Safety Checks
By Gloria Bryson Pyszka
Safety and security should always be part of your "readiness
attitude" wherever you are — while doing daily errands, commuting to
work, boating, fishing, or while traveling.
- When traveling, act with confidence among strangers, no matter
where you are or what you’re doing.
Act as if you know where you’re going and what you’re doing
even if you may feel differently inside.
Outward appearances mean a great deal. If you ask a question,
present it in a matter-of-fact way.
- My "radar" is always on when I travel; I look around my
surroundings.
It just comes naturally to me whether I’m on the highway, in
the parking lot, at the gas station, etc.
If my radar tells me that something is not right, I assess
the situation and decide what to do. Trust your instincts – if
you feel that something is not right, move or walk away, drive
away. Change immediately.
- Before taking that RV trip, make sure your vehicle is ready
for travel and that it has regular maintenance as part of your
vehicle’s safety.
Carry your roadside assistance card with you and make sure that
you know what services are provided.
- Always carry your cell phone and remember to charge it.
- If someone yells or honks at you, or indicates that something
is wrong, drive, if possible, to a place where there are others
around before stopping.
- Drive only during daytime hours.
- Lock your vehicle at all times.
The only times I leave it unlocked are during the day at a
populated campground when I’m either in the vehicle or near it.
I lock it when I take walks, use the public restrooms, or
wherever. Better safe than sorry.
- While traveling, each morning or the evening before, plot out
on a map your driving route — including where you may stop for
gas/supplies, rest stop, lunch, and so on.
Be familiar with the highway road numbers so that you know
which turn to make when you come to a major intersection or
freeway off ramp. Of course, you can move up the technology
chain and use Google Map or Mapquest online to plot your daily
driving route. Or, check out the GPS navigation system software
designed for RV driving, listed in the latest Camping World
catalogue.
- Keep anything valuable out of sight, both while driving and
while parked.
Don’t advertise that you have a laptop, expensive camera,
etc., by leaving them in view of anyone walking by or even
passing on the freeway. Remember that any rig higher than you
can look down into the front seat and everything in the
motorhome. When stopped at a rest stop, or wherever, I may pull
down the daytime privacy shade. If I’m in the campground and
using my laptop, I might pull it down. Remember to pull them up
again when you’re driving so that you can use the side windows
for added passing visibility.
- Women, especially — wear a wedding ring –if you have had
experiences with people starting conversations with you, you know
that wearing a wedding band is a deterrent.
- Stay in respectable campgrounds.
I check them out for cleanliness and location and whether or
not they’re part of a national group like Good Sam, KOA or are a
state park or national park service campground. I like to have
some level of security such as a check-in station. RV park
directories, especially those providing ratings, are a good
place from which to choose your sleep-over destination.
- Do not carry valuables in your outside storage areas.
The lock and keys are pretty basic, and someone could access
them.
- Be sure to have carbon monoxide and smoke alarms inside the
motorhome.
- Finally, have a good bolt on your motorhome door.
This issue of Arizona Boating & Watersports stresses
safety, and safety is our first concern on both land and
water.
|
May
2006