I would like to raise, as a separate topic, security on the road.
In threads elswhere, it has had a brief. As I understand it, most "Guest's and New Users" are looking for reasons to get on the road, but have not got passed the fear. What if something goes wrong, what do I do If I get "unwanted attention" - how do I reduce these risks
I believe there is no reason to "hold back" - because of security, or insecurity. Look at the number of Solo woman - I applaude them.
So I would like to see this thread, address this issue, with useful tips, and thus arm those "would be's" in to confident travellers.
Example and a start - you are travelling along and something goes wrong. Stuck on the side of the road, how do you attract "good" help - Flip that - you are travelling along and someone is stuck on the side of the road - do you stop?
I always stop, but some 50m IN FRONT of them, engine running, and call back. Access from there and use my gut - always rely on my bad hearing and a wave, if I think I should continue on.
dave06 said
01:24 PM Sep 16, 2008
reducing the risk, Hmmm!!, well for a start if you are solo female traveller I strongly suggest a next g phone, a uhf radio, membership to a motoring organisation and also the cmca. do not stop to render assistance to anyone under any circumstances, the trick of the drongoes is to place an innocent looking person out in the open as a "front man" and then come out when you render help. if you are in the middle of nowhere by all means phone for help, do not stop yourself, if travelling as a couple, pull up as described by two bob and asess the situation, if in the least bit concerned and something doesnt "feel right" get out of there and call ahead to report the vehicle as "broken down" or whatever, a beat up old car in the outback is a red flag, a relatively modern vehicle towing a van well I always pull up, have a look and offer help, scruffy looking buggers and I'm gone, single young woman well all asisstance offered. the same applies if you break down, stay with your vehicle, asess the offers from passerbys without leaving your car (it is the only protection you will have). use your phone/uhf to call for help. the chances of something bad happening is extremely remote, the ammount of bad guys out there is minimal and mostly confined to a radius of 100 kms from a major city, we have done many miles and (1) had minimal breakdowns through thorough vehicle preperation (2) helped quite a few travellers without problems by using common sense (3) met hundreds of fantastic people, listen to your instincts when deciding to stop and render assistance if in doubt, just get out, travelling is a great experience the risks are miniscule, blown out of all proportion by the media, thousands of people on the road at any one time, how many problems reported by media, do the sums, pack up the van and just enjoy, I will without a second thought, have done many times and it rarely crosses my mind, and I have travelled and camped in some very out of the way places and also by some very major cities. dont be put off, just go, enjoy, let someone else worry about media beef ups, god, you could fall over in the bath tomorrow and be dead, more risk at home than on the road
Basil Faulty said
05:34 PM Sep 16, 2008
As someone who can take care of himself I agree with the others. If you stop to help then do so and stay in your car and let them walk to you, then you will be able to get a good look at the person in distress....Honestly I find stopping for anyone really a challenge unless you see them have an accident or such like. I reccomend if you are alone that you either hire or buy an EPIRB, keep it armed and ready to activate. Maybe a bit of an overkill but in the event of true emergency you can summon help where even a 3G phone dosen't work. UHF Radio is as suggested a good idea, limited range in hilly country but on the flat you can get usually 40km or more....Good to keep track of events unfolding in front and behind you as well if you have a broadmind and listen to the truckies chatting, the vanners have their own channel 18 but it is usually very quiet... True you are in greater danger going to your local shops, and even more danger going to a "Shopping Mall" than you are on the road, the statistics say so...
twobob said
06:29 PM Sep 17, 2008
Ok - I may have misread how important this is to people, as only two replies. I possible should have put it in the "SOLO" forum, but it is an area we all need to address. I try again with this.
Before you head out on the great adventure, photo copy BOTH sides of all your cards, and drivers licence. On the cards is the phone number to contact the card issuer.
Have an address book, with your insurer, policy number, any ID numbers.
If you are on medication, list these, and who to contact.
I think you get the idea.
This is placed somewhere it can be found, but not carried on your person.
What about spare keys? where do you put them?
dave06 said
07:11 PM Sep 17, 2008
two replies but 52 and rising have read this thread, dont underestimate the importance of safety, but also dont overate the dangers, I have yet to find a "confronting" situation in all my years of travel. I hear about them but it is only when I come back home and turn on the idiot box, if we all practice common sense in any given situation then travelling is an enjoyable experience and not the least bit frightening, I am probably a very stupid traveller as I have no copies of any documentation, I carry my wallet with me at all times containing the days spending money and all papers, I have a spare key hidden on little blue but thats it. to be honest I often stop for fellow travellers who have broken down or just simply need help and I will speak to almost anyone anywhere, o.k. I'm not a small man others have described me as a big bugger and I can handle myself but I have never had to when travelling, the situation has never arisen in all my years of travel, met a hell of a lot of nice people of all colours and creeds, made a lot of friends, no confrontation as yet and I'm still travelling, as the old P.M. once said be aware not alarmed
Cupie said
05:12 PM Sep 18, 2008
G'day .. I thought that I might take this thread in a more general 'security' direction & share with you the security precautions that I take both at home on the road. I'm not paranoid about security & have never had a (very) bad experience over my 10yrs of vanning. It's safe & there are wonderful people around .. but there are also a very small minority of low lives as in all parts of society.
Home .. 1.Trusted neighbour has a house key, alarm details, contact list of my family, my mobile no & general itennary. He does a daily walk around & keeps the place tidy, even mowing the yard & doing mtce level gardening. Other neighbours (also retired) keep a look out too. It's a reciprocal arrangement. 2.Paper stopped & mail diverted to Daughter who holds an enduring power of Attourney (in joint with Son). 3. HWS off & timed light switches on. Appliances unplugged. If I remember I turn off the mains water. 4. Insurance mob advised of absence as required by policy & Son stays over sometimes to maintain the required degree of occupancy during long trips.
We have regular contact with key family & neighbours using a great Telstra 3G Prepaid plan & a few Emails. Of course we take a complete contact list of phone & Email including EFTPOS & Credit card providers, Insurance policy numbers & etc.
The Van .. 1. The old single lock door is fitted with a keyed night latch ($12 Bunnings). Windows are closed when absent or sleeping & hatches opened. 2. Gas Bottles secured by lock (2 sets of 4 key alike locks used for van security) 3. On car & Van 'bazookas'holding rods & poles locked. 4. If in dodgy locations, outdoor furniture can be secured by a locked plastic coated steel wire attached to van. 5. Security lock on towing coupling at every stopover. 6. Secret hiding places in van for valuables/easily stolen & sold cameras etc.
The 4WD 1. Hayman Reece hitch pin fitted with lock. 2. Engel held in place physically & locked with a chain that can attach it to the van's suspension when removed from the 4WD (lid can be locked too) 3. Spare keys to 4WD in Van & vice versa. I carry a spare 4WD key in wallet too. 4. Push bike chained to A frame when not in use as is the kayak if I have one with me. 5. When I have my last glass of an evening, I do a quick walk about to check things before retiring.
(I do keep a 6 battery ie large heavy MAG-LITE beside the bed. The technique when using it is to hold it behind the lens section in a backhand grip with the long barrel resting on the sholder. You can easily direct the bright spot to the object/person & the position of the torch makes it a great defensive instrument .. a technique taught by my Brother who was a sometimes MP in Melbourne.)
Please don't think that Caravanning is dangerous .. It's not .. and just as you take sensible precautions at home so you should when travelling .. Prevention is better than cure!
cheers .. G
Ole Grizzly said
08:39 PM Sep 18, 2008
What do you reckon Basil..we brush away the cobwebs and use some of our engineers know how and booby trap our surrounds. Could be fun with some dummy trips etc. The idea brings back some memories of fun times with a new Portsea officer who tried pushing his weight around..
twobob said
08:25 PM Sep 19, 2008
Good on Ya CUPIE
That is what i wanted this thread to do - address "Gerneral items" - things that would be grey nomads, for whatever reason, need to be re assured about.
You see I have lived in the country for most of my life, and cannot understand why things "out there" seem to be a problem. If the experienced, can tell their story, then that will help others.
Also, if you read this thread, and have something you are concerned about, just ask, There are nice people here, and they also understand the "initial" concerns, so your question is NOT SILLY - ask it
I am trying not to lead this thread, but one of the issue (as I see it) - "what if something goes wrong with the vehicle. SO who has had a situation where something went wrong, and how did it resolve itself?
In threads elswhere, it has had a brief. As I understand it, most "Guest's and New Users" are looking for reasons to get on the road, but have not got passed the fear. What if something goes wrong, what do I do If I get "unwanted attention" - how do I reduce these risks
I believe there is no reason to "hold back" - because of security, or insecurity. Look at the number of Solo woman - I applaude them.
So I would like to see this thread, address this issue, with useful tips, and thus arm those "would be's" in to confident travellers.
Example and a start - you are travelling along and something goes wrong. Stuck on the side of the road, how do you attract "good" help - Flip that - you are travelling along and someone is stuck on the side of the road - do you stop?
I always stop, but some 50m IN FRONT of them, engine running, and call back. Access from there and use my gut - always rely on my bad hearing and a wave, if I think I should continue on.
I reccomend if you are alone that you either hire or buy an EPIRB, keep it armed and ready to activate. Maybe a bit of an overkill but in the event of true emergency you can summon help where even a 3G phone dosen't work. UHF Radio is as suggested a good idea, limited range in hilly country but on the flat you can get usually 40km or more....Good to keep track of events unfolding in front and behind you as well if you have a broadmind and listen to the truckies chatting, the vanners have their own channel 18 but it is usually very quiet...
True you are in greater danger going to your local shops, and even more danger going to a "Shopping Mall" than you are on the road, the statistics say so...
I'm not paranoid about security & have never had a (very) bad experience over my 10yrs of vanning. It's safe & there are wonderful people around .. but there are also a very small minority of low lives as in all parts of society.
Home ..
1.Trusted neighbour has a house key, alarm details, contact list of my family, my mobile no & general itennary. He does a daily walk around & keeps the place tidy, even mowing the yard & doing mtce level gardening. Other neighbours (also retired) keep a look out too. It's a reciprocal arrangement.
2.Paper stopped & mail diverted to Daughter who holds an enduring power of Attourney (in joint with Son).
3. HWS off & timed light switches on. Appliances unplugged. If I remember I turn off the mains water.
4. Insurance mob advised of absence as required by policy & Son stays over sometimes to maintain the required degree of occupancy during long trips.
We have regular contact with key family & neighbours using a great Telstra 3G Prepaid plan & a few Emails. Of course we take a complete contact list of phone & Email including EFTPOS & Credit card providers, Insurance policy numbers & etc.
The Van ..
1. The old single lock door is fitted with a keyed night latch ($12 Bunnings).
Windows are closed when absent or sleeping & hatches opened.
2. Gas Bottles secured by lock (2 sets of 4 key alike locks used for van security)
3. On car & Van 'bazookas'holding rods & poles locked.
4. If in dodgy locations, outdoor furniture can be secured by a locked plastic coated steel wire attached to van.
5. Security lock on towing coupling at every stopover.
6. Secret hiding places in van for valuables/easily stolen & sold cameras etc.
The 4WD
1. Hayman Reece hitch pin fitted with lock.
2. Engel held in place physically & locked with a chain that can attach it to the van's suspension when removed from the 4WD (lid can be locked too)
3. Spare keys to 4WD in Van & vice versa. I carry a spare 4WD key in wallet too.
4. Push bike chained to A frame when not in use as is the kayak if I have one with me.
5. When I have my last glass of an evening, I do a quick walk about to check things before retiring.
(I do keep a 6 battery ie large heavy MAG-LITE beside the bed. The technique when using it is to hold it behind the lens section in a backhand grip with the long barrel resting on the sholder. You can easily direct the bright spot to the object/person & the position of the torch makes it a great defensive instrument .. a technique taught by my Brother who was a sometimes MP in Melbourne.)
Please don't think that Caravanning is dangerous .. It's not .. and just as you take sensible precautions at home so you should when travelling .. Prevention is better than cure!
cheers .. G
The idea brings back some memories of fun times with a new Portsea officer who tried pushing his weight around..
That is what i wanted this thread to do - address "Gerneral items" - things that would be grey nomads, for whatever reason, need to be re assured about.
You see I have lived in the country for most of my life, and cannot understand why things "out there" seem to be a problem. If the experienced, can tell their story, then that will help others.
Also, if you read this thread, and have something you are concerned about, just ask, There are nice people here, and they also understand the "initial" concerns, so your question is NOT SILLY - ask it
I am trying not to lead this thread, but one of the issue (as I see it) - "what if something goes wrong with the vehicle. SO who has had a situation where something went wrong, and how did it resolve itself?
-- Edited by twobob at 22:07, 2008-09-19