Boondocking security

Last weekend, we camped at a county park in Northern VA. It was a nice facility. It had a water park that opens after Memorial Day, soccer, baseball, cricket fields, mtn. biking trails, a skate park, and a campground with about 70 sites. Only a handful of sites had full hook ups, and about 2/3 had electric.

Even though the rules state 14 day maximum stay, we noticed many sites were occupied by "permanent" residents. I'm not sure how they got around it.

We weren't scheduled to leave until Monday, but late Sunday afternoon, there were a few empty sites near us. At one of the empty sites, a car with three young men pulled in and, what looked like, started rolling joints. About 10 minutes later, the park manager pulled in the they left. I asked him what was going on, and he said they don't allow "picnic'ers" in the campground.

After that, my wife commented that a few sites seemed to have a lot of visitors that only stayed a few minutes.
 
I don't do clubs. In fact I have issues with large groups of people since my military experience, actually.

Dispersed camping is our preffered camping style. We do campgrounds at times. That's only because we full time and need the hookups occasionally to replenish and refresh. Or the salmon are running...

It was the 4x club scene in the 90s that left me with a not much care for clubs either. A small group of like minded individuals works well but once a club gets to a certain size the hivemind kicks in and things go downhill from there.
 
I honestly don't know if the firearm rule has changed in the PNW4WDA or not. Put I carry a pistol locked and hidden.

You can call me a old fuddy duddy but I have no use for people that have to drink on the trail. If you can't survive the day without a beer then there are other issues. I've seen too many accidents involving idiots who were drunk. And I dislike dealing with drunks.

Pretty sure they have to have it there for insurance purposes but I think a lot more out of site out of mind action goes on these days.

I do not have an issue with A cold one at lunch but when you have people that have to always have one in hand on the trail that gets old with the quickness. I much rather save it for around the fire at the end of the day.
 
The ongoing discussion on the other site seems to have several folks who are very worried about their possessions and personnel safety.

What I'm gathering from all the suggestions and anecdotes is the closer you are to a metropolitan area the less safe you and your stuff are. The further out you are, the safer you and your stuff are.

Trailheads and off-road parks can be sketchy. State, County, Forest Service and National parks seem to be at least OK.
 
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Campgrounds or boondocking, mostly?

We've called 911 a couple of times. Interesting stories. The wife bagged a pair of escaped convicted felons a bunch of years ago. I got to put hand cuffs on a very upset woman who was the ex-girlfriend of a buddy of mine. Stories for another time.

Bit of both. Campgrounds can have very different cultures and I try to stay away from the party ones. The thing is the more remote you are the less likely you are to have people problems, but if there is a problem it's all on you to deal with it.

I may have put cuffs on a buddy's ex-girl once, too. She wasn't exactly upset tho
 
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What I'm gathering from all the suggestions and anecdotes is the closer you are to a metropolitan area you are the less safe you and your stuff is. The further out you are, the safer you and your stuff is.

In general, I’d agree with that, but when you're far away from everyone else and something goes sideways, it seems to really go sideways, and no one who isn't already there can get there in a timely manner. I've had a few sketchy run-ins with less than upstanding people over the years. Nothing has gotten out of hand so far, but I've definitely been put on edge a time or two out in the woods. It's best to be alert at all times and reasonably prepared, whatever that means to individual X.
 
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A buddy of mine who just got done living full-time in a truck camper for the last 7 years talked about times where he'd be boondocking and be all alone when next thing he knows the place is packed. He told me he had a couple scary situations where people were shooting off guns in the dispersed camping area. No one was injured but he said it scared the shit out of him.

He told me he'd run into some not so nice people a few times but he didn't believe in guns so didn't have any way to protect himself.
 
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he didn't believe in guns so didn't have any way to protect himself.

To me, that's someone who's lived a sheltered life, someone who really hasn't experienced any kind of violence or physical altercation. Has his recent experiences changed his mind any?
 
Bit of both. Campgrounds can have very different cultures and I try to stay away from the party ones. The thing is the more remote you are the less likely you are to have people problems, but if there is a problem it's all on you to deal with it.

I may have put cuffs on a buddy's ex-girl once, too. She wasn't exactly upset tho

Campgrounds sure can have different cultures! Sometimes even time of year makes a difference.

I'll leave the handcuffs thing just laying there...
 
To me, that's someone who's lived a sheltered life, someone who really hasn't experienced any kind of violence or physical altercation. Has his recent experiences changed his mind any?

No was actually a Air Force veteran and served during Vietnam. Him & I have had some major debates about guns & other political subjects. He's very left leaning where I'm obviously not.
 
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He told me he'd run into some not so nice people a few times but he didn't believe in guns so didn't have any way to protect himself.
To me, that's someone who's lived a sheltered life, someone who really hasn't experienced any kind of violence or physical altercation. Has his recent experiences changed his mind any?
There are a lot of people who have lead a sheltered life. They are completely wrapped up in their self percieved sense of civilization. That's fine. Just don't expect someone else to bail you out until they and theirs are safe and secure. Then, at least have the decency to be grateful.

 
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There are a lot of people who have lead a sheltered life. They are completely wrapped up in their self percieved sense of civilization. That's fine. Just don't expect someone else to bail you out until they and theirs are safe and secure. Then, at least have the decency to be grateful.

I don't know enough of his background to voice an opinion on why he does what he does. We are just wheeling buddies. I try not to engage him in other discussions cause we don't agree on so may things.
He did survive 7 years on the road living in a Artic Fox camper. He had some blunders but finally due to age bought a place in AZ.

I worry about once I can start traveling that that someone will mess with my stuff. If I'm unpacked and have my camp setup I'd hate to have to put stuff away every time I was to leave camp. But I'm going to just deal with shit as it happens once I do start to travel.
 
Worst experiences for me was a shootout in a campground with multiple 4x4s ramming some city kids hummer to annihilation.two uninvolved kids were clipped.
Called 911 and got rousted out of a tent at 3am by 3 different agencies with m4s in my face while calmly insisting i called 911 with my hands up

Next most memorable was a couple on drugs shooting a 12 gauge at "ghosts" a couple camp sites over for an hour or so.

Campsites suck! Bunch of people letting loose without a care for their neighbors!

I have lock boxes n glockses in my rigs!😉
 
Worst experiences for me was a shootout in a campground with multiple 4x4s ramming some city kids hummer to annihilation.two uninvolved kids were clipped.
Called 911 and got rousted out of a tent at 3am by 3 different agencies with m4s in my face while calmly insisting i called 911 with my hands up

Next most memorable was a couple on drugs shooting a 12 gauge at "ghosts" a couple camp sites over for an hour or so.

Campsites suck! Bunch of people letting loose without a care for their neighbors!

I have lock boxes n glockses in my rigs!😉

OK, so, you win for worst camping experiences so far. Wife and I went to the Redwoods and explored the Smith River...experienced nothing like that.
 
In general, I’d agree with that, but when you're far away from everyone else and something goes sideways, it seems to really go sideways, and no one who isn't already there can get there in a timely manner. I've had a few sketchy run-ins with less than upstanding people over the years. Nothing has gotten out of hand so far, but I've definitely been put on edge a time or two out in the woods. It's best to be alert at all times and reasonably prepared, whatever that means to individual X.

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Man…y’all are making me feel real grateful for the Midwest! That kind of stuff just doesn’t happen here. If you’re in the woods, it’s pretty much expected that everyone would have a weapon of some kind (and generally it’s a rifle). Mutually assured destruction breeds civility, lol. The campground are fairly civilized.

I’m not so naive to not expect the baddies, but it just seems different here than the stories you guys tell out west.
 
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Man…y’all are making me feel real grateful for the Midwest! That kind of stuff just doesn’t happen here. If you’re in the woods, it’s pretty much expected that everyone would have a weapon of some kind (and generally it’s a rifle). Mutually assured destruction breeds civility, lol. The campground are fairly civilized.

I’m not so naive to not expect the baddies, but it just seems different here than the stories you guys tell out west.

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No was actually a Air Force veteran and served during Vietnam. Him & I have had some major debates about guns & other political subjects. He's very left leaning where I'm obviously not.

So yes, Air Force - the very definition of pampered sheltered life. Militarily Speaking

Trust me I know. Spoiled complaining bitching. Had to listen to it for 8 years..

"Why doi have to clean the latrine Sgt?"
Because I said so

"Can't were just get janitors?"