Security & Camping alone

[Verna-TNT]

Verna, try ebay. I looked for you & there are many good deals on bear spray. When I need something, I check there first. As long as you check the feedback on a seller first & make sure they're not going to be a pain to deal with. Can't say I've ever had any big problems, but sure have gotten some great deals! Sure helps the budget!

Thanks!!! I found some on Amazon. The spray is in the mail...so to speak!!

 

[Mloves2camp]

For all you who had a good laugh out of our 'security fixes' & the slightly vicious ways we've thought of, you've got to read this. Did you hear about the dentist who worked on her ex & pulled out all his teeth? LOL It made me think of this thread!

http://dailycaller.com/2012/04/30/novoc ... nds-teeth/

Kinda reminds ya of Lorena Bobbit, doesn't it?

 

[Ratkity]

For all you who had a good laugh out of our 'security fixes' & the slightly vicious ways we've thought of, you've got to read this. Did you hear about the dentist who worked on her ex & pulled out all his teeth? LOL It made me think of this thread!

http://dailycaller.com/2012/04/30/novoc ... nds-teeth/

Kinda reminds ya of Lorena Bobbit, doesn't it?

hehe, yeah. Only you can still eat and chew with false teeth. Not sure about him being able to do anything after Lorena was done. ROFL.

 

[Oldragbaggers]

If only he'd been a little nicer.........

 

[Mloves2camp]

Yes, false teeth would be good. However, Bobbit was able to 'function', as they searched for 'it' & reattached it. Later on, he had it enlarged & went into porno movies... How he's acted after the incident makes me think that maybe she was right. Heck, he could have gained employment as a eunich. Just sayin'...LOL

Can't imagine how in the world she pulled all his teeth out without him wondering what she was doing, though. Says she numbed him up, but geez, it's not easy pulling healthy teeth!

 

[Mloves2camp]

Hehe...cross-posted! Yes, if only! Guess he'll be nicer to women, from here on out, huh?

 

[Todah Tear]

I posted this in the "General" area. Since it involves a security item, I'll post the link to the thread here:

http://tnttt.com/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=51273

This is a large Mace and pepperspray dispencer that can spray at a distance.

Todah

 

[fflutterffly]

Camping in the crowd is not always as safe as you might think. Many years ago at a California RV spot in Moro Bay there was a shooting, a killing. I tent camp near Bishop, Ca where the sites are well defined. 99% of the time quiet time begins around 10. When it doesn't I take note of the offenders.
When the knock came on door of your tear drop I'd have shouted out. The door is locked come back in the AM.
Another nice tip: Get one of those panic buttons that, when activated, makes like a low growling sound of a very big mean dog. Maybe a sign, " Done for the day...see you tomorrow."
One more thing. I fly fish all over the place and always have a large canister of bear spray with me... by the bed... works great i hear.

 

[S. Heisley]

...always have a large canister of bear spray with me... by the bed... works great i hear.

Don't use the bear spray indoors. If you use it indoors, you won't be able to use your trailer until you re-paint to seal the stuff in and you'll may have to throw out anything that the spray gets on. Instead, get a can of wasp spray to sit by the bed and save your bear spray for the bears. Wasp spray shoots 20 to 25 feet so you can spray it in the eyes of anyone who comes around looking for trouble. However, be sure to tell them to wash their eyes out immediately and then go to a hospital because, if they don't, they could go blind. This is true; and, when you tell somebody, all they are going to think about is getting that stuff out of their eyes and not going blind. Wasp spray is a legitimate defense product yet is not considered a weapon by law enforcement. Therefore, you can safely carry it to anywhere you travel.

Additionally, I recently read that wasp spray can also be used to kill a snake or a mouse.

 

[gypsy97-TNT]

I camp alone out of necessity when my big dog passed away a couple of years ago. I camp in a tent, so there are no locked doors between me and the outside world. Whereas I would love to set my tent up in the backwoods, and am trying to convince myself to try backpacking again, I usually stay in National Forest or National Park campgrounds. I keep a heavy flashlight by my sleeping bag, plus my car keys with the panic button. I don't leave the tent after dark, and pee in a large plastic cup and toss it into the trees. I've always enjoyed camping alone, but at 73 I would really like some company once in a while. I really don't feel unsafe, just a little spooked when I'm the only one in a campground.

Gypsy

 

[S. Heisley]

I camp alone out of necessity when my big dog passed away a couple of years ago. I camp in a tent, so there are no locked doors between me and the outside world. Whereas I would love to set my tent up in the backwoods, and am trying to convince myself to try backpacking again, I usually stay in National Forest or National Park campgrounds. I keep a heavy flashlight by my sleeping bag, plus my car keys with the panic button. I don't leave the tent after dark, and pee in a large plastic cup and toss it into the trees. I've always enjoyed camping alone, but at 73 I would really like some company once in a while. I really don't feel unsafe, just a little spooked when I'm the only one in a campground.

Gypsy

You're a marvel, Gypsy! Tent camping at 73!!! One more easy thing that you can do is simply get a strong safety pin (maybe an old diaper pin?) and pin the inside zipper tab for the side zipper together with the bottom zipper tab when you're inside for the night. People don't expect tent campers to do this; but, it will alert you, should a person try to unzip your tent door; thus, buying you a couple extra seconds to wake up and protect yourself.

Knock on wood, I never had a person bother me when I tent camped; but, bears are another matter. It makes me really uncomfortable when a curious bear comes around and sniffs my head and I've had that happen a couple times. (They must smell toothpaste on my breath.) Bears don't bother with a zipper. They just bite right through the tent or swipe it with their paw or whatever. Thank goodness that never happened to me; but, it has happened to others. Having a TTT/hybrid TD seems to have helped a lot.

 

[gypsy97-TNT]

I've been wanting a teardrop camper for ages, but have been told I shouldn't try to pull it across the country and over the mountains with my 6 cyl. Highlander. I've looked into some ultra light and ultra small campers but I'd still have to get a hitch and tow package for my Highlander. Don't know if it's worth it, although I might possibly find teardrop groups in northern CA that I could camp with and forget driving long distances. I'm 3 or 4 years older now than when I started thinking about this!

 

[celticquetzel]

One thing I haven't seen yet on this thread is battery operated outdoor motion sensor lights. You'll get early warning, and it might even scare away skunks!

 

[gypsy97-TNT]

Oh goodness, that must have been what I saw on a recent camping trip to the Tahoe National Forest. An RVer had an approx. 5 or 6 ft pole that had lights flickering on and off ALL NIGHT LONG> About 5 am I decided to walk to the bathroom as I couldn't sleep anyway as those lights shone through my tent wall and fly. When I got close to the RV's site a blinding light came on and went off after I passed it. It was the most obnoxious thing I've ever been through, and my feeling is that if you don't feel safe among people in a campground then perhaps you shouldn't be camping. I think maybe they should not be allowed in a developed campground, especially one with a camp host.

 

[S. Heisley]

I've been wanting a teardrop camper for ages, but have been told I shouldn't try to pull it across the country and over the mountains with my 6 cyl. Highlander. I've looked into some ultra light and ultra small campers but I'd still have to get a hitch and tow package for my Highlander. Don't know if it's worth it, although I might possibly find teardrop groups in northern CA that I could camp with and forget driving long distances. I'm 3 or 4 years older now than when I started thinking about this!

Gypsy, if you have or can get access to a user manual for your car, it will tell you what you can do. You look in two places: Towing and Brakes. I'm guessing that you have around a 1,000 tow rating; but don't know for certain. A 6 cyl. should be able to tow something. My old 4 cyl Tacoma had a 1,200 rating. (I have a Jeep, now.) Once you find out that, you may find that you only need a hitch. Yes, there is an active Northern CA Tearkjerkers group.

 

[S. Heisley]

One thing I haven't seen yet on this thread is battery operated outdoor motion sensor lights. You'll get early warning, and it might even scare away skunks!

I have a solar-charged motion sensor light; but, one needs to be careful with those. Camping neighbors do not like lights shining in their windows or on their tents. I put mine on the trailer tongue, behind the tow vehicle, where it shouldn't disturb anyone but I will see it go on as it glows in my trailer's front window. In my case, I use it to discourage critters, looking for food, from trying to get into the car. (I usually keep the ice chest in the back of the car, unless there is a bear box.)

 

[gypsy97-TNT]

I remember asking a couple of Toyota mechanics about towing with the Highlander, and neither one seemed to think it was a good idea. Also, the cost of having a hitch installed is really high - can't remember exactly but something in the neighborhood of $1500+.
Gypsy

 

[S. Heisley]

Gypsy, I am sending you a PM with more information.

 

[Abaker50]

Much of the reason I want to have a trailer has to do with security as well as comfort. I will be traveling alone with my son some of the time, as DH isn't really a traveler & I want more than a tent between us & danger - if only to slow it down some.

DS & I recently took a trip through parts of Missouri, Tennessee, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina, Kentucky & Illinois. We rented a minivan & slept in the back the whole way, alternating between Wallydocking & inexpensive campgrounds. This worked really well for our purpose, since the goal was to see the country rather than camping for the sake of camping. We employed many of the strategies mentioned in this thread, the most important being awareness of our surroundings, keeping the keys & cell within reach at all times & not leaving the van for any reason after bedding down for the night (we had an emergency "toilet" - a bucket with kitty litter - that we didn't need, thankfully). I bought a can of wasp spray at the 1st Walmart.

It was good to know that we could take reasonable precautions w/o letting the potential dangers prevent us from having a great experience.

 

[Miriam C.]

One thing I haven't seen yet on this thread is battery operated outdoor motion sensor lights. You'll get early warning, and it might even scare away skunks!

http://www.harborfreight.com/wirele...zIjoiOS45OSIsInByb2R1Y3RfaWQi OiIyNTI1In0=

http://www.harborfreight.com/led-motion-sensor-light-95276.html

Sorry I didn't see this sooner. I have used the small HF light for years. Amazing how wonderful it is. It also is nice to be able to step out of the TD or into the PP TP and have light.