QUESTIONS of Random non rv parks/campgrounds places you stayed that was legal

[Oldgator73]

I know how to use it, I'm a great shot, bullseye every time at the range. My kids know how to shoot s well, but they won't be touching it.

Shooting at a target is quite different than shooting at a human being. Experts say you have to shoot to kill. You have to decide before you even pick the gun up if you are willing and able to kill another human being. You are going to be extremely nervous, shaking, maybe some tears that will obstruct your vision. And if you do shoot and kill, what if it was a mistake. Something you will have to live with. Maybe while in prison. Except if you live in Florida or Texas where you can kill anyone and get away with it.
I?m pushing 70. We have lived in 14 States, visited 49, lived in two foreign countries and visited dozens more. We have never thought we needed to carry a gun. But that is a personal decision that everyone must make on their own. I wish you well on your trip. Have fun. It will be a trip of a lifetime for your kids.

 

[solarman]

In all my years of camping, I have had no issues with people, more problems with wildlife..!
i do have a shotgun and bear slugs for "wildlife protection" but have yet to use it..

 

[Matt_C]

Nakamuru,

You have a lot of good and honest replies here.  In all our years of travel, we have probably bought fewer than a dozen crampsites that were not at rallies.  When we travel in the free states, I may have a firearm or two, but never in the police states.  For those, we carry "Shoots 20feet" wasp spray and a baseball, a glove and a bat.  Showed the bat to one person and that was all that was required.  Wife was behind me once with the spray because she was nervous. 

If you carry a bat (not a bad idea) also carry a ball and glove.  We were harassed by a LEO in one of the police states because I had a nice Louisville Slugger I was transporting for a friend and he was getting a bug because I had a weapon.  If you have the rest of the kit, that stops that accusation dead.  (Oh, the bat was a signed collector's item.) 

Matt 

 

[Lou Schneider]

I often spend the night in non-campground areas, and only once have I been approached by anyone.  It was 30 years ago when I stopped for dinner in a rest area in my beat up green and white Ford Xplorer Class B.  I had several RVs over the years that I used under the "buy'em cheap and fix'em when they break" plan.

While I was there several people knocked on my door and asked if I needed any help.

When I went to use the restroom, I found a note pasted on the mirror ... "Broken down, need help.  Green and white Ford camper".

As I drove out I saw another beat up, green and white Ford camper on the other side of the restroom.  The occupant glared at me as I drove past.

 

[RVMommaTo6]

Gator, although it's not people I have in mind needing it for, I would shoot someone in a heartbeat if it meant protecting my kids. And I don't see shedding any tears over it. IF, and I doubt it would ever come to this, but IF I had to shoot somebody, I would do it confidently because I know I could never pull the trigger for a "maybe" situation. If the trigger is pulled and someone is at the other end, they did something to deserve it.

 

[Oldgator73]

Gator, although it's not people I have in mind needing it for, I would shoot someone in a heartbeat if it meant protecting my kids. And I don't see shedding any tears over it. IF, and I doubt it would ever come to this, but IF I had to shoot somebody, I would do it confidently because I know I could never pull the trigger for a "maybe" situation. If the trigger is pulled and someone is at the other end, they did something to deserve it.

Amanda, I really hope so. You seem like a kind person and I know you love your children. I would hate for you to have to pull the trigger on someone. I would do anything to protect our grandchildren. But I refuse to carry a gun. I refuse to be afraid. In my heart I know you will do the right thing.

 

[Chet18013]

I was on the NJ shore and needed an overnight spot. Ask the local Cop I saw and he directed me the police station parking lt. Never felt safer than that night.

 

[NY_Dutch]

I was on the NJ shore and needed an overnight spot. Ask the local Cop I saw and he directed me the police station parking lt. Never felt safer than that night.

Heh! Years ago I was working a service call on Long Island, and I asked a local cop where there was a safe place to spend the night in my truck camper. He started to say the station parking lot, but stopped and said a fellow cop had been mugged there the night before! He made a phone call and sent me to a nearby potato farm where I spent the night next to the barn complete with an electric hookup. Even had a nice farm breakfast the next morning...

 

[RVMommaTo6]

If we're in a town with an ordinance against overnight parking thus making Walmart a nonoption, I've been known to look at GPS and find a church with a parking lot blocked from the road by the building. We pull in at night, leave in the morning, have never been bothered.

 

[SunseekerFL]

I'm doing lot of research on getting a small trailer rv and some immediate concerns or questions I had were following.

There will be times where campgrounds or rv parks are filled and saw some app/websites where some parking is ok and safe and wanted to know following if that was the only option.

1). Have you experienced random people knocking on door or bothering you (panhandlers, police, teenage/college kids wanting to disturb for fun of it) ? (worst will be while your sleeping)

2). Any soloist out there doing this and is it pretty safe? I have a girlfriend but she doesn't live with me or anything and obviously would feel more safer with her next to me but then again, I'll be doing my work as well so it's actually good so i can focus.

3). Do you guys carry any weapons inside your rv? I'm not really fond of guns but maybe a baseball bat or pepper spray or something lol

1. No. We like Cracker Barrel but also like Casinos that allow it. Casinos are particularly nice because they have security patrolling.
2. Not applicable
3. No. My husband does sleep in his clothes and because we have a class c can easily jump in the drivers seat and leave. Suggest you keep your keys handy and hit the alarm if your tow vehicle has an alarm. If not an air horn would work well.

If an area looks sketchy just go somewhere else.

 

[Ernie n Tara]

I had an interesting experience during my mispent youth ( pre mh days). Living in Bangor ME, a friend and me decided to drive to ft Lauderdale the fall I was 15. We decided to drive the lengpth of US one in the process. Anyway, after driving N to ft Kent (the N end of US one), we drove through every small town on the east coast until we reached Ft Lauderdale where we found a place to park for the night and get some sleep.
Come morning, I was awakened by tapping on the window and looked up into the largest 45 muzzle I ever hope to see. Turned out we had parked on a road right behind the Police Station. After sorting out our innocence, the officer actually referred us to a man who was looking for restuarant help (we were both cooks at the time). So, after a side trip to Key West (the South end of US one), we went back and went to work!

Ernie

 

[Rene T]

I had an interesting experience during my mispent youth ( pre mh days). Living in Bangor ME, a friend and me decided to drive to ft Lauderdale the fall I was 15. We decided to drive the lengpth of US one in the process. Anyway, after driving N to ft Kent (the N end of US one), we drove through every small town on the east coast until we reached Ft Lauderdale where we found a place to park for the night and get some sleep.
Come morning, I was awakened by tapping on the window and looked up into the largest 45 muzzle I ever hope to see. Turned out we had parked on a road right behind the Police Station. After sorting out our innocence, the officer actually referred us to a man who was looking for restuarant help (we were both cooks at the time). So, after a side trip to Key West (the South end of US one), we went back and went to work!

Ernie

My mom was raised in Fort Kent and years ago, I did quite a bit of work at the Fraser Paper mill in Madawaska so I know the area quite well. I can’t imagine driving Rte 1 all the way to FL

 

[Isaac-1]

These stories reminded me of an old friend of mine that lived in the dorms at LSU for a couple of years when we were in our early 20's. The catch is he did not attend LSU, he worked off shore on oil rigs, typically 14 days on 7 days off, did other odd jobs around Baton Rouge, etc. and would stay in the dorm rooms of various friends while he was on shore.

 

[Old_Crow]

When I was in the Air Force, stationed in Phoenix, I occasionally drove to San Jose to see my parents. On one trip, about the time I got to the Beaumont, CA area, I had to pull over and sleep. I found a Kmart parking lot, and parked in the very back corner to sleep.
A couple of hours later I was awakened by the deadly tap on the window(no gun, though). After finding out what I was doing, the officer told me I could go back to sleep, but that I should turn off my 4 way flashers. Apparently, in trying to keep warm, I had hit the switch with my knee.