Safe traveling tips for RVers in uncertain times

[AbdRahim]

Unfortunately I feel it necessary to carry Pepper spray everyday. It is at the ready, always. Even Though I have a carry permit and have trained with this option I choose not to carry everyday. At night, when camping or on the road, I'll carry but just going about my day I choose not to carry.
To get into the philosophy a bit, if you do not have a weapon, you will think twice about a sketchy situation and choose not to go there. With a weapon you might have more "confidence" a sketchy situation is OK to proceed.
At a gas pump, pepper spray or equivalent is a much better choice, in my opinion. Too many innocents around, and volatile substances.
Those that know me understand my physical limitations regarding retreating, but that is always the second option, the first option is not to put myself in that position. Using deadly force is way, way down on the list of options for me. But deadly force is on the list, like the "nuclear" option.

Although, I don't like sketchy situations, under any circumstances. Avoidance is always the best weapon, in my opinion.

 

[sealab2021]

Neal, I enjoy your posts they are always informative and helpful. However I don’t know where you’re hanging out but it seems like you have had some issues. It all comes down to age and risk tolerance. I can see some people in the rv community as being targets, wealthy older etc. I don’t have any issues because I’m younger and have a hardened demeanor about me. If someone comes up and tries to hustle me I tell them to beat it. Best advice and I agree with posters here, dress casually and have nothing suspicious like the nra/ political stickers and the like. I have seen it, not assuming anyone here does that. I personally carry a maple stick/club it’s not a weapon just a piece of wood I found laying on the ground, also fire extinguishers are handy for things other than fires, in my car I carry a mag light that has 4 c cells. Works as a legitimate flashlight and an improvised club. Best advice, avoid sketchy areas, don’t talk to strangers and always keep your head on a swivel, don’t be an easy mark.

also more importantly be aware of common tourist scams. Look them up, when I was in Seattle I watched as hustlers would hand a home made cd to Asian tourists then refuse to take the cd back them make a scene while yelling at them and demand payment. Not speaking very good English most of them just give the hustlers money to leave them alone. Lots of great YouTube videos on the tourist/traveler scams. It’s worth checking out.

most often I have seen the average looking middle aged guy, drives a decent looking car at a gas station that walks up to you and tells you a sob story about he is traveling and lost his wallet and doesn’t have money for gas, says he’s trying to visit his daughter in college. It’s believable for some people, problem is the scam was so common that everyone in the area was aware of it.

 

[Retired]

Bear spray. Sabre Frontiersman is 50% stronger than the pepper spray the police use and has 35' range. A 2 pack will run you about $60.

 

[sealab2021]

Bear spray. Sabre Frontiersman is 50% stronger than the pepper spray the police use and has 35' range. A 2 pack will run you about $60.

I agree, but bear spray has limitations by federal law. You cannot use them on people. However, that’s being better than dead. Be aware of your local laws using bear spray on people. This is why I carry a fire extinguisher. Be careful friend, in most situations by using bear spray YOU are the criminal.

 

[FL-JOE]

Neal, I enjoy your posts they are always informative and helpful. However I don’t know where you’re hanging out but it seems like you have had some issues. It all comes down to age and risk tolerance. I can see some people in the rv community as being targets, wealthy older etc. I don’t have any issues because I’m younger and have a hardened demeanor about me. If someone comes up and tries to hustle me I tell them to beat it. Best advice and I agree with posters here, dress casually and have nothing suspicious like the nra/ political stickers and the like. I have seen it, not assuming anyone here does that. I personally carry a maple stick/club it’s not a weapon just a piece of wood I found laying on the ground, also fire extinguishers are handy for things other than fires, in my car I carry a mag light that has 4 c cells. Works as a legitimate flashlight and an improvised club. Best advice, avoid sketchy areas, don’t talk to strangers and always keep your head on a swivel, don’t be an easy mark.

also more importantly be aware of common tourist scams. Look them up, when I was in Seattle I watched as hustlers would hand a home made cd to Asian tourists then refuse to take the cd back them make a scene while yelling at them and demand payment. Not speaking very good English most of them just give the hustlers money to leave them alone. Lots of great YouTube videos on the tourist/traveler scams. It’s worth checking out.

most often I have seen the average looking middle aged guy, drives a decent looking car at a gas station that walks up to you and tells you a sob story about he is traveling and lost his wallet and doesn’t have money for gas, says he’s trying to visit his daughter in college. It’s believable for some people, problem is the scam was so common that everyone in the area was aware of it.

To fully understand Neil's post you quoted, and most of the other ones from back in that portion of 2020, you have to remember all the news coverage of those "peaceful protestors" storming through outdoor cafes terrorizing everyone. There was also footage of RVs getting stuck in stopped traffic due to those idiots and the protectors actually climbing on top of the RVs. Obviously things have calmed down in some parts of the country now.

Personal safety/security for RVers should always be an active topic IMHO. Even though I don't agree with some ideas that are shared I think it helps keep everyone thinking about it.

 

[lemondrop9344]

Some very interesting perspectives posted.
When things go south, it happens very quickly & you wonder..... how could I have missed this? Where did he come from & how did he get this close to me? Fortunately, it was only a drunken panhandler who was satisfied with a $5.00 bill. Were other alternatives available, most assuredly. However, my negligence allowed me to be in this situation & I wanted to disengage & distance myself from him as quickly as possible without escalation.
Avoidance is always the best solution, if possible.

 

[Dona40]

Walk softly and carry a really big stick. If something happens and nobody sees it, then nothing happened.

 

[Gramps.busa]

What brand pepper spray is the most effective. What about Bear spray ?

 

[NGC 613]

Wife and I carry what the park Rangers use. Counter Assault. Has the longest range of any and is very potent.
We carried ours on our hips, like an old western gun slinger the entire time we worked in at Colter Bay last year.
Matter fact every body carries when you work there. If you stay there long enough you'll figure out they are around you daily.


Amazon.com : Counter Assault Bear Spray with Holster, 10.2 oz

 

[TJ&LadyDi]

When things go south, it happens very quickly & you wonder..... how could I have missed this? Where did he come from & how did he get this close to me?

This is why the very best tool in your security toolbox is situational awareness. Folks who have been in law enforcement know that being aware of your surroundings is critical. Being observant helps you avoid potentially troublesome situations and/or prepares you for the possibility that you will need to take some defensive action.

Be safe out there.

TJ

 

[bpaikman]

I do a lot of hiking, and my husband didn’t like me going alone. I thought about it - gun is no good because I just wouldn’t use it…taser, pepper, All of those things are not good because I pass a lot of people on the trail and by the time someone’s close enough to touch , it’s too late.
What would work best for me is a fiercely protective dog, but finding the right one is not easy. I ended up with a 7-pound toy poodle. Fiercely protective. Good doorbell. But she doesn’t scare anyone
.

 

[Old Bubblehead]

I've been approached at the pump 2-3 times now. Not a pleasant experience. Never at a truck stop other than friendly banter but grocery store gas stations, etc. seem to attract more attention. I need a wrap that makes my RV look like a wreck until arriving at the CG

We've had a couple of support requests at the pumps as well. I politely mention we don't travel with cash and can't help out. We keep the toad locked, and when I exit to fuel DW locks the coach behind me. I have her monitor the camera facing aft to make sure tow arrangements remain intact. I pump as efficiently as possible, exit as quickly as possible. We try to find fuel stops away from large population areas, but have been approached in more remote locations as well.

I'm not a planner by nature, but have become one for travel stops in route. We know our range preferences. We locate a CG in that range after vetting it as much as possible. Have we been disappointed, yep. It is the exception, rather than the rule.

We just can't do the retail lot stays, I can't sleep worrying about security.

Proper planning, situational awareness, conflict avoidance, escape and evasion contingencies. Definitely not the country I grew up in, nor the one I gave my youth up to protect, but it is the reality.

 

[Buly]

Remember one thing if approached while fueling: You have the fuel nozzle in your hand. Just casually point it the guy and tell him to move along.
it happened to a man that was victim of attempted armed robbery at the gas pump. He doused the guy with gasoline, and dared him to fire the gun. ?

 

[Ben]

As everyone knows deadly violence has become rampant across the US. Not being paranoid as I believe 99% of the time you are fine. Hopefully it would never come to it but I still believe in the old saying " I'd rather be judged by 12 than carried by 6".

 

[Fish]

I keep a glock 26 and a glock 19 within reach of driver and passenger and extended mags which fit both.
Bushmaster ACR and Daniel Defense mk18 under the bed. 1000 rounds of 5.56 and 500 rounds of 9mm. Not planning on going to war but there is a sheriff's firing range a mile from the resort we stay at open to public 2 days a week and I might want to go there.

Best defense is Gunner my yellow lab. We were taking our 16 ft cargo trailer from IL to the lot in Florida with our golf cart in it. Wife needed to stop so I pulled in at the Lake Park, GA exit and she went in to a convenience store, middle of the night.
A guy walked right up to my window and said he's out of gas and needs to borrow some money, said he figures I have it since I've got such a fancy truck. I've seen this routine before. I told him no and to step away from me, he didn't and kept on with his BS.

Gunner woke up about that time and came out of the back seat like a bear, growling and snapping over my shoulder.

The guy's eyes got as big as saucers and he screams That dog's a killer!! and started running. He ran into the dark until I couldn't see him anymore towards a shopping center. I think he still might be running.