Safe position

Tony H

Tony H

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I'm a newbie
Hi all,
This is our first motorhome and are a bit nevous about traveling to Europe is it as bad as you read?
We are sorting an alarm out and was wondering where the best place is to fit a safe, has anyone any ideas?
 
We go to Europe yet we have no alarm, but your insurance company may insist, some do but if you feel safer having an alarm then of course go ahead. When it goes off by accident on the ferry or when you aren't there on a campsite or aire don't blame me! :)

As to Europe being dangerous I really wouldn't agree. Some places like Germany are a lot safer than many parts of the UK. There have been scare stories about motorway hijackings but I am not sure this is a problem any more and if someone does try to flag you down, pointing to a possible fault on your vehicle, keeping going until you find somewhere where there are lots of people before stopping.

You are much more likely to be robbed while walking around on foot, touristy places attract pickpockets and some cities like Lisbon have a bad reputation, but I have seen people lose their wallets in Heathrow, so it can happen anywhere.

Impossible to say about a safe position as it depends very much on what is available on your MH. On ours it lives under one of the swivelling seats behind a drop down cover. Inside a wardrobe might be an alternative. I wouldn't put one in say a garage as people can see you accessing it from outside.

You are not a million miles from Dave Newell and I am sure he could advise on the best place for your vehicle if you asked him.

And Welcome! A safe first post, not at all alarming. :)
 
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Hi from Devon …safe ? Somewhere that is hard for you to access, so much harder for someone in a hurry ;)

welcome-group.gif
 
Tony H said:
This is our first motorhome and are a bit nevous about traveling to Europe is it as bad as you read?
Click to expand...
Put in a 'gas' sensor, I've read about thieves pumping gas into motor homes to knock out the occupants so they can enter and steal things! :rolleyes:

KH

PS This is a joke!
 
When our children lived at home we caravannedin the UK. Now we're retired and the kids have gone we've spent several months over the last 3 years on the continent. The only place we've been robbed is in England.
There's lots of stories but if you're sensible there are few real problems. We find the roads quieter, sites easier to find and generally a more relaxed experience.
 
Think we're worrying over nothing!
Let's hope my dogs protects us.
Thanks
 
there is no more risk travelling through main parts of Europe ( France , Germany, Span etc ) than in UK. common sense is required wherever you travel.

as for the info on gassing ; its complete cr*p,

if you intend using sites you have little to worry about. if you intend free parking overnight on motorway service / stop off areas then there is more risk ( but probably no more than parts of UK ).

Common sense is as good as an Alarm. that said we have an alarm fitted to our van. we also travel with our dog and in the years we have been travelling with both motorhome and caravan we have never as yet had the misfortune to have our van or US tampered with.

you will enjoy it; plan; prepare and Pushoff to Europe.:LOL:

we are off again end of May. cant wait(y)

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We have an older version of one of these.. Broken Link Removed

Pretty versatile...
Also I've just been reading a recent thread on here of an excellent self installed safe..
 
Frankly we feel safer in Europe than we do in UK (y)
BTW when you decide on location of safe be sure to post info on here,along with destinations,dates and make and Reg No of vehicle,also how much cash will be in there.
Looking fwd to meeting up with you soon :LOL::LOL::LOL::LOL:
 
Tony H said:
Think we're worrying over nothing!
Let's hope my dogs protects us.
Thanks
Click to expand...
Dogs are the best alarm there is I think, but of course the dog has to be in the vehicle at the time. Our ancient Jack Russel stays in the vehicle all the time apart for a 10 foot totter to inspect the nearest bush occasionally. Just don't tell the thieves he is deaf. ;)
 
Photo4x4 said:
Put in a 'gas' sensor, I've read about thieves pumping gas into motor homes to knock out the occupants so they can enter and steal things! :rolleyes:

KH

PS This is a joke!
Click to expand...

Glad you said that with a pinch of salt it's a load of B****KS. fun!!!fun!!! fun!!!
 
Don't worry.
I lived in France, on my own, for about 6 years. The house was huge, 11+ rooms over 3 floors and a couple of times I found not only had I not locked the front door at night, I'd left it propped open all night.

I camped at a lake, the only vehicle there, same in a forest, and wild camped on my way to the ferry.
Never had a problem, never even been scared or worried.
Lock the doors, fit a safe if that makes you feel more secure, and carry a cheap attack alarm. Nothing like a few hundred decibels blasting to chase anyone off.
 
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Welcome to Fun, enjoy your motorhome and the travelling you do in it, read the forum lots of advice, try avoiding sleeping on Motorway Aires , there are lots of others with a little planning any questions just ask :welc:

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What you read about dangers is crap you will be far safer over this side of the Channel than you are in Leicester, the people are civilised here in comparison.

OK so there are crime hotspots near to odd big cities but who the heck needs to park near big cities or even go near them. I can promise you that your house when you are away will be far more at risk than you will be
 
We've traveled in France for years, both in a motorhome and before that a caravan. Never had any bother at all. Got stuck in the mud on one site a few years ago and got pushed out by a bunch of the local Hell's Angels. They even refused some cash for a beer! Been on another site when a bunch of bikers arrived who partied till precisely 11:00 p.m. and then all quiet. In the morning two of them stayed behind to collect all the rubbish and fag ends they'd left. No problem.

Just pack an atlas and site book and set off.
 
I'm sure there's nothing to worry about the trouble is you only hear bad things on the news ei. Gasing people etc. I'm a little paranoid at the moment cus my van was broken into a few weeks ago and lost 2 grands worth of kit. I'ts a shame there are towrags out there who make you feel like this.
If only everyone was like you good people.
 
We have no alarm or safe. Things we want to keep out the way go in the toilet room or under the bed. We don't carry cash and keep our passports with us whenever we leave the van unattended. Everything else is insured and replaceable.. we have never had a problem and generally feel safer in an Aire than we do in a full service site in the UK.
 
As has been said France & Germany are a lot safer than Leicester. If you want to get an alarm fitted quite a lot on hear recommend the VanBitz one, I had one fitted by them to my van last year, it was also recommended to me by one of the insurance guys. If you go that route mention you are on the forum to get your discount:)
 
We have a thick lockable iron plate that fits under the seat that acts as a door so any valuables can be left reasonable safely. (y)

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We have caravanned and MH'd abroad for over 20 years - no problems. When it has been really hot we have even left the door open and just closed the flyscreen overnight whilst trying to sleep (in the heat) and as the kids got older we used to go to bed and leave the door unlocked for them to come in - better social life than us ::bigsmile:.
 
Have a look on eBay for car safes.
I found a very sturdy one that is attached by a Thick steel cable and sits under the seat. Big enough for the things u really don't want to loose But dont want to carry about.
 
I fitted my own safe and bolted it through the floor to a steel plate under the van.It will be secure enough against the opportunist thief as they would have to either cut into it or grind the bolts off underneath.
A word of caution though an opportunist thief will have tools of the trade perhaps a jemmy bar,screwdriver and a pair of cable cutters ,if the worst did happen those secure bag things with the cable in my opinion would be gone in seconds !




Vlad
 

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