"Purveyor of reality..." Heh. Interesting phrase.
Anyway: I knew a guy that got ahold of some of those little 'NRA Lifetime
Member' stickers, and some for the county Sheriff's Association (perhaps he
met a purveyor of stickers... ahem) and put them on his vehicles. He's not a
great fan of 'authority' and I doubt if he's fired a gun in 20 years, but
he's never had a problem. Dunno if the stickers had anything to do with it
(I'm sitting here wondering if lunatic night prowlers stop to read things
like that), but I doubt if it hurt. Conveying the impression that you're
heavily armed and well trained may have its merits.

Cya,
Robert

----- Original Message -----
From: "Jeff Oxroad" <Oxroad@AOL.COM>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Tuesday, July 27, 2004 11:47 PM
Subject: Re: Rest Area Camping??

> In a message dated 7/27/2004 6:58:07 AM Pacific Daylight Time,
> doug.alcock@HEWITT.COM writes:
>
>
> > 'Rest Areas' with trucks and
> > RV's in them. Are these safe to camp in??
>
> The official answer is never camp in a rest area. From a security
standpoint
> they are dangerous for a number of reasons, not the least of which is they
are
> designed for transients. These are people with no ties to that particular
> community and therefore no pedigree. Rest Areas lend themselves to
allowing
> people with ill intent to blend in. The bad guys know they won't stick out
or even
> be noticed in an area which by design has people who are just passing
through.
>
>
> Call me an extremist or a paranoid, but I am in fact a purveyor of
reality.
> I'm sure some remember Kristen Laurite who stopped to rest her VW bus in a
rest
> area in Arkansas and was was raped and stabbed to death in August of 2000.
> She was member of the Type 2 list. That serial killer is still at large.
> (www.kristenlaurite.org)
>
> I also understand many have "camped" in rest areas with no problem. But I
> mention all of the above because it is a reality in our modern world.
>
> Having said that I have camped in rest areas and still do. But some
> precautions should be taken. If you choose not to carry a weapon, I
suggest pepper
> spray which can be effective in warding off an attacker. Bear spray might
be
> better. Both even better. In the statistically unlikely event of an attack
you'll
> be glad you put that pepper spray in your bus although you thought you'd
never
> need it.
>
> I think you're safer in a Truck Stop than a rest area. And by Truck Stop
I'm
> referring to a place with a store and restaurant and parking lot lights
and
> lots of truckers spending the night in their rigs. Park with everyone else
or
> with the trucks, not in some remote area. Yes it's noisy and yes it's
light. But
> that's what you get for not planning better. Or what you get for wanting
to
> "make time" and not going for the Subaru engine.
>
> more people and light = more safety
>
> An additional up side of a Truck Stop is that in the morning you can go
> inside, buy a newspaper, use the bathroom, and get lousy coffee or
beakfast at the
> restaurant. Dot Nebel, my neighbor when I was growing up gave me this tip
when
> I finally got my bus a few years ago. She was about 89 at the time and
still
> piloted her Westfalia (well at that time a Eurovan) from NJ to WY every
winter
> for the skiing. She was an avid skiier who was on the 1940 US Olympic Ski
> Team (but never competed as the Olympics were cancelled that year when
Germany
> invaded Norway). But I digress...
>
> If you find yourself camping at night in a rest area--one with only
bathrooms
> or maybe not even--in the middle of nowhere here is a tip.
>
> Don't get out of your bus. Pull into the rest area and close the curtains
> immediately. That lone creep or group of creeps with ill intent have less
of a
> chance to size you up if they never get a look at you. They may imagine
there is
> a football team in your bus if they only see the curtains--or just one guy
> with shotgun waiting for some to come calling. Also don't naturally assume
all
> big rig truckers are friendly and on the up and up. Those days are gone as
> well. Didn't you see "Dual"?
>
> Then of course trust your insticts--I mean, if your insticts are any good.
If
> a place feels unsafe it probably is. Move on. Kansas has pretty
accomodating
> rest areas with Bar B Que grills and spots for camping. I usually feel
safe at
> these, but you don't really have to let your guard down. Carry your pepper
> spray to the bathroom. What's it gonna hurt?
>
> In conclusion, I'm not recommeding anyone stay home for fear of the
> unthinkable happening. And I'm not trying to create hysteria. Quite the
opposite,
> really. Live your life. But take a few precautions, and mostly don't trust
a rest
> area is safe for camping. Campsites are usually safer. But you already
knew
> that.
>
> Happy Motoring
> Best
> Jeff
> 83.5 Westfalia
> LA,CA