mr. ed
Madison, SD (currently traveling the US)
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Joined: 02/06/2002
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I've stayed overnight frequently at various WM's in almost every state and had problems in only two of them. Neither problem was serious or life threatening. One incident took place in a WM in one of the southern states. About 11PM a carload of teenagers (probably drunk) pulled up next to my RV and one got out and pounded loudly on the door of my RV. Giggling loudly, he ran back to the car and they sped away. No damage to anything, just annoying.
The other incident involved noisy teens racing their cars around the parking lot late at night. They never physically bothered me, though. I'm finding out that more and more WM's are becoming hangouts for the local kids. I asked a policeman about this and his answer was that they preferred the kids hang out at WM than be out robbing homes. Makes sense, I guess...
Mr. Ed (fulltiming since 1987)
2007 Hitchhiker II LS Model 29.5 LKTG
2007 Dodge Ram 3500/6.7 CTD/QC/4X4/SB/SRW/6-speed man/Big Horn edition
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adondo
Pasco, Washington
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Joined: 07/28/2004
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A couple of years ago, we stopped at a WM for the night. Mom decided to go in and shop for a while. She came out at around 10 pm. (I was watching for her) I noticed a couple of scummy looking, knit cap wearing, 20-somethings in a small truck following along at her walking speed, about two parking rows over. As she came up alongside the coach, on the side that was parked close to shrubbery, the truck pulled up right in front of the coach – about 2 feet away. The up-to-no-good’s were obviously thinking she was just walking behind the coach to get away from them, and were waiting for her to come out at the front end.
Finally, one of the morons happened to look up and saw me (through the coach windshield) heading for the door, 6’’ barrel Ruger Blackhawk in hand, as my free hand was reaching for the door handle. They left a pretty long set of rubber stripes on the pavement in their hasty retreat in reverse.  They didn’t turn around and speed forward out of the lot until they were all the way across it. I was hoping they’d cream a light post during the backwards journey, but no such luck.
It was the same thing as mentioned here… 911 was called, the cops came out and cruised a couple of times around the parking lot for whatever good that accomplished. Scum-balls are everywhere looking for easy marks. It isn’t just Wal-Mart either, it happens in rest areas and truck stops.
FMCA# F355513. 1997 Safari Continental, 40 foot, 1 slide. Cat 3126B, Allison MD3060. 2000 Durango SLT 4x4 toad with a Blue Ox Aventa II and stopped with a Brake Buddy.
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Don Don
Pleasant Grove, AL {Suburb of Birmingham}
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Joined: 05/21/2005
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It's what I always have said. Walmarts are for shopping, campgrounds are for camping.
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WMG
PA
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Joined: 09/24/2006
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Paul Clancy wrote:I may stay at walmart again but only if there are lots of other RV overnighters to improve the odds.
Friend , there have been many a people killed while others looked on. Best bet is to be looking after your own safety and not counting on anyone else.
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LindsayRichards
Tavares, FL
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Joined: 01/22/2007
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We have stayed at Wally world at least 100 times and have never had somebody knock on the door. My plan would be to rack a shell into my Mossberg 12 gauge pistol grip shot gun. All thief’s know that sound. We have had some noisy experiences and once on the outskirts of Washington, DC, were parked near an obvious drug dealer operation. We try to park with the toad hooked up and ready to drive off if necessary. I never have felt unsafe when parking lot boondocking. I have however have when at some campgrounds.
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adondo
Pasco, Washington
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Joined: 07/28/2004
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LindsayRichards wrote:My plan would be to rack a shell into my Mossberg 12 gauge pistol grip shot gun. All thief’s know that sound.
That is an unmistakable sound isn't it?!?
I did have a kook knock on the door once, but it wasn’t a WM. It was a small Army Corps of Engineers park along the Columbia River. It was in the daytime, and there were other cars there. (Swimmers etc.)
The guy was a squatter, with a tent and piles of junk all around like he’d been living there a month. He ignored the cars and headed for us. We’d stopped for dinner, and I was irritated that he picked us for his pan handling. (e.g. the ‘rich people in the fancy RV’)
He was okay at first, but then got insistent when I politely told him ‘no.’ When I closed the door on him while he was still pattering on about me ‘not being a Christian’ he got violent. He started screaming and yelling, and I just started the coach and left. I figured he’d start throwing rocks at the windows forcing me to… well… get ‘ballistically unfriendly.’ (I was mad at myself for even wasting my time talking to him in the first place, actually)
I called the cops as we drove away. We do radio work for the USACE, so I called later that week to a supervisor I know at the dam. He said they went out and ‘rousted him out’ along with his big stack of collected junk. (pop cans, old bottles, etc) He said the USACE doesn’t tolerate panhandlers when they start bothering people, and are now checking the place more often. It now has a new 2 week camping limit sign, so hopefully that eliminates future problems at least in that place.
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tracyb-oh
Cincinnati,Ohio
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Joined: 02/24/2002
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Rebel462, Are you aware that there is a lovely state park in Hillsboro that has a nice campground? Our farm is in Hillsboro and I am very familar with the Wal Mart you stayed at. Harry Sauner road is the shortcut to everywhere. I don't doubt it was busy all night. There are trailers parked in the lot all the time. Truckers who live near by will drop their trailer there and then drive the tractor home. Try the state park next time for a more relaxing experience. Have fun.....
Tracy and T
Jayco 2001 Class C 3150J Designer
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PGR_Skye
Indiana
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Joined: 11/11/2007
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We haven't had this problem at WalMart or rest areas, but last June when we were in Florida we left the 5er at Ft. DeSoto and visited DH's brother on Tierra Verde and several other places we enjoy. Twice when we stopped for fuel, panhandlers hit us up. They are very persistent and very irritating. One was male who hit me up first, then after I told him I had no money on hand, he hit up my DH as he was coming back to the truck. The other was an older female who hit up the DH and just didn't want to take "no" for an answer. He finally got back to the truck and drove off.
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catman2130093
Florida
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Joined: 11/22/2007
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I have had the panhandler at the gas pump thing happen to me more than once in Atlanta and some of it's suburbs...particularly at Quik Trip stations. Don't know why they seem to hang out there.
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