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Date:         Wed, 28 Jul 2004 03:58:46 -0700
Reply-To:     Robert Fisher <refisher@MCHSI.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Robert Fisher <refisher@MCHSI.COM>
Subject:      Re: Rest Area Camping??
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"

"Purveyor of reality..." Heh. Interesting phrase. Anyway: I knew a guy that got ahold of some of those little 'NRA Lifetime Member' stickers, and some for the county Sheriff's Association (perhaps he met a purveyor of stickers... ahem) and put them on his vehicles. He's not a great fan of 'authority' and I doubt if he's fired a gun in 20 years, but he's never had a problem. Dunno if the stickers had anything to do with it (I'm sitting here wondering if lunatic night prowlers stop to read things like that), but I doubt if it hurt. Conveying the impression that you're heavily armed and well trained may have its merits.

Cya, Robert

----- Original Message ----- From: "Jeff Oxroad" <Oxroad@AOL.COM> To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM> Sent: Tuesday, July 27, 2004 11:47 PM Subject: Re: Rest Area Camping??

> In a message dated 7/27/2004 6:58:07 AM Pacific Daylight Time, > doug.alcock@HEWITT.COM writes: > > > > 'Rest Areas' with trucks and > > RV's in them. Are these safe to camp in?? > > The official answer is never camp in a rest area. From a security standpoint > they are dangerous for a number of reasons, not the least of which is they are > designed for transients. These are people with no ties to that particular > community and therefore no pedigree. Rest Areas lend themselves to allowing > people with ill intent to blend in. The bad guys know they won't stick out or even > be noticed in an area which by design has people who are just passing through. > > > Call me an extremist or a paranoid, but I am in fact a purveyor of reality. > I'm sure some remember Kristen Laurite who stopped to rest her VW bus in a rest > area in Arkansas and was was raped and stabbed to death in August of 2000. > She was member of the Type 2 list. That serial killer is still at large. > (www.kristenlaurite.org) > > I also understand many have "camped" in rest areas with no problem. But I > mention all of the above because it is a reality in our modern world. > > Having said that I have camped in rest areas and still do. But some > precautions should be taken. If you choose not to carry a weapon, I suggest pepper > spray which can be effective in warding off an attacker. Bear spray might be > better. Both even better. In the statistically unlikely event of an attack you'll > be glad you put that pepper spray in your bus although you thought you'd never > need it. > > I think you're safer in a Truck Stop than a rest area. And by Truck Stop I'm > referring to a place with a store and restaurant and parking lot lights and > lots of truckers spending the night in their rigs. Park with everyone else or > with the trucks, not in some remote area. Yes it's noisy and yes it's light. But > that's what you get for not planning better. Or what you get for wanting to > "make time" and not going for the Subaru engine. > > more people and light = more safety > > An additional up side of a Truck Stop is that in the morning you can go > inside, buy a newspaper, use the bathroom, and get lousy coffee or beakfast at the > restaurant. Dot Nebel, my neighbor when I was growing up gave me this tip when > I finally got my bus a few years ago. She was about 89 at the time and still > piloted her Westfalia (well at that time a Eurovan) from NJ to WY every winter > for the skiing. She was an avid skiier who was on the 1940 US Olympic Ski > Team (but never competed as the Olympics were cancelled that year when Germany > invaded Norway). But I digress... > > If you find yourself camping at night in a rest area--one with only bathrooms > or maybe not even--in the middle of nowhere here is a tip. > > Don't get out of your bus. Pull into the rest area and close the curtains > immediately. That lone creep or group of creeps with ill intent have less of a > chance to size you up if they never get a look at you. They may imagine there is > a football team in your bus if they only see the curtains--or just one guy > with shotgun waiting for some to come calling. Also don't naturally assume all > big rig truckers are friendly and on the up and up. Those days are gone as > well. Didn't you see "Dual"? > > Then of course trust your insticts--I mean, if your insticts are any good. If > a place feels unsafe it probably is. Move on. Kansas has pretty accomodating > rest areas with Bar B Que grills and spots for camping. I usually feel safe at > these, but you don't really have to let your guard down. Carry your pepper > spray to the bathroom. What's it gonna hurt? > > In conclusion, I'm not recommeding anyone stay home for fear of the > unthinkable happening. And I'm not trying to create hysteria. Quite the opposite, > really. Live your life. But take a few precautions, and mostly don't trust a rest > area is safe for camping. Campsites are usually safer. But you already knew > that. > > Happy Motoring > Best > Jeff > 83.5 Westfalia > LA,CA


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