RV Security is best Improved
By Paying Attention
Not Getting Paranoid!
The issues addressed by those pursuing RV Security, are the same as those dealt with by anyone else, living pretty near, any where else. The same mistakes which endanger the personal security of people living in town, endanger those folks RV Boondocking.
Performing the simple acts of living, however temporarily, remotely in the woods, RV Boondocking, or dry camped in a Wal Mart parking lot, in no way increase your personal security or RV security risks. Not One Little Bit.
The actions which do cut big holes in your RV Security could be better referred to as inactions. They are the greatest threats of all to your safety.
I see it all the time. Folks huddled over the ATM, backs to, and oblivious of, the world around them. People walking across a parking lot, cell phone stuck in their ear, and then standing beside their car, while they rummage through their purse, looking for their keys. Cars left running while they run into a store "Just for a second". Walking alone, at night, inattentive, in less than shiny locations, 'whistling past the cemetary'. Doors unlocked. Valuable property laying out on vehicle seats, easily visible, drawing thieves like magnets.
Here are The Top RV security'inactions' as I see 'em. Deal with them in your life, as a matter of habitual routine, NOT paranoia, and your RV Security will be about as strong as you can make it.
- Failure to maintain proper situational awareness
- Failure to properly secure property
- Failure to make a presentaion of strength
- Failure to equip yourself with the reasonable, self-reliant, skills and tools of defense
Don't be described by the list above. Be known as the person who:
- Maintains proper situational awareness
- Properly secures their property, both visually and physically
- Presents an air of strength and confidence
- Has made the commitment to equip themselves with the reasonable, self-reliant, skills and tools of self defense
An RVers personal security is virtually eliminated by not staying aware of the world in his immediate area. Timidity andinattentiveness presents a person to predatory thieves as the weakling, the 'sickly' member of the 'herd'. Since predators are drawn to the weak, are built to cull out the sickly, you don't want to be percieved as that person. If you are, you attract vermin like flies to a pic nik. With a couple dozen parasites buzzing around your RV security goes pfffft!
An unaware pilgrim, walks from his rig, in the dark, late at night, stumbling timidly across the pavement of a roadside rest, to the restrooms. (He's a good Boondocker and trying to conserve his blackwater capacity) His lovely wife, sleeping blissfully back in their unlocked motorhome, he rattles across the parking lot, eyes downcast, looking neither left nor right, till he quietly pushes through the restroom door.
I see this sort of thing all the time, and I just cringe. I see the 'lame' deer in a herd, with the coyotes circling.
Now, I'm darn sure not one to modify my life much due to the predatory nature of some lowlife dirt bag. Truth be known, grumpy Old puncher that I am, I'm a lot more likely to lay my hands on a 2x4, and take off in pursuit when I see some lowlife, dirt bag circling. But most folks aren't as contrary as I am!
Walking head-on into a confrontation usually can't be sold as the best option for RV security! Some folks might even argue my aggressive ways are the sad results of severe testosterone overdose. One old cowboy I worked with, once described me this way:
"Brian, there's a thin line between macho and stupidity.... and son .... you jump across that line way too often!"
That said, a person doesn't need to run and hide to avoid confrontation, and maintain their RV Security. It's my opinion, you strengthen your personal security, by staying, confidently, in the open. It's like out in the woods. If you run from a bear or a cougar, you provoke their predatory response.
With that in mind, there are better ways to handle the little 'parking lot' scenario.
Also, to keep it all honest, the first thing that must be asked is, do you really need to conserve your waste water capacity that much? :-)
If you do, here's how I would handle it, in the interest of RV security. Don't walk away from your rig, without locking it behind you. Do not stumble across the lot timidly. Stride. Stride with purpose and confidence. Transmit to anyone watching, an air of authority. You would be surprised how effective that simple act is. Don't walk with an empty hand. Carry one of those big, 5 cell maglites.
Those can be referred to as attitude adjusters. Lay one up along some grubby parasites head, when he jumps out of the bushes, and wa la.... attitude thoroughly adjusted! And guess what, the parasites know that.... and they stay in the bushes.
Take the dog with you! He could use a trip to the 'facilities' too! ( a little side note.... a dog, any dog is a huge addition to RV security)
Or, healthy or not, swing a good, solid walking stick smartly, as you stride across that lot. Again, an 'attitude adjuster', in the hands of an apparently, confident, individual. Most of the smash and grab 'artists' find it an intimidating behavior.
Don't cast your eyes upon the ground. Keep them up, scanning the area around you. Not in a fearful, paranoid manner, but in the manner of an aware, confident, 'I'm in control of my world' sort of person. One more time, it causes many, would-be bad actors, to go elsewhere, looking for weaker prey. They don't like it when a potential victim displays the liklihood of putting up a spirited and competent resistance!
When I see this guy, I see the coyotes slinking back into the bushes, hoping that they didn't get seen! I see a guy who understands the basics of RV security.
Now this little article is far too short to much more than scratch the surface of this subject. Especially when it comes to all the intricacies of the body language and philosophies of RV Security and such. Just know that your attitude is a large part of your RV Security.
Project an aura of strength, confidence, and control, and many situations are 'deflected' without you ever even witnessing an overt act. If you do want to learn more, in depth, about RV Securtity, personal defense and such things, I encourage you to seek out proper self defense classes by competent trainers.
Proper training is usually the best course of action to produce the highest level of RV security.
I'm not talking John Rambo, busting heads and taking names, heroics, although there can be an 'element' of that in it. (Testified to by the 70something American tourist, who recently took on three armed assailants down in central america. The old guy 'eliminated' one, sending the others scurrying for shelter!). You do have to be willing to 'put up or shut up' if it comes to it, or they see your 'presentation' as a hollow show and things can get uncomfortable.
I am speaking of the trainers who will, along with the physical actions which you can use in defense, teach you to first, put that thing between your ears to use. To see the situations before they develop, allowing you to execute proper and reasonable counter measures, as you continue RV Boondocking safely.
The last thing I'll sermonize about is properly securing your property.
Let's face it, the usual compartment doors on the storage compartments, are only going to stop the guy who tugs on a locked compartment, leastways if he's pretty weak! All they're made of, usually, is a light, aluminum frame and a little sheet metal. Hardly Fort Knox. Another little known fact is, the manufactures don't use that many different keys for the things. Truth is just about every salesman and technician in the RV industry has a pass key or two, to various parts of our rigs!
That's not saying those guys are crooks. It's saying there are a heck of a lot of the keys out there, pretty easily available for a would be thief. I'd think long and hard about keeping anything of any significant value in those compartments.
At least not unless you expend a little effort re-enforcing the access doors. Such as lining the compartment door with plywood, installing stronger hinges, and more reliable locks.
I would also encourage installing a proper, quality, deadbolt in the main door. Same thing is true of those locks. Lots and lots of RV Master Keys for the RV doors are floating around out there. Something of better quality, with a not-so-common key will make your rig a lot less attractive to unwelcome parasites.
As I have said before, and will surely say again, remember the 7 P's.
Proper Prior Preparation Prevents Pathetically Poor Performance!
Prepare well enough now, and you can sleep soundly, later.
