For those of you who go solo, how do you keep yourselves safe? How do you keep from giving it away that you are sleeping or living in your vehicle? When you are looking for a place to rest for the night, what do you look for?
Teach me safety!
Greetings!
Most of my safety revolves around not hiding. I want everybody to know someone is in the van. Thieves don’t want a confrontation. I also always keep all my doors locked, and I have a machete in a sheath mounted to my side door in case anybody is watching me.
I have spray bottles for everyday use, soapy water, rubbing alcohol, vinegar, etc. A spray of any of them into the face of an attacker will stop them in their tracks by temporarily blinding them and hurting like crazy.
I’m mostly a city camper, and stay in the same place on the street for however long I’m going to be in the area. I make a point of getting to know my housed neighbors, and we look out for each other.
Many area’s have a 72 hour parking limit without moving, so every 3rd day, I make a point of doing errands to stay legal.
Cheers!
"Accountability, responsibility, sustainability,
& creative solutions for the win." ~ Old_Soul
& creative solutions for the win." ~ Old_Soul
Greetings!
For places to park, I look for vacant lots, churches, or large apartment complexes, all with on street parking near them. Never in parking lots without explicit permission in writing.
Cheers!
"Accountability, responsibility, sustainability,
& creative solutions for the win." ~ Old_Soul
& creative solutions for the win." ~ Old_Soul
I camp in remote places 99% of the time, and years ago I used to travel like this sleeping in a tent all over, without protection of hard sided vehicle.
A gun, a bear spray, a hatchet/axe - but I only keep self defense stuff close by when outside the vehicle, inside I feel pretty secure, but the stuff is kept near the entrance.
My take is urban camping is not safe, for a solo female especially, I’m terrified of cities now and would feel much safer camping out among the grizzly bears (which I did). Back when I moved to the States many years ago my mother’s friend got murdered at a rest stop in California where he slept in his van. I never sleep at rest stops, its not safe, I take the dirt road way out there. These days people are everywhere (arghh!!!) and I’ve been approached by curious strangers in my camps in remote areas out of the blue, nothing bad though. But I make a point Im ready to deploy self defense means or get the sheriff involved right away no matter how well meaning people might seem, you never know whats up. I like to wear camo to look like a hunter.
I sometimes slept in a vehicle in cities many years ago (very foolish): if you are a solo female its safer not to make yourself seen by anyone and not sleep in the area where anyone had seen you, and be completely stealth, move the vehicle right before sleeping. Beware of Dog stickers can be intimidating because they make the rig look rough :)))) though it also a giveaway someone lives in the rig The more expensive, fancy and clean vehicle looks the more of a target it will be in cities (and suburbs). If anyone sees you around the rig where you clearly live its best to look intimidating. :))
These days when people see a van they will figure out someone lives in it, unless its plain white work van with no stuff like AC and business logo on the side.
In cities well lit places are safer, just like quiet residential streets in nicer middle class areas. Small towns are infinitely safer. And remote wilds are the safest places.
I always check crime rates before visiting any region, same applies to city neighborhoods if you go to cities, Crimegrade has maps, search on “Areavibes crime” [location name], etc.
To correct myself, I did have several unsettling encounters when camped out, mostly back when I was much younger (so looked more like a legit prey to bad people). A bear spray or more serious stuff pointed at the potential attacker had sent then packing. Its also good to make it look like you are recording with your phone if something seems off but things are not at the escalation point yet. I also had strangers approach my RV, when some jerk would drive into my isolated campsite and ask did I know Joe Doe or whatever name, this happened more than once, I wonder what they were up to. Always responded no or I dont know you in the sternest voice and shut the door. Once, inside the RV they cant see me, this is advantage I might be taking aim at them by all means. One time some creep was bothering me on a walk near my camp and I sent him packing by pointing bear spray and telling him I got his plates down but I was worried about him attacking my camp later. So I went to the only gas station in the closest tiny village dressed in full camo, figured they knew the dude, and said the man fitting that description bothered me and to pass him a message that if I ever see him in my campsite he is a goner. Never seen him again. Acting decisive and intimidating works. Acting crazy also scares bad people. I do not have a dog but the right dog is a great alarm and good means of campsite defense.
Thieves dont want a confrontation but robbers do not mind it.
A couple traveling in RV were attacked by a robber in a rest area this summer, one of then killed another badly wounded. In plain view of truckers that were parked there. This is not the first time. Looking a little rough, having visible self defense stuff on you works. The criminals look for easy prey. When I travel, in rest areas or similar I got holstered big bear spray carried in plain view, as a minimum.
Having visible cameras. Sometimes when I had extra concern I setup additional wildlife camera at campsite entrance (it was off, just for deterring effect)