How do you stay safe?

[compassrose]

Please remind folks that even a non-active cell phone (no contract but still turns on) can still be used to call for help as long as you have bars.

I am currently living in a town where the cops and the judges routinely do nothing to the thieves. I lock my doors even when just going into the house (I live in the back yard). When I sleep, I lock the doors. When I shower, I lock the doors. My bus still has some of the original top-down school bus windows. They are closed to where they are only open about an inch or so. Only way someone is getting in is to break the glass.

I have the little cheapie noise maker door/window alarms from Dollar Tree.

I have a faux security alarm sign in the window.

I do not leave the front windshield curtain open at night. At night, you can see all the way to the back of an RV.

I do not show off all my toys (what little I have).

If I had a gun, I not only would not tell people I had one. I also would not stick bumper stickers all over that advertised that I might have one.

When traveling, when it gets dark, I am locked inside and am not going outside for any reason.

I have a cell phone and I know how to use it.

The dog is for companionship and to be spoilt rotten. She is not a guard dog. My husband used to sell home security systems. He had one guy in AL tell him all about his big guard dogs (junk yard). About a month later, the guy called asking David to come back to his business. Turns out thieves poisoned one dog and shot the other.

I trust my gut and ignore those who tell me otherwise. I really don't care if anyone thinks I'm paranoid.

 

[highdesertranger]

ok good advice so far. I say do whatever makes you feel comfortable. I mostly boondock in areas with few people, what I do is talk to anybody close by. no matter who it is, campers, ranchers, farmers, miners/prospectors. get to know your neighbors, invite them to your camp for a coffee or beer. ask them if they need me to do anything for them, like watch their stuff when they are out of camp, ranchers usually will have special requests like I can get all the water I want from their water hole just don't hang around the water hole to long because the cattle won't come to drink. talk to them on their level, don't talk down to them. I have drunk many a beer with ranchers, and have had BLM, Forest Rangers, Sheriffs come to my camp for coffee. I find this works very well and I never have had a problem. in rural areas if you fit in, everybody has your back. highdesertranger

 

[rvpopeye]

Good thread so far.

HDRs method works great in rural areas...

In the less rural ,,,use your spidey sense.
If you don't feel good about where you are , leave.
We got wheels under our homes.

A bunch of good ideas have been posted so far.
Use the ones that fit your comfort levels.

I have a life size photo of a big sheppie in my door window with a Beware of Dog sign attached.
I have actually heard two voices outside my door at night while parked at a Wally's.They were arguing about whether they wanted to mess with a dog..........they went away.......
I would like to add a recording of a big dog going postal triggered by a motion detector to reinforce the photo some day too.
Any other surprises I have will not be advertised with any pictures or signs .

 

[buckwilk]

I would caution against putting gun signs on your vehicle. You've seen them, all the catchy phrases. What that tells thieves, who love stealing guns because they're easy to sell, is that the moment you leave your rig it's time to go to work. That can happen in a parking lot or camped on a BLM pullout when you take a walk. The same goes for hats, t-shirts, jackets, they are simply advertising the fact that you most likely have a weapon that's good for a quick few bucks.

 

[WriterMs]

The item I actually had to use when camping last year on public lands was my air horn. I had bought a packaged pair from Amazon (please use Bob's Amazon link to buy things). They are made rather cheaply but have survived being tossed here and there around the van for months.

One use was for an elk in velvet who decided one midnight that my rear-mounted spare tire was the best place he'd ever found to rub his antlers. The other was for a small band of cattle who found something wonderful to slurp in the ashes of the fire ring. A few liked to jostle my van but mainly they had flies and left cow pies.

If anyone is really into learning more about situational awareness (to the degree of being boringly buried in science and psychological detail), do a search on the OODA Loop. It is a technique taught to fighter pilots and in other areas of the military. It covers not only awareness but response. The acronym stands for Observe, Orient, Decide, Act.

One other item I am repeating from others but highly recommend is a type of women's self defense course that is not dependent on physical ability. It teaches women points of vulnerability on an assailant that are more accessible than the most-cited crotch. Places like eyes, nose, adam's apple and the outside of the knee. Many women's shelters or rape/crisis line workers can direct you to one near you. Those courses also usually teach using objects always on hand (your keys, a pen, etc.) to further the impact on the vulnerable body parts.

Finally, I personally like (and one time needed) the ability to get into my driver's seat without having to go outside when something indicates it would be best to drive away.

 

[towhee]

I will second the idea of making sure that I can leave wherever I am. I park facing forward or at least have maneuvered enough in the spot to know what turns will get me to the road

I will add attitude. Being willing to leave things behind to keep my body safe. It's a a feeling of lightness. Non attachment. I guess I mean that if I needed to run over my favorite chair and leave a table behind I wouldn't hesitate to drive away.

I noticed last winter while traveling that I was often edgy my first night in a new boondock. Even though I was completely alone I still imagined people showing up to harass me. Of course the night would be quiet and peaceful and by the next morning I felt at home and was no longer apprehensive.

The only thing that could remotely be called bad that happened to me during 4 months of traveling last winter was that I had gas siphoned out of my gas tank at the flying j in Blythe. I parked in a dark corner of the lot and woke up during the night. Looked out the window to see an ATV disappearing into the desert. When I started up the next morning I realized I had lost gas. So I bought a locking gas cap. Cheap lesson. Curiously jenniedog didn't hear them and alert me. They must have been quite stealthy. That was only my 3rd night on the road but it didn't leave any lasting fearfulness in me thank goodness.

Nancy. Planning to be at Rtr for the second time. Really looking forward to seeing old friends and meeting new ones.

 

[Optimistic Paranoid]

When I started up the next morning I realized I had lost gas. So I bought a locking gas cap. Cheap lesson.

I'm not sure what year your rig was, but modern vehicles have an anti-siphon doohickey in them that makes it impossible to get a hose down the filler neck.

Also, I bought a 99 Jeep Cherokee at a state auction.  It came with a locking gas cap and no keys for it.  I thought I was going to have to drill the lock out.  But a quick search of Google showed me several Youtube videos that demonstrated just how easy it is to remove locked gas caps, no tools necessary.  It came right off for me when I squeezed it the right way.

In short, locking gas caps are a: unnecessary and b: don't work.

Regards
John

 

[WildTrappist]

I am a strong and powerful woman. i have a small and alert dog who tells me when there is anything near my van. I sleep with my alarm armed and my key fob within reach. I also have pepper spray and a 10 inch shank in close proximity, I park where I can just drive out without having to back out.

I have the gift of height on my side, and I have always loved physical labor, so though I am feminine, I also appear quite strong. I am not afraid to defend myself. I carry myself with confidence and in two years I have never been bothered.

I thank the Divine in advance for the Peacefulness that I will receive. And I get it!

 

[SoulRaven]

Since I haven't boondocked and only been in actual campgrounds, I can only give general advice on being alone and out and about. I generally walk with my dogs and sometimes my son in town and get far out to the edge. Because we had aggressive dogs come after us here, I am on constant watch. I had/have a knuckle blaster, which I love and used when the aggressive dogs came after us and updated that to a stun stick with 4 hot spots. Now I carry the knuckle blaster in my purse and the stick on walks. I have the "Zap" brand.

The dogs watch body language and they can pretty much call it. The dogs are seniors and larger. If I cannot avoid someone coming my way, I make sure the stun gun is more than visible. In this situation, I have no where to go. I just take a deep breath and power through my fear. It is the worst when they have an unruly "muscle" dog. Our immediate neighborhood is fine but going 3 or 4 blocks in either direction puts me in undesirable territory. The police have suggested I go to the other side of town to the track to walk my dogs and I suggested that they just enforce the laws when it comes to loose dogs and I had reported a woman that threatened me if I used the stun stick on her dog who was trying to engage with my lab. Everyone needs to have a plan to cover aggressive dogs as I have seen them loose in parking lots at different locations. They are fast and can come out of nowhere.

My concern after reading through the thread so far is that most are vandwellers and able to just drive away. I am planning to do this with a vehicle and smallest of trailers since I have to accommodate a larger population with my son and dogs. Mine would be limited boondocking but I would still need a plan that didn't include just turning the key.

 

[buckwilk]

Shank, knuckleblaster? Tough bunch here. (<;

 

[TMG51]

I have one new one to contribute: I've found that when arriving in a new town, the homeless can quickly tell you which are the seedy areas to avoid.

They're also good for knowing which laws are enforced (e.g., just because no parking is posted doesn't mean it's enforced, and just because it's not posted doesn't mean police won't shoo you away).

 

[Optimistic Paranoid]

Shank, knuckleblaster? Tough bunch here. (<;

Damn straight!  Don't mess with us!

Regards
John

 

[karl]

Good stuff
I have nothing to add, just reinforcing some of what has been said;

Stay alert- heightened awareness is key
pay attention to intuition
learn some form of self defense, be aware of your options.
Prepare yourself mentally for defense, KNOW that you will respond with ALL your abilities.
Use door locks and any other security that alerts you or buys you time.
Park in light, away from obstacles or hiding spots
I'm a big fan of being able to drive away in moments without exiting the vehicle
If you carry a weapon of any kind, be sure you are capable of using it efficiently...and not losing it to an opponent
Don't display your weapons, surprise is your best weapon sometimes...and bigger ain't better.
Material things can be replaced, be prepared to let go of them.
Be invisible to the best of your ability- blend in to your surroundings
Do not let fear control you- it can defeat you faster than a real threat

 

[crookedforkers]

Almost forgot! One other thing we do for safety that I don't *think* was mentioned yet is that we never post exactly where we are publicly online until we have moved on, since loads of us have blogs and Facebook.

 

[compassrose]

I've taken a women's self-defense course. I think it really applies to everyone. The best self-defense movement is..... FLEE! That's right, run away. I know every one talks tough and how they will shoot someone, beat them up, cut them, etc. The fact remains, predators are essentially cowards. They tend to run in packs of two or more (you just don't always see the the others). So just because you can take on one, doesn't mean they don't have a friend or two coming up behind you or emptying out your stuff while you are distracted.

And let's say you did only have to deal with one. And you run them off. There you are, seriously hurt, needed an emergency room that will results in a lot of money for the doctors and meds. For what? So you can puff out your chest and proudly claim that you stood your ground? Against what?


And there is no "bad places". There are places that are more dangerous than others but bad things can happen anywhere. Bad people look like everyone else. And that includes WOMEN! It seems to me that the women are becoming more predatory and are just as likely to be violent as a man. Anyone, man, woman, kid, old, young (Rver, Vandweller, Boondocker) can be a predator. And that is what these thieves, etc are. Predators. And predators prey on the weakest in the herd. Watch some Animal Planet/Nat Geo. The stragglers, the weak, the ill, the unobservant. Those are the ones who become prey. Those are the ones you do not want to be. Being observant and aware of your surroundings so that you can flee the predators when they turn up is the key to survival. But you do need to know how to protect yourself when you can't flee. Unfortunately, the "flee" get's lost when folks talk about protection.

 

[SoulRaven]

crookedforkers brings up an important point. In the RV forums where I have been, people have posted so much information that it would make it easy to take advantage of the situation. Often, they do it in bits and pieces and don't realize the someone may be sitting there reading and putting it altogether. For fun, I have put it together for someone I was more friendly with and then addressed it in a message. They were always surprised and better by me than someone else.

 

[Suanne]

I had an experience earlier this year that made me think of another "diversion" tactic when camping alone or among strangers.  I've already listed a large dog bowl & chain, a second chair, and men's clothes in front seat.  I want to add to that list a 2-person tent.

This year was the first time I set up a tent and I noticed that most people, even some vandwellers, assumed that I was sleeping in it and not the Prius.

Here's the story:  

When I went to the Ranger Station to inquire about dispersed camping in the Tonto NF last March, I was directed to campgrounds complete with fire pits, tables and pit toilets.  This was a first for me.  Typically I'm shown a MVUM (map) and we have a discussion about the probability of getting my Prius down the roads to remote locations with no amenities.  But, when I arrived at this campground I was pleasantly surprised that very few folks were there on a Friday evening, and that I found a campsite away from others right on the Verde River.  It was a beautiful location under mesquite trees.  It's only drawback was that the road through the campground was right next to the site.

In the photo below, you can see the campground road on the far left, then my Prius, and a 2-person tent in partial shade before it drops off to the Verde River.

[img=640x360]http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-THPNCrjzo...soAi53bPw/s1600/IMG_20150309_191246.jpg[/img]

Having stayed in many campgrounds, a friendly wave to passersby is customary ... sometimes it's a way to get to know your neighbors.  Unfortunately I didn't pay much attention to who was in the first vehicle I waved to.  It was a pick up truck full of guys who, I later realized, were there for a boys weekend out about 50-60 yards from my chosen campsite.  From their reactions to that friendly wave, I immediately knew I should be on alert and very conservative in my future interactions with them.  I decided to explore other forest locations during the day and return at dusk to sleep with car doors locked.

Despite those precautions, I had a "visit" from one of the men during the wee Sunday morning hours "knocking" at my tent.  He assumed I was sleeping in it and tried to strike up a conversation through its walls.  I watched him, peeking through my car's curtains.  He gave up quickly and left my camp.  The whole group broke camp later that day.

I'm glad that he thought I was in the tent and didn't come knocking on my car.  I honestly don't think I would have been in danger, but was glad all the same.

The tent will be coming with me again next year.  Besides serving as a "garage" for storage when staying at a location for a week or more, it also gives the appearance that I'm sleeping in it instead of my car when camping alone or among strangers.

Suanne ... enjoying the holidays in the PNW, getting ready to snowbird in the desert SW

 

[Cheli]

A lot of good information presented so far.  Situational awareness keeps getting mentioned, but as a generality.  I wonder how many of you are familiar with the Cooper Color Codes?

These were supposedly developed by the Marines in the Pacific campaign.  Col. Jeff Cooper served there, and after retirement, founded what is now considered the modern art of the handgun.  He included his color codes in his training.  They are now widely taught in the military and police worlds, as well as all serious students of the handgun.

Here is an excellent site explaining them:

http://www.self-defense-mind-body-spirit.com/awareness.html

Go take a look at that article.  When you come back, I'll give you a personal real world example in my next post.

Regards
John

Great article, thanks for sharing.

 

[mockturtle]

It seems to me that the women are becoming more predatory and are just as likely to be violent as a man.

Sorry, but I just don't buy this.

 

[Lj Unlimited]

As already stated many times here, situational awareness is number one for staying safe. This applies to van dwellers and those living in stick and brick. It applies in the big cities, small towns, and back woods.

Look and act like you are confident and on a mission. Even in the animal kingdom predators seek out what they feel is the weak members of the heard. Two legged predators are no different in that respect. However do not come off as over confident or better than everyone else. Two legged predators may want to test you.

These get me thru 99.9% of the time. Despite what the media wants you to believe, it is not so bad out there.

Other things to ponder...

Take self defense classes. And practice what you learn. Regularly! I know this is not an easy thing to do for many, but a couple hours long class will not be enough to put the body mechanics of various holds, breaks, takedowns, ect into muscle memory. Flight is often a good option as well, so doing a 50 yard dash once in a while could be a good thing too.

Signaling devices such as air horns and loud whistles are great for attracting attention when you are in a jam. I like the Fox 40 referee whistle. Very loud. Maybe Bob has a way to get them on amazon.