Fast get away

[Pauljenny]

We have the crooklock bar handy. Never had to resort to using it in 19 years wildcamping.. Yet.
Had the furtive, tap tap on the door, on 2 occasions. Put all the lights and hazards on. They scarpered, not us.
.

Once had to make a hasty exit , parked with a load of other vans by a riverside in the Dordogne... Belfort ? Famous for it's huge market and fair .
It started to rain heavily,overnight. Being on U.K. time, we were still awake and realised that we were parked across the easiest way to escape if it flooded.
Went to a hard car park nearby, that had housed part of the market.
Next morning there were vans bogged down, all over the place.

 

[silverweed]

It does seem to me that for all the advice of a quick get away that is banded about that no one has truly had to make use of one, so for all you budding wild campers out there there really are no issues

 

[caledonia]

Parked at Invercauld walkers car park near Braemar, very rural and a couple of estate cottages two hundred yards away. The car park was empty so parked I the corner head first next to the picnic bench. Had a couple of drams and went to bed at about midnight, short time later woke to two young lads banging on the van asking for a lift to Braemar, when I told them to feck off they got aggressive and started booting the van. If I had been prepared I could have drove off but I wasn’t and it was when my wife started to call the police they heard her and ran off. By this time I was dressed and went out and watched them run to one of the estate cottages. The police arrived but weren’t interested and after breathalysing me let me drive to Linn Of Dee. Now we’re always prepared to drive straight out of a situation no matter where we park up.
It the only time in over ten years over wilding but it does happen.

 

[caledonia]

Dave, the only problem with carrying a length of metal pipe is that it would be deemed an offensive weapon if you were ever to use it, may I suggest a 4 cell maglite instead.

I have a can of brake cleaner with an elastic band on it which holds a lighter. That’s if the cob torch hasn’t blinded them first.

 

[witzend]

I was advised if you carry a baseball bat make sure you carry a ball an glove as well it,ll make you easier to defend.

 

[Northumborman]

Dave, the only problem with carrying a length of metal pipe is that it would be deemed an offensive weapon if you were ever to use it, may I suggest a 4 cell maglite instead.

It's even handy for finding things in the dark!

 

[QFour]

It does seem to me that for all the advice of a quick get away that is banded about that no one has truly had to make use of one, so for all you budding wild campers out there there really are no issues

If some scrotes really wanted to get into your van, then I would imagine they would bar your exit anyway. So, even if you are parked up for an easy exit, it would be very difficult to leave if you have something parked in front of you.

Mrs QFour

 

[Borders2]

The only time we moved on was at a mining museum at the NE. Boy racers were determined to cause trouble so we moved off. That is the one instance in some 15 years of wilding. Oh and over on the Mull of Galloway we woke to the van rocking and the cause was one "Daytona Belle" her ear tag said who had a serious itch in her forehead and we were a handy place to scratch it at 3am.... She was a large friesian heifer who got chased...

B2

 

[spigot]

The only time we ever had to make a quick getaway was on a Spanish beach, a violent storm struck during the night, I jumped over the missus into the driving seat & just made it up the access track to hard standing.

If I had exterior screens, not only would I have been drenched, we would also have been stuck in the mud for a few days.

 

[n brown]

quite a few times in Portugal in the old days , usually because some excitable young customs officer , who detests foreigners, is pointing a gun at you at 2 am and demanding you leave this beach NOW ! we'd normally comply ,seeing as he'd have a few mates backing him up with machine guns.
we've also had the muttering and shouting nutter outside the van ,early hours ,middle of nowhere. no point hanging around for them to decide what madness to do - offski !

 

[camperbob]

fast get away

we have wild camp over 30 years Europe moved on 3 times. but I make sure can leave easy.

 

[Deleted member 74361]

I agree with the OP.

We have never had to make a 'quick getaway' and this year we asked for the first time in 9 years to move by the Municipal Police in a town which had shut its Aire and subbed out the municipal site to a private company. Dodgy?

If we had to move quickly I know we could because our departure routine in the morning is

I do the external - stow and strap table/chairs in garage 1m 15 secs. Outside check incl. gas 'off' 30 secs.
Go inside, step up, door closed, set-up satnav.

Meanwhile Basia has washed glasses, mugs, checked fridge/drawers locked, windows closed, had last gasper.

Rarely takes us more than 5 mins. so I reckon we could do same anytime in a hurry, or quicker if chairs not out and leave glasses etc. in sink and gas on, but doubt the need to.

Geoff

 

[molly 2]

I have not Wilder much but have been disturbed by horne blowers ,and a bloke on a push bike shouting ,, good morning campers ,, as he rode past .

 

[antiquesam]

I have not Wilder much but have been disturbed by horne blowers ,and a bloke on a push bike shouting ,, good morning campers ,, as he rode past .

That sounds like you use laybys, try some out of the way carparks, even the dog walkers sometimes try to shut their doors quietly.

 

[Penny13]

I have to say when I started wc 5 years ago I thought I was going to get trouble everywhere. Be safe yes but don’t worry enjoy. I prefer my blinds down now they can see us we can see them, it works for us. Asked to move twice politely, got ourselves into trouble once because we where drunk and didn’t respond correctly and then the usual doggers, drug takers and refrigeration units. Life of a wild camper.
With the troublesome teenagers I do a bin bag daft lady act collecting rubbish and talking pooh they soon go they want to be alone.