Have you ever left a campsite or campground because you felt unsafe? If so, why?
Perhaps because I often (but not always) RV alone, people frequently ask if I am ever concerned about safety.
Concerned? Always. Preoccupied or paranoid? Never.
But I also always try to stay aware of my surroundings. I keep pepper spray and my car key fob that has a panic button close to the bed at night. As well as… well… I can’t tell you ALL my secrets.
But suffice it to say I am reasonably prepared for the worst but always hope for the best.
I also avoid really remote areas when camping alone. I know, statistically, the chances of someone bothering me in the middle of nowhere are far more remote than in a crowded city. But I also know I would be FREAKING OUT if someone were outside my RV in the middle of the night, in the middle of nowhere.
So far, I have never had to leave a campsite or campground because I did not feel safe. I would in a heartbeat, though, if that ever happened.
Enough about me. This week we want to know about your experiences.
What about you?
Have you ever felt unsafe or even just so weirded out that you had to leave your campsite or campground? Tell us why you made the decision to get the heck out of there.
Please answer by filling out the form below. Please try to keep answers as short as possible (under 100 words is ideal*). We’ll compile the most compelling answers and comments into a follow-up article.
(*Comments might be edited for grammar and brevity.)
##RVT1076
Not yet.
A couple of times I was paying more attention than normal to the others near me. I believe to trust your instincts; if it “feels” bad, it probably is and act accordingly. Leave if your instincts are telling you to leave and do not try to argue yourself out of it. There is a reason you are uncomfortable or very concerned.
Not yet but in a previous life (before retirement) I learned the importance of situational awareness and it helped many times to keep me alive to actually see retirement. An incredible number of people these days seem to have zero SA. They appear to be oblivious to their surroundings. Practicing a little SA and using the gift of fear (interesting book of the same name by the way) won’t save you from everything but it can certainly help.
Yes! Sycamore Grove in Red Bluff Calif. This happened in 2018, but hopefully they have cleaned up the park. At the time there was a lot of homeless people in the park. I was walking our dogs and one homeless man did not have his tied up. It was bigger than my two dogs put together. I reminded him that he was supposed to keep his dog tethered. He told me if I hadn’t walked by his site it would not of been a problem. Since the homeless out numbered campers 10-1. Wasn’t waiting around for what happens next!
Never in a campground but once in a Walmart overnight stop.
Same here.
Ours was a Sam’s Club
No but I see this as just one more advantage to our motorhome: we just fire it up & leave.
The dogs act as our proximity alarm and I’ve always got a “personal security device” close to hand. We don’t normally go out looking for trouble but I am always prepared if it comes looking for us!
No. My wife & I both have concealed carry permits & practice frequently, so we feel reasonably safe. We don’t take unnecessary risks & use common sense when picking a spot to spend the night. We do a lot of boondocking or pavement parking in small & large towns, as well as areas miles from anything.
Yes but for a different reason then fear of people, we had made reservations at a campground near a river in the west, 2 weeks prior they had re opened after a flood. It was a dark and stormy evening, We had remained hooked to the tow vehicle, before dark I had put up the jacks. listening to weather alerts and radio it seemed we were in the path of a potential flood, about midnight we pulled out and up to higher ground for the rest of the night in a walmart. The flood didn’t happen, but I slept better not worrying about it.