<< Part One

   by Derek Gore, RV Roadie

Alternatives? You bet!

A good medium sized dog can be an even bigger deterrent than a gun, and while touring protects your rig while you are both gone. I am not talking about a trained attack dog or a biter. Those are more of a liability than they are worth. Or a barker, that would drive me nuts, not to mention the neighbors. Just a good dog that will alert on someone knocking on the door or at night. We have traveled with a 69-pound Shar-pei who we have had since he was a pup and is now 9 years old. He is not a biter, barker, nor a vicious dog. I am the defense in our "Pack" he is our furkid only. But he sure looks and sounds intimidating. Sure, a determined intruder can shoot a dog, but a determined intruder is so rare as to be not worth considering in my experience. There are far too many rigs without dogs for a burglar to consider the extra risk of trying to deal with one. Burglars just go elsewhere where the pickings are easier. Carjackers would have little chance with him in the cab of our truck. He's always on a leash outside and never staked out.

Pepper spray is not a very good alternative because it simply doesn't stop a determined attacker at all. This has been proven again and again. Worse, many in a defensive posture don't have the presence of mind to notice the wind direction and spray themselves as well! This is true of any spray.

Baseball bats, knives, hammers etc. are probably not a good idea because they are considered deadly force too, when used against a person. Pulling them out and chasing the intruder away only proves that they were not armed. If they are armed, they would be justified in pulling any weapon they have in self-defense, from their perspective. Or if big enough, and you aren't, will simply take it away. Using close-in weapons also takes more training, more physical strength, and requires you to get in reach of an assailant.

Horns installed outside and good scare lights are a very good bet. I have even heard of folks wiring in switches that flash all their rig's clearance lights and starts the horn beeping, now that is a good deterrent! I would use two switches so that the flashing clearance lights could be used alone to guide visiting friends, who are new to the park, right to your rig when the site numbers are hard to see or at night. Handy either way.

I read about thieves breaking into a MH parked behind a Cracker Barrel restaurant while the owners were eating by breaking the door glass and reaching in to unlock the door. Deadbolts were mentioned but I would like to add here that having the breakable glass in the door replaced with security glass, that has wire embedded in it, makes your rig much harder to break into whether you are in it or not. Then I would replace any outside window frame screws with anti tamper star screws (can't be unscrewed without the exact tool.) Very easy and relatively cheap modification that any glass company can do.

But let me reiterate again that the above are just steps to avoid any confrontation with intruders. Following those steps with or without a gun should get everybody through unless that front door comes under attack. Think of the steps as trip wires, and until that door breaks in, which from my experience is highly unlikely, most if not all intruders will depart for easier pickings. And you stay safe from harm. They can have the lawn chairs and the grill, I can have my wife and pup in one piece. Either way there will be paperwork. I prefer the insurance form and police theft report to the police homicide statement.

So there are things we all can do, gun owners or not, to avoid and prevent any situation from escalating into personal harm.

I often hear that the reason for our criminal problems is the many guns in the hands of the citizens. What if everybody had a gun? Would we have more murders?

Switzerland has just that, but not in those numbers of course. Every male in that country is issued a rifle, pistol, or both, and is considered a part of the militia for life. Every household is armed. And every male citizen serves two years active duty. They have very little violent crime per capita. I am not proposing that, merely pointing out that the concept is not necessarily one to have nightmares over. (Although after 27 years with the military, I would certainly think it would do the country a lot of good from ALL of the training, not just weapons, if all were to have to serve a minimum time.)

Where do we go from here? There are already millions of gun owners in this country. My post was clear in that we do not feel the need to carry a gun in our truck, or concealed on our person, although both my SH and I could certainly qualify for a concealed carry license with our law enforcement and Military backgrounds.

I did outline a middle of the road approach that outlined some security and safety pre-planning for all RVrs, gun owners or not. We don't feel the need to carry, and stated, that neither do most RVrs. For those that choose to have one, I outlined some safety items that through the thousands of handgun classes I have taught, found most non-professionals never consider, such as safe zones of fire. There are lots of more important issues for RVrs to worry about. Like the RVr with a severely overloaded rig, that really could cause us harm on the road. I did not cover types of ammo or guns since that would not have been on topic.

Choosing to own a gun is no more an indicator of aggressive tendencies, than owning spare tires for our rigs is an indication that we want to have a flat.

To those who do not want a gun do not take my posts as arguing that you should have one.

No one is going to even try to prove you wrong! <grin> I am with you! Just because I have a last resort option doesn't mean I even think about it, let alone worry about it ever happening. Life is too short to live it in fear. Let me say it again, the odds are with you from what I have seen on the road.

I don't even believe I have ever seen two RVrs not married to each other even have a heated argument! And the married ones only when backing the rig! LOL! I don't mean to come across as a "Pollyanna," and lead one to believe that the world is full of only wonderful people. We all know better than that.

But by definition, an RVr has to choose parking places that are larger than what a passenger car or truck can use. So with few exceptions we are around other RVs and truckers most of the time. Those who choose to get away from everybody including other RVrs are in the minority.

I am talking the half time and full time RVrs I have met on the road in the next few sentences when I say RVrs. That is not saying that all RVrs are half or full timers, or excluding part timers from being RVrs. Just for the purpose of relating what I have found with the group I hang out with on the road, only because they have the same interests as I do-being on the road most of the time.

Most RVrs are successful enough in life to have a rig. Most RVrs have been married longer than the average. Most RVrs are over 50. Most are on the road because they genuinely like people and meeting new friends. Most are adventurous in wanting to see new horizons and places that they didn't have time for in their working lives. Most are responsible, mature, and easygoing. Most will go out of their way to help each other. Most have activities that keep them busy in between touring whether a hobby, the rig upkeep, a workamp job, writing, or running an on the road business. Most RVrs are no longer concerned with comparing material items or feeling superior or inferior to another RVr.

Now let's be realistic about the fact that few non-RVrs cruise RV parks. Few non-RVrs will "case" an RV in a group of two or more RVs boondocking in a public area. Few folks with bad intent will drive 20 miles out of the way to cause mischief. Few tourist areas have no police presence. It is difficult to commit a crime against someone traveling at 50 MPH or more going down the road. At no time except in dangerous animal areas have I ever seen a gun while Rving, and never in the hands of an RVr. (Most Alaskans in the bush do carry one) I have never witnessed or been in a park or boondock area where any assault or violent crime has occurred. (I am sure that has happened somewhere, but never saw one or even heard of one where I have been.) Most RV parks have an office and some restrictions on entry and exit. Most RVrs leave grills and chairs out around their rig and never have ever had any theft.

We, both by distance and attitudes, are living in a different world, reality, and culture, than the rest of the population. We re-enter that other world at will, or stay away from it at will. Even when touring we are usually surrounded by non-RVrs and vacationers with only fun and seeing the sights in mind.

My post was first and foremost to reassure those that are about to embark on this wonderful lifestyle, that there is virtually no violent crime that I have seen on the RV circuit. Which is not to say it couldn't happen. Just that in traveling for six years I have found that the nightly news paints an entirely different picture than you will find out here in the real world. Oh there are bad folks in the world, I think we can all agree on that. But I said repeatedly that the only use we felt might provide a need for our firearms is protection against dangerous animals way up north. And we did not need them there either!

So let me say it again. People are by and large wonderful. You don't need to fear for your lives or possessions on the road as full-timers, assuming you take reasonable care in where you stop or park. (Reasonable care, not paranoia)

I love being able to stroll at night with my significant harassment, visiting friends in the parks and boondock sites we have been to, in perfect safety. We never travel at night, but not out of fear, simply because to assure there is a space left, we try to arrive by 2 PM wherever we are going to spend a night or 30.

As RVrs we are pretty far removed from the inner cities where most crime occurs. We don't deal drugs or fence stolen goods. We don't pick up hitchhikers, or pull into bars for a "liquid lunch."

By and large our rigs are harder to break into because of the height of our windows above the ground. And as stated, most of us don't really have a lot of "stuff" but electronics that a thief could sell for money. And today, the price of TVs and VCRs, even computers, is so low as to not make them the high value items they were a few years ago.

RVrs generally dress in denim and sneaks, and rarely parade any family jewels around. We use credit and debit cards and rarely carry large amounts of cash.

We are simply not on the "radar screen" of most thieves!

I think that all of us have some trepidation about security when we first start out. Some much more so than others. But after a few months on the road find that we are moving in a different world than the rest of society where all the "statistics" come from. And love it! With few exceptions we have chosen to get rid of most of the material things and don't give a hoot about keeping up with the "Jones's." Most RVrs have cell phones, and are surrounded by folks who would help in any situation that comes up, from medical to RV problems.

So relax and enjoy the lifestyle. I feel safer in my RV traveling than I did living in town. Not that I was overly concerned there either. None of that is due to having any arms. In fact, as far as personal security is concerned I don't feel any real pressing need to have them around. That was my message. Still is. These discussions can tweak newbies into ungrounded fears for their personal safety.

I was certainly not advocating the use or possession of guns for everybody, nor that anybody "should" or "shouldn't" own one. My post applied to non-gun owners as well as owners. I merely pointed out that there are several things that can be done if you have a thief or worse make you the one in a million statistic, making the chance of contact with a burglar or thief less likely.

My post did not deal with the issue of pro or anti gun ownership. In fact I repeatedly said that they are superfluous in our experience, while Rving, from a "need for personal defense" perspective.

Put another way. There are those that also think they will win the lottery and buy that ticket daily. (I personally think it is a tax for the math impaired! LOL!) After a few months most rational folks stop thinking they will win every night and some stop buying them, others continue, and many only buy them when everybody else is because the stakes just went through the roof. (Along with the odds!) Why? Because there is always a winner! It is announced, and that alone insures that many will continue. In psychology that is called intermittent reinforcement. Same thing at work in a casino. And the same thing at work in those that are fearful all of the time because of the nightly news. It doesn't have to happen to them for it to be a belief that it can/will. And it most certainly can, just like winning the lottery. Likely? Hardly.

I did deal with several issues.

Prevention issues like:

• The easy and cheap replacement of the easily breakable glass in the front door with security glass.
  
• The ease of installing switches to turn on and flash your clearance lights as well as your scare lights.
  
• The ease of installing a horn switched to be able to manually turn it on.
  
• The fact that burglars are more likely to go to a rig without a dog than one that has one.
  

• To call for help first, so if possible, it is on the way.
  
• To switch on the outside lights and any flashers or horns you might have.
  
• The practice of not betraying your position or turning on inside lights and losing your vision at night.
  
• To wait, with no indication of your readiness or not, by verbal warning, for that help until the last possible second.