My wife is concerned about personal security
Hi Guys, My wife and I were talking the other day about our motorhome plans and she very much likes the idea of a 45’ diesel pusher. The room and roadability mean a lot to her but her concern is a...
Forum Discussion
We have been RVing for over 50 years, from tents to motorhomes, State Parks to RV Resorts. We are now in our sixth year full timing. In all that time only ONCE did I have an 'issue'. We had pulled into a rest area and some gang bangers had pulled in near us. This one guy was arguing with his GF and was using my coach as a leaning spot. We were in bed. I got up as I heard the thumping on the coach. I opened my window slightly and asked him to leave. He was surprised, apologized and he and his GF left.
As mentioned, your wife's biggest fear will by YOUR driving. A 45' coach is really just a really big van. That said, there are some significant differences. First off, you're sitting ABOVE the steer tires. This in itself gives you a weird sensation when making sharp turns, but you get used to it. The other comes from the passenger's seat. She is looking at the road differently as you have this huge windshield in front of you with no fenders. This illusion makes it appear that the passenger's side of the coach is hugging the right side of the roadway. If you like to fudge over to that side, she'll get the feeling you're driving OFF the roadway.
Most people will give you respect if you're in a large coach, but not all. Take everything with a grain of salt and don't be in a hurry. We stay off Interstates whenever possible and love old towns and backroads.
If she's concerned with personal safety, start out by visiting established campgrounds and 'resorts'. The more expensive the campground, the less "issues" you're likely to encounter. That said, violence can occur anywhere. One of our favorite campgrounds in the Gold Country of California, the 49er Village, just had a shooting over drugs and prostitution. These had nothing to do with the campground just some overnighters who were stupid. Take her over to some of the nicer campgrounds around you, Hilton Head Island RV Resort is one. While it's gated, with proper ID they will take you on their golf cart and show you around. Mountain Falls in NC is beautiful and may be closer to you. These may alleviate some of her fears.
In general, be aware of your surroundings and enjoy all that the experience provides. If you don't PROJECT yourself as a VICTIM, your chances of not becoming one increase dramatically. The nice thing about an RV, is if you don't feel comfortable in an area, turn the key and move on. We rarely even lock our coach in most of the campgrounds we visit, unless we're going to be gone all day.....as posted above, you're more likely to encounter a safety issue at a WalMart than you will at a campground.....Dennis
As mentioned, your wife's biggest fear will by YOUR driving. A 45' coach is really just a really big van. That said, there are some significant differences. First off, you're sitting ABOVE the steer tires. This in itself gives you a weird sensation when making sharp turns, but you get used to it. The other comes from the passenger's seat. She is looking at the road differently as you have this huge windshield in front of you with no fenders. This illusion makes it appear that the passenger's side of the coach is hugging the right side of the roadway. If you like to fudge over to that side, she'll get the feeling you're driving OFF the roadway.
Most people will give you respect if you're in a large coach, but not all. Take everything with a grain of salt and don't be in a hurry. We stay off Interstates whenever possible and love old towns and backroads.
If she's concerned with personal safety, start out by visiting established campgrounds and 'resorts'. The more expensive the campground, the less "issues" you're likely to encounter. That said, violence can occur anywhere. One of our favorite campgrounds in the Gold Country of California, the 49er Village, just had a shooting over drugs and prostitution. These had nothing to do with the campground just some overnighters who were stupid. Take her over to some of the nicer campgrounds around you, Hilton Head Island RV Resort is one. While it's gated, with proper ID they will take you on their golf cart and show you around. Mountain Falls in NC is beautiful and may be closer to you. These may alleviate some of her fears.
In general, be aware of your surroundings and enjoy all that the experience provides. If you don't PROJECT yourself as a VICTIM, your chances of not becoming one increase dramatically. The nice thing about an RV, is if you don't feel comfortable in an area, turn the key and move on. We rarely even lock our coach in most of the campgrounds we visit, unless we're going to be gone all day.....as posted above, you're more likely to encounter a safety issue at a WalMart than you will at a campground.....Dennis
