Feeling uncomfortable while parking at Walmart in Kansas City!

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Campfire RV

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Mar 24, 2012
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Ridgecrest, CA
We stopped at several Walmart parking lots on our trip across country so far and felt just fine at each one except Kansas City. When we arrived it was 9pm and the parking lot had very few cars and no RV's. Within ten minutes of parking, a car parked two spaces in front of us and the woman looked really suspicious. She stayed in the car sitting up and kept looking over at our RV and when she saw me she would look back down. She was parked there looking suspicious the entire time. I just didn't feel comfortable because why did she have to park right in front of me way out at the far end of the parking lot all by ourselves.

Well, after about two hours I finally decided to drive off and find another Walmart about thirty miles down the road where we found about five other RV's parked.

Have you ever parked in a parking lot for the night and just didn't feel comfortable for some reason?
 
Not many, but had a few drug deals done right beside us (RV provided cover) plus an amorous couple who decided the parking space two along from us (in an otherwise-empty massive car park) was where they wanted to rock 'n roll.  ::)  That was quite interesting for the first 5 minutes, but became quite boring thereafter.

Only time I had to sit up until the wee small hours was in Thunder Bay, Canada where four inebriated teenagers had some jolly fun by running up & over the hoods, roofs & trunks of cars.  That was, until the parked-up refrigerated semi driver came out his truck & dealt with them appropriately.  ;D

Dougie.
 
In my ten years of full timing I spent hundreds of days overnighting in a Walmart parking lot and never once did I feel unsafe. Yes I have seen drug deals in a Walmart parking lot, but I don't consider that a problem. Those people are not interested in me at all. I have seen people sitting is their car looking "suspicious", whatever that means. And in every case it turned out to be a Walmart employee taking a break or a spouse of a Walmart employee waiting for the partner.

I just can't believe that anyone would think "I am going to go commit a crime, I think I will go sit in a Walmart parking lot and look for someone to rob." Yeah, great idea. Walmart parking lots are well lit, usually busy, full of video surveillance cameras, and many have security guards. And in all the years I have been reading this forum I have never once read of someone being attacked, raped, robbed or murdered in a Walmart parking lot.
 
SeilerBird said:
I just can't believe that anyone would think "I am going to go commit a crime, I think I will go sit in a Walmart parking lot and look for someone to rob." Yeah, great idea. Walmart parking lots are well lit, usually busy, full of video surveillance cameras, and many have security guards. And in all the years I have been reading this forum I have never once read of someone being attacked, raped, robbed or murdered in a Walmart parking lot.

;D  ;D
 
We have done exactly what you did once on the south side of Indianapolis when we had a bunch of cruisers hanging out next to us around 10:00PM.


We drove over to Camping World in Greenwood and spent a relaxing night.


Tom remember the RVer who shot the man who came into their RV in Las Vegas a few years ago?
 
Campfire RV said:
She stayed in the car sitting up and kept looking over at our RV and when she saw me she would look back down. She was parked there looking suspicious the entire time. I just didn't feel comfortable because why did she have to park right in front of me way out at the far end of the parking lot all by ourselves.

It's possible she was mentally unwell?

Where I live the local park has this unsettling "tradition" of people driving there and just parking their vehicles (cars or pickup trucks) and just sitting in them, even on nice days.  It creeps me out.  Get out, walk in the world, feel the breeze, smell the grass, see the river.  Walk.  Cars are for moving, not sitting in (unless you are a police officer on a stakeout, I guess).  If you want to sit in a vehicle, get an RV!  ;)

Well, after about two hours I finally decided to drive off and find another Walmart about thirty miles down the road where we found about five other RV's parked.

Although you were probably most comfortable around other RVs and advanced your trip 30 mi anyway, maybe next time consider moving your RV to another section of the same parking lot; if the woman follows you there, then you know something weird is up.

 
Whenever we make Walmart stays, we always inquire directly to the manager not only asking permission, but if there is a preferred place to overnight.


We have been asked to reconsider overnighting due to hoodlum activity, and we take the managers' recommendation seriously. We too have driven another 25-30 miles late at night.


Advice if that situation repeats itself...
Make like you are calling the police, and focus on the license plate. Make sure the occupant sees your lips describing the vehicle, plate number, ect... maybe even a photo with your phone and make like you sent it.


Bet that situation resolves itself clearing the way to move elsewhere.
 
Advice if that situation repeats itself...
Make like you are calling the police, and focus on the license plate. Make sure the occupant sees your lips describing the vehicle, plate number, ect... maybe even a photo with your phone and make like you sent it.

Great idea!...... :-\ ??? .....or...... you could just walk up to the car and say; "it's really none of my business what you are doing here, but I have a pretend picture of your car and license and pretended to send it to the police, so if you were going to shoot me, I hope I've scared you into moving on. 8)

Nah!!  I like the driving away idea better. ;) :D
 
Just Lou said:
Great idea!...... :-\ ??? .....or...... you could just walk up to the car and say; "it's really none of my business what you are doing here, but I have a pretend picture of your car and license and pretended to send it to the police, so if you were going to shoot me, I hope I've scared you into moving on.

Now that's just being silly. ;D

Dougie.
 
I like the idea of paying the local campground owner $30.00 or more and help put his children to collage or help towards his retirement. 

I can get a good nights sleep and ready for the next day......

Jim
 
We like doing that too, and also sometimes like to accept Walmart's hospitality after spending hundreds of dollars with them. :)

Horses for courses (although perhaps a little off-topic).

Dougie.
 
We stopped at a West Chicago Walmart and I was really tired. Right away I noticed that the parking lot was used by  groups of young people as a shortcut. They were coming and going in  large groups, talking loud and although they were doing nothing wrong I just was to nervous to get any rest. We continued on into Ohio and stayed at a rest stop.  I have never had a problem but that may have something to do with being careful.

Staying at Campgrounds are getting very expensive, I took the G-kids to Florida. We needed to stop 2 nights each way. KOA charged $44 to $58 for one night.  All I wanted was 30 Amp no other hook up. I wanted to arrive late and leave early.  I'm going to find a cheaper way to stop for the night.  There is a time for Walmart and a time to pay but it should not  be the same price as someone staying 24 hours.
 
[quote author=Dougie Brown]
I do not bad at irony too. ;) [/quote]

or...  I don't do bad at irony, either :)

Strange Ironic, how we circle the barn in opposite directions yet arrive back at the same location :-\ ;)
 
Dougie Brown said:
Now that's just being silly. ;D

Dougie.


Silly is when you break out the dress up costumes and invite them in... wait... that might be an effective way to drive them off too!
 
Over the years, I've pulled into a few parking lots or rest areas that "just didn't feel right". I just figured that's one of the advantages of having an RV with wheels, and headed on down the road to a more amenable location.
 
The key is keeping situational awareness by having your eyes open and utilizing your street smarts.  If you see something that makes you uncomfortable, then it's time to leave and go elsewhere.  Follow your instincts.

ArdraF
 
I had the pleasure (??) of serving in local county government during a protracted zoning struggle over a proposed new Wal-Mart. One of the big arguments against the new store was crime rates in Wal-Mart parking lots. Those against tend to cite articles like this one http://www.jrrobertssecurity.com/articles/wal-mart-parking-lot-crime.htm. Our local sheriff's department felt he would need a 20% increase in deputies to cover the increased coverage needed to handle WM incidents. The reality is probably that WM parking lot crime is not as prevalent as the antis would have us believe, but because they are 24 hour a day operations with limited security and lots of opportunity, they do attract unsavory people. In our case, the new WM was approved, and crime rates increased substantially in the area. The sheriff's budget has risen to accommodate his needs to react.

According to my leo neighbor, rvs in big box store parking lots make his job harder as people up to no good can use the large rvs and trucks parked in the lot overnight to hide behind. IMO, the above comments about situational awareness are appropriate. Campgrounds are probably safer, but if your goal is convenience and lower cost, it may be worth the slight additional risk. The decision to use parking lots is a personal one.
 
Campfire RV said:
We stopped at several Walmart parking lots on our trip across country so far and felt just fine at each one except Kansas City. When we arrived it was 9pm and the parking lot had very few cars and no RV's. Within ten minutes of parking, a car parked two spaces in front of us and the woman looked really suspicious. She stayed in the car sitting up and kept looking over at our RV and when she saw me she would look back down. She was parked there looking suspicious the entire time. I just didn't feel comfortable because why did she have to park right in front of me way out at the far end of the parking lot all by ourselves.

Well, after about two hours I finally decided to drive off and find another Walmart about thirty miles down the road where we found about five other RV's parked.

Have you ever parked in a parking lot for the night and just didn't feel comfortable for some reason?

I usually keep an AK47 or AR15 in my RV and a .45 in the console beside me (I have a ccw) and I have yet to feel uncomfortable anywhere :)
 

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