How unsafe would you have to feel to move on from an aire?

[BonnieCat]

Don't get frightened. When you see how many motorhomers there are and how few incidents there are, the fear of a possible incident isn't justified. I'm not saying things don't happen but they are much rarer than it would seem reading this thread.
Most people are NOT out to rob or burgle you; neither are they out to kill or maim you. It's a matter of common sense and importantly, following your own instincts. If somewhere looks or sounds iffy, then move on.
Posters suggesting that you carry baseball bats or whatever with the intention that you use them are not giving sound advice, in my view. All studies have shown that people who carry weapons for defensive purposes are more likely to be the victim of them. And, in the UK, the use of force and weapons has to be proportionate to the risk.
It would be really sad, in my opinion, if you were to be put off motorhoming or travelling generally, by the fear of something that is really unlikely to happen.
I'm standing by for the flak from the have a go's!

Thanks for your comments. Being a lone female it‘s a bit more scary than if there was 2 of us and one was a man. It won’t put me off however (unless something happens). At the moment the van has no security but next week it’s going in for a Bear Lock to be fitted. This locks up the transmission and the van cannot be driven. Then after that it’s going to get a decent alarm system. I don’t want the van to disappear or to get broken in to. I’ll then feel a bit happier when I park on an Aire.

 

[Hawkstone]

Only once have we moved on. Drove to an Aire we picked from All the Aires book a few years ago...can’t even remember where. We drove in, saw all the ‘permanent vans, caravans, dodgy electric hook ups and washing lines, so promptly carried on driving round and swiftly out again. Could have been fine but just didn’t feel good. On another occasion we had terrible trouble finding the exact location of an Aire. It was very late at night and very dark ....before we worked out how to use the lat and long coordinates. Eventually found the spot and parked up for the night with one other van. The next morning we went to use the loo etc and saw a plethora of leccie cables and hoses attached to said building.....and a whole load of other vans parked there. No problems from anyone though it has to be said.

 

[Brockley]

My main reason for the Baseball bat apart from my love of baseball of course is the fact that my dog is only 3 and takes a lot of exercise. A Baseball bat is perfect as I can hit a Tennis ball a lot further for her to chase!

The problem here is justification and proportionality. Carrying a baseball bat to hit a tennis ball a long way in order to exercise a dog simply wouldn't wash in a court of law if the bat were to be used (however justifiably) to fend off an intruder.

Not trying to be funny or smart here but a tennis racket would be more acceptable means of projecting tennis balls to exercise your dog. If you were to hit an intruder with a baseball bat (under any circumstances) you would then have to answer to why you carry a baseball bat instead of a tennis racket or dog walkers tennis ball launcher? If you are partial to baseball, where is your baseball and catchers glove?

The law might well be an ass but I'm simply trying to make people aware of the fact that even defensive strikes must be justifiable (in most countries) and need to be proportionate to the perceived threat.

Kind of makes it worthwhile living somewhere so wet ?

 

[Brockley]

Thanks for your comments. Being a lone female it‘s a bit more scary than if there was 2 of us and one was a man. It won’t put me off however (unless something happens). At the moment the van has no security but next week it’s going in for a Bear Lock to be fitted. This locks up the transmission and the van cannot be driven. Then after that it’s going to get a decent alarm system. I don’t want the van to disappear or to get broken in to. I’ll then feel a bit happier when I park on an Aire.

Good on you and just remember that the vast majotity of like minded folk doing this look out for each other.

 

[138go]

We camped on the beach Saturday night, too late to book in the Playa Tropicana.
We got shot at around 01:30 by some idiots who raced away when I sprang out of deep sleep.

I was still awake when they returned about 25mins later, once more a couple of shots.

I decamped and hid behind some apartments about a mile away and finished my nights sleep.

Only superficial damage with a few dents in the gel coat.

Must have been a plastic pellet gun.

Idiots! Gave me a couple of momentos and a bit of adventure.

Won't stop me enjoying every moment.

Gerry

Gosh, we've wild camped there several times! ?

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[klaatu]

I keep a .44 Magnum Smith and Wesson Model 29 handy in the motorhome, as I am a Clint Eastwood fan, and often feel the urge to leap out in the middle of the night shouting “do you feel lucky, punk?”

 

[Brockley]

I keep a .44 Magnum Smith and Wesson Model 29 handy in the motorhome, as I am a Clint Eastwood fan, and often feel the urge to leap out in the middle of the night shouting “do you feel lucky, punk?”

Presumably with the gun? ???

 

[Johnen]

I always carry a can of de icer spray, for de icing obviousl. It sprays a direct jet of de icer quite far which if accidentally sprayed into a face would cause a fair bit of discomfort.

 

[klaatu]

Presumably with the gun? ???

Sometimes, or not, it depends on my mood.

 

[Brockley]

That would do it ???

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[Brockley]

I always carry a can of de icer spray, for de icing obviousl. It sprays a direct jet of de icer quite far which if accidentally sprayed into a face would cause a fair bit of discomfort.

Hope you don't end up on thin ice ??

 

[gus-lopez]

defensive strikes

??????????? You mean chasing them down the road & battering them isn't? I just use the trolley jack handle/stoplock/axe/dogs chain, fire extinguisher/etc; whatever of them comes first to hand.

 

[Brockley]

??????????? You mean chasing them down the road & battering them isn't? I just use the trolley jack handle/stoplock/axe/dogs chain, fire extinguisher/etc; whatever of them comes first to hand.

Well you're on the right lines, but if you ever became violated in your own space and if like me you feel like the king of your own castle, your defence must be justifiable and proportionate to the level of violence you have been subjected to.

Chasing someone down the road and battering them with any legitimate motorhome accessory (even after disturbing an intruder) will be frowned upon in any court of law simply because the main defence will be disproportionate violence i.e. the scroat was running away.

I appreciate this is difficult to accept, but it's the law. Anything you take to hand in order to defend yourself must be justifiable. I can't stress this point enough.

Starting to feel like I'm being viewed as a soft touch, but believe me we've both thought long and hard about this and we're both prepared to offer maximum resistance to violation of our space. But .........

PLEASE STAY SAFE AND ON THE SIDE OF THE LAW. ??

 

[Just smiffy]

??????????? You mean chasing them down the road & battering them isn't? I just use the trolley jack handle/stoplock/axe/dogs chain, fire extinguisher/etc; whatever of them comes first to hand.

Well you're on the right lines, but if you ever became violated in your own space and if like me you feel like the king of your own castle, your defence must be justifiable and proportionate to the level of violence you have been subjected to.

Chasing someone down the road and battering them with any legitimate motorhome accessory (even after disturbing an intruder) will be frowned upon in any court of law simply because the main defence will be disproportionate violence i.e. the scroat was running away.

I appreciate this is difficult to accept, but it's the law. Anything you take to hand in order to defend yourself must be justifiable. I can't stress this point enough.

Starting to feel like I'm being viewed as a soft touch, but believe me we've both thought long and hard about this and we're both prepared to offer maximum resistance to violation of our space. But .........

PLEASE STAY SAFE AND ON THE SIDE OF THE LAW. ??

Best to hit them with a shovel then it’s easy to get rid of the evidence...?

 

[Brockley]

On a lighter note. We've never had to act on our plan, but it's well worth thinking about how you would actually react in situations like this and what exactly you have in place to react appropriately.

Things like placing signs in the window explaining in local language that the police are aware and on the way. Cameras capturing your actions etc etc.

Sorry....... that wasn't much lighter really but still better than dragging knuckles ?

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[Brockley]

Best to hit them with a shovel then it’s easy to get rid of the evidence...?

Quite right........... but the long game will play on the conscience. Especially when you really can't remember where you buried them after being caught and/or whether to risk carrying on using the shovel in the meantime ?

 

[violet]

On a lighter note. We've never had to act on our plan, but it's well worth thinking about how you would actually react in situations like this and what exactly you have in place to react appropriately.

Things like placing signs in the window explaining in local language that the police are aware and on the way. Cameras capturing your actions etc etc.

Sorry....... that wasn't much lighter really but still better than dragging knuckles ?

Good idea. We haven't such a plan but it seems sensible. The only things we do are that we don't put silver screens on the outsides of windows, and if there is any dubiety about a place we don't swivel the driver's seat or park where a quick exit might be difficult. We do have a Strikeback alarm fitted but it's so long since we used it we have forgot how to set it and my husband says he thinks the button on the setting mechanism doesn't work. We should look at getting another one. We would flee rather than attack anyone.

 

[Brockley]

Good idea. We haven't such a plan but it seems sensible. The only things we do are that we don't put silver screens on the outsides of windows, and if there is any dubiety about a place we don't swivel the driver's seat or park where a quick exit might be difficult. We do have a Strikeback alarm fitted but it's so long since we used it we have forgot how to set it and my husband says he thinks the button on the setting mechanism doesn't work. We should look at getting another one. We would flee rather than attack anyone.

Got you entirely. ?

But well worth revising and rehearsing the plan.

Stay safe ️

 

[Brockley]

Good idea. We haven't such a plan but it seems sensible. The only things we do are that we don't put silver screens on the outsides of windows, and if there is any dubiety about a place we don't swivel the driver's seat or park where a quick exit might be difficult. We do have a Strikeback alarm fitted but it's so long since we used it we have forgot how to set it and my husband says he thinks the button on the setting mechanism doesn't work. We should look at getting another one. We would flee rather than attack anyone.

Got you too with the internal rather than external blinds ??. Facing out and being able to see an exit when you most need it won't happen with external blinds.

I hate it too because it invariably means me having to stategicaly place towels on the dashboard in the morning to catch condensation with a rubber blade just because I hate to think how much damage all that water will do running behind the dashboard over the next 'x' years ️???.

Makes me sleep soundly though ?

 

[nicholsong]

Sometimes, or not, it depends on my mood.

On a serious note threatening a person with even an imitation Gun is an offence, at least in UK. So be careful.

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[ivorantony]

I lived in SW Scotland and well remember the 1993 dreadful murder of a German man and shooting and stabbing of his family while they wildcamped near Cairnryan. It seemed a purposeless crime. Perhaps the local publicity around the murder made me a little more wary of camping where I don't feel comfortable.

perhaps of interest this murder appeared to have taken place at a campsite and not wild camping,
And the murderer was sentenced to minimum of 20 years was let out after 17, liberalism’s gone mad IMO,

<Broken link removed>

 

[violet]

perhaps of interest this murder appeared to have taken place at a campsite and not wild camping,
And the murderer was sentenced to minimum of 20 years was let out after 17, liberalism’s gone mad IMO,

<Broken link removed>

I think the German family were not on a campsite but on waste land near to to port of Cairnryan. Long time ago but one doesn't forget. This is from the Independent,
The vehicle was parked on waste ground next to the Cairnryan ferry port near Stranraer.