Sleeping with the door open

[Tony's Dream]

I recently added a screen to my side door which allows me to leave the side door open and keep the bugs out. Has anyone slept with the door open at night for comfort or is security a major concern for you?

 

[bullfrog !]

It’s funny people’s sense of what is secure. Whether in a tent or camper I sleep better when no one can see in from the outside! I have slept totally inside a sleeping bag out in the open, usually on a picnic table just fine! Lol!!! I guess in my mind if I can’t see them they can’t see or hurt me! Totally irrational, but hey that’s just me! Lol!!!

 

[abnorm]

We've got the sliding screen door on the inside...............We leave the hard door OPEN and don't worry about it

FORD !

 

[maki2]

If that is one of the screens that meet in the middle with a magnetic closure just remember you are inviting rodents inside while you are sleeping. That is because there is no solid structure at the lower edge to keep them from crawling under the net and into your van. People wonder why they are getting mice and rats inside but it should not surprise anyone who has that type of screen. Day or night they will sneak in especially if they smell food in the garbage or just crumbs on the floor or even cooking smells. Some people even provide them a 24\7 convenient step stool to climb or jump onto.

 

[jacqueg]

I often leave the rear doors of my van "cracked" a bit. I don't sleep in places that I worry about.

 

[NctryBen]

Depends where I’m at… time of year… etc… Kira my pup is sort of a good deterrent also as a few here can relate.

 

[Dirtrider]

In today's world, an open door at night is a hard pass NO, but that's just me. I have two maxx air fans running if needed, pulling in and pushing out.
Works great!

 

[Zerpersande]

Lol!!! I guess in my mind if I can’t see them they can’t see or hurt me! Totally irrational, but hey that’s just me! Lol!!!

My mom had a story about me when I was very young. I think I was playing hide-and-seek with her. I just sat on the floor and covered my eyes. When asked why Ai was hiding like that I told her exactly what you said.

 

[Zerpersande]

In today's world, an open door at night is a hard pass NO,

Ahh, it depends on where you live. As an American I brought my caution with me to Japan but as a general rule it’s unjustified here. Home invasions do happen though. But elderly people that were known to keep large amounts of money are always the targets.

I have two maxx air fans running if needed, pulling in and pushing out.
Works great!

I have two MaxxAir fans I recently bought. Going to install them on the small sliding windows in the side doors.

 

[Malamute]

I used to sleep with the back of my pickup open, and used to sleep out under the stars a lot on a tarp on the ground. Yes, a dog lets you know if anything or one comes around. It was mostly curious coyotes, theyd walk around a little ways out, trying to figure out what we were or what we were doing there. Id light them up with the old fashioned army angle head flashlight with red lense which didnt spook them, you could see their eyes looking and walking around. Id usually fall right back asleep after figuring out what the low growl was from the dog and telling her she did a good job guarding and reassuring her it was fine.

Slept on the ground many times in grizzly country as well as in tents. Up above treeline the night sky is amazing, scads of shooting stars, the northern lights, frost on the pillow in july. Good times.

 

[Spaceman Spiff]

I prefer door closed and locked. If someone is intent on breaking in it gives a few seconds to wake up and make a response.

With an dog, an open door means he will be responding to more activity outside.

 

[LargeMarge]

...two MaxxAir fans... to install them on the small sliding windows in the side doors.

.
We installed two MaxxxAxxx fans on the walls -- vertical, not horizontal -- in a food-truck conversion.
.
A decade later, still going strong.

 

[Gr8ful]

I like to sleep with just the screen door latched but am a light sleeper in a recliner & have a Kel Tec KSG w/light & laser, 26" OAL 2 tubes that hold 12 rds ea of Fed Mini 12ga so 25 total, 12 #4 buck, 12 slugs & a suprise in the chamber & no mags hanging out. We live in a very peaceful & quiet area

 

[Zerpersande]

In today's world, an open door at night is a hard pass NO, but that's just me.

Another follow up on the safety level here in Japan. I went to the dentist on Thursday and he has the TV on the news on the chair-side monitor. For over 30 minutes every time my dentist let me sit up they they were still covering a case where 4 young guys beat up a store owner during a break-in. No extremely serious injuries but he had quite a lot of facial bruising and minor cuts, with other bruising on back and arms. Nothing life threatening. Didn’t happen around here but from the location being shown it was a small city.

And this was national news. Imagine something like this happening in the next State, or a 100 miles away? Would you hear about it? No way.

 

[Malamute]

Another follow up on the safety level here in Japan. I went to the dentist on Thursday and he has the TV on the news on the chair-side monitor. For over 30 minutes every time my dentist let me sit up they they were still covering a case where 4 young guys beat up a store owner during a break-in. No extremely serious injuries but he had quite a lot of facial bruising and minor cuts, with other bruising on back and arms. Nothing life threatening. Didn’t happen around here but from the location being shown it was a small city.

And this was national news. Imagine something like this happening in the next State, or a 100 miles away? Would you hear about it? No way.

Different by degrees, but the state Im in, any homicide and many lesser crimes are statewide news. The percentages can fluctuate seemingly wildly year to year, but thats a reflection of relatively few people and only a few homicides can change the per capita rate noticeably.

Other important statewide news is when the grizzlies and rattlesnakes go into or come out of hibernation, the snowpack in the mountains over the winter and spring, how the deer and antelope are doing, as well as the elk and other animals in the mountains, and sage grouse and similar things.

 

[Zerpersande]

Different by degrees, but the state Im in, any homicide and many lesser crimes are statewide news.

Yeah, I see your point. The situation here is more like a ‘State’ than a ’nation’ in some ways. It’s the size of California with a full third of the population of the US. Then consider that it is about 70% mountainous that is often completely uninhabitable. I tried checking the population density comparison and found a figure 10 times higher than the US but I’d bet money that that figure is just population/land area and doesn’t figure in the uninhabited mountains.

So it’s a different animal entirely. My point is that when I lived in NC if this happened on the coast the news probably wouldn’t even make it to the central part of the state, much less to the mountains in the west.

 

[Happy Camper]

Here in California, that's Tuesday, at 5am, in the suburbs, at a grocery store, in a random city.

 

[Malamute]

Yeah, I see your point. The situation here is more like a ‘State’ than a ’nation’ in some ways. It’s the size of California with a full third of the population of the US. Then consider that it is about 70% mountainous that is often completely uninhabitable. I tried checking the population density comparison and found a figure 10 times higher than the US but I’d bet money that that figure is just population/land area and doesn’t figure in the uninhabited mountains.

So it’s a different animal entirely. My point is that when I lived in NC if this happened on the coast the news probably wouldn’t even make it to the central part of the state, much less to the mountains in the west.

Slightly off topic, but...Speaking of Japan, and vans.... have you seen the guys videos (Little Camper) of stealth van camping in Japan? Ive watched several of them, he sort of makes me chuckle just a little at his highly organized system and numerous little things that make it more convenient and comfortable, but hes got a system down, makes a comfortable camp wherever he is, if stealth in a parking lot or out where he can set up and spread out a bit. I already found his little instantly unfolding charcoal/alcohol stove and may get one. Hes fun to watch. No speaking, just him going about things, with some narrative subtitles in Japanese and English.

 

[Zerpersande]

Slightly off topic, but...Speaking of Japan, and vans.... have you seen the guys videos (Little Camper) of stealth van camping in Japan? …. He’s fun to watch. No speaking, just him going about things, with some narrative subtitles in Japanese and English.

I haven’t seen this! Thanks much for the heads up. I’m looking to buy a small parcel of land in the mountains as a ‘base camp’ and then venture out like your description of what Little Camper does.

 

[Gr8ful]

Zerpersande, Be careful at the dentist as I lost a friend with MRSA, & had a friend almost die both had it in the heart valves & both linked to dental visits.