An American Perspective on Security and Safety in the Motorhome
Richard and Kathy Howe The following article was first published in the Howe's website in February 2015: http://www.travelin-tortuga.com/Travelin-Tortuga/travel-information/safety-and-security.html Richard and Kathy Howe's website is by far
the most comprehensive motorhomer's website we have used. Starting from their
home in California, they have been travelling fulltime since 2001. Their
initial focus was on the Americas: North, Central and South. In 2010 they
shipped their motorhome across the Atlantic to undertake major journeys in
forty European, north African and western Asian
countries.
Starting with a motorcycle and a tent, they
soon moved on to a secondhand motorhome. More recently, they travel in a purpose
built 4wd motorhome and it's a pleasure in itself to read about this vehicle and
discover its unique design and powerful features. As well as full details of
their travels and their vehicles, the Howes share valuable advice on subjects
such as security, camping (they mainly find the 'free' variety), shipping,
Schengen, electrics and accessories. All this is accompanied by excellent
photographs, links and apt quotations. Their motto is: 'No Checklists; No
Schedules'.
Safety and Security Questions
This
article will attempt to share information on two topics of great importance to
those contemplating overland travel in foreign countries: personal safety and
the protection and security of your vehicle and your belongings. I will discuss
each of these topics separately, including not only our own personal experience,
but also input shared with us by other travelers.
Personal
Safety:
We've taken our motorhome into
fifty-five countries on five continents over the past seven years. In doing
this we have spent very little time in formal campgrounds, but have preferred
to park at night in quiet places, by ourselves. People ask us if we are ever
afraid. The answer is no, we are not. This is certainly not because we are
extraordinarily brave or adventurous, because we aren't. It is simply that we have
learned that for the most part people everywhere are much more likely to
welcome a stranger with kindness and acceptance than the opposite. We started
out with this approach and we've
had it reinforced everywhere we've
gone.
This
is not to say that bad things never happen, but we have almost never heard of
overland travelers being attacked or threatened. Property crimes yes, as I will
discuss below, but physical threats are uncommon. To qualify our remarks a bit,
our travels have been in the Americas and Europe. Our one visit to Africa was
to Morocco, so we cannot speak from our own experience in other parts of
Africa. The same is true of Middle Eastern countries, Asia or India. However,
we are in touch with many others who have traveled extensively in each of these
areas, and we have seldom heard of anyone feeling afraid or being actively
threatened or attacked.
The
only area where we have heard of overlanders being occasionally attacked and
even killed is in areas of Central Africa. Southern Africa is considered to be safe
for tourists and, until recently, the same could be said for Northern Africa. The
broad swath across the middle is where problems have occurred, and conditions
change continually in this region. We know people who have traveled safely here
but have also heard stories about others who have not been safe. We have no
plans to venture into this part of the world, though we would like to get o
Southern Africa some day.
On
the other side of the coin however, we could spend hours telling you about just
some of the many wonderful encounters we have enjoyed when meeting people in
foreign countries. Perhaps the single most positive development to come from
our years of travel has been this sense that people are people the world 'round.
In every country there are far more good people than bad, just as there are in
the country you call home. There are certainly parts of every city in America
where I would not venture, in a motorhome or otherwise. In fact, America is
statistically the most dangerous of all the developed countries of the world. So
why should I, as an American, suddenly be fearful of the people I meet in other
countries? The only reason is that all of us, to some degree, fear the unknown,
in whatever form it presents itself. When it comes to travel we instinctively
feel safer when we are close to home and threatened when we go somewhere else. I
am happy to say that the more we've
traveled the more we have learned that this instinctive fear does not have to
remain a part of our reality.
I'll share just one story to
illustrate. It happened when we were in Central America, very early in our
international travel. One thing you immediately notice about Central America is
the presence of guns. They are everywhere. Every bank has guards armed with AK-47s
or M-16s. Store owners wear pistols on their hips. It is simply a part of the
culture, or at least it was when we were there in 2008. Anyway, we were new to
this 'different country' thing
and were no doubt incredibly naive. We'd
gotten as far as Honduras and had driven up in the hills on a rutted dirt road
back into a National Park. We were heading for a visitor center where we had a
report that we would be able to park for the night. We arrived at the end of
the road and indeed there was a building there but all was quiet and no one
seemed to be around. Kathy did finally find someone inside, who welcomed us and
then left, locking the door behind him.
We
felt a bit uncertain and alone, but decided what the heck, we'd stay anyway, and found a level
place to park the Tiger. An hour or so later two vehicles pulled into the area
and a number of people piled out, several of the men armed with semi-automatic
rifles or shotguns. Whoa! We were miles from anywhere and had no idea what was
happening or what we should do about it. The men wandered off, leaving a couple
of women and children near the vehicles while we watched and waited. After the
men returned, one of the women called out “Hola” to us so we opened our door and stuck our heads out a
bit. It turned out that this was an extended family who
managed a coffee plantation back down the road we'd come up on and they were out
checking their property for signs of poachers. In just a few minutes we went
from thinking we might be in some danger to having a chat in broken Spanish and
English with these nice people. Before they left they insisted we stop to visit
on our way down the hill the next day. We did and ended up having a great time
with them. After they all took turns looking in the Tiger, they made us take
some coffee with us and waved happily as we drove on.
This
early experience has stood us in good stead during other encounters along the
roads we've
traveled, from South America to Morocco to Eastern Europe, Turkey and beyond. In
all of these countries we've
learned that while the cultures are certainly different from our own, the
people are not so different at all.
Certainly
we are not saying that anyone should just wander about with no thought to where
they are going or whether or not they should go there. When considering travel
to a country or region, you have to do some research before committing
yourself. We always try to find other travelers who have gone there and see
what they have to report before we go. As much as we may wish that we could
travel to any country we wish, unfortunately the world is not that simple and
there are regions at any given time where traveling alone is not advised. These
regions change from year to year and a place we have visited may no longer be
as safe now; certainly the reverse is true as well.
We
have been to countries like Colombia where we had a wonderful time and were
amazed by the friendliness of the locals. But they were the first to tell us
that even five years before we would not have been safe in some parts of their
country. We know other travelers who loved their experiences in Syria or Egypt,
countries that now are unfortunately not as stable and open as they once were. This
is the way of the world and the world is ever changing. We very nearly visited
Ukraine in 2013, finally deciding to skip it and come back another time. Six
months later Ukraine was in the news and serious problems had surfaced. Perhaps we'll
get another chance, but who knows. Syria seems basically lost forever with so
much damage done to historic sites and so much of society torn apart during
their ongoing civil war. On the other hand we enjoyed our time in the Balkan
countries of the former Yugoslavia very much in spite of some lingering after
effects of their terrible civil wars fifteen years earlier.
Nonetheless,
we believe that with just normal caution, common sense, basic internet research
and a positive attitude, you really can go almost anywhere you want to go, on
your own and not feeling like you must always travel with a group tour or only
touching in at cruise ship ports around the edges of the world. We would
encourage you to just do what you are comfortable with and allow yourself the
freedom to expand your horizons as your comfort level increases with
experience.
Security:
Unfortunately,
the issue of property theft and security is something of a different story. We
have experienced our own problems and we have heard from and about others who
have as well. Everything from pickpocketing to vehicle theft happens to
travelers all too frequently and if pressed I'd have to say that I think it is
becoming more common, not less.
I'll
share our own experiences first.
In
our seven years of true international travel, I've had my pocket picked twice,
once in Ecuador and once in Morocco. Both times I was in a crowd and felt
pressured from all sides; in other words, it was an organized group effort. Once
was in a crowded market while the other was on a local bus. The first time I was
more concerned about losing my camera than my wallet; the second time I was
busy trying to be friendly because the young people around me were being very
friendly. I've
learned from these two experiences and am hopeful that the same thing won't happen again. The first time I
was totally unprepared and trusting. I had a long wallet in my rear pocket
where it stuck out the top and was clearly visible.
After
that I switched to a smaller wallet carried in my front pocket and thought I
had the problem under control. When it happened a second time despite my
precautions, I realized that a wallet can be vulnerable even if it is in a
front pocket. Now, if I feel any sense of concern, basically whenever I begin
to feel that others are too close to me, I will put my hand in my pocket so
that it is right on my wallet while I keep the other hand on my camera. Some
folks will attach their wallet to their belt with a chain. I have also learned
not to carry more cash than I think I may actually need and never carry credit
or debit cards in my wallet unless I have specific plans to use them at that
time.
More
serious, and much more costly, we have also had our vehicle broken into twice;
once in Argentina and once in Italy. On each occasion the thieves forced a door
lock; once the driver's door in our truck's
cab and once the entry door into the living area of our Tiger. Both locks are
simple flat key type locks and are easy to force with a screwdriver. In both
cases we had the impression afterwards that the bad guys had only been inside
for a few minutes. They took a quick look around the coach and grabbed anything
that looked like it was worth something. In modern society that means
electronics, in addition of course to cash and credit cards. In each of our
break-ins we lost cameras and back up drives, as well as cash and credit/debit
cards; during the second instance we also lost our two laptop computers. In
neither case were the police of any use whatsoever and in neither case did we
have insurance to cover the loss. This is not because we are foolish or
careless, but insurance to cover your belongings is simply not available for
long term travel. Vacations, yes; year in and year out, no.
Not
surprisingly, we are not alone in experiencing these kinds of losses. Rather
the opposite is actually the case. From what we have heard from other
travelers, it seems likely that if you travel a lot you will almost certainly,
sooner or later, experience some loss of property yourself. This is not because
people in foreign countries are less honest than those at home, but simply that
travelers make attractive targets. It is logical for a thief to assume that you
probably have with you more money and more articles of value than the average
local person. If you are traveling in a motorhome it is even more apparent that
this is likely to be the case.
When
we sent out a note to all our friends explaining our break-in this spring near
Rome, we received many kind and thoughtful responses. A large number of them
included stories about losses experienced by them or by friends of theirs in
locations around the world, including the US of course. As a side note, the
most common place mentioned for such losses was Italy and specifically Rome;
Barcelona seems to take pride of second place. We know of two other travelers
who have had their vehicles stolen in Europe in the past year; one each in Rome
and in Barcelona. Their stories are not pleasant to hear. Update: We
have now heard of yet another traveler's
van that was stolen in the Fiumicino area west of Rome. This is near the area
where our truck was broken into. It is becoming more apparent with each report
that we were fortunate to only lose our computers and cameras and not the
entire vehicle.
What
to do?
So,
how can you protect yourself against these losses. First, you must accept the
fact that you cannot guarantee that you will not experience theft of your
valuables. Nothing you do can ensure that you will never be robbed, and this is
no different whether you are traveling or you stay at home. Risk is inherent to
life and cannot be eliminated.
However,
I believe there are several areas you can work on to maximize your security.
Let's
talk about them.
1. Avoid known dangerous areas: There
is no question in my mind that you are more at risk in a city or a known
tourist destination than if you are parked all alone in a quiet spot in the
country or wandering about in a small town. I believe that thieves are
inherently lazy people and they will prefer to operate in an environment that
offers maximum opportunities. They also will prefer to operate where they have
an established infrastructure that allows them to move the merchandise along as
quickly as possible. Kathy and I have bypassed several cities that we had hoped
to visit because we could not find a secure place to park. We also choose to
avoid most recognized major tourist attractions. There are many reasons for
this, such as preferring to avoid large crowds, high costs, etc. But
realistically, any place or time where large numbers of tourists are likely to
appear becomes a very attractive target area for any sort of thief. It simply
is the way it is. Charles Bridge in Prague, the Eiffel Tower in Paris, anywhere
in Rome -- these are known areas where pickpockets and thieves operate. For
security as well as other reasons, we have found that we enjoy smaller,
quieter, lesser known spots much more than places that appear on most people's must-visit lists.
Update: We now have three reports of
travelers experiencing vehicle theft or breakin in the Rome area within the
past year (one of them our own experience), so I'm afraid I feel compelled to
recommend that under no circumstances should you take your personal vehicle
anywhere near Rome without a specific plan for dealing with the risk. Either
drive directly to a known secure campground or find other ways to visit the
city if you choose to do so.
2. Park Defensively: Read
and consider the items in the sidebar. The more we've experienced, and everything we've heard from others about
vehicle break-ins, the more important these basic steps have become. This is
your first line of defense and probably the most important.
3. Improve the Security of your vehicle: This
is a difficult area to discuss in detail because every vehicle is different and
what works on one may not apply to another. Most American RVs have extremely
rudimentary door locks. Some European models seem better in the area of door
locks, but many have very weak windows. Basically, what you want to do is look
at every possible entry to your vehicle and see if there is something you can
do to lessen the chance of a thief coming in that way. There are aftermarket add-on
door locks that will fit in some situations. We know folks who rely on a chain
and padlock linking the two cab doors together. Windows can have bars bolted in
place over them. There are plenty of possibilities to explore. In the end, you
may not find anything you feel you can improve in this area, but you should at
least give it serious thought. The other side of this argument is that you may
not want to make any of these changes; I mean who really wants to look through
bars every day or lock and unlock chains when entering or leaving the vehicle? Like
everything else, you must seek options that will work for you in all ways, not
just provide marginally better protection for your vehicle at a social cost you
are unwilling to tolerate. Also you must bear in mind that all windows are
subject to simply having a brick tossed through them. No matter what you may be
able to improve in the way of lock security, a determined thief may still be
able to gain entry by breaking a window.
4. Hide your valuables: We think
this is a biggie. As mentioned above, after both of our break-ins, we had the
very strong feeling that the thieves had been in and out of our vehicle in just
a minute or two. Easy to get to places were looked at but harder to access
areas were undisturbed. Anything you can hide from view in a less than obvious
place has a much better chance of being missed during the short time the bad
guys are likely to spend in your vehicle. Once again every vehicle will provide
different opportunities; be creative. When we leave our vehicle, the only
things that can be easily seen by an intruder are clothes and kitchen items. Everything
of significant value is out of sight and not in a logical spot. Naturally,
given sufficient time any of these hidden items can be found, but in a quick
search some or all of them will be missed and that will be a big help. Unfortunately,
one thing that will likely defeat this strategy is the actual theft of your
vehicle. Scary as this is, it does happen. We know of three instances in the
last year, where traveler's vehicles were stolen. In two cases the vehicle was
recovered several days or even a week later, while in the third it was not. Naturally,
given that much time to work, anything you have hidden will likely be
discovered and taken. Two were stolen in Rome while the other theft occurred in
Barcelona; in both cases the local police were of no assistance whatsoever in
the recovery of the vehicle. At the time of our first break in experience we
had not yet learned this lesson of keeping valuables out of sight. Sadly, when
our second theft occurred it happened just hours after our arrival back in the
Tiger and we had not yet had time to put things away.
5. Limit your exposure: This
is difficult and depends to some degree on your traveling style. Kathy and I
are full time travelers who are wandering around Europe for eight or more
months at a time. It is not possible for us to leave the good computer or the
good camera at home while we're
on the road. Our Tiger is
our home. Photography is our hobby and we take it seriously. This means we
carry two expensive SLR cameras with at least one additional lens. It also
means we need two real laptop computers, not just a less expensive tablet or
other device for communication and internet activity. This is our choice and it
means that we have more to lose than some other travelers. If you can, by all
means explore ways of lessening your exposure by carrying fewer or less costly
items. If you are abroad for shorter periods at a time, you may be able to
adopt this as a way of lessening your loss should a break-in occur.
6. Insure your valuables if you can: This
is another toughie for us, but may be something you can explore to good
advantage. As we do not own a home, we do not have homeowner's insurance that might cover our
personal belongings when we are traveling. We have looked into finding separate
travelers insurance for this purpose but have been defeated because of the
length of time we are 'away from home.' It
is possible to secure vacation insurance for short periods of traveling, but we
have been unable to find anything that would cover us for the time periods we
spend overseas. Examine your own situation and see what might be available to
you.
Conclusions:
So
there you are, bad things can happen to us wherever we happen to be, but we
believe the risks are more than balanced out by the enjoyment and satisfaction
of the travel experience. We've
lived our life on the road for thirteen years now. That's 4,745 days and nights traveling
and seeing the world. We've
had our difficulties from time to time just as we might have if we'd stayed in one place all that
time. But we've never been threatened with
violence or harm and have only had four bad days due to an instance of theft. Four
days in thirteen years… that isn't
1% of our time on the road, it isn't
even one-tenth of one percent. It's
.08%. One day for every 1,186 days of wonderful, exhilarating, exciting travel.
Not a bad record and certainly a price we are willing to continue to pay for
the freedom and stimulation of this life we love.
In
closing, I'll
just say that if a person is so inclined, it's pretty easy to think up reasons
why it's
better to just stay home or to limit one's
travel to group excursions. In this article I've tried to present information
that I hope will help you to make the opposite decision. An Australian couple
we met in Ecuador years ago came up with a name for their website that I have
always admired, Dare2Go, and it really is that simple. Whether you want to ride
your bicycle through India or sail your sloop around the world or drive your
motorhome to China or across Siberia, or tour Europe or the Americas... If you want to go to different places on your
own schedule and with your own transportation, our advice to you is to just go
for it and enjoy every minute of the experience.
Finding
Safe Wild Camping Spots for Overnight Stays
1. If we've been where you are going,
download our Camping Logs; we give descriptions and coordinates for places we've stayed.
2. Research
online to find other travelers who have gone before you and download their
information on places they have parked for the night. This information may be
printable or available as GPS downloads.
3. When available, get published information
on approved overnight stay locations for the country you are traveling in. In
some countries there is a lot of information available while in others there is
little or none.
4. In Western Europe there are many locations
set aside for motorhomes. These are called Aires or Sostas or Stellplatzë, depending on the country, and
they make wonderful spots to spend the night.
5. Avoid
overnighting in laybys or rest areas along busy highways; these are often
notorious trouble spots.
6. Actual truck stops can often be ok as they
will have some staff on duty all night, but ask other travelers first to see if
they think they are safe.
7. In cities, ask to stay at secured parking
lots. Many of them are manned overnight and provide good security.
8. Look for places out in the country and on
quiet roads. We feel much better in a quiet place with little traffic
than in a busy area.
9. If possible, get information on
trailheads, bird watching areas and other public use locations; they will
usually have parking areas that may be suitable.
10.
If you find yourself in a town or city with no apparent overnight options, find
a Police Station and ask them.
11. If you don't feel comfortable in a spot,
move on. Kathy and I have a rule that both of us must feel ok about a spot or
we don't
stay there.
12. When in doubt, ask. I
can ask “Where can we park for the night” in several languages.
Choosing
Secure Parking Spots During the Day
1. Always remember that most theft occurs in
large cities and popular tourist destinations such as beaches and resorts.
2. When planning a visit to one of these
locations try to research locations where other travelers have parked safely.
3. When visiting a city, consider staying in
a campsite and using public transportation rather than taking your own vehicle
into the city.
4. If not a campsite, try to park in a
location with security on site; i.e. a manned and fenced parking lot.
5. Avoid using on-street parking in a city
whenever possible. This is completely the opposite of our
practice in small towns.
6. Park & Ride locations on the outskirts
of cities can be a valuable resource, though some of these rely on parking
structures with their inherent height limitations.
7. Be
open to simply abandoning a plan to visit a particular city if you cannot
locate secure parking. Safe Travels!
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