Casino Parking Lot Boondocking - a Safer Option

[Frizlefrak]

Then too, if you bear spray someone, they may decide to return with vengeance in mind.

Agreed.  When someone forces their way into your RV, home, car, wherever, their intentions are obvious, and there really is only one viable response. 

 

[Campfire RV]

We have had good luck in casinos and have stayed away from Walmart in the last few years just because of the traffic and the design of the parking lots in the newer stores. Some cities like Reno no longer allow dry camping or RV parking in casino parking lots or any parking lot so if we are out that way we just keep on going because the parks in that area are way over priced and a long way form the casinos. The casinos that do have parks set up RVs are usually reasonable in their price so use them also.

Denny
 

We have discovered the same issue with trying to setup a trip to Las Vegas again this year but the only casino with an RV park on the strip is the KOA at the Circus Circus and the cost is way more than I can get a nice room for. All the RV parks are a good distance from the strip so we will be getting a hotel room. I have discovered the casinos that are in small towns typically have nice RV parking setup with security.

 

[99WinAdventurer37G]

We have discovered the same issue with trying to setup a trip to Las Vegas again this year but the only casino with an RV park on the strip is the KOA at the Circus Circus and the cost is way more than I can get a nice room for. All the RV parks are a good distance from the strip so we will be getting a hotel room. I have discovered the casinos that are in small towns typically have nice RV parking setup with security.

I was just out there, and the Gold Coast is just a short walk to the strip.  I did stay a couple of nights in a room with them as they gave me a $29 a night rate.  I was talking with the girl at the registration desk and telling her it was hard to keep the front room cool in the RV with the heat out there, when she offered me the rate.  That was an easy decision for me, she even said she'd make sure security kept a close eye on it. The rest of the time I was in the MH.  The only problem with parking a MH at most of the casinos are the parking garages.  If you park over at the Stratosphere, (in the lot across from where they are jumping off the tower.)  then you can get a monorail pass.  I'm thinking it was about a mile walk to the station, but it wasn't that bad.  The monorail takes you to most of the casinos on the strip.  The biggest problem I had was the size of my MH, some of the places are tight to get in and out.  But the Stratosphere, Gold Coast, and The M were all easy in, easy out, and no one bothered me. 

Freemont street was a different matter all together.  No parking down there at all.  Very tight, got myself in a couple of jams, thank God for that back up camera.  Went back to the GC and called Enterprise.  Then I went back and really enjoyed myself riding the zip line down Freemont street, the concerts, etc..

 

[tonyandkaren]

Freemont street was a different matter all together.  No parking down there at all.  Very tight, got myself in a couple of jams, thank God for that back up camera.  Went back to the GC and called Enterprise.  Then I went back and really enjoyed myself riding the zip line down Freemont street, the concerts, etc..

The Main Street Casino in downtown Vegas has a campground - blacktop camping with a few trees , not fancy, a little noisy from the freeways but inexpensive and very convenient to Freemont Street. We stay there for a few days on every trip to Vegas.

Back to the original post - we've stayed at hundreds of Walmarts and casinos across the country and have never had the slightest problem. It's actually pretty safe.

 

[Foto-n-T]

Then too, if you bear spray someone, they may decide to return with vengeance in mind.

Only after they get out of the hospital, by which time I would think that you'd find someplace else to stay.  But you are correct, never take a knife to a gun fight.

The reason I mention the bear spray is because it has some advantages beyond the over the counter pepper spray.  One of which is the potency factor, also it comes in a a grizzly bear size can, you aren't going to run out in just a few seconds.  Also it is extremely easy to aim, designed to hit the target with the product at a distance of 20 feet with a wider spread than personal defense pepper spray.

Guns are not for everybody, even someone with extensive training can hesitate to use deadly force even though the situation might warrant it.  Non-lethal deterents can be a viable option for those who are not only uncomfortable with firearms but those who have not trained in their use against people.  I have been in a situation one time where deadly force was warranted and I hesitated, it could have cost me my life, that taught me a VERY important lesson and if the situation should ever happen again the outcome WILL be different, I'm much older and wiser now.

Crimes committed against folks in RV's are rare, we tend to be of an age that lends itself to self-awareness and the average RV'r doesn't tend to intentionally put him/herself in harms way unnecessarily.  Also if you ask around you might find that a lot of RV'rs do tend to have firearms in their rigs which in and of itself "I" think is a deterent.

Robert A. Heinlein stated (1939?) that: An armed society is a polite society.  Manners are good when one may have to back up his acts with his life."

 

[Wendy]

The Main Street Casino in downtown Vegas has a campground - blacktop camping with a few trees , not fancy, a little noisy from the freeways but inexpensive and very convenient to Freemont Street. We stay there for a few days on every trip to Vegas.

Back to the original post - we've stayed at hundreds of Walmarts and casinos across the country and have never had the slightest problem. It's actually pretty safe.

We also stay occasionally at the Main Street park. It is extremely noisy (freeway and fire station) but it is handy to Fremont Street.

And we also stay frequently at Walmarts and casinos, especially when on the move from one place to another. I have never felt uncomfortable at any of them. I have felt uncomfortable at rest stops and occasionally whilst boondocking out in the middle of nowhere.

Wendy

 

[Bob Buchanan]

Amazon, of course. 

http://www.amazon.com/Mace-Brand-Bear-Pepper-Spray/dp/B0002YSWIQ

Just read the reviews at this website. The only reviewer that actually used it was not too happy with it's effectiveness. 

Quote:
Got mauled by a bear back in '10, I maced the bear with this product and needless to say it didn't work.. All it did was enrage the bear beyond belief. Now I'm unemployed and have to type with my mouth.UNQuote

 

[Frizlefrak]

Only after they get out of the hospital, by which time I would think that you'd find someplace else to stay.  But you are correct, never take a knife to a gun fight.

The reason I mention the bear spray is because it has some advantages beyond the over the counter pepper spray.  One of which is the potency factor, also it comes in a a grizzly bear size can, you aren't going to run out in just a few seconds.  Also it is extremely easy to aim, designed to hit the target with the product at a distance of 20 feet with a wider spread than personal defense pepper spray.

Guns are not for everybody, even someone with extensive training can hesitate to use deadly force even though the situation might warrant it.  Non-lethal deterents can be a viable option for those who are not only uncomfortable with firearms but those who have not trained in their use against people.  I have been in a situation one time where deadly force was warranted and I hesitated, it could have cost me my life, that taught me a VERY important lesson and if the situation should ever happen again the outcome WILL be different, I'm much older and wiser now.

Crimes committed against folks in RV's are rare, we tend to be of an age that lends itself to self-awareness and the average RV'r doesn't tend to intentionally put him/herself in harms way unnecessarily.  Also if you ask around you might find that a lot of RV'rs do tend to have firearms in their rigs which in and of itself "I" think is a deterent.

Robert A. Heinlein stated (1939?) that: An armed society is a polite society.  Manners are good when one may have to back up his acts with his life."

Saved me the trouble of typing it.  Well put.

And back to the original post....if a casino has a fenced off area with security for RVing overnight, that changes things.  The bad guys probably won't venture into such an area....too much chance of meeting resistance.  The segment of society that, for whatever reason, preys on others prefers to single out those they feel are the most vulnerable, which is unfortunately often the elderly.  There's a huge difference in a group of RV's parked together overnighting and a single rv in a dark parking lot. 

As for the Wal-Mart thing, I can't see any scenario where that is "safe".  I've seen too many instances where their morbidly obese minimum wage "security guard" is busier stuffing his face in the golf cart than watching for illicit activity.  And beyond calling the police, what good is he?  If I'm a bad guy, he won't intimidate me in the least. By the time the police get there, the bad stuff is probably over. 

Whatever you decide, it behooves a person to equip themselves for self-defense in whatever manner they feel comfortable and to prepare themselves mentally should the need arise.  This includes being constantly aware of your surroundings to the extent possible.  Awareness and preparedness is 95% of self defense.  Wal-Mart is NOT the ideal environment for this.

Again....safety is an illusion.  You are never truly safe anywere, not even your own living room.  Mitigation of danger is the best option to ensure that you and your dearly beloveds continue breathing.

 

[Frizlefrak]

Just read the reviews at this website. The only reviewer that actually used it was not too happy with it's effectiveness. 

Quote:
Got mauled by a bear back in '10, I maced the bear with this product and needless to say it didn't work.. All it did was enrage the bear beyond belief. Now I'm unemployed and have to type with my mouth.UNQuote

Bob....look at the context of that review....me thinks it was tongue in cheek.  The Forestry Service recommends Bear Pepper Spray.

 

[PJ Stough]

...Robert A. Heinlein stated (1939?) that: An armed society is a polite society.  Manners are good when one may have to back up his acts with his life."

I dont think so.  An armed society is a violent society.  Can anyone name a society that was/is armed to the teeth and where there is no violence?

Now back to your regularly scheduled debate on safety.

Paul

 

[Frizlefrak]

I dont think so. An armed society is a violent society.  Can anyone name a society that was/is armed to the teeth and where there is no violence?

Now back to your regularly scheduled debate on safety.

Paul

Respectfully disagree.

The areas of the United States with the highest incidence of violent crime are, not coincidentally, areas with the tightest gun control.  Los Angeles, DC, Chicago, and NYC to name a few.  Areas with open / concealed carry consequently have lower incidence of violent crime.

If you disarm the general law abiding population, what you are left with is criminal element that can vastly overpower and victimize society in general, particularly those who are the most vulnerable (elderly, women, children).  You are also left with a govt that can control the will of the population at it's whim, as the population has no means of resistance.

Say I'm travelling at night (yes, I have EVERY right to do that).  The car breaks down.  No cell signal.  4 bad guys show up and order my wife and I out of the car.  I can't fight 4 young men.  Not even when I was  younger.  What are my options?  Watch my wife gang raped before they kill her and then me?  No thanks.  The first guy gets a hot one right in his cerebellum, and the other three follow if they stick around.  Very simple.  I live in Texas....I will never be indicted, no less tried.

God created man.  Smith & Wesson made us equal. 

 

[Frizlefrak]

Forgot to mention Paul....NO SOCIETY, armed or not, is free of violence.  Period.  Throughout the history of man, people have victimized other people, long before gunpowder showed up. They simply used knives, swords, rocks, or their bare hands.

Back to the original post.  Don't intentionally put yourself at risk.  Use common sense in your travels and overnighting. That's all it really takes.....

 

[PJ Stough]

Forgot to mention Paul....NO SOCIETY, armed or not, is free of violence.  Period.  Throughout the history of man, people have victimized other people, long before gunpowder showed up. They simply used knives, swords, rocks, or their bare hands.

Back to the original post.  Don't intentionally put yourself at risk.  Use common sense in your travels and overnighting. That's all it really takes.....

So which do you believe?  You said an armed society is a polite society, and you said no society is without violence.  So are you saying that armed societies kill each other politely?

States with the highest rates of violent crimes also are states with the most restrictive laws.  The violence is not because of the laws, the laws are the result of trying to stop the violence.  Your solution would be to have more people have guns in these states?

I enjoy discussions about guns. 

Paul

 

[Frizlefrak]

I enjoy them too Paul, and I won't hijack this thread to stretch it out, but I will leave you with this....If the bad guys know I'm armed and you're not, who do you think they're most likely to try and victimize?  Self Protection is the responsiblity of the individual, by whatever means they chose.

You see that't the nice thing about living in the USA....I'm free to have all the weapons I want, you're free not to.  God Bless America.

 

[PJ Stough]

... Self Protection is the responsibility of the individual, by whatever means they chose.

We totally agree on that!

Paul

 

[Evil Santa]

What are the laws concerning carrying Firearms in an Rv? I know they will be different for some states. For instance if I carry a 12 Gauge when moving I would guess it would be just like in an Auto. But when Camped does the Rv become my home and I can have it uncased and Loaded in a Closet? I am former Army and have thought about getting a carry permit. I just don't own a hand gun and there really isn't anything quite like the sound of a Pump action to get someone's attention Ha. I really have not felt the need to Carry where we camp but will be traveling to a lot of different States in the near future. I might just feel a little better if I was Armed.
My wife doesn't agree. Right now we have a very protective Golden Retreiver...

 

[Bob Buchanan]

Bob....look at the context of that review....me thinks it was tongue in cheek.  The Forestry Service recommends Bear Pepper Spray.

Yes, perhaps. I did find the part about writing with his mouth suspect. However, no one else questioned it or asked further questions. I like that ability to question other reviews with Amazon. It would have been nice to read a review by someone that that had actually used it.

Looking at the ad again it appears it would be illegal in CA (my home state). CA restricts Pepper or bear spray to 2.5 oz containers, whereas the ad seems to indicate this product is 9 oz.

Also, a park such as Yosemite restricts any use of pepper or bear spray.

 

[Frizlefrak]

Also, a park such as Yosemite restricts any use of pepper or bear spray.

Hmmmm....interesting, since it's seems the most likely place to encounter a member of the ursine family.  And 2.5 oz ain't gonna cut it with a hostile bear.  You'd go from an angry bear to a furious bear in about 4-5 seconds. 

 

[Foto-n-T]

Tongue in cheek or not, using "cheap" EPA approved bear spray to defend yourself against THE top predator in the mountains isn't real bright.  We carry and recommend http://www.amazon.com/UDAPs-Premuim-Spray-Holster-7-9oz/dp/B001QGYH7Y/ref=pd_rhf_cr_s_cp_2 made by UDAP.  I have known several people who have actually used this particular brand against grizzly bears and all are still around and typing with their fingers because of it.  We typically don't carry guns for defense against bears simply because they are not as effective as the spray.

I don't think so.  An armed society is a violent society.

I DID NOT post that quote with the intention of starting a political debate regarding guns, I posted it simply because it is a historical quote that at least to me seemed to fit the topic at the moment.  I would request that if we would like to continue this discussion that you start a thread in General Discussion and see where it goes, I'd be very interested in hearing the opinions and thoughts of others regarding this but don't want to hijack the OP's topic.  If Paul or Frizlefrak wants to post it and I don't jump in send me a PM and I'll be there.

What are the laws concerning carrying Firearms in an Rv? I know they will be different for some states.

A quick search for "Gun Laws (whatever state you want)" will yield a good amount of information regarding firearms and where they can be carried, stored and used.  For instance, if you travel in a motorhome you have a vehicle, period.  As long as you have access to the keys and are inside of it you are considered to have "care, custody & control" of said vehicle.  In certain states such as California you might not even be able to possess a gun while in a motorhome, on the other hand if it's a towable (5th wheel or travel trailer) then it is no longer a motorized vehicle.  But of course your gun is way out of reach in this case.  Also, some states and municipalities restrict the transport of guns, you might not even be allowed to convey a firearm in a trailer unless you were on your way to or from an official shooting range.  Make yourself VERY aware of local gun laws BEFORE you attempt to own or possess one in that area, a gun violation is NOT something that you want on your record.

 

[Frizlefrak]

Make yourself VERY aware of local gun laws BEFORE you attempt to own or possess one in that area, a gun violation is NOT something that you want on your record.

Agree 100%. And this is one of the reasons I don't go to California anymore unless I absolutely have to for business.  Before the hate mail starts, I was born at LA County General, and I love the Golden State with all my heart.  But until they align themselves with the constitution......

Can you imagine overnighting at a Wal-Mart or Casino in Calfornia?  May as well stamp "victim" on your forehead.  {I kid, I kid}  ;D

And yes, most handguns would prove very ineffective on a large ursine, particularly on a brown (aka "grizzly) bear.  1500 lbs of love.  But their biggest attribute is their main weakness.....their sense of smell.  Bear Pepper Spray like Foto pointed out will take them out of action for a good spell.....long enough to clear the area.  I can't imagine what it would do on a human, but figure on a trip to the E.R. 

For those of us that camp in the forests instead of Wal-Mart or a casino, it's prudent to have a can or two.