How do you protect yourself when travelling?

ScottG

The recent discussion about the camping couple murdered in Texas has generated some interesting commentary about personal protection. Responses are anonymous so you will not tip your hand by participating. For simplicity, poll options have been left deliberately broad.

You welcome to elaborate on your personal attitudes and experiences if you wish to do so. However, in accordance with forum rules, please refrain from political arguments regarding gun rights or gun control. Comments deemed politically provocative or inflammatory will be promptly deleted.

Which of the following best describes you when you hit the road with your T@B? 

Cbusguy

Depends on the planned weekend for us.   If it is on public land or national forest yep.    Harvest host or a developed campground no

Luck favors the prepared.

rkj__

I camp with my dog friends. They are typically very alert of approaching people or animals. They can sound rather unwelcoming when strangers approach. 

ezusmanis

Developed campgrounds, no. Boondocking, yes. 

Verna

My little Sunny Day, a Shih Tzu, has stood between myself and two different men. One I knew was a threat, the second I thought he was OK, but I left the area with the second one because my dog had better taste in people than I do 😂

pthomas745

With the knowledge that crime rates in the US have declined for years.  Since local news stories hype mayhem, we only imagine crime is increasing.

https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2019/10/17/facts-about-crime-in-the-u-s/

ChanW

Good point @pthomas745. Thanks for that.

HellFish

Crime rates decreasing overall is, of course, a good thing.  And, now days the media tells you about crime everywhere, so it can seem that there is more than there actually is.  On the other hand, decreasing crime rates didn't help those two campers recently murdered in Texas.  Their crime rate spiked suddenly...so we get back to the question of what one can reasonably do to avoid their fate.

rfuss928

“Do not stop thinking of life as an adventure. You have no security unless you can live bravely, excitingly, imaginatively; unless you can choose a challenge instead of competence.” - Eleanor Roosevelt

Bayliss

I carry a concealed handgun in states (including state and national parks) where I am able to do so with my concealed weapon permit.  The biggest bummer for me moving from California to Arizona was losing my California CCW license.  Not easy to get, so it was hard to give it up.  I also stay current on the concealed carry laws. 

Cbusguy

@pthomas745  I disagree with your fbi reports.

Theft is at an all time high.     Our local LE  has stop taking theft reports for minor theft or damage.     Had my aluminum down spouts stolen called to get a report take for insurance purposes.   the responding LEO wouldn't take a report.    Son had a car window knocked out to get his book bag.    Responding LEO didn't create a report.    Daughters car was unlocked and ransacked again no report taken.    Kids rolled down the street shooting out windows with a bb gun,  no reports taken.    

I am not sure about the dollar amounts but locally they won't take a theft or property damage report unless it is a big ticket item.

I imagine that the hyper policed and gated suburban enclaves are safe enough but for the rest of us,   not so much

ChanW

Heh! I hope I wouldn't consider theft a reason to use a firearm. That would be pretty extreme.

Sounds like your police department needs a refurb.

Cbusguy

refurb or are they simply over whelmed?  I believe the second is the case.       It is worse now than it has ever been. 

pthomas745

I understand the point about underreporting.  So, how do you describe the drop in violent crimes? 

ScottG

ChanW said:

Heh! I hope I wouldn't consider theft a reason to use a firearm. That would be pretty extreme.

...

Not only would it be extreme, but almost certainly not legally justified either. Plan on some quality prison time if you pop someone for trying to pilfer your Weber Q.

Deadly force is only defensible in cases of eminent bodily harm. And, in many states, only if you can not safely retreat from the threat.

DougH

Except under Texas 9.42.  Not morally justifiable, but legally justifiable even if a naer-do-well is running away from your RV with your Weber Q.  But only at night.  Texas. 

ScottG

Yeah, for some reason I was thinking Texas when I added the qualifier "almost certainly..."

I don't think I'll be T@bbing in the Lone Star State too soon, but I'll keep this in mind if I get there. I do really like my Q!  ;-)

HAWAIIANTAB

With only boondocking available on my island. County and state parks off limits to RVs due to homelessness I only have motion detectors and pepper spray and will try to camp in groups for security and social reasons.  Too bad that the world has become so dangerous for us who just wanna live simple and enjoy nature. 

cbarnhill

I travel With friends. 

Cbusguy

@pthomas745 same goes for violent crime.   The area of town I live in is in transition.    The Hip crowd are gentrifying neighborhoods and forcing the poor out the locations they used to live.    We are lucky enough that as people sell their houses they become rentals and the low income poor move in and bring their problems with them.   

This group does not trust LE and will not call them ever.    

coylizard

While solo camping, wilderness camping, and boon docking, I've come across a good number of unusual individuals...

some of which have been concerning.

In remote areas where there is little or no chance of professional law enforcement coming to one's assistance, I openly carry a .32 revolver on my hip, pack a six inch hunting knife on my belt, and have plenty of bear spray at the ready.

For pesky critters who are not dissuaded by any of the aforementioned, I have a pistol gripped twelve gauge Mossberg shotgun loaded with one ounce slugs available.

Unusual, concerning, or down right irritating, people (unfortunately) often times represent wrongdoing and misdeeds.

While frequently on alert, I never really feel threatened... only tempted.

dragonsdofly

@coylizard, X2!

Ratkity

I also travel with a service dog. A very large German Shepherd named Rocket. He loves everyone, but when working, he's pretty stoic. At 10 mo, he's 83 lbs! He's going to be as big as his Daddy.

Verna

@Ratkity, he is so handsome!  You have the best protector of all...but Sunny Day might beat him on noise detection😂

ChanW

@Ratkity, beautiful pup!

Makes me want to find a young and healthy pooch,v to 'replace' our slightly demented and going deaf Shepherd mutt...

Verna

@ChanW, but you can never “replace”, you can “acquire” another because no other dog will fill those paw prints left on our hearts.

ecyfoto

I carry what I call my idiot stick. It's a T-ball sized aluminum bat. Light, handy and hard. Hope I never need to use it.

ChanW

Yes @Verna. Makes me sad just seeing the word!

No way to even think about it at this point... We have to reject those thoughts until it's unavoidable.

ChanW

@ecyfoto, around here it's smart to carry a big stick for the Eastern coyotes. Multi purpose, I suppose.

Verna

@ChanW, I always carry a walking stick when walking Sunny Day in AZ. Those coyotes are far too used to humans and love their small dogs....unfortunately.  It seems that some people think it’s fun to feed the wild coyotes which make them less afraid of all humans. 

ChanW

@Verna ... Small dog treats! I know someone who lives in a Phoenix suburb whose pug was eaten by a coyote in their back yard. In AZ are they still the scrawny skitterish Western coyotes that I've known so well in the past?

From what I've read, around here in Western NY, the Eastern coyote is more aggressive and larger. I believe I saw one dashing across the road one evening. Very fast. Larger than a large German Shepherd. We hear them all the time now, most nights, much more often than 10-15 years ago. We're in farm country. I've read that they're aggressive enough to stalk people.

I don't know if my geezerly, broken-down (medium size) pooch would be a temptation to them when I'm hiking, so I try to carry a big stick. I don't think it's worth all that's involved, training, etc,  to carry a firearm.