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Do any of you travel with some kind of protection? I am against guns
but I am curious about what all of you do.

Thanks, Ladies

Oh! You mean guns! I was heading in a different direction. No action lately, so no need.

...back on topic now after sidetracking myself with some fun memories...oh sigh... Nope, haven't liked guns much either, but then I've never been in a situation where I might have needed one, so until I walk in those shoes, etc. I really liked the suggestion from somewhere here about keeping a can of Raid Wasp & Hornet spray near the door. Seems maybe overly simple, yes?

Ellen, you know I thought about THAT after I posted this. Ha! Sometimes I wish I
had that problem.....................a lot of times I don't.

I like the idea about the Raid.

Chuckling here.

Many on the forum believe in and carry guns. I'm with the two of you and don't. That said, you are as safe in your rig as you were in your sticks and bricks. Actually, I've often felt safer in my rig. Campgrounds rarely have problems - and fellow campers and rver's just seem to take care of each other. Even boondocking. Best protection, IMHO, is always being aware of your surroundings. And if something doesn't feel/look right to you - move on.

Since it has been more than 30 years since shooting a gun, I am not comfortable with taking one. Also not licensed to carry. I am planning on taking a can of wasp/hornet spray. Will keep it in my bedroom. I am with Beth on this. I have always felt safe in CG's. I do pay attention to my surroundings and neighbors in a CG.

It is a good question and each woman traveling needs to be very serious about answering it for herself and not ignore the issue. In the news this week was a story of a woman walking in a popular park who was grabbed from the back; he placed her in a strangle hold and she bagan to scream knowing that she had just passed a group of people, who luckily heard her screams and came to her aide. But, had she a canister of "bear spray" she would have been able to protect herself without the hoped for answer to screams and she could have completely rendered him "screwed" and get herself free of him and able to run away from him as he stumbled and screamed in agony. I NEVER GO ANYWHERE WITHOUT MY CANISTER(S) OF BEAR SPRAY!
When I am dry-camped and need to go out of my RV at night to check on one thing or the other I never go out without the bear spray.

I am a hunter so I have my firearms in the RV but my canister of bear spray is on my night stand ready and able to be used if someone gets in somehow. But the shotgun is always standing in the corner of my bedroom in case things get really strange, but the chances of using either are remote but what a secure feeling knowing that I have a disabling device. I would prefer to diable and not kill anyone.

When I hike or just take a walk I have my large and small bear spray. They won't do you any good at all if they are packed into your back pack, they need to be ready for instant use so I wedge mine down between my boobies in my sports bra so it is ready for my to easily grab. I always have my small three inch canister with velcro strap in my purse and often strap it to my hand as it is designed to do. Always have it with me in laundromats...just everywhere.

Think of the women that would be alive today if they had a canister of bear spray with them.

Older women are statistically at higher risk of being accosted for purse-snatching or other so there is just no excuse to be unarmed.

You can get bear spray at any sporting goods store, sometimes they are even right at the checkout line. I have a large one and a small hand-held size the has a velcro strap that goes around your hand....very good thing to have. I believe Mace is almost considred a weapon and is hard to find but "bear spray" is a disabling pepper mixture that you spray in their face, if possible, and will really knock someone on their butt.

Here is my protection



Me & my grandkids. I plan to travel with my shotgun for hunting and sporting clays. I have wasp spray by the front & back doors and I always have pepper or bear spray ( except when I forget to pack it in my check on lugguage, now TSA has it ). As mentioned above & at all self protection classes,.being aware is your best protection.

I have a couple of guns, but really don't think I'd ever need them. At night I have my early warning system (Jess and Timmy). I also leave my keys by the bed to set off the rv alarm and have my phone ready to go. The guns would be my last resort. I don't carry them when I'm hiking because I'd be more likely to shoot my butt off. I'd really like to learn more self defense, other than the lame classes I've taken, something more serious.

And I definitely agree that being aware is the best protection.

kdmac said
" In the news this week was a story of a woman walking in a popular park who was grabbed from the back; he placed her in a strangle hold and she began to scream knowing that she had just passed a group of people, who luckily heard her screams and came to her aide. But, had she a canister of "bear spray" she would have been able to protect herself without the hoped for answer to screams and she could have completely rendered him "screwed" and get herself free of him and able to run away from him as he stumbled and screamed in agony. I NEVER GO ANYWHERE WITHOUT MY CANISTER(S) OF BEAR SPRAY!"

I'm wondering how this woman would have been able to have got to her bear spray if he had her in a strangle hold, even if it was securely between her boobs (which would totally let me out as it would fall right on out ) unless she did have it around her wrist I think he would have stopped her before she could have sprayed him. I am watchful when I am in a parking lot at any time of day but to say I worry about it, I guess I don't. If I lived where bear might be an issue I would be carrying a can but I also believe the media hypes all these incidents up. Look what has happened to our children, they sit inside now like little zombies, many in poor health due to lack of exercise all because the media makes such an issue of the few cases where a child is kidnapped.

I'm in no way against guns and have carried on with me on travels in the past but I'm now thinking a Taser gun might be the answer but I need to look at more information. I do believe anyone who camps especially in remote place alone, no names mentioned... as well as anyone who lives alone in a sticks and bricks should have protection and know how to use it. Naive as it may be I still believe most people are willing to help and not to be feared and children should be taught how to assess strangers instead of always being afraid of them. Seems like Rosie O'Donald did a show on that one time, a child that is taught to be afraid of all strangers won't ask for help if they are lost and never learns how to use that gut feeling that is so all important.

Have a gun in nightstand. I agree with being aware of what's around you. If I hiked anymore I would go with the bear spray. As for a taser, you get only one try and if you're grabbed from behind, you probably couldn't use it. Bear spray or pepper spray can blow back at you depending on the wind. I like wasp spray as its designed to shoot up to 20 feet in a stream. I've only felt uncomfortable once. I often stay at reststops for overnight. I pulled into one once and was the only person there. A car pulled in with four guys that I felt were paying way too much attention to me and my rig. Got in the driver's seat and drove off. That was the reason I chose a motorhome rather than a trailer, etc. When I boondocked at rest stops I left my car ready to go. As for my dogs, Sassy was my guard dog. The other day I was in my bedroom with the dogs and the AC going, taking a nap. My son-in-law stopped by and came all the way into the house and knocked on the bedroom door before either of my dogs even raised their head up off the bed. "Hey burglar, come on in and let me lick you to death."

I really like the idea of the wasp spray, that stream travels plenty far and I bet it would still be strong through a screen door. I also like the bear spray, especially the small one, I'll be looking for it also. Since M is turning 80 in a few short days, I'm feeling more and more like it's up to me to be the protector. We've never run into a problem at a campground but we tend to choose those carefully. We also pull into rest stops for a few zzz's and have pulled out of a few without sleeping because of the surrounding vehicles (or lack thereof). We also like going into the forest in the fall mushroom hunting and you never know what (or who) you'll run into there -even a real bear! ummm much food for thought.

My inheritance from my Dad is our protection. A 22mag/20 gauge -Savage Over & Under -short barrel ....The Sultan insisted on bring it on this long adventure...The main reason is that I'm more comfortable with this than a hand gun as I have used it for hunting and am more familiar with it .....Hope we NEVER have to use it, but it makes us feel safer...

My son bought me a small and a larger size pepper spray, plus I have one of those pocket sirens, but it has never been out of the box. I think the pepper spray is still somewhere near the door. (I have been full-timing for just over a month now.)

I would not carry a gun because I doubt I could use it on another human being, except possibly if a family member were being hurt, but since I travel alone, that is not very likely.

I have traveled alone for business and personally for more than 25 years, even abroad, and have almost never felt unsafe because I watch my surroundings and don't get myself into dangerous situations. I think an RV is probably safer than a hotel room because of the close proximity to fellow campers, who really do look after one another. I bought a motorhome so I could drive off if I felt uncomfortable, and I do not drive at night, etc. (Same sorts of rules I set for myself when I traveled alone on business.)

I do plan to take the small pepper spray and siren if I decide to walk on any trails that are not well-traveled, but I expect the large pepper spray can will remain wherever it is right now, stuffed in a cupboard.

I don't like staying at a motel or hotel either. I don't like having to haul things to the room or walking down the corridors alone. The only time we were robbed was at a hotel. We had gone to eat and someone went in our room and took some things. After that I always check doors and windows. More than once I have found unlocked windows.

I have a motorhome so I can travel without having to get out except to get gas. I start looking for a gas station that I feel comfortable stopping at when I am down to a half tank. Even stopping at busy stations I have had people come up to me trying to sell something or asking for money. I only get out with a credit card and make sure my doors are locked.

Be careful at the dump stations too. I had some idiot almost hit me at a dump station. Guess he thought it was the road and drove through like he was on the highway.

Martha