I got locked in for a while, what if it was a real lock in.

Since the handrail only needs to swing in away from the door, shouldn't those devices have a way of locking the mechanism so will only swing 90 degrees and be prevented from blocking the door?

I just wanted to make it clear for anyone reading this thread that may be considering going to a camping world in PA that all each and every worked from the person at the cash register to the person working at the service counter were all helpful and went above and beyond by providing a level of service and care that was at a far greater level I encountered in other service related facilities. They spent a lot of time and effort locating a part for and A/C that is no longer manufactured. There aren't many places that would spend that much time an effort to help out someone with a problem.

I think the term that is now popular is giving them "props" in a appreciation, so I hear by give them propellers ('Props") for their fine service.

Just file down the tab on the plastic holder a little.Just enough so you can push the door open with a good shove. Took me all of 5 minutes to do both of mine.
Just don't remove so much as to have the handle flopping around when your towing it,if you do like most and have the handle over the door as a safety feature when towing.:S

J2 wrote:
open a window and ask for help someone in the parking lot would help you.

This would have been my first choice, followed by the emergency window.

Being locked in is not fun!

One time the interior plastic thumb turn on the dead bolt broke off leaving us locked in. There are two emergency windows plus the two slide windows in the cockpit open wide enough to climb out but all are over six feet from the ground.

I carry an extensive tool kit but it was in an outside compartment. We had to call the campground office and ask them to come down. I passed the keys out a window and the fellow opened the door.

He told me that people locked in RVs in not unusual. Many of the lock parts are plastic or nylon and do not last. He had brought a cordless drill with him as he explained that often he needs to drill out the lock. He has been running the campground for twenty years and has seen many RV problems.

Lessons learned:

1. We don't use the dead-bolt when we are in the rig

2. I have a small toolkit inside the rig now.

wbwood wrote:
What would happen if you are at an RV Park sleeping and someone comes by and truns your handle in like that?

We don't have one of those handles like that on our TT. We need one as ours sits up high and it takes 4 steps to get in. But, for the reason you mentioned, we have not put one on. We do have a second door and could eventually get out, but it's not worth the hassle.

The Jayco bunk house that I traded in had a small second door and it was not as high off the ground as this one.

This thread is making me think about those emergency escape windows, I am having my doubts about being able to use them without getting injured. I am thinking of investing in rope ladders they sell that are meant to allow people to escape from a house fire by exiting a second story window.

Something like the ones pictured in THIS LINK

What would happen if you are at an RV Park sleeping and someone comes by and truns your handle in like that?

We don't have one of those handles like that on our TT. We need one as ours sits up high and it takes 4 steps to get in. But, for the reason you mentioned, we have not put one on. We do have a second door and could eventually get out, but it's not worth the hassle.

Crowe wrote:
I only problem I see is why the tech closed the handle over the door instead of back like they usually are. He knew someone was inside.

It's called "auto pilot" and doing something instinctively. We all do it.

Emergency windows are just that-for use in an emergency.

The handle can only be folded in one direction.

There was no problem between me and the tech I only brought him up because the situation caused my brain to consider a what if moment, what if someone with bad intentions had flipped the handle to lock me in.

After I posed the question I did some looking around. I just picked this camper up a few weeks ago and just started using it about a week. I discovered that there is a window in the slide that opens (I was not aware it opened till yesterday because the shade was pulled down covering it) if I open the slide and window I can reach and flip the hand rail.

You know, if I was sick I don't think I'd be ready to make snap, quality decisions either.

I only problem I see is why the tech closed the handle over the door instead of back like they usually are. He knew someone was inside.

It's called "auto pilot" and doing something instinctively. We all do it.

Emergency windows are just that-for use in an emergency.