What would you do?

[Mary F]

[Karalyn]

That happened to us about 41 yrs ago, before cell phones. We were in a farmers field camping by the lake and about 2 AM there was a knock on the door asking if my sister in law was in there. Needless to say being out in the boonies we were frightened. They said they were the local police and there was a family emergency at home (over 1000 miles away). No we did NOT open the door, told them we would check it out and waited for them to leave. We waited awhile before finally leaving the trailer to go donw the road a few miles to the pay phone. We were really frightened over that early morning knock. We thought it was someone out to get us and very afraid to open the door.
As we looked back we should have known that only my folks could have sent them to the location with a message like that (my parents knew exactly where we were). The cops had our names, etc, Still no way we were opening the door to anyone in the middle of the night, cop or not. We had no way of seeing outside without them seeing us.
I sure am glad for cell phones, but once again, they usually don't work out in the boonies.
And for those of you who wonder why I just don't go camping alone and enjoy my camper more ---------I am so very afraid that I will break down on the road, or have a very frightful meeting with some weirdo somewhere along the way. I dream of camping and yep, I am afraid to venture out on my own. You are right, the chances of something happening in my own safe zone is probably greater, but I am really frightened of the unknown.
By the way there was a family emergency that night, so we packed up and headed to Pennsylvania with my sister in law who's husband had passed away in his sleep.

[Byron Kinnaman]

Originally Posted by Francesca Knowles

Important Safety Tip For People That Like To Beat Me To My Favorite Campsite(s):

The fact is, everyplace that I like to camp is very, very, very dangerous.
I recommend that absolutely NO One should camp where I camp.
Ever.
Because, as I mentioned, it's much too dangerous for anyone to camp there.

Hope I've made myself clear....

The same way with where I camp. If it's not the bad guys, it's the bears, or cougars that'll get you. Maybe a stray wolf or coyote will get you. At night every little noise is something out to get you. A knock on the door is the worst is probably a bear too lazy to rip the door off or maybe it's "Big Foot" that thinks I might make a good dinner.

[Byron Kinnaman]

Now to answer the original question.. I first ask through the door what they wanted. I would assume that there's some sort of problem that needs my attention.
I also assume that if it was a bad he would be inside the trailer before I was awake, so a knock wouldn't be assumed to be a bad guy.

[RRJR]

Many years ago while camping @ Algonquin Pk in Ontario we met a young lady (Knockout) camping in a tent on her own. We ask if she felt safe camping alone. She said look here-- she produced a pair on well used size 14 muddy work boots and said " I just put these out side my tent door each night". Ya that would work.

Ron

[honda03842]

2500 nights camping and not one weird event. I believe one must be prepared but the probablities are low for negative events while camping or actually most anywhere.

Take Carol's number that 5000 pedestrians were killed by cars in 2010 inthe USA Assume 350,000,000 citizens walking 150 times a year. That amounts but 5000 out of 5,000,000,000 walking events in 2010. Maybe 1 in 1,000,000 chances of getting hit while walking.

By the way pedestrian deaths are highest for those 5-9 year old and lowest for those over 65.....

Life is generally safe though one should always be paying attention.

[cpaharley2008]

Originally Posted by RRJR

Many years ago while camping @ Algonquin Pk in Ontario we met a young lady (Knockout) camping in a tent on her own. We ask if she felt safe camping alone. She said look here-- she produced a pair on well used size 14 muddy work boots and said " I just put these out side my tent door each night". Ya that would work.

Ron

Are you saying the young lady was a knockout or that was the name where you were camping?

[john warren]

maybe i'm just too trusting,,, but i assume just because 1 time out of the few billion nights of camping that are done something bad happens, that the odds are pretty much in favor thats its just someone asking for help,,,or offering help.

i would not answer the door with a loaded firearm.

i would not carry on in a grumpy uncivilised manor.

i would offer my help if i could, or thank the person for their concern if needed.


seriously,compared with all the nights people have camped, how many times has anything bad happened ? aside fromn that ignorent so and so that refuses to pick up after his dog. and as much as you want it too,,,a loaded handgun does not provide the answer to that problelm.

[Byron Kinnaman]

When I'm out really boondocking, miles away from campgrounds, my first thought there's a forest fire and either the sheriff dept or the forest service is trying to warn me. Second there's somebody with a problem that needs help.

As for the gun thing, I agree with john warren. Furthermore I feel sorry for those that are so paranoid that they feel the need to always be armed. It must be a life of hell.

[john warren]

Originally Posted by Francesca Knowles

Why, Carol-

I think you suspect my motives in posting the above warning when in reality I'm merely very, very, very concerned about the safety, peace of mind, and camping experience of my fellow campers...

Everyplace I camp is very very dangerous, believe you me. And that's true even BEFORE I get there, as evidenced by this real true picture showing evidence of the Kind of Creature That Lives There:



I'm only telling you all this for your own good............................

dont fret about that,,,its my sister in law,,, she must have been carrying something as her knucles didn't drag in the sand too.

[Carol H]

Originally Posted by john warren

dont fret about that,,,its my sister in law,,, she must have been carrying something as her knucles didn't drag in the sand too.

Really I just thought it was just Bigfoot, no need to fear of him either, as so far he has been running around the forests of BC of hundreds of years and has not hurt a camper yet.

[john warren]

yes, she is often thought to be a sasquatch,,,but you can tell the difference , her back has much more hair.


(p.s. i will deny i ever said this if asked by my wife)

[Byron Kinnaman]

sasquatch,sasquatch where art thou? You've been spotted in BC, AB, WA, OR, CA, IA, WV, KY, GA, and FL. Maybe this will shed some light on our hairy friend.

How many unsuspecting campers have you and your family had for dinner? Campers beware, they're everywhere, right along with vampires and werewolfs. Be sure and carry your oak stake to drive into the heart of these beasts for a gun do no damage.

[john warren]

ok,,, was thinking about this thread,,,, and about our trip this weekend ...and my wifes comment about everyone always looking at our trailer......
(being MR. Suave, i told her they were just checking her out, and it was her fault for being so beautiful)

but,,, if someone knocked on our door,,,i would probably assume it was another camper wanting a tour of what is clearly the coolest trailer in the campground.

[Francesca Knowles]

Originally Posted by john warren

dont fret about that,,,its my sister in law,,, she must have been carrying something as her knucles didn't drag in the sand too.

Originally Posted by Carol H

Really I just thought it was just Bigfoot, no need to fear of him either, as so far he has been running around the forests of BC of hundreds of years and has not hurt a camper yet.

Originally Posted by john warren

yes, she is often thought to be a sasquatch,,,but you can tell the difference , her back has much more hair.

I see there's some misunderstanding surrounding the picture I posted...guess I should have photoshopped my footprints out of it!

I very nearly stepped on that creature with the hair on its.... "face"- have you any idea how hard it is to get something like that out from between your bare toes?????

Francesca

[Gene Masse]

Make sure they hear me racking one in with my 12 gauge. I don't want to take a chance of getting shot in the "peep hole"!

[itlives]

[Carol H]

Originally Posted by john warren

(p.s. i will deny i ever said this if asked by my wife)

John, I highly recommend that you delete it while you still can!

Ok so I guess its time for me to answer the actual question.

I would also just ask who was there and most probably open the door. Although I will admit that when in an area with phone coverage I do keep the phone within reach at night.

The one and only time I can say that I have ever felt uncomfortable while camping and wondering how safe the location really was, happened at one camping spot last winter in the Arizona desert. During the day I had noticed a *lot* of people who where camping in the area out doing target practise with handguns out in the open on public lands - being an nothern girl thats not something I had ever seen before. I also noticed that every other cactus along the roadways in that area had gun holes through them. I didn't feel in that situation that there was safety in numbers, in fact the opposite was true, I felt very unsafe as a result of to many people camping there with guns. As a result of my profession I have spent a good deal of time in US water ports and I am aware of what can happen when people get into heated arguments and they just happen to have a gun on them to help make their point. Not something I want to see again. I firmly believe that anytime you have a group of strangers sitting around a campfire and perhaps drinking a little to much and they are all carrying guns you are at a far higher risk of seeing guns being used for some stupid reason with fatal consequence's, than you do of being robbed at gun point in your trailer.

As I said the above is simple my opinion based on personal experiences and no doubt more than a little unduly influenced by my country of origin.

[theresa p]

the only night we have ever felt anxious about boondocking, we were awakened at 3 am....by the walmart parking sweeper! he apologized--in advance--for the noise his machine might make, telling us he didn't think it fair to just start the machine up without any notice. then he wished us a great night~!!

generally, when we do boondock, we're not solo. there does seem comfort to us in safety in numbers.

i've not boondocked alone, though. i bet i'd feel completely different about a wake-up knock at my door if dennis wasn't there with me.

[Jim Bennett]

In a campground, or out boondocking, I would just open the door and ask 'What's up?". Besides, our door is rarely locked anyway.

I tend not to worry about trivial stuff like this, looking for a worse case scenario.