Major con for box trucks, and step trucks

[Chancebond]

Your in the back! Where it is probably locked. Someone could just hot wire the vehicle and take off with you inside! How would you go about fixing that?

 

[LowTech]

Most box trucks/vans, and all step vans, have access through to the front.

 

[Chancebond]

Huh, I did not know that, but what about the ones that don't?

 

[VanLifeCrisis]

Get a saw and start cutting? Have one of those inflatable escape slides from planes? lol

Maybe a kill switch or remote kill switch in back.

 

[Chancebond]

Salts! (Smiled a little, then stopped!)

 

[Fabber McGee]

Keep a shot gun in the back with you. It shouldn't be too hard to get the jerk to evacuate the cab. Better have some ear plugs too. I worked with a guy one time that was telling about being 1/2 drunk one night during his divorce and decided to drive by his house where the almost ex was living with her new boyfriend. He dug out his 44, lowered the passenger side window and touched off a round in the general direction of the mailbox.

"Well," he said, "that was a big mistake." The mailbox disintegrated just like he figured, but he couldn't hear anything for a couple days and his ears rang for a week. He figured he probably should have had the muzzle outside of the cab.

 

[LeeRevell]

Hidden ignition cut-off switch. Door alarms. Remote operated Bear Fogger to spray inside of cab? Be creative, but not life-threatening.

 

[karl]

Huh, I did not know that, but what about the ones that don't?

That is why I don't have a truck camper or trailer for living space- if someone enters my van when I am in it- we are gonna discuss it immediately and face to face!

 

[light trip]

pull the fuse for the ignition

 

[bigsallysmom]

The lack of access to the front has caused me to scratch truck with camper off my list. Then I started thinking of all the things I could do. Practiced what if and remedies. I like the idea of a remote activated spray. Now to figure out a way.

 

[highdesertranger]

I don't believe the remote spray is a good idea. beside the legal ramification, what about a malfunction when you are in the cab. I would advise the remote ignition cut off, but this also puts another failure point in the ignition system. highdesertranger

 

[Duck]

Simple bypass switch on the ignition, under the seat or somewhere easy to reach. Buy a steering wheel lock if really paranoid. You don't need to be theft proof, just slightly more annoying than the next vehicle over. Box trucks aren't a nice shiny new sedan.

 

[highdesertranger]

ha ha good one gfish. highdesertranger

 

[ZoNiE]

You guys are overthinking things.
Remote kill switch, Firearm. Simple.

 

[brightbluejim]

You guys are overthinking things.
Remote kill switch, Firearm. Simple.

Sounds redundant - isn't a firearm a remote kill device?

I'm currently outfitting a box truck for mobile living, and I hadn't thought about somebody trying to just drive it away. I was more concerned about someone breaking into the back looking for tools or other valuables, and having to confront them while groggy. My solution to that was a panic switch connected to the horn or a siren, to make them think they've set off the vehicle alarm. Anyway, now I'll be adding either an ignition cutoff or fuel pump cutoff.

One reason I like having the "house" separate from the truck, is that in previous vehicles I've lived in, condensation on the windshield was a telltale that somebody was sleeping inside. This won't happen in the new truck, which doesn't connect to the cab and doesn't have any windows. But then, nobody ever knocked on my door and told me to move on, so maybe that's not as big an issue as I think it is.

An additional thing I also hadn't thought about until now was having the truck towed while I'm asleep. Tow truck drivers don't much care if they set off a car alarm, and I really don't want to wake up in an impound lot!

 

[LoupGarou]

Box trucks typically have provisions to secure their doors with padlocks. When conventing one you need to ensure someone can't lock you in.

 

[highdesertranger]

hey jim if you wake up in an impound yard, you can play with the dogs. highdesertranger