WALMART and Safety personal experience

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It's certainly interesting how one word in a post will get it deleted out of and,,,mysteriously,,mysteriously....

No mystery, just recognition that a message will likely become a lightning rod, followed by a discussion going downhill. FWIW nothing was deleted  ;)
 
Tom said:
No mystery, just recognition that a message will likely become a lightning rod, followed by a discussion going downhill. FWIW nothing was deleted  ;)
There is a post that has disappeared. It listed five reasons for defending your RV.
 
My RV does not run or else it would be an option.


Call Coach-Net and ask for a tow  ;D 


That does sound like a very nice store, with the added bonus of being much closer to you. Although we don't overnight at WM, we do shop their stores. We have family members who won't step foot in a WM store  ???
 
There is a post that has disappeared. It listed five reasons for defending your RV.


Actually, two messages were moved out of sight, but none were deleted. As I said in my other message, we were merely removing a potential lightning rod. Discussions can go downhill in a hurry.
 
I have to agree that in most cases, panhandlers sob stories are almost never true and giving them money only encourages them.  If I was stopped in a Walmart parking lot and someone started banging on my door in the middle of the night, I'd covertly take one look out the window... if it wasn't a Walmart employee or some other authority figure, I'd call the local police for a "Suspicious person" complaint.  Pay attention to person descriptions and vehicle information / license plate if you can see it.  Use 911 if you don't have the non-emergency number. 

I don't think you need to rush to the driver's seat and pull off, unless you have some information to suggest there is a risk of immediate danger.  It seems like it would be pretty unlikely for a group of people to break any windows or jump on your RV, as mentioned.  Just doesn't make sense.  That guy knocked on your door to get a handout (which worked for him), and causing damage would probably just get him arrested which I'm sure he didn't want.

As a side note... for the OP and other newer members of the forum, I want to point out we have a section dedicated to this type of topic:

Camping at Walmart and other non-campgrounds

You may find some more useful information there.
 
NY_Dutch said:
I've never had a problem while overnighting in the RV at a Walmart or other parking area, but I have been approached by a panhandler with a similar sob story while in my car in a parking lot. I told the fellow I had no cash, but I would call 911 for him and have an officer come help him find an agency to assist him. He grumbled a bit and then left...
Similar story Dutch.  While waiting on the wife who was fabric shopping, a young lady approached me with a very disjointed story about needing money to catch a bus to the hospital where her mother was a patient.  #1 there is no nearby bus; #2 The hospital is about 3 blocks away. So she is obviously panhandling and I just told her NO.  Two weeks later, exact same story but this time I got nasty with her and told her to leave the area or I would call the  police. She did but I doubt the police would do anything.  Recently the city had to rescind an ordinance prohibiting panhandlers from holding up signs at intersections.  ACLU threatened suit because it was 'free speech'.  So now we have panhandlers on every intersection even sitting in traffic islands with signs - four to a corner at times. Thanks to the ACLU from which I have seen nothing of value to general society.
 
Bill.. Laws vary from state to state as to what the POLICE can do but this one is common law so it applies to at least some degree WORLD WIDE.

Wal*mart management can declare the woman "Person not wanted" (Personna non grata is I think the phrase but my spelling sucks more so in Latin).

Once she is so declared she is not to set foot on the property. Then the police can act.
 
John From Detroit said:
Bill.. Laws vary from state to state as to what the POLICE can do but this one is common law so it applies to at least some degree WORLD WIDE.

Wal*mart management can declare the woman "Person not wanted" (Personna non grata is I think the phrase but my spelling sucks more so in Latin).

Once she is so declared she is not to set foot on the property. Then the police can act.
Sorry, I neglected to mention this was NOT on a Walmart lot but in a strip mall lot. But your point still applies - private property - but the owners are probably so cowered by perhaps losing one customer they would not ask her to leave.
 
Yes, Wall*mart, Strip Mall, Grocery Store, Private driveway, all the same as far as this issue goes,, Sidewalk in front of the parking lot... Varies big time (some are owned by the city some by the "property owner"

Store owners cowed by the fear of loosing even that quality of customer...  Universal.

Something else:  One mall not far from my Wife's Cousin, there was a man ther with the old "Will work for food" sign.. Several store managers had offered him employment but he was not interested....

He was clearing like 20-30 dollars an hour TAX FREE holding that sign.

So she might be a very good customer of that mall.

(When, eventually, the government catches on they could remove those folks... Income Tax Evasion,  Same as AL Capone)
 
Well , being an AVID boondocker .....  I first would like to ask ----- do ALL you folks that replied ,  consider "boondocking" is going to a WalMart parking lot ?
And next ....  I joined here thinking I would get some new ideas or helpful hints  , or even possibly helping others about boondocking , ( seeing as to how I believe you NEVER stop learning new things )  , but , in turn I find that even though it clearly states at the category description -
Boondocking

A place to discuss issues unique to boondocking. Note that this message board is not intended for discussions related to overnighting at WalMart and similar locations; Such discussions have their own message board here.

So......    Maybe I will hang out in the shadows and see where this might lead ( again ..... seeing as to how I signed up here so I can hopefully either help others , or they could help me with some new ideas/locations on BOONDOCKING .... ---------------- NOT WALMARTING ...... :-X :eek:
 
Hey BoonDocker Bob, welcome to the forum! :)

BoonDocker Bob said:
Well , being an AVID boondocker .....  I first would like to ask ----- do ALL you folks that replied ,  consider "boondocking" is going to a WalMart parking lot ?

This particular discussion thread made it into this "Boondocking" area, but we actually have a dedicated area for that type of conversation: Camping at Wal*mart and other non-campgrounds.  That's a subforum of our Destinations, RV Parks, Routes category.

I'd say generally Boondocking refers to camping pretty much anywhere with NO hookups.  Of course Walmart stops aren't exactly "camping" ... more like a quick overnight sleeping spot in the middle of a long drive.
 
I just never understood the joy of camping at Walmart. So I have never stayed at one.

Sure I would love free camping but I prefer grass, trees, electric and water hookups.

One time I did pull into one at night, it scared me. A rowdy group of people were running around the parking lot harassing shoppers leaving the store and pushing carts into parked cars. This was in a nice upscale neighborhood. The lot was lit up and cameras on poles. If there was security they were unconcerned with the mayhem in the parking lot.

I run into folks who ask me about Walmart camping and seem so shocked when I tell them I never have and hope I never do!

I was camped in a nice RV park and met a guy from a fancy big rig. He looked at my modest Class C and said "So I guess you spend a lot of time in Walmart parking lots!" I was insulted and said "I have NEVER spend a night in a Walmart ever! What on earth gave you that impression?" He had no answer and I felt a tad bad for being rude, but he was talking to me in a nice RV park where we both paid the same rent.

Oddly that comment was said to me 3 times

Now about SECURITY!

NEVER open your door at night. The door opens OUT, you can't slam it shut again if you don't like the person on the other side. Last time I heard someone banging on my door in the middle of the night, I yelled "Honey, you get the gun and I'll get the door, then I roared at the top of my lungs WHAT DO YOU WANT?" I had no "honey" with me but I didn't want them to think I was alone.

All I heard was running foot steps.

I never camped in that park again. The guy that checked me in asked me about 3 times if I was the only occupant, it should have set off red flags. He was probably the creep banging on my door, but I will never know. Now I always reserve for 2 and if they insist about the 2nd person when I check in,  I tell them the other one is on their way in the car (I don't tow).
 
If you're "camping" in a Walmart or other parking lot, you have the wrong idea. The whole concept is just that it's a convenient place to stop for a night's rest. It should not be seen as "camping" in any sense of the word. If you don't mind paying for all the amenities at a campground just to get a night's sleep, that's fine. Just don't knock those folks that find it a waste of time and money while in transit. We have pulled into parking lots where the surroundings didn't suggest a good environment, so we just moved on to a more suitable location. I can also say exactly the same thing about RV parks. If it doesn't feel right, don't stay there...
 
Well moderated topic. Well done. That said...

IMHO, It really doesn't matter if it's a clean and well lit Walmart lot, or a secured CG. In comparison to a ghetto Walmart or a free county camping site out in the woods somewhere. It's all the same to me. The key is if you don't feel comfortable spending even one night anywhere, and you have a choice, don't do it. Those accustom to boondocking would be more prepared for a stay in a parking lot or rest area. Others, including newbies, may not be so prepared. Planning is the key. Experience is the best teacher.
As far as personal safety for you and your family, it still doesn't matter. Regardless of where you lay your head down for the night.
Bluntly put, one can get mugged, robbed, or shot in any Walmart lot. As well as any campground. How much do you want to worry about it?

My point is our place is out in the woods. My property borders over a 100 acres of national forest. Open to anyone.  100's of acres of private land surround our property on the other 3 sides. When we are not there, all bets are off. I could loose everything. I do have a neighbor who lives next to my place (approx. 150 yards away), but he can't babysit it! When we are there, a firearm is handy, but not relevant in this case.
If an unwelcome visitor becomes a problem, they are first greeted by our dog (German Shepard). No problem.

It really all depends on how comfortable/prepared you are, where you are, and how well you can handle a situation. A lot of common sense is also involved. I do give Walmart kudos for making their lots available to RVers, Most retail chains do not. In a pinch, you have the option. 




 
 
 
BoonDocker Bob said:
  this might lead ( again ..... seeing as to how I signed up here so I can hopefully either help others , or they could help me with some new ideas/locations on BOONDOCKING .... ---------------- NOT WALMARTING ...... :-X :eek:

Boondocking in my view is for destination RVing.  Walmarting is only for stopovers enroute to destinations.  Very different viewpoints.  I do neither.

Bill
 
From our own experience, we park in a lighted area where other rvs or semis park, out of the area where most store shoppers park. Personal safety is your responsibility and that means if you don't know who is banging on your door in the middle of the night, there is no need to respond. You could open the door and be looking down the barrel of a pistol.  If the interruptions persist, call 911 and ask for police help.  We always carry defensive weapons in our rv in case matters take a turn for the worse and someone gets violent, tries to break in, and might attempt to hurt us.  Of course, this applies no matter where we are staying the night. 
 
Not a Walmart story...but another big name you may recognize...7/11. Rarely do they place those in nice neighborhoods. But, it was about 11pm the day after the storm last week. Roads were still a disaster and required 4wd. Got some snacks and a pizza. As we are checking out, I see a little hooded guy standing outside at the door (cold, hoodie okay)...but he stood outside. Not smoking, constantly turning to looking in. One would think to just come in, right?

As my wife and I walked out, he mumbled something and we kept walking. I knew he was right behind me, so a quick turn caught him off guard. With a little voice raising, he turned and walked up to the store. I dont go anywhere like that unarmed.
 

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