances all the time.

If someone from a couple hundred years ago was plopped down in this century, they'd be appalled at the extreme danger of driving along at 60 MPH with cars whizzing by in the other direction, just inches away. Or flying in an airliner out over the ocean. Today we're used to it and mostly think nothing of it. That doesn't mean it's safe.

Any out-of-the-ordinary experience can seem threatening as we imagine all the possible dangers and how to cope with them. Somehow we have to go forward and have experiences, if we plan to live a bit. The trick is not walking straight into a bad situation with eyes closed, like driving over a cliff, or walking out in front of a bus.

When traveling, I run into other travelers that are just as nice and honest and fun and curious as I am. Even at home, right here in my very safe neighborhood, we've had thieves, druggies and bad apples that caused plenty of problems.

The more I've travelled, the less I feel apprehensive about it. Not just while camping, but visiting the other side of the planet too. Caution is prudent. Too much fear is hobbling and ruins the trip. But the last thing I'm gonna do is decide that some higher power has nothing better to do than watch over me, and therefore, I can forget any responsibility for myself and run blissfully into the fire pit. There is a balance somewhere between carefree and cautious, between responsible and irresponsible, between reality and fantasy. Plenty of fun can be had in those gray areas.

[stude]

Originally Posted by Raspy

Cruising along through life and wanting to do more than just live under a rock, we all take chances all the time.

If someone from a couple hundred years ago was plopped down in this century, they'd be appalled at the extreme danger of driving along at 60 MPH with cars whizzing by in the other direction, just inches away. Or flying in an airliner out over the ocean. Today we're used to it and mostly think nothing of it. That doesn't mean it's safe.

Any out-of-the-ordinary experience can seem threatening as we imagine all the possible dangers and how to cope with them. Somehow we have to go forward and have experiences, if we plan to live a bit. The trick is not walking straight into a bad situation with eyes closed, like driving over a cliff, or walking out in front of a bus.

When traveling, I run into other travelers that are just as nice and honest and fun and curious as I am. Even at home, right here in my very safe neighborhood, we've had thieves, druggies and bad apples that caused plenty of problems.

The more I've travelled, the less I feel apprehensive about it. Not just while camping, but visiting the other side of the planet too. Caution is prudent. Too much fear is hobbling and ruins the trip. But the last thing I'm gonna do is decide that some higher power has nothing better to do than watch over me, and therefore, I can forget any responsibility for myself and run blissfully into the fire pit. There is a balance somewhere between carefree and cautious, between responsible and irresponsible, between reality and fantasy. Plenty of fun can be had in those gray areas.

:Raspy they don't do the speed limit any longer except for me, and I guess because I do the speed limit it can cause problems with others. But they set the speed where they thought it was safe and they just won't understand that most accidents are the cause from speed not drinking.
Stude

[Raspy]

Originally Posted by stude

:Raspy they don't do the speed limit any longer except for me, and I guess because I do the speed limit it can cause problems with others. But they set the speed where they thought it was safe and they just won't understand that most accidents are the cause from speed not drinking.
Stude

I have no idea what you mean or how this refers to my earlier post.

[k corbin]

Very bright lights are a good emergency deterrent at night time.
Lighting has always been a good anti theft deterrent and an extremely bright light aimed directly into a persons eyes is a perfect first line of defense as it will effectively blind them for several minutes. Using one will not get you into trouble with the local law enforcement as might a gun or pepper spray. Pepper spray is illegal to carry in some areas.

There are a variety of bright light options such as ones mounted to vehicles of the type police use to light up where suspicious characters might be hiding. Then there are the hand held, battery operated lanterns.

For in your pocket safety there are some super bright LED flash lights that have a lot more lumens than the average flash light uses. I would recommend all campers have one of those in their pockets, especially if you are going back and forth at night to a campground restroom facility. That and a can of pepper spray in the other pocket will serve you well in an emergency. The bright light in their eyes gives you that extra few seconds to decide if you really do need to deploy the more aggressive use of pepper spray. This kind of thing is what would work with a pan handler who comes up to you or to your door. But it does no bodily harm to them and you won't find yourself in really deep trouble with the local law enforcement for having used a very bright light in a person's eyes unless of course it was a law enforcement person who came to your door. They will be very annoyed with you but that is OK, they will at least respect you for using non lethal self defense.

Another possible self defense weapon is a taser stun gun. At least you won't have nearly as much trouble with the law having used on on a person trying as if you shot a person with a bullet. Some states do allow you to have them in your home. Many states do require a carry permit to have them in your car or on your persons. But your trailer is often considered to be a "home". Of course always check the local laws for the areas you plan to travel in. Of course if you have stunned an aggressive person you will also want to have on hand a roll of duct tape and/or some big heavy plastic zip ties. Those two items are handy to travel with anyway.

SOS signal blast from an air horn is also a good deterrent and it will certainly get your neighbors looking out the window to see what is going down at your place. Some people who travel install them on the outside and have a switch to operate them inside of the trailer. Apparently also useful for scaring away large wildlife who get too close to your trailer.

So anyway in conclusion there are alternatives to carrying guns. Many people will be more comfortable with these alternatives. Every city offers courses in self defense and if you are concerned for your safety while at home or while traveling do attend one.

[Hazel in Sk]

I can't imagine being in a place that requires me to carry a gun 'for safety'. Used to own a variety of guns when we lived on a farm - various ones for a variety of purposes (none of which involved pointing one at another person). We use a dose of common sense and aim to be in a campground every night. Never stopped at a store parking lot - but have taken naps at a truck stop. In this more rural part off the world pan handlers aren't seen very much. Never experienced anything dangerous or threatening that involved another person while camping. We did have a visit from a grizzly bear at Jasper many years ago and another a couple of weeks ago at Kananaskis.

[Raspy]

Originally Posted by Hazel in Sk

I can't imagine being in a place that requires me to carry a gun 'for safety'. Used to own a variety of guns when we lived on a farm - various ones for a variety of purposes (none of which involved pointing one at another person). We use a dose of common sense and aim to be in a campground every night. Never stopped at a store parking lot - but have taken naps at a truck stop. In this more rural part off the world pan handlers aren't seen very much. Never experienced anything dangerous or threatening that involved another person while camping. We did have a visit from a grizzly bear at Jasper many years ago and another a couple of weeks ago at Kananaskis.

You're absolutely right. Why would anyone deliberately go into a war zone to camp and be prepared to protect that endeavor with weapons. Crazy.

I'm not trying to promote gun carrying here. But if you go to where you are in a remote place, meaning you are away from the normal norms of society and can't just dial 911 for help in three minutes, and you simply want peace, but get confronted by someone with a different agenda, what do you do?

It's not about deliberately going to a place where you need guns to defend yourself.

While you are out by yourself, you can lock the door, place large boots outside the door with a dog bowl, have a recording of a big dog and hide while hoping the lock is strong enough. You can raise your voice. You can yell. You can set off the car alarm. You can hope. But if it comes down to something life threatening, are you willing to just take what you get, or hope for the best, or are you willing to fight for your life?

All of these threats are extremely unlikely, of course. So play the odds, if that works for you. But if you are willing fight for your life, and I hope that scenario never happens, what do you do?

It seems like overkill to be all paranoid and weaponed up, but having a tool with you, that you hopefully never need, is not necessarily a bad thing.

And it may be nothing more than wasp spray or bear spray. But to simply reject any tools simply because the idea goes against peaceful camping, may not make sense.

[floyd]

Originally Posted by Raspy

So, does that mean that believers never get hassled, never get ripped off, never get scared by their surroundings? Never have to call the police for help, or for that matter, never have to evaluate a situation for themselves?

I'm glad your method works for you. I'm more likely to look through the windshield and decide if the the folks standing around in the middle of the night deserve my trust, or not. And since I haven't been hassled to any great degree, I would have to say that my common sense method is just as affective as yours. Guess I'd rather look around and decide, than close my eyes and ask.

Either way, it seems believers get just as much trouble, or more, than the rest of us.

BTW, you're right, wrenches don't make mechanics, but mechanics must have tools. Tools come in many forms and they serve those best that take responsibility for themselves.

Nothing you have said above is remotely relevant to my post.
BTW...I assume you meant "effective"...or maybe not?

[Raspy]

floyd,

Actually, I responded directly to the main premise of your post #40 with a detailed response. How is that not relevant? Perhaps you missed the point of personal responsibility vs. a magical overseer that takes responsibility away from you for your safety. I'm glad, once again, that you have a system that satisfies you. I'm curious about it.

As Glenn so aptly said: He? Please clarify. A higher power with a gender?

No offense intended. Perhaps you'd like to share.

BTW, it appears you intended to imply that you were quoting Proverbs 3:5-6 in post number 40. But I can't find the words "wrenches" or "mechanic" in there anywhere. Again, please clarify.

[rbryan]

This is nonsense. Nothing good ever comes of debating religion on an RV forum. Please stop.

[Raspy]

Originally Posted by rbryan

This is nonsense. Nothing good ever comes of debating religion on an RV forum. Please stop.

You're right. My bad. Let's move on.

[LyleB]

A little different take on safety of using a travel trailer vs a motor home:

You spend much more of your time traveling, moving from place to place with either option than you do fending off aggressive bystanders. In that light, take a look at the safety of riding down the highway in a vehicle designed with accident protection engineered into it (a tow vehicle) vs a vehicle engineered for extreme light weight convenience (a motor home).

Which will protect you more in a collision, which is a much more likely scenario than an intruder?

RV Motorhome Crash-Worthiness | GrizzlyLaw.com

[dcs02d]

I come here for the NOT politics... but since you asked I carry the XM42.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BYgnOc6Cd34