Traveling alone...

[JanetA]

Correct me if i'm wrong,, but i'm thinking the most dangerous thing to do while on the road solo, is to stay in a roadside park alone...? Course if I have along with my huge german shepherd,, spose that might be enough guardian?

nevertheless..... i'd not do it I don't think... walmart parking lots probably are safer,, ?

[WickedLady]

Nothing stops a man with a knife as well as a woman with a gun.

I do everything alone cause I can't find anyone to travel with.

[BarbaraRose]

Thanks for all your input! Very interesting thoughts, ideas and perspectives. When I lived in Colorado, I did go hiking by myself in the mountains but was at a State Park and stayed on a busy trail (altho I did get lost off-trail for a brief time), so I wasn't too concerned. I was more concerned about running into cougars, than anything else.

I think if I at least had a dog to talk to, I would feel less alone or crazy. I spend a lot of time alone at home too, and have taken several trips alone but I find myself talking to myself alot, pointing out interesting things, and wish I at least had a dog next to me so I wouldn't look too crazy to people around me I think if I spent some time with groups of people, that would offset the time I would be spending alone. I do like to be social, but I like my privacy and independence too.

As far as protecting myself, I would like to have options just in case. I had a guy break into my apartment one night and I locked myself in my bathroom while I called 911. (I chased him out the first time he came in, but he came back). I really wished I had a weapon of some kind to use then. I like the taser thing. Just don't feel right about having a gun. Just having something, would make me feel less vulnerable and more confident, (attackers look for people who look/act vulnerable, insecure and afraid). And like everyone has mentioned, being alert and aware of your surroundings is key. Also listening to your intuition helps a lot too.

Barbie

[mitch5252]

I like the taser thing.

Get the taser thing and we can have a mini-GTG with Vickie and practice using it on her, and have some fun to boot!
I'll buy the extra cartridges, okay?




..

[Sparkle]

2 threads going here. Dear departed Dave advised me against having a gun. He said the temptation to get into a situation where it would be necessary to use it would rise. Better to be aware and careful. Also, you don't shoot a person and drive away. No matter how "right" you were, there will have to be an investigation.
Caravanning. I traveled for 4 years solo, never really felt lonely, but since traveling behind Beth with radios, it's great to be able to say, My God, look at that view! But, it has to be the right person. Beth and I like to travel about the same distances. She understands my "second breakfasts". We like to visit the same types of places. We rarely visit in the evenings, so we have our alone times.

[retiredhappy]

I have stayed at rest stops. I'm comfortable if there are numerous trucks even tho noisy. I would not stay if I was the only one or only maybe one other vehicle. As for Walmarts, if they're open 24 hours you have no idea who is coming and going in the middle of the night. Carole and I stayed in a mall parking lot and we were the only ones there BUT it was well lit and had security driving around. I wouldn't be very comfortable actually at a Walmart. The downside to having a dog with you is that you have to walk the dog so you have to go outside your rig. If you don't have a dog you can stay inside with the doors locked. The reason I chose a C was for the safety factor. If you have a trailer or 5th wheel and you become uncomfortable you have to go outside to get into your vehicle to drive off. If something makes me uncomfortable I can drive off in my PJ's and bare feet.

I do have a gun but I do feel that you need to be able to actually use it if you need to. If you're not comfortable using it and then dealing with the police then you should use something else. A taser is a good idea BUT its not foolproof. If the "prongs" don't contact skin, its no good. So if your assailant has a heavy jacket, etc it might be any help. I don't like pepper spray - can backfire on you. Whatever you use, you need to use it BEFORE anyone gets close enough to you to take it away from you. Decide before you need it, what distance you will "pull the trigger."

[VickieP]

I like the taser thing.

Get the taser thing and we can have a mini-GTG with Vickie and practice using it on her, and have some fun to boot!
I'll buy the extra cartridges, okay?




..

No fair ganging up on me!! I'm tellin! Wait, I don't know who to tell...

[sharon]

I like traveling alone but play well with others, too. Evie and I travel well together, pretty much on the same schedule for eating and sleeping and Donna and I travel well together, also...other than the fact you have to build in at least an extra hour for photos. Not a problem for me, tho. So I'm guessing I could prolly caravan ok, but I'm kind of like Janice, when take off time is 9Am, after about 15 min I'm ready to hit the road, unless there's a really good excuse for running late. Like when Sam the cat got out and we couldn't find him in Texas.....durned cat was under the rv watching Evie and I try to find him. Sam's my little cross to bear that DH left me. He always came when Jack called him. I repeat...durn cat!

[BarbaraRose]

I like the taser thing.

Get the taser thing and we can have a mini-GTG with Vickie and practice using it on her, and have some fun to boot!
I'll buy the extra cartridges, okay?




..

No fair ganging up on me!! I'm tellin! Wait, I don't know who to tell...

I think I'll stay out of this, gals! Three's a crowd!

[mitch5252]

I think I'll stay out of this, gals! Three's a crowd!

Only when it has something to do with you-know-what...

[cat]

Barbara,
Thanks for the question. It was interesting to know how many travel alone. I've had my class B since last June. I do travel alone with a mini doxie, Pixie, she alerts me when anyone is around the B - lol. She takes her job seriously and does it very well (meaning she can be a yapper).

I don't get lonely since I live alone in my stick house. I really don't have anyone to travel with, but I can stop when I want. I am careful or at least try to be. I've traveled to CO and CA, stayed in cgs, Flying J and Walmart. The Walmart was in Gallup and had security driving around and there were a lot of rigs around. The manager at the Flying J gave me a spot near grass because of Pixie and not too near the big semis.

I've never caravaned, but it might be interesting. Like others have said, everyone has to be on the same page.

Safe travels everyone,

[asirimarco]

I remember a while back someone e-mailed me an article about using wasp spray instead of pepper spray - shoots a greater distance and has the same stopping power. In other words hurts like the devil. And having it near by isn't illegal. Something to think about.

[OutandAbout]

I was at a campground one time and was just settling for bed when I hear a squeeking sound. I listened for a little while until I could figure out the noise. It turned out to be the tie downs for the truck camper. I have an escape hatch over the bed in the camper, so I opened it and got on the roof. I found two kids trying to take off the tie downs. They both got a good dose of the wasp and hornet spray and ran away. That's why I like it, you don't have to get close to use it and it has a nice steady stream. I think that's the key, you don't want anyone to get close, that's when things can turn against you. To finish the story, I reported the incident to the office in the AM and learned that there were other reports about the same kids. The family was asked to leave.

Bottom line, be aware of your surroundings and leave if uncomfortable. Linda

[Redetotry]

This is yet another thread in the traveling alone subject that branches off the earlier post by Janice regarding the media and women.

Janice (getupngo) I can’t resist, here is another prod. Did you by chance see the January issue of The Economist. There is a picture of a woman flexing a very large muscle with a caption that says WE DID IT. The point of the story is that in the next few months women will cross the 50% threshold and become the majority of the American workforce. Women run many of the worlds great companies from Pepsi Co in America to Areva in France.

It also has another article about Female power. It talks about how the economic empowerment of women across the world is one of the most remarkable revolutions of the past 50 years. And that it is remarkable because of the extent of the change: millions of people who were once dependent on men have taken control of their own economic fates.

I think younger women don’t feel impacted by the media issue you are portraying. When I asked one of my younger friends her answer was, "Teasers for news stories are used for all stories not just "women in danger" stories. The media is driven by ratings (read: money) but that doesn’t automatically translate into a misogynist agenda on their part."

From what I see the younger generation of women are not afraid as many are as strong or stronger than men. So as my friend advises "keep your eyes open, behave like you'll kick the s*** out of anyone who messes with you, and have a little protection of your choice at the ready. Life is too short to be looking for boogeymen who aren't there."

[Nasoosie]

I have really loved this thread of posts, and will now have to consider just what will my choice of protection be when I get free and travel alone. I am tending towards the wasp spray stuff, with a backup of a gun-weapon hidden somewhere easy to access! (And, of course, my everpresent knife-in-the-pocket, testicle-kicking foot, and karate-chopping hands!)

When I first moved up here to this Adirondack wilderness and was hiking all day every day in the mountains, there was NEVER a worry of meeting anybody, as nobody had discovered our beauty and fun yet! Nowadays, if my daughter were to choose to do as I did, I would be a bit worried about the characters she might encounter in the no-longer 'wilderness.' Back then, we never needed to carry water as each and every little mountain stream was pure as anything available on earth today.

Sigh----times have definitely changed.