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Old 12-28-2020, 06:28 PM   #61
Laredo-Chris
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OP,
Creative is always fun.

I am planning a "alarm" system using raspberry pi Zero/W.

Simple contact switches should work.

One reason to do this is for the fun of wiring and programming. Second, I will be able to check if I closed all the doors. I won't be "that guy" driving down the road with a flapping luggage door... and yes the siren would help deter people from continuing.

Just working on some ideas, haven't started yet. but sounds fun.
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Old 12-29-2020, 04:31 AM   #62
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Quote:
Originally Posted by flybouy View Post
"...I can remember camping trips when I was a kid and people who didn't know you would keep an eye on each others campsite . Different times we live in now,... "

We got into camping when our oldest daughter went off to college and our youngest daughter was getting ready to enter collage. Before that we were boaters and witnessed the change in boaters. CWas a time when a boater would never ignore a boater in distress and while at the dock would keep an eye out for strangers or dock lines that needed attention. People were typically willing to and offered their assistance whether it was with a tow back to port or some hot dog rolls when you rannout.

Then in the late 1990's the "new money" DINKS (dual income no kids) with their new DOT COM money. It seemed like overnight the marina was selling a bunch of large speedboats to a bunch of narcissistic jerks that had no clue about boating. It was unregulated, if you had the money you could instantly have the pretty new powerful boat.

The atmosphere changed. It went from a friendly, family oriented activity to a bunch of ignorant, many drunk, reckless people just wanting to show off. I'm not speaking from a jealous attitude but from a safety point and a responsible way to operate perspective. During that time it became commonplace to see these boaters zipping by the dock creating large wakes, and ignoring the "right of way" of basic seamanship. I can't tell you haw many times I've had to yell over and let the idiot that stopped 10' away and didn't set his anchor correctly.

So we got out of boating for several reasons but the change in the boating community was a contributing factor. We got into camping with a used inexpensive Coleman pop-up to see if we really wanted this activity. The overwhelming feeling of what was missing in boating was found in the campgrounds. Over the years I've seen changes in the camping community. The changes to me seem more subtle and not as rapid but a notable change. I think the change is triggered by the overall change in America with the "political correctness" and the fear of "offending" and being persecuted or chastised. To me at least, it seems as if folks will open up and socialize if I make the first move with a simple "hello" or "beautiful dog" or "nice looking rig" greeting. Then it seems the attitude shifts, they relax a bit, and some of the "old days" return. I think the days of "I'll go move my neighbors chairs under their awning because it's beginning to rain" are long gone.

There have always been thrives and bad people. There is only so much you can do but it seems to me that most of the mayhem perpetrated in the camping community is aimed at material objects and not personal harm. Crime has risen for reasons... well that depends on who you ask. The fact is, criminals are lazy and opportunistic so if you take REASONABLE precautions chances are slim for an incident or worse, bodily harm.

As I've stated previously, if you're going to fixate on what "might happen" then chances are you're not going to enjoy your time which is typically the whole point to begin with.
Flybouy be thankful you left boating before “wake boats” came on the market. Now it’s rich parents are buying these boats for their 17 year old kids.
I live on a usually peaceful little river/ creek that gets swarmed by teenagers and older men trying to be the “cool dad”in these boats. They come within 30’ of my pier and get my boats rocking worse then a hurricane. No regard for keeping 100’ from docks..no regard for the wake they create ...it really is awful ..don’t get my wife started .. the boats are designed to create a Ocean City size wave behind the boat for wakeboarding. They destroy bulkheads and pull cleats from boats that are moored at piers
These idiots and the idiots that purchase these boats for their kids have no clue about boating. They have no care at all for other people in general.
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Old 12-29-2020, 05:19 AM   #63
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Originally Posted by bjasin1 View Post
Flybouy be thankful you left boating before “wake boats” came on the market. Now it’s rich parents are buying these boats for their 17 year old kids.
I live on a usually peaceful little river/ creek that gets swarmed by teenagers and older men trying to be the “cool dad”in these boats. They come within 30’ of my pier and get my boats rocking worse then a hurricane. No regard for keeping 100’ from docks..no regard for the wake they create ...it really is awful ..don’t get my wife started .. the boats are designed to create a Ocean City size wave behind the boat for wakeboarding. They destroy bulkheads and pull cleats from boats that are moored at piers
These idiots and the idiots that purchase these boats for their kids have no clue about boating. They have no care at all for other people in general.
Sorry about the diversion and rant...just a sore subject
Anyway.. ” back to our regularly scheduled program”
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Old 12-29-2020, 07:36 AM   #64
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I camp and boat (45+) years and do see some of this, but by no means all like this. YMMV...…. There have always been stupid people in the world. BTW, I have a wakeboard boat.
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Old 12-29-2020, 07:44 AM   #65
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In Oregon they have tried to help by posting whole areas No Wake zones and some only 1 pass, no continued loops pulling skiers. Then expect the State Police and Sheriff's marine patrols to be there like a traffic cops at a intersection on the weekends.
Been there done that. After taking off to stop some offenders the residents complained about us. We were causing a wake and the sirens were to loud.
So, for me back to normal patrol. No baby sitting the wealthy river side residents. Most homes with had docks with wake boats anyway. And yes I did stop and cite some of those.
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Old 12-29-2020, 08:14 AM   #66
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I camp and boat (45+) years and do see some of this, but by no means all like this. YMMV...…. There have always been stupid people in the world. BTW, I have a wakeboard boat.
Yep wasn’t trying to insult you personally. I’m just going by what I see in my own little world in front of my house. I’ve waterskied had jet skies and boats of all kinds for my entire 50+ years on this earth. Wake boats have introduced a new wave of boaters that are more of just extreme athletes or would like to consider themselves that. Mostly in my experience first time boat owners. I’m not a prude and love fast cars and boats. But I would grow tired of someone doing burnouts in front of my house with a hellcat. And I grow tired of the people I see that turn there teenage kids loose on a wakeboat without any guidance or supervision. As soon as someone falls off they turn 90 deg and throw an enormous wake trying to get back to their fallen comrade while trying to look as cool as possible.
But as pointed out before it’s a rv forum so I will try and stick with that. I tried to Segway away in my earlier post but wanted to respond
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Old 12-29-2020, 08:20 AM   #67
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Originally Posted by Ken / Claudia View Post
In Oregon they have tried to help by posting whole areas No Wake zones and some only 1 pass, no continued loops pulling skiers. Then expect the State Police and Sheriff's marine patrols to be there like a traffic cops at a intersection on the weekends.
Been there done that. After taking off to stop some offenders the residents complained about us. We were causing a wake and the sirens were to loud.
So, for me back to normal patrol. No baby sitting the wealthy river side residents. Most homes with had docks with wake boats anyway. And yes I did stop and cite some of those.
I’m sure it gets old trying to please everyone
My neighborhood was mostly blue collar up until hurricane Isabel now it’s a lot of mini mansions on the water. My wife is the third generation to own our home. Her father was Bethlehem Steel and a Commercial Crabber. Our house looks a lot different since then but we still have the same blue collar down to earth attitude and don’t consider ourselves rich waterfront owners. Although my neighbors would probably consider themselves that
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Old 12-29-2020, 08:22 AM   #68
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Any way please accept my apology for veering off course. I’m new to the online world and it’s unspoken rules and customs lol
Carry on
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Old 12-29-2020, 08:48 AM   #69
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I camp and boat (45+) years and do see some of this, but by no means all like this. YMMV...…. There have always been stupid people in the world. BTW, I have a wakeboard boat.
All is one of those words like never, and forever. Seldom is something that inclusive. Yes, there's stupid people everywhere and I think it's more than stupidity, it's being selfish and inconsiderate.

I don't know where your 45+ years of experience have been but here on the Chesapeake Bay it's not your average waterway. There's almost 8K miles of shoreline (http://www.mgs.md.gov/geology/areas_and_lengths.html). In a highly populated NE corridor. There are some 200,000 registered boats and another 57,000 non registered boats (fiscal_analysis13.pdf) and that data is 7 years old.

These boats typically stay in the bay, they are not traversing to the ocean. The Port of Baltimore to the Chesapeake Bay entrance is about 150 miles to the south. Then you also have ship traffic traveling north to to Chesapeake and Delaware Canal (inland waterway connection to Philadelphia, shortcut to NJ and NY ports). Bottom line is most of these boats are moving along some narrow tributaries packed with shore homes, marinas, and a huge mix of of sail and powerboats. These are typically narrow, and shallow tributaries where boat wake becomes amplified and dangerous (think of splashing & jumping about in a bathtub vs a small swimming pool).

You mix the recreational, commercial crabbing, oyster, fishing boats, and the international shipping and cruise lines and it can get a bit busy. When our girls were young we spent many a weekend at Hart-Millers Island anchored. There would be literally hundreds of boats anchored along less than a mile of beach in shallow waters. At one time folks had common sense and consideration and would not pass close to the anchored boats at speed. No one would think of running right up to the anchored boats before coming off plane and creating a huge wake. People on jet skis didn't weave in and out of anchored boats.

That seemed to change during the late 1990's. No, not everybody but it doesn't take everybody to kill someone either. It also doesn't take everybody to cause severe damage to a boat by slamming it into the dock. I could go on for hours with examples but we've hijacked this thread too much already and this is not a boating forum. Just stating the realities of my observances while boating on the upper Chesapeake Bay for 3 + decades.
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Old 12-29-2020, 09:01 AM   #70
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To "steer leeward" (back to RVing), we used to set up our RV in a state park campground about 30 miles south of our home. The spaces are fairly small and there's not a lot of separation between the "outside living space of one campsite and the "slide extension space" of the next. It's "sort of like every KOA and Jellystone campground layout".... But there's an excellent boating lake there, so it's a popular place for the family to come together from all parts of Michigan and "recreate together"...

Anyway, there's a fire ring at every campsite, positioned toward the back of the campsite, well away from the trailer slide in the next space. Our "heroic neighbors" (yes, I'm being bitterly critical) decided they wanted their fire ring closer to the picnic table. Rather than move the table, they moved the fire ring.... RIGHT NEXT TO OUR EXTENDED SLIDE !!!!! Needless to say, when I smelled smoke inside our trailer (wafting in through the holes in the bottom of our trailer chassis) I went to investigate the source. What I found was flames "licking the FILON siding of our slide and a melted plastic fender skirt on the slide.....

Needless to say, I immediately doused their "campfire" and contacted the park rangers to enforce the campground rules: "no fires except in "ESTABLISHED" fire rings"...... Their "argument to the ranger" We didn't want to get the smoke under our awning......

So, inconsiderate, foolish and "STOOPID", thoughtless people abound in every environment, not just in the boating community.
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Old 12-29-2020, 09:31 AM   #71
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....

Having a firearm and being proficient in its use is not about being afraid, rather it's the opposite... being prepared. ....
I've been around "firearms" most of my life. I served in the Army and trained on a few military "weapons". For years I wouldn't get a "weapon" myself, mostly because my wife did not ever want one in the house.

Fast forward a little in our marriage and the situation changed when she agreed I could have a shot gun. I made sure it had that distinct "click-click" sound. That sound is enough to scare any intruder. And fortunate, the only thing I ever shot were tin cans and clay pigeons.

Then came the day, SHE said she wanted a hand gun. I was shocked. As she went through all the legal processes, I did to. I figured, if she ever carried the "weapon" in her purse, and we were at a department store and she was trying on a new dress, I'd be holding her purse with ... "you know what" inside. So I figure if I'm holding the purse, I'm actually illegal since wouldn't have the carry permit. So, we got all the legal stuff together.

Well, then the USA kind of went nutty in 2020 and life became a bit more daunting. That's when I finally decided it was time for me to have a little bit of more "comfort" (if you know what I mean). So, with my adult son's help (He's an avid gun enthusiast), he helped me find a suitable fit.

So, now begins real REALITY. OK, I'm all legal, I've been around these things all my life, but here I am holding my own "responsibility" in my hands. It's quite a different feeling and put quite a different perspective on things. It's kind of like becoming a first time parent. You can read all the books, you can baby sit someone else's child. But when you hold your own in your arms the first time, something changes immediately! Same with owning a weapon. Scary, a sense of responsibility, a sense of power, a sense of humbleness, all at once. It's very different when it's YOURS.

Fortunate, I've never had to use it, except at the gun range and shooting a few cans in the field behind the house.

With all of that said, I was watching some YouTube videos about good and bad gun ownership, and after all these years .... I'm 65 years old now, almost 66, and someone made the statement in one of those "steps" for proper gun etiquette, and that was the one thing I'd never heard before, which is so true, if you "carry" or not.... and that is....

Situational awareness. Actually, I've done this all my life. I've avoided a LOT of conflict, bad situations, and potential regretful scenarios by being keenly aware of what was going on around me, my wife, my kids and getting out of harms way before harm had a chance to happen.

I suppose, when camping, I've always done this too. No matter where we've camped, I've "sized up" the surroundings, noticed little odd-ball triggers that didn't settle right, watched people's behavior (I've always been a people watcher), and have not been reluctant to pack up and leave when things just did not seem right. That's called "situational awareness."

What I'm saying is, a "weapon" may offer immediate protection when the moment demands it. But .... it's more important to avoid the moment from occurring in the first place!

This is truly the best protection you can have ..... trusting your God given instincts!
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Old 12-30-2020, 04:42 AM   #72
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I've been around "firearms" most of my life. I served in the Army and trained on a few military "weapons". For years I wouldn't get a "weapon" myself, mostly because my wife did not ever want one in the hous potential regretful scenarios by being keenly aware of what was going on around me, my wife, my kids and getting out of harms way before harm had a chance to happen.
Edit for size Sake.
I suppose, when camping, I've always done this too. No matter where we've camped, I've "sized up" the surroundings, noticed little odd-ball triggers that didn't settle right, watched people's behavior (I've always been a people watcher), and have not been reluctant to pack up and leave when things just did not seem right. That's called "situational awareness."

What I'm saying is, a "weapon" may offer immediate protection when the moment demands it. But .... it's more important to avoid the moment from occurring in the first place!

This is truly the best protection you can have ..... trusting your God given instincts!
Very well said.
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Old 12-30-2020, 08:41 AM   #73
Ken / Claudia
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Dutchmensport:
There is an author named Massad Ayoob who writes really good to understand books on self defense. I do not think you would be disappointed with "Straight Talk on Armed Defense." What makes that book above others is he has experts writing on their subjects. Like legal points, Lawyer points, cops points and throws in real stats and real facts about good and bad points of a armed citizen. It's not a book about what gun to buy.
If I was teaching CCW to citizens I would want that book to be required reading.
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Old 12-30-2020, 08:47 AM   #74
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Laredo-Chris View Post
OP,
Creative is always fun.

I am planning a "alarm" system using raspberry pi Zero/W.

Simple contact switches should work.

One reason to do this is for the fun of wiring and programming. Second, I will be able to check if I closed all the doors. I won't be "that guy" driving down the road with a flapping luggage door... and yes the siren would help deter people from continuing.

Just working on some ideas, haven't started yet. but sounds fun.
Hey now - I checked my baggage door. The thumb latch worked loose!!
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Old 12-30-2020, 08:53 AM   #75
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Situational awareness is on point.

We don't go crazy with security upgrades or anything (yet, anyway), but certainly we tidy up and put chairs, etc. in the cubby, lock the door, things like that if we are heading out for a bit.

Society generally sucks anymore, and everyone has a different comfort level. A trail cam for our seasonal site has been discussed, and we lock up whenever we leave. Hopefully camping continues to be a getaway with little worry of theft or issues, but awareness of your surroundings is a must anywhere.
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Old 12-30-2020, 12:20 PM   #76
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One thing I would invest in is good locks.I purchased these for my bikes and generator. They can be keyed alike in a set also.
I have a few things in a storage facility because I’m moving my shop. I went there today and multiple units were broken into. Probably a dozen or more the doors were wide open. I put one of these on my door and like to think that could have been a reason mine was not touched.it’s almost impossible to open with bolt cutters. They aren’t theft proof but would require a saw, hammer ,and a lot of noise to get it open, so they move on to easier targets
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