Bad things that happen on the road?

[Foodsman]

Greetings one and all,

I have read a large number of RV stories about the Motorhome Lifestyle with great enjoyment and interest. One thing that has surprised me is there is almost no mentions of bad things that happen on the road.

We know there are people out there who’s a taco short of a Fiesta platter. Those who think “gas guzzler, polluter, money bags, Richy-Rich and general Bozo”! They drive by this big beautiful 40’+ motorhome and some people think “wow how great is that, I’d sure love to have one of those”! While others are thinking “wow who do they think they are lets run em off the road and steal their stuff” !:)

• When you’re on the open road do people ever mess with you?
• When your parked getting groceries or at a stop light or fast food place. Are you ever bothered or find your coach being messed with?

I’m just curious because “stuff happens” and wonder if it happens very often to RVers?

Harry

[RayChez]

Being camping for many years and never had any bad encounters with anybody. I do not believe on strapping hand guns even though they are allowed in some states. Only thing we carry in our coach is a double barrel over under. 16 gauge magnum/ 22 gauge magnum. Strictly emergency situation.

[rgatijnet1]

With the video I was able to stop and pick out the instant when I got him with two feet off of the ground. That would have been tough with a still camera. The last time we were in Cody, WY we stayed at the Buffalo Bill State Park, North Shore. Great area to spend some time.

[Foodsman]

Wow thanks for that shot, how great... We lived in Cody, WY for a good number of years and that shot sure pulls on the hear-strings. What a place for wildlife! It will be the first place we go when we fire up our first motorhome!

[rgatijnet1]

Foodsman wrote:
I'd like to thank each of you for our input... I understand now why I've not read anything about problems on the road, because it looks like its few and far between.

Rgatijnet1 Said: "I do have an on dash camera that records continuously what is going on out in front of our rig."

That is a great idea and gives you a chance to record some real cool stuff. As it helps from the crazy people on the road standpoint, it would be a great thing to have in Wyoming and Montana for example, where wildlife rains supreme. You'd catch all kinds of great shots that without the dash-cam you would have missed! What kind of camera do you use?

Again, my thanks to everyone,

Harry

Harry,
I use the GoPro Hero3 but there are numerous cameras out there that will do a great job. If you do a search on eBay for dash cameras you will find them from under $50 to well over $400. Mine records in 1080 resolution and has a memory card that can be removed and put in my PC. Most of the dash cameras all use an SD card and, depending on the size of the memory card, can record 12 to 15 hours of video continuously and then they just re-record over themselves.
Driving in Yellowstone we did record an elk that decided to cross right in front of us as well as a buffalo that decided to block the road.

[Foodsman]

I'd like to thank each of you for our input... I understand now why I've not read anything about problems on the road, because it looks like its few and far between.

Rgatijnet1 Said: "I do have an on dash camera that records continuously what is going on out in front of our rig."

That is a great idea and gives you a chance to record some real cool stuff. As it helps from the crazy people on the road standpoint, it would be a great thing to have in Wyoming and Montana for example, where wildlife rains supreme. You'd catch all kinds of great shots that without the dash-cam you would have missed! What kind of camera do you use?

Again, my thanks to everyone,

Harry

[JetAonly]

The discussion of threats and how to deal with them comes up occasionally. Forgive me if I repeat.

A threat consists of three things. Means, opportunity and intent. Means equates to the ability to project force. A weapon, which could be a bat or gun or a screwdriver. It could also be a size mismatch for example a 250lb person compared to a 120lb person. Opportunity means physically present, usually this is telegraphed by the threat synchronizing their position with yours. It can also mean the existence or lack of existence of restraining circumstances. Are you isolated or are you with witnesses. Are you armed or possibly armed or is the area devoid of arms, like a concealed carry forbidden zone. The intent part is more perceptive, it is based on the intended victims point of view. Some of us are more perceptive than others. There are those who are oblivious to their circumstances, they are usually called "The Victim". Threat response, in a civilized society is tiered, in the law enforcement model is just enough to ensure rapid compliance and no more.

Like it or not there are rules to threat encounters, criminal and civil. The survival of a threat encounter requires physical and mental preparation. The easiest to master is to limit the opportunities a threat might have to encounter you. Most criminals are opportunists and are very afraid of being exposed and being caught. Those who are brazen about their actions may require immediate response to avoid, there is a very small percentage who are sociopathic. Don't walk down a dark street in an unknown neighborhood at night, for example. It seems intuitive that if you are not there when something happens then it can't happen to you. There are people, however, who insist on being innocent bystanders.

Lastly, it is people not things that are dangerous. Remember, it is not spoons that make us fat.

Respectfully submitted.
Semper Vigilans

[Yankee_Clipper]

I've had people park in a way to block my exit, even though there was ample parking...just mean spirited, I guess. The other thing I've encountered twice in eight years is tow pins being removed from the tow bar...it's caused me to use locking pins, and to check hooks-ups every stop. Some sickos think they are having fun and, hey, who will notice? Stopped at a Walmart for one evening in Watertown, Ohio, and kids started doing donuts around us at 2A.M., but stopped thinking it was so much fun when the local cops put a stop to it! Get used to the RV salute on the roadways...Otherwise, most of the good stuff you hear is more accurate, you meet the nicest people in campgrounds.

[Pangaea_Ron]

No real problems, until recently when someone placed a tall beer bottle between my real dual wheels, which I found on my walk-around.

I've had my wife lock the doors when I was fueling in Arcada, CA with confrontational beggars around.

I've been flipped off and confronted by strangers in OR, who were objecting to the existence of Class A RV's.

[J-Rooster]

No problems from other people and I've been RVing since 1976!

[Daveinet]

There is a philosophical question that anyone could answer themselves regarding gun laws as they relate to your RV. The thought is that either you are under a life threatening situation, or you are not. When it is your life, the law is irrelevant. If it is not a life threatening situation, then ones morality would prevent you from firing your gun. (although you might use it for intimidation if it was impossible to defuse the situation otherwise)

[camper_ron]

At a stop light some hitchhikers going the other way, he yell over to me saying millionaire, we have a Mountain Aire embossed on the side and he laughed saying he though it said Millionaire. If the light hadn't changed I would have thrown him a 10 spot.

Mistakenly pulled into a small town that had been closed down for a festival having to stop and disconnect our toad was told a few time Nice Ride.

Have traveled across this county twice plus north to south to may time to mention, without any problems.

r0n…..:C

[OhhWell]

ferndaleflyer wrote:
Pan handlers!!!! This didn't happen in the RV but I once gave a couple of $ to a guy that was sitting with his hood up at a stop light for gas. I swear the next day he was the same place telling the same story!!!!

I bet you did. He must have had one of those cars with the gas tank under he hood.

[OhhWell]

I haven't been intentionally messed with yet in traffic but I am sure that I will at some point. There are some real unstable people on the road. When I used to drive a Mini Cooper around, you wouldn't believe how much I was messed with.

The way we camp at this point, there is little possibility of being in an unsafe location but you still gotta keep aware. The criminals certainly are always on the lookout for victims. I know that if you boondock in the Ocala National forest, you are playing the odds of seriously being messed with unless things have really changed in 5 years or so.

The guy who came up to someone's coach and asked if he could just "come in for a bit" is chilling.

[rk911]

Donna and Rob wrote:

rk911 wrote:

Donna and Rob wrote:
Traveling thru New Mexico and stopped at a Pilot to get fuel.
Donna went in while I fueled up. As soon as I got the nozzle in I looked up and a man appeared out of nowhere asking me if I wanted a free big screen TV. So I ask him why he wanted to give away a TV and he said he was a truck driver for Best Buy and pointed at a bunch of trucks and said "That's my truck over there". I didn't see a Best Buy truck.
Anyway He says "I had one TV left over, so, do you want it, I'll give it to you free". I told him no I didn't need another TV.
He disappeared as fast as he appeared.
I think he was trying to get me in the motorhome to rob me, what do ya'll think? Maybe I passed up a free TV, huh. :S Rob

I think you've answered your own question...he was up to no good. I might've pulled the nozzle out of the tank and casually pointed it at him while speaking but you did the right thing. did you report the encounter to the manager or police?

No, I guess I didn't put 2 and 2 together at the time.

too bad. best case he was a thief/scam artist trying either to sell you actual stolen goods or an empty box. worst case he was going to rob you or worse.