Fear of Isolated Camping / Caravanning

So Mick, targets a little scarce since your latest movie. Tell you what the first one made me check out my surroundings very carefully before settling down for the night. The Mrs likes the row of tins on fishing line around the camp but thinks the Claymores are a bit over the top. I say you can never be too careful.
Anyway good hunting...errr I mean safe camping. (;=))


Cheers
Pop

This thread recently tried to cover this topic in a way...

http://www.exploroz.com/Forum/Topic/106204/Finding_safe_free_campsites.aspx?ky=&sn=&p=%2fForum%2fDefault.aspx%3fpn%3d2

Honestly - you could ask this question of 5 different people and get 5 different answers. In all my remote camping (read fairly remote), the more remote, the more secure I feel - despite Wolfe Creek, there's not raving loonies sitting in the middle of nowhere.

Most people who've commented here and have had concerns around security usually are in more populated camping environments ie: CP's, dodgy roadside stops, communal camping grounds, usually around getting things stolen.

My opinion ? I think Grey Nomads / Bikkie Dippers have a natural herding instinct...

Perhaps RIDiculous, in some peoples view, but real to the people who hold the belief.

Although not camping at the time but while traveling on holiday in FNQ we have had two blokes in a vehicle track us for more than 80km. While my wife was driving they overtook and slowed and dropped to the side and then overtook many times.
It was a remote area and they knew it. Eventually they drove past around a corner and then parked the vehicle across the road and stood on the remainder of the road width to stop us.

We tried to run over them but missed unfortunately.

Ever since then I have increased the level of personal insurance and carry it while traveling.

If camped and someone sets off your perimeter alarm, which some have, now you know they are there but what are you then going to do. Panic more slowly?

Light the flame thrower perhaps?

Haven't you learnt by now, that you cannot hold a rational conversation with In-Laws :)

Personally I prefer to be on our own as far away as possible. But I do understand there are others who do feel some form of security camping close to other campers.

If you are by yourself, chances are you will never need to worry. If however you camp close to others, you have more of a chance of something happening.

Maybe the problem is your telling them, sounds like you don't have a lot of respect for them, maybe the feelings mutual.

Perhaps showing them would be a better option.

Mate his brother and wives were travelling in North Quensland. Girls were driving, boys sleeping in the back, bloke went past them, stopped a few miles up the road and flagged them down, run out of petrol. Boys jumped out he got nervouse they put in 3 or 4 lts and he said it was enough, jumped in and drove off. I remember that from 30 years ago.

Me, I still love the midle of no where with the boss, a few coldies and a million starts for company

Well InsaneSniper, does it really matter? If your in-laws are out and about caravanning and camping does it matter to you whether they choose to camp with others or by themselves - really now? I know if I had sons or daughters-in-law with an attitude such as yours, trying to tell me what to do on the basis of what they have read (rather than based on experience) and ridiculing the things that I do, I would continue doing what I do out of sheer obstinacy/lunacy or pigheadedness or whatever you might like to call it.

For the record we are experienced remote area travellers and campers who often bush-camp by ourselves (check our blogs) and in over 30 years have had only a couple of minor incidents where we chose to move on - nothing serious at all. But we have met plenty of people of all ages who do prefer to camp where others are present. That's their choice - and it leaves more of the remote areas free for those of us who do like to get away by ourselves.

Perhaps before you try to tell others what to do you could go and have a go yourself!

Happy camping,

Val

Don't get too comfortable. There was Joseph Schwab, dubbed the "Kimberley Killer".

He as a German tourist and spree killer who murdered five people in the Top End region of the Northern Territory and Western Australia in June 1987. Schwab was dubbed "The Kimberley Killer" by the Australian press after the region in which he committed the murders. (Source: Wikipedia).

Like most things you do in life, you just need to apply the percentages and just enjoy yourself., otherwise you just worry yourself to death.

OBJ

I'm out here WAITING.... where are you?

Haha! Surely, you are at a greater "security" risk when in close proximity to strangers in a caravan park, than being remote where you'll encounter far fewer people.

To quote Judy Blume, "How we handle our fears will determine where we go with the rest of our lives. To experience adventure or to be limited by the fear of it.”

To quote Ralph Waldo Emerson: "When a resolute young fellow steps up to the great bully, the world, and takes him boldly by the beard, he is often surprised to find it comes off in his hand, and that it was only tied on to scare away the timid adventurers."

To quote Dale Carnegie: "Inaction breeds doubt and fear. Action breeds confidence and courage. If you want to conquer fear, do not sit home and think about it. Go out and get busy."

This fear factor is what stops people enjoying life. Fears robs you of reasoning.
Fear is when you simply don't want something enough to not be afraid of it.

I too felt like your in-laws when we first set off on our big trip which lasted nearly 2 years. But within a few weeks, it was obvious that caravan parks were a major worry and getting as far away from people as possible was the best course of action.

The secret to ExplorOz is the discovery of liberation that is felt when you finally release fears based on myths and find peace being in your own company for days or weeks on end.

Tell 'em not to worry as Bradley John Murdoch is locked up nice and secure.

The 11 unsolved disappearances of single and pairs of backpackers on the one stretch of road between Hughenden and Mt Isa is an ongoing investigation , we can all laugh and deride some people's wariness about travel in the remote /and not so remote areas but the fact is crazy buggers do exist….

Yes I admit to being a GN in the prime of my maturity which makes me a 'bikky dipper'. Alright for you young ones to laugh but have you tried eating gingernuts with no teeth. Anyhow that is why us mature aged guys buy our Viagra in bulk, not for what you youngsters need it for, we stir one into the tea/coffee and it stops the bikkys from getting soft and falling into the cup. As far as camping security goes I have an 84 tooth security system, aka two dogs, closely followed by my trusty 'Tyremate'. If the dogs don't work (unlikely) then an ear massage with the Tyremate will induce a severe case of 'town drunk at the level crossing syndrome'. That is where the vision is blurred, the lights are flashing and the bells are ringing with no trains in sight. You show me a nutter who doesn't plead sanity after meeting me.

We choose to camp far from the madding crowd. One time in a remote area, late at night, we were woken when another rig pulled up near us and after sitting around for a while finally took off again. No idea who or what, but spooked us all the same; realising we were way out in the middle of nowhere with 4 small kids and no protection. Also got spooked when a dingo came in to camp and dragged off one of our kids little camp chairs!
I now keep a purse size pepper spray handy.
We also have a baseball bat in case of mad dingos, our kids call it the "ding bat" LOL

I'm guessing your rellies are scared s---less because somewher out there - there is an "InsaneSniper" !!


Think the name says it all


Happy and safe travelling

Gazz

Ps no need to sleep in bullet proof vests

Don`t worry too much about security.

I travel together with my girlfriend through africa, just we two and our car.



Mostly we did camp somewhere in the Bush/Desert overnight. We tried to stay remotely as possible. --> http://transafrica2012.blogspot.com

No problems during our trip.

Something can go wrong anywhere and anytime. A murder can enter your house/flat too.

To follow these simple steps can not harm:

- look for an wild camp spot early at daylight
- Watch your sences, change the place/camp when you don`t feel comfortable.
- Try to get a camp spot where you are not visible to the road or houses
- Try to reach your camp spot while nobody can watching you leaving the road.

While some people seem to think our outback is full of axe murderers and marauding man eating tigers, I hate reading the news of murder and mayhem and all the worst things they can find to report about society happening in our cities. Nothing feels so safe and secure of camping out under the stars without the sight or sound of any other person within cooee.

Motherhen

The other thing is some people are just more attractive targets than others.

Low life skum are more likly to try it on with a nice clean cut couple driving a nice late model station waggon towing a fancy all singing all dancing rolling gin palace.

They would steer well clear of a gruff hairy lookn bloke & his mrs ,driving an early model ute with a home fabbed canopy towing a trailer coverd with a tarp or a beat up old millard.



Remember too we live in a society that revolves arround being risk averse and protected.

There is so much general attitude and advertising telling us that we should be afraid.

There are people out there that have never been alone in their life, and the idea scares them $#@%less.

On the other hand there are those who do not seem to care less about their own safety, and don't consider anything a threat.


No matter what your belief.....personal perception is often very different to reality.

But the only thing we can cope with is our own perception.

cheers

Im more worried about aliens.
Does anyone else remember the family in the van that was picked up. Spun around and I think suffered time loss along the nullarbour a few years back?

I camp along the nullarbour waiting for the nullabour nymph.... still waiting

There is quite a large thread on 4wd action forum that covers some of these things, but I cannot find the link. People have detailed their experiences with "noises" they have heard while remote camping. Some of those experiences were quite hilarious when the noises are found to come from innocent domestic animals, but for some people when they are in a tent/swag and have no idea what is going on outside they become very anxious and automatically think of the worst possible scenario as being the correct one.
There was one story of a couple with their german shepherd who had been bushwalking and taken refuge in a cave for the night only to wake and find a bloodied/butcherd dog and a crazed man in the cave entrance staring at them. I have no idea if that story was true but when reading it, for the amount of detail it had definately had me thinking.
As others have said, making fun of someone's fears will do nothing to help them deal with them.

Not that my feelings for the in-laws was the intended topic of this thread,
BUT for those few that think I'm just being nasty to the in-laws for no reason, here's a few points to truly understand 'why' I ridicule them over this topic:

*They are NOT sweet old grey-nomads in their 70s, they are late 50's.

*This man claims he 'invented' fishing, yes seriously! (Wouldn't he be a joy to fish with).

*This man puts on the biggest 'manly' bravado you can imagine, as loud and deep of a voice as he can manage at any given time, for ANY conversation or word uttered.
(Because a loud voice obviously means you're both strong and quite manly, the type that could wrestle a lion to the ground and not even break a sweat!)

*Puffy chest is included at no extra charge, and the fat-gut is 'all-muscle' apparently.

Therefore, it is absolutely comical to me that this 'loud, puffy chested mucho-man that invented the earth, sky and the stars', is scared to camp away from other caravanners, incase the 'scary man in the bush' attacks him.


So you see, I'm just a realist, asking for views on the 'scary man in the bush' belief, which I will pass on to them and hopefully re-assure them enough so they can go away on a very very long journey, far far away from me for a very long time. Aren't I a nice son-in-law.

:-D

I'm just pleased we visited Wolfe Creek in 1998, years before the movie came out!!!
As it turned out we had brake problems on the Tanami 100kms south of Halls Creek & had to crawl back to camp at old Halls Creek, not in the middle of nowhere.

Jeez,
I think we all need a chill pill, InsaneSniper made some comments considered by many as in poor taste, its been pointed out to him. Thats the end of it, were all on this forum because we like to get out there, each in our own way, While were never all going to be best buddies with everyone, a little perspective should be maintained. IMHO.

Can we not start an easier topic like fridges, toyota v pootrols or generators? ;-)