Scamp Not for sale

[Paul O.]

We got home form a day trip to the Rocky Mountain NP and found this taped to the door. No, not for sale, I still hope to use it for a lot of years!

[Iowa Dave]

Originally Posted by Paul O.

We got home form a day trip to the Rocky Mountain NP and found this taped to the door. No, not for sale, I still hope to use it for a lot of years!

I have not seen that technique for quite a few years. Rita had an uncle who would decide on a particular past model and color. When he would spot his desired vehicle parked downtown he would put a note under the windshield wiper.
It read “I would like to buy your car” and his phone number. The last one he bought was a white 1961 Pontiac Bonneville. After that (about 1970) he bought off the lot but had that Bonneville for about 10 years. Takes all kinds.
Iowa Dave

[Alex Adams]

This happens to me at least once a year (except last year). I also get a lot of people stopping and asking when driving by while I am in the yard and the trailer is out (happened twice Since April). Same reply as Paul's!

[Glenn Baglo]

Hasn't happened to me, but I have had people ask how much mine cost and then choke when I tell them.

[parmm]

I have a Thule galvanized utility trailer that if I leave it parked in the drive way, people will stop and want to buy it. Thule does not make utiltiy trailers any more. And no, it is not for sale!!!

[Reinout]

I know this post is older but:

When we lived in Tacoma we had our Scamp parked behind a 6' wood fence and the road was about another 2' lower than the fence. If someone drove by the home you could not see the scamp. The only place you could actually see the top of it (really just the AC and part of the roof), was about 500' away from down the road.

We also lived down a dead-end street that nobody except our neighbors would go down. One day we noticed a dark SUV driving up and down our street, not once but three times. We've had issues with lurkers and homes being cased in the past so I wanted them to know that we've seen them.

I stepped outside and went to the end of our driveway and pretty much stared them down. The truck SUV pulled up to me and one thing I noticed is that the truck didn't have plates. But they knew they'd been spotted. So he asked if I'm selling my Scamp or if my neighbor is selling his travel trailer (which is only visible if you drive down the private alley).

I was very direct with the fact that there's no way he or any of his passengers would have been able to see the Scamp, that their vehicle has been recorded, that my trailer or my neighbor's trailer are not for sale.

So while the note might be harmless, they could have also been casing and someone noticed this. In an attempt to cover up they left a legitimate looking note that they were really looking to buy the trailer.

I'm not trying to be an alarmist, but it's worth considering.

Two weeks later someone a few blocks over had their trailer stolen.

[Meadowlark]

The best deterrent to criminals like that is being nosy, knowing all your neighbors, what they drive and who their kids are. I live on a dead end road, which helps because thieves don't like to have to turn around at the end and come back. Even so, we had a situation a few weeks before christmas where a pair of ne'er do wells pulled into my neighbors driveway, and shut of their truck's lights but left it running. The girl from the truck got out with her cell phone/s flashlight on and the guy was approaching my neighbor's truck when my neighbor came outof the house. He demanded to know who the hell they were and what were they doing in his driveway? Oh, we need some gas money, the guy said.
My neighbor is pretty sharp. He said, oh, just a minute, I'll get you some cash, and went into his garage...and his wife, seeing the whole thing, called the sheriff. The two thieves literallly stood there, unable to believe their luck, I guess, when my neighbor came out with a handgun. He put them on their knees, and just then the sheriff's deputy showed up.

We figure they were there to steal his catalytic converter. It infuriated the whole neighborhood, though, when the deputy discovered the guy had a warrant out fore his arrest in the next county...and LET THEM GO. Because "our jail is full."


But...they haven't been back since.

[Darrell in Al]

I've had to many people who have "tried" to a point, a few that didn't understand no and a few that were stupid enough to try forcing the issue. One that I remember well was the Dumb A## that tried to tell me that I was going to sell my Scamp Deluxe and what she was going to give me for it. After I said many times over it wasn't for sale she tried to be threatening me and to have her husband to try too. Her and husband had to almost have a meeting with a "higher power" education. I'm currently post 2rd occupation. First one wasn't that friendly / nice in solving problems.... more of direct end situation permanently type. Stupidly I've had a few since that one, but quickly resolved. Some people refuse to understand simply language of "not for sale" or leave now.
I try to be civil with most people and really want to be left alone. But I have characteristics of being blunt and to point on many things and highly opinionated among some other traits.

[Meadowlark]

When people like the ones you met, Darrell TELL you what you're going to do, the only thing you can do is they way you responded. They depend on you 'being civil' despite the fact that they, pointedly, are NOT.

In the last year or so, I've gotten phone calls from people who insist my house is for sale and they're going to give me cash for it.
WHen I say It's not for sale, they then treat me as if was so senile and stupid that duh I forgot. I don't treat them civilly from then on. If they're so rude as to try and force me to sell, I don't believe in giving them the benefit of the doubt. Having spent many years as a mechanic in the Army, I"ve learned to cuss in half a dozen languages and don't hesitate to use them.

[Campingbliss]

I was driving down the road when a white ford truck pulled up along side me and rolled down his window. I was worried something was wrong so I rolled down my window and he asked "how much for your camper?". I told him it's not for sale. He persisted and offered me $10,000 cash. I just laughed. Are you kidding me?

[Meadowlark]

The scary thing about that, CampingBliss, is now you wonder, is he going to follow me and find out where I keep my camper...and one day I come out to find it missing? In situations like that, I keep going, I won't go home until the would be buyer...l(somehow I doubt he had 10K cash in his wallet) gives up and stops following me. If necessary, drive to the nearest cop shop.

[Campingbliss]

I have had people follow me into library parking lots, grocery lots and come up to me at trailheads to just ask about my camper. These fiberglass campers attract a lot of attention, and in most instances, they just want to look at them and find out more about them. I have actually made friends from these interactions that I continue to hike with from time to time. But I agree, It's best to be vigilant. I always have 2 or 3 locking systems on my Scamp to deter the criminal element. Of course, locks only keep honest people honest, I'm aware of that, but I try not to make it easier for criminals.

[Meadowlark]

Not so long ago, maybe ten years, Casita had a program where if you showed your camper to someone who subsequently bought one, you got a check for $100 dollars. We had several people 'want to take a look' and we did show it to some folks.

We never got any money from Casita. So I'm not sure if casita actually paid out, or if the lookylou didn't buy one.


But it's sad, now I am really hesitant to allow a total stranger to look in my camper.

If I'min a camp ground, that's one thing. Or in a public place, like a shopping center parking lot. But come to my house? Uh uh, not any more.



And we keep our casita anchored. Yes, anchored. When we built the shed for it, we put one heck of a lot of concrete buried in the ground where the tongue rests, and chain her to that. We don't have much crime in my area, the one incident I related earlier being the only one in a year...but that's not saying much, because overall, crime has just exploded, everywhere. there are some people who will steal ANYTHING.

[justa25thTA]

To be fair, everything I own is for sale. Not cheap but available.

[Paul O.]

Originally Posted by justa25thTA

To be fair, everything I own is for sale. Not cheap but available.

And that would be true in my case as well. Maybe I should have called and asked for the offer I could not refuse.

[Jon Vermilye]

Originally Posted by Meadowlark

Not so long ago, maybe ten years, Casita had a program where if you showed your camper to someone who subsequently bought one, you got a check for $100 dollars. We had several people 'want to take a look' and we did show it to some folks.

We never got any money from Casita. So I'm not sure if casita actually paid out, or if the lookylou didn't buy one.


But it's sad, now I am really hesitant to allow a total stranger to look in my camper.

If I'min a camp ground, that's one thing. Or in a public place, like a shopping center parking lot. But come to my house? Uh uh, not any more.



And we keep our casita anchored. Yes, anchored. When we built the shed for it, we put one heck of a lot of concrete buried in the ground where the tongue rests, and chain her to that. We don't have much crime in my area, the one incident I related earlier being the only one in a year...but that's not saying much, because overall, crime has just exploded, everywhere. there are some people who will steal ANYTHING.

Escape still has an "ambassador" program; I've received many checks from them showing either my 17B or 21C, although I have showed the trailer many more times than I received checks...

[Dudley]

had quite a few folks ask if our old Ventura was for sale. Been chased down in parking lots. Not so much with the Casita. We did come home to find a note on our truck, but it was to ask if the truck was for sale. Its a nice 2004 F150 Heritage (leftover 2003) but its not going anywhere anytime soon.

[jerrybob]

Overall.....life is still pretty good. You can't live in fear and shouldn't. Be smart and be safe. I still confront the idiots if they come into my space......there has always been idiots.......I don't see that changing. Don't be afraid.....just be smart......live life to the fullest........go camping.....enjoy.

[David Tilston]

Originally Posted by jerrybob

Overall.....life is still pretty good. You can't live in fear and shouldn't. Be smart and be safe. I still confront the idiots if they come into my space......there has always been idiots.......I don't see that changing. Don't be afraid.....just be smart......live life to the fullest........go camping.....enjoy.

I could not agree more.