Safety Question

[closeanuf]

I have a hard time believing someone could be intimidated by that folding handle that started this thread.  The ones I've had experience with could be broken off if it were against my door.  My grandkids could get it open.

 

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I have a hard time believing someone could be intimidated by that folding handle that started this thread.  The ones I've had experience with could be broken off if it were against my door.  My grandkids could get it open.

Closeanuf, I have one of these assist handles on my class a rv and if the assist handle is rotated in front of the door it very securely locks you inside. To force it open from the inside would require kicking the door from the inside as hard as you can. I guarantee that the door and in my case the fiberglass side would be broken and damaged. The only solution i can see is to file the handle stop on the door side down and apply a little lubricant to that area then the handle can be moved with only a reasonable exertion. Jeff

 

[Dingfelder]

I just spent three months in my fifth wheel.  The windows are five feet off the ground.  I would break my neck getting out of any of them.   If I didn't die, I'd have to go to the hospital to patch up all the missing skin I'd lose as I slid over the frame.  
Having someone lock you in to the rv is a legitimate safety and security concern.  

Same thing I was thinking.  I only have a small trailer, but its emergency escape is about five feet off the ground too, and to get out I'd have to fumble out a window that is hinged on the top and would be trying to close on me, while crawling over the thin metal edges of its frame ... backward, butt-first.  I can easily picture getting cut or otherwise hurt just navigating the window, plus perhaps landing haphazardly on the ground once I did get out.

I'm very good at falling, from my years in jiu-jitsu, but I still think there would be plenty of pain and probably some blood involved even in a best-case scenario.

 

[Dingfelder]

If they are invading my home with me and/or others inside, they will be dead.
Darwin award winner if they want to break in while a vehicle is occupied.

I feel ya there.  I don't want to be part of someone's "experiment" to see whether I'll live or die.

If it makes me a bad person, so be it, but I honestly don't have any sympathy or fellow-feeling for people breaking into other people's homes, be they sticks and bricks or mobile.

I also wouldn't judge Strunk too harshly, as it's extremely easy to say we would be little short of amazing in difficult situations ourselves and, in my experience, most people don't hesitate to do so ... nor to negatively judge the behavior of others in comparison.  There's very little of either realism or humility in that.

 

[Dingfelder]

I just checked the handle at my trailer door. It locks into place whether set flush to the left or flush to the right, by sliding into a notch that holds it fast. From the inside, you would have to kick out the door and then somehow either snap the handle off the two broadly separated brackets that fasten it, top and bottom, to the outside of the trailer, or smash the door so hard you tore one or maybe both brackets right off the trailer.

I can't see this as taking anything but a great deal of force. And I can't exactly get a running start in the small space next to my door.

 

[A Savage Adventure]

Thank you to those of you who understand the point of this thread. The handle "can" be a liability. So far it hasn't happened to me and I hope none of us ever has to deal with it and be forced to either damage our RV or have to climb through the emergency escape. Peace and well wishes to you all.

 

[rm.w/aview]

And to you as well. One take away from your thread is the use of the emergency exit without a parachute. It is quite a drop after an awkward and hasty scramble, so I'm grateful this thread brought this fact to light so I can address it.

 

[closeanuf]

I thought the issue was getting out in an emergency. in that case who cares what you tear up.  If you don't think the damn thing is safe 
REMOVE IT.  What is so hard to figure out?

 

[Dingfelder]

I got to thinking about how to protect myself from the scary metal edges around my escape window.

The only thing that came to mind that didn't sound like it would interfere with normal window usage and/or be difficult or time-consuming to put on the window when feeling panicked was one of those pool noodles, the long, thin, neon-bright styrofoam cylinders kids wack each other with. They're as little as a dollar when you can find them at the dollar store, and one can cut one down to size and then take a slice out to make them fit around other things.

I had been thinking of doing that to fit one around the support arm of my awning, which I've given myself some painful bumps from. They're light and can be easily taped up beside my escape window too, or hung from a nearby hook or whatever. I don't think it would take more than a few extra seconds to fit one over my window ledge.

At first everything that came to mind would obviously interfere with using the window normally

 

[B and C]

My escape window is by the bed. I figured I would use the bedding for padding. Unlatch, kick out window, throw bedding over edge and climb out feet first if time allows. May break my neck if I have to go out headfirst

 

[Doubleone]

....So the 10 yr old says to the 11 yr old, "Hey, let's have some fun messing with that old man... Go and knock on the RV door and run away into the woods before he comes to the door. Yeah! that would be cool. I dare you... No, I double-dog dare you. No you do it first. No you go first..." Knock, Knock... BANG, BANG, BANG, BANG....! "You damn kids get off my lawn!"

 

[bullfrog]

I noticed on my friend's new coleman it has to be lifted and turned till some tabs align then locks in place with the tabs. The tabs will not align when rotated 180 degrees from the stored position and it rotates back to the in use position easily as the ends of the tabs provide the only friction. Seems it would be easy to modify the older handles to work this way as well.

 

[Dingfelder]

It occurs to me .. zip ties, like duct tape, are the answer to almost everything. I am going to look to see if there is a way to ziplock my handrail so that trying to lock me in would at least be a trial rather than a funny lark any stupid kid could do and any smartypants ugly-souled miscreant could do.

 

[wayne49]

Locking the RV door keeps it closed in transit.

If a door flies open when it is in the locked position, you have a bigger problem.

Using the handle would be belt and suspenders.

Believing a commissioned salesperson when its lips move? That could be more dangerous.