How much do you trust people?

[ppine]

Heading out to higher elevations to get away from the heat in the West. This time of year the campgrounds are crowded so a camping friend of 35 years and I are heading to a remote part of a National Forest. We will probably do some looking around and leave out campsite unattended. We might go to a town one night for a restaurant.

So the question is how much do you trust people to leave your stuff alone when no one else is around? I have lost some equipment during a hunting trip in Wyoming under similar circumstances. My plan is to only leave things like a water can, lawn chair, etc nothing of any real value.

 

[Reverse_snowbird]

I trust most people, but it only takes one to walk off with your equipment.

 

[Nick Danger]

So the question is how much do you trust people to leave your stuff alone when no one else is around? I have lost some equipment during a hunting trip in Wyoming under similar circumstances. My plan is to only leave things like a water can, lawn chair, etc nothing of any real value.

So you already have experience with this same type of situation but you want the opinion of strangers.

If you bring "nothing of real value."; then what are you concerned about?

 

[Oaklevel]

Rural probably easier for something to walk off. Campground not as much.

Having said that I don't truly have anything of value to steal but....... In almost 40 years of camping never had anything stolen, don't lock our doors, but do have a dog.

If I left the camper in a public area I would lock it.

I have heard that the campground that we go to has had some issues with teens taking golf carts for joy rides............... the teens learned like CH751 storage door keys that golf carts are all keyed alike (by brand).

 

[NJKris]

The only thing I've ever locked up is my bicycle, too easy to just ride off on. I feel more leery about leaving stuff unattended in rural, isolated setting like Oaklevel said. I feel more comfortable in a campground in that regard. Haven't had opportunity to do much isolated camping, and when I have, I only left camp for short hikes.

 

[cboss]

We've camped a lot of days in the past 8 years and never have we had anything missing/stolen. We usually stay in State Parks or anything Federal.

As a Camp Host I had a camper complain that someone stole his sewer hose (stinky slinky). I went to his site to "investigate". He said this was his first trip of the season. I opened his back bumper and "low-n-behold" his hose was in it. His excuse was he had forgot he put it in there.

 

[MR.M]

It really depends . I'm in island park at red rocks on boot jack rd . open camping all boondocking . head out everyday and don't have fear of things being stolen . there are quit a few boondocker out here and you can see some come for the whole summer leave their unit for week or more then come back . not an issue . remember you can have issues at paid site also so just have fun and forget about what might happen .

 

[HangDiver]

All the booddock dry camping I've ever done I've never had anything taken. And I'm gone morning through dusk.

 

[Sunseeker16]

Don't carry anything you cant risk losing.

 

[glen1971]

All the booddock dry camping I've ever done I've never had anything taken. And I'm gone morning through dusk.

Ditto. We do it all of the time when we go hunting.

 

[TitanMike]

I've been fortunate over the years to not have anything stolen but lately I found I needed to be extra careful. Areas close to big cities here in the West like (Seattle, Tacoma, Portland, etc) seem to be attracting a different kind of boondocker. Many are easy to spot as their campsite looks very much like the city homeless camps in the cities with trash piled around the site.

Last trip to Quartzsite was diferent. Took my garbage to the central dumpster at La Posa North and found a large family "dumpster diving". Actually looked like several families in a couple broken down pickups. A couple of guys were deep down inside the dumpster and tossing things out to several females that were stacking items on/in the vehicles. They looked like cast members in the movie version of Steinbeck's "Grapes of Wrath".

Have talked to several NF Rangers and they have a constant battle enforcing the 14 day limit.

Things I don't want to lose I lock up. Times have changed from my early days of camping.

 

[ppine]

Thanks for your observations.
We can agree that remote campsites with no one around are most risky.
Sizing up people can tell us a lot. Some people just look desperate, and they are the ones to look out for. Recently I met a single lady fleeing from her abusive husband. She was living in an old 15 foot trailer given to her. I gave her 20 bucks.

In a nice RV park, surrounded by expensive RVs and trucks, nothing is at risk.
In the woods near an urban homeless population you have to be careful.
If someone walks off with a chair or water can, they probably need it more than I do.
Be safe out there and maintain your situational awareness.

 

[D W]

In the city of Anchorage there are those low-lifes that will steal the tick out of your watch if given the opportunity. However, those types don't venture out out of the city for certain reasons. People out camping don't mess with other peoples stuff, for reasons I won't go into on this forum.

 

[Bob K4TAX]

I no longer have anything worth stealing. The last thief got all of the good stuff.

The fact is, one can't be too careful. Keep things out of sight, makes for less sticky fingers. If it has a lock, use it, but there are folks that can and will easily break locks. I had a friend who was an excellent locksmith. I asked where he learned his trade. He replied; "In prison."

Bob

 

[JimM2109S]

And in rare cases, it's the camper that gets stolen..... Coupler locks may slow them down. Best to have a good insurance policy.

 

[mlmay12]

Heading out to higher elevations to get away from the heat in the West. This time of year the campgrounds are crowded so a camping friend of 35 years and I are heading to a remote part of a National Forest. We will probably do some looking around and leave out campsite unattended. We might go to a town one night for a restaurant.

So the question is how much do you trust people to leave your stuff alone when no one else is around? I have lost some equipment during a hunting trip in Wyoming under similar circumstances. My plan is to only leave things like a water can, lawn chair, etc nothing of any real value.

use a simple cable and lock to lock up chairs, ice chest etc. I find that if its not convenient for the thief often they leave it alone.

 

[Nick Danger]

Locks only keep "honest people" honest.

 

[Ohinaz1970]

Trust?

Last fall while making the journey to AZ, stopped for lunch in Payson, AZ. Parked the RV at the very outside of one of the strip malls. After lunch, walked across the parking lot to poke around in the Goodwill Store.

While there, glanced out the front across the parking lot toward the RV and noticed a fairly clean-cut looking person walking, stop at the RV, where he tried the door, then tried the passenger door. Odd that he didn't knock first to determine if it was occupied. I hit the remote-alarm, which I could hear go off.

He just casually looked around, shook his head, and walked on, obviously with no fear of being accosted by an owner or the authorities.

Didn't bother calling it in. Figure he was long gone.

 

[BigH]

Trust is not given...its earned.

 

[RobbieH]

He just casually looked around, shook his head, and walked on, obviously with no fear of being accosted by an owner or the authorities.

Unfortunately this seems to be common today.