Theft Security

[S. Heisley]

Ohhh! Okay. You don't plan on leaving it in the boonies for extended periods. Good. FYI, cars get broken into at trail heads and the alarm doesn't help because there's no one around to hear it.

Most campgrounds and state parks are okay, especially in the day time. The exception might be if the campground were really close to a main road and a thief is tempted by the view, easy access, and few other campers around.

In some areas, I've seen ice chests stolen, if they were left out at night or when no one was around. In a number of parks, the rangers will confiscate any food or ice chests left out as it tempts our four-legged friends and well as the two legged 'critters'. Other than that, I don't know of any problems with theft when leaving something temporarily unattended in a campground.

[Cliffmeister2000]

I don't lock mine unless I am in it. Keeps the doors from being damaged. The only things of value are my laptop (which I keep in the truck), food, and cast iron cookware. I would hate to lose the CI, but it would sure slow them if they tried to run with it!

[Lawnjockey]

I have been in a lot of hunting camps over the years and I have never seen or heard of a theft. Just the opposite, strangers are real careful about entering someone else's camp. After all, hunters are known for being armed.

Trailheads are a different story.

Jocko

[synaps3]

Me and my friend Billy used to ride our 4-wheelers all over the place. We'd ride through hunting leases, because they were between trails...

We saw lots of ransacked campers. It happens more than you'd think.

If you're not there guarding your rig, any security measure eventually just becomes another obstacle the thief can bypass. I agree with the mentality of -- store no valuables, and keep it unlocked unless you're in it.

For theft deterrent, we will almost always leave the dogs behind in the trailer once its finished. Sure they're only 15 and 20 lbs, but the little one can be mean as hell. No one will bother trying to steal from a trailer if there's 15 pounds of pissed-off rat terrier yapping at them.

[48Rob]

Me and my friend Billy used to ride our 4-wheelers all over the place. We'd ride through hunting leases, because they were between trails...

Across private property, "to get to a trail"??

Somehow that doesn't seem right...

I deal with 4 wheelers, snowmobiles, dirt bikes and the like regularly trespassing on my land.
Leave ruts, damage trees, damage lawns, leave beer cans, etc, etc.

It seems that the mere act of purchasing one of these vehicles grants you some God given right to drive them where ever you please...'course if I were to set foot on YOUR property...


Sorry if your "riding" was legal, this is a sore subject...

Rob

[synaps3]

We ride below high-voltage power lines -- technically private property, but owned by the power company.

Hunters who have leases often will FENCE OFF the power lines illegally, to try to trap their prey in their area, or to keep others off their lease.

Rather than break the lock or run OVER / THROUGH the fence (which the power company does -- we've seen them ram through with their truck), we politely and quietly go around.

Not all of us young'uns are disrespectful. It is the rare few that make the many good kids look bad.

Now, if you were to come onto my (hypothetical) property and leave ruts, damage trees and lawns, or litter -- I'd be mad. But if you politely passed through, I'd have no problem.

[Larwyn]

Actually I believe that you will find that the power company does not actually own the property under the power lines. They buy or lease the right to build a line on the property and the land owner is somewhat restricted on what he can build on the right of way and such. The right of way is in no way intended for public use and using the right of way as a trail puts you in the position of trespassing on the landowner's property. It is not very likely that a fence built on a right of way would be illegal, unless it is a VERY tall fence placing it dangerously close to the high voltage lines (not likely to happen). Believe me, there is enough conflict between landowners and power companies about right of way use that no power company will ever approve of you using that right of way based on their mythical ownership. They will, in fact, be more likely to have the authorities intervene with trespassers than the landowner is in many cases. Power line right of ways are NOT public property, any use of them is highly restricted and that use does not include anyone other than the power company and the landowner (or those leasing the land).

[48Rob]

Not all of us young'uns are disrespectful. It is the rare few that make the many good kids look bad.

I'm glad to hear that you are respectful of other peoples property and hard work. sorry to have lumped you with the bad apples.

Rob

[Bodyman]

Larwyn
My thoughts exactly Thanks for your well worded response.
I am now in the process of selling right of way to a power company. (No choice. The courts would just uphold their right to buy it and I would be out the lawyer fees.) They pay for the ROW with certain conditions as to building close by. Crops can still be planted and they will pay for any damage to crops if they have to do maintenance on the power lines. It is still my ground. they just have access to the power line. Anyone else driving down the crops would have hell to pay.
Randy

[Arne]

bad apples make good hard cider.... at least from my experience....

[48Rob]

Arne wrote; bad apples make good hard cider.... at least from my experience....

They work well for target practice too...

[synaps3]

Actually I believe that you will find that the power company does not actually own the property under the power lines. They buy or lease the right to build a line on the property and the land owner is somewhat restricted on what he can build on the right of way and such. The right of way is in no way intended for public use and using the right of way as a trail puts you in the position of trespassing on the landowner's property. It is not very likely that a fence built on a right of way would be illegal, unless it is a VERY tall fence placing it dangerously close to the high voltage lines (not likely to happen). Believe me, there is enough conflict between landowners and power companies about right of way use that no power company will ever approve of you using that right of way based on their mythical ownership. They will, in fact, be more likely to have the authorities intervene with trespassers than the landowner is in many cases. Power line right of ways are NOT public property, any use of them is highly restricted and that use does not include anyone other than the power company and the landowner (or those leasing the land).

This seems odd to me. When riding, we often run into people from the power lines working on them. We've stopped to talk to them, and they gripe about hunters building on their land, and (as I said before) how they run over or tear down the fences.

We've been encouraged to ride on them by the workers, especially if we take routes that are off the path -- possibly creating new paths to make their traversing of the mountains easier.

Regardless, I appreciate the input. We will try to tread lighter, and get an answer from the power company as to who exactly owns the land next time we ride.

[Larwyn]

The power company either owns or has leased the "Right of Way". Look up the definition of "Right of Way". " the privilege of someone to pass over land belonging to someone else".