A Safety Wakeup Call
Doors Are There for a Reason
Do not open the door of someone's recreational vehicle without express permission to do so. This may sound obvious, but apparently it isn't. The polite -- and safe -- thing to do is to knock and wait.
Earlier this week, a fellow RVer, whom I had never met, opened the door to our motorhome. I was sitting there dozing at the time. Bob had left some of his fishing gear outside the door and the noise it made when the door opened woke me. I was startled and upset by this intrusion. It turns out the intruder saw our Alaska license plates and wanted to visit. However, instead of feeling social, I felt a mix of anger and disbelief. Yes, I should have had my door locked. It was a good wake-up call for me. I shouldn't get lax about safety. Even though it was in broad daylight, in a public place, with a fair amount of traffic, in a generally safe area. Even with Bob not too far away. I should have had all the doors to the RV locked. A person needs to be alert. And, if you aren't going to be alert, lock the door. But, really, was he stupid or simply thoughtless? He should have known better. Fortunately, my cat did not jump out and escape. Bob had our dog out for a walk, so she was not in the motorhome. Dogs tend to be very protective of their home territory. Our motorhome is home to our dog. A stranger opening the door and sticking his hand inside our motorhome? I'm sure she would have barked a lot and caused a commotion. This article has two purposes. One is to remind RVers to be alert and to keep their doors locked, for their safety. The other is to remind RVers that for their safety, they should never open the door of another's RV. They might be met by a dog -- or a person -- defending his home. Whichever side of the door you are on, think, and stay safe.
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