A Quick Getaway......Why ?

[Wooie1958]

I`m seeing more and more on different threads people recommending that you always
" Park so you can make a quick getaway ".

Why is this ?

Is it so you can be away before the Car Park attendant turns up as you might have to pay ?

Is it because you are in the " Red Light District " and are getting unwelcome knocks on the door ?

Is it that you are in a generally " Dodgy " area.

Is it somewhere that is naughty ?

Or is it that you are somewhere that you know you shouldn`t be ?

In all our years we never had to make a quick getaway.

In fact quite the opposite and it`s a very relaxed de-camp and then away we go.

I`m sure i`ll get some " Flak " about this, but i`m still curious ?

Tin Hat and Sandbags at the ready...........LOL

Regards

Graham.

 

[n brown]

i have parked in a few dodgy areas in cities,where you don't always know what kind of area you're in,and rural areas where you're more vulnerable through isolation. in any situation where there is any uncertainty i'd consider it a survival basic to have my escape route/s clear.sleep better too.although i haven't had to make a getaway ,i've been close to it, withthe occasional nutter,gang stuff and belligerent anti-brit drunk outside the window

 

[table9tom]

I have noticed this a lot in the guidelines and forum too. Bit working for me as it would mean not popping the roof on my bongo, so the whole camping thing would be properly uncomfortable. So we think that as long as the area is remote, I can get away with popping the roof and using the thermal blinds?

 

[77W]

Well for me the reason is ancase some one tried to harm or rob me ,
Not sure there could be much I could do if they had flattened a tyre or 2 , but at least I would feel I had some sort of chance to escape

 

[BambiOwner]

When wilding I always make sure that I can just drive out of where I am parked not because I do not want to pay the car park man its just in case some nutter comes along and is trying to make trouble or a gang of youths come and are causing a lot of noise or even a gang of younge ladies all after my body ( oh perhaps not) I can sleep safer knowing that my exit is not blocked

 

[Sparks]

Post Deleted

 

[Wooie1958]

If heavy rain woke me in the night and a glance out of the window showed water lapping around the tyres I'm sure I wouldn't want to be doing a three*-point turn in the dark.

*those with large turning circles insert a more appropriate number here.

Hi.

I think you might taken my question the wrong way.

I would never put us in a position that a slight rise in water would put us in danger.

As for the umpteen point turn, i always park ( because of our size 25ft & 4 Tonne )
so it is an easy drive out the following morning.

Regards.

Graham.

 

[n brown]

Hi.

I think you might taken my question the wrong way.

I would never put us in a position that a slight rise in water would put us in danger.

As for the umpteen point turn, i always park ( because of our size 25ft & 4 Tonne )
so it is an easy drive out the following morning.

Regards.

Graham.

ready for a quick getaway then?

 

[Wooie1958]

My original post was more aimed at the ones that say.....

Don`t use external screens. Don`t put the roof up etc. etc.

But it has obviously been taken the wrong way !

 

[Sparks]

Post Deleted

 

[n brown]

and i'm teasing

 

[Deleted member 32]

I have on the odd occasion had the need to 'make a quick getaway' not as a panic measure though. Things that have made me move off - load of local youngsters using the area for a party with very loud music - using a car park as a race track - found we were at a very popular dogging site - some idiot banging on the side of the van in the early hours. I find once somebody has disturbed my sleep I am then waiting for something else to happen, so prefer to move off & find somewhere quiet.

Not wishing to put anybody off while these events have happened I never felt in any danger just didn't want a night of disturbed sleep. Having the van in a position ready to drive off is something you would decide at the time you park up.

 

[elainekirk]

Once parked up in a layby cum car park on the main road quite a bit north of whitby and probably too near the big towns and hearing voices at 1am followed by somebody trying the door I was really glad I could turn the lights on , blow the horn and drive straight to the road exit before fully opening the curtains getting the van sorted enough to be able to drive away.
The noise and lights attracted other motorists into the parking area and apart from the 6ft frightened rabbit that dived out of my headlights beam as I set off for the exit I didn't have any further contact with my tormentors .
Another time in a viewpoint car park in a lovely area over thirty miles from Glasgow I had mulled over the lone car parked up when night fell and the two occupants who appeared to enjoy standing out in the hail storm, I also thought it was odd that cars appeared to arrive in pairs , pull alongside each other for a brief chat and leave. When late late at night with us settled and the curtains drawn , cars raced into the car park and running and shouting ensued, I left quickly by my appointed exit pausing only to fully open the curtains at the exit then parking in the village half a mile away to make the van more travelworthy . I realise that I was more than likely caught in a police operation which would explain the car that followed me to the village and left after driving slowly past and clocking that we were obviously not of interest.
The other couple of hundred times we have slept soundly in our chosen locations secure in the knowledge that we can make a quick getaway if need be .

 

[scampa]

I usually try to park my van ready for a quick and easy getaway, "just in case". I also try to leave room behind so that I can reverse and manoeuvre if someone tries to block me in. I've never had reason yet to make a quick exit, but it does make me feel more secure and prepared in case I should need to.

I don't worry about it too much, but I prefer to be able to move away if I should get joined by, say, a troublesome group of youths or other undesirables who want to be either unfriendly or "too-friendly". Not forgetting the fabled mad axe-murderer who preys on vulnerable wildcampers!

It also makes it much easier to get out of the spot the following morning, especially if you find another vehicle has joined you in the night, or the weather or ground conditions have changed.

I thought I was going to have some hassle a few weeks ago. I was parked in a very remote and quiet rural car park next to a wood at about 10pm, when I heard a car pull in not too far from me. My "stealth-camper" type van would have just looked like an empty van because I was sitting in the back with the blackout curtains closed from the front cab. I heard car doors slamming, people walking around and past my van sounding quite excited. I had a quick peep to see what they were up to, and saw that they seemed to be checking out the area with torches, and shining them into my empty cab from a distance. I couldn't tell how many of them there were.

I decided to ignore them for the time being, preferring them to think that the van was empty rather than give away that I was planning to sleep there. After an hour or so they were still opening and closing their car doors and acting as if nobody else was there, and I felt that they weren't likely to cause any trouble.

I had my dog, a German Shepherd, with me, and I needed to take her out for a call of nature before settling down for the night (she had very obediently kept quiet all this time). I put her on a long lead, grabbed my biggest torch and jumped out of the side door, shining my torch around the car park to see what was going on. The beam lit up an extremely surprised courting couple standing a few yards away, which was the cue for my dog to make a lot of noise, giving her best angry wolf impression and getting their full attention!

After asking if they were planning to stay the night, we went for our walk through the woods, leaving them holding each other just a little tighter! I spent a very quiet night after that, feeling pleased that I hadn't over-reacted earlier, and a little guilty about making the poor innocent couple jump!

 

[n brown]

we were parked in a forestry clearing in wales,dinner on,suddenly cars racing people shouting,general commotion!knock on the door,young lad hands me a joint,asks if its ok to have a bit of a party ! not my woods says me, do what you like.next thing we're trapped,surrounded by motors,loud boom boom music banging away--all night!if i'd had an escape route,i'd have legged it!

 

[christine]

I wouldn't call it an escape route, just parking sensibly so we are not hemmed in if another vehicle joins us (especially in the morning as we are not early risers.) We also attempt to park facing the way we wish to leave so we don't have to make more than necessary manouvres if the ground becomes saturated.

 

[Wooie1958]

I wouldn't call it an escape route, just parking sensibly so we are not hemmed in if another vehicle joins us (especially in the morning as we are not early risers.) We also attempt to park facing the way we wish to leave so we don't have to make more than necessary manouvres if the ground becomes saturated.

At Last.........Hallelujah.........LOL

Someone else that does it the way we do......... parking so as to

make life a little easier when you leave.

Regards.

Graham.

 

[scampa]

I wouldn't call it an escape route, just parking sensibly so we are not hemmed in if another vehicle joins us (especially in the morning as we are not early risers.) We also attempt to park facing the way we wish to leave so we don't have to make more than necessary manouvres if the ground becomes saturated.

At Last.........Hallelujah.........LOL

Someone else that does it the way we do......... parking so as to

make life a little easier when you leave.

Regards.

Graham.

Ahem.....

It also makes it much easier to get out of the spot the following morning, especially if you find another vehicle has joined you in the night, or the weather or ground conditions have changed.

I almost always park with a view to getting out again quickly and easily, whether wilding or just parking my car in a street or car park, and I usually reverse into parking spaces for the same reasons.

It makes things much easier on the occasions when someone else has parked inconsiderately or sloppily when you get back to your vehicle. If you look in most parking areas, you'll see vehicles that look as though they've been driven in hurriedly and "abandoned" at odd angles, without a thought for themselves or others getting out again!

 

[n brown]

Ahem.....



I almost always park with a view to getting out again quickly and easily, whether wilding or just parking my car in a street or car park, and I usually reverse into parking spaces for the same reasons.

It makes things much easier on the occasions when someone else has parked inconsiderately or sloppily when you get back to your vehicle. If you look in most parking areas, you'll see vehicles that look as though they've been driven in hurriedly and "abandoned" at odd angles, without a thought for themselves or others getting out again!

if only you'd said that in the first place!

 

[frontslide]

we were parked in a forestry clearing in wales,dinner on,suddenly cars racing people shouting,general commotion!knock on the door,young lad hands me a joint,asks if its ok to have a bit of a party ! not my woods says me, do what you like.next thing we're trapped,surrounded by motors,loud boom boom music banging away--all night!if i'd had an escape route,i'd have legged it!

All you had to do was ask and i would have got the lads to move their cars so you could get out.