Do you worry about your vehicle.....

**canoebie** · 02-25-2011, 09:33

I hire someone to shuttle me or drop me off at a trail head. After they learn to know me a bit, it tends to get less expensive. It also helps me to have someone local to share a bit of local lore with. Meeting new people is almost always fun.

**RWillieK** · 02-25-2011, 09:38

Here in Kentucky it's a big problem around Red River Gorge. They implemented a parking pass requirement to raise funds, but it was just an advertisement to thieves.

My car hasn't been vandalized, but I have a friend who had several thousands of dollars worth of climbing gear stolen - thankfully we had enough to get through the weekend...and that he had insurance.

**Joey** · 02-25-2011, 09:42

I'm lucky - my wife drops me off and picks me up most of the time.

Funny story, I did the first 110 Miles of the PCT back in 2005. She got up at 3 am with me and drove me to Campo so I could get started as the sun came up. I wanted to ensure I did the first 20 to end up at Lake Moreno. A week later I call from Warner Springs, my finish point. There's a golf course there and I was hanging out on their outside patio - far away from others as I didn't exactly smell to presentable. I even asked the waitress not to approach, but to take my order from a short distance, and then to set my food on and empty table and I would retrieve it. The waitress giggled and complied. She got the biggest giggle when my wife pulled up as she watched me walk down to her with my arms held straight out. As I reached her I started a slow turn as my wife sprayed me down with Fabreeze. I thought the waitress was going to applaud!

Ah, I love backpacking.

My other luck is that I hike out of Harpers Ferry a lot. $6 gives you relatively secure parking in their lot for up to 6 days.

**dragon360** · 02-25-2011, 09:56

Ya - its always a worry. Had a friend who worked with the young offenders who told me that his students (he taught at the facility) would explain to him that nothing at all should be visible in the vehicle. From electronics to clothing to even small change - anything can trigger someone to want to get in. Tints on the window were another. Many times, they would smash a window in a vehicle just to see what was inside (since the tints, of course, did not allow them).

So +10 to removing everything you can (putting it in the trunk at the least), parking under the brightest light, grunging it up a little (not washing for a bit) - etc. So far so lucky.

That, or I get my friends to drive!

**Beast 71** · 02-25-2011, 10:41

I leave my truck unlocked. Before I had my ipod I'd just take a few well hidden CD's with on the trip leaving my big CD wallet at home. I figured that replacing a few CD's was cheaper than a window. Now that I have an ipod that I can take with instead of CD's I just leave my trunk unlocked at the trailhead/portage with no worries. The only things I keep in my truck anyways are jumper cables, tow strap, a few old tools and spare bulbs, not much of a black market for those things.

**Bear's Pinnata** · 02-25-2011, 10:56

I never thought about this until reading this thread. I wouldn't spent a thought on it, because it would change nothing. Let's see if it's still there when I return.

On the other hand on all my hikes I used some kind of public transport (train, airplane, ship) and my car wasn't parked in a remote location. To me the journey starts with my backpack on a train station or airport. Part of the fun for me.

**islander** · 02-25-2011, 11:09

"You can only do so much" way of thinking. A big part of why we get out in the Piney-Woods, is to leave all our worries behind us. Enjoy your time outdoors.

Some things I also do are: not have a sparkling clean fresh washed truck when I leave it overnight [ leave it dirty, dingy looking] less attention, minimize any gear laying inside the vehicle within view, make sure your insurance premium is paid to date.

Aside from that, leave your worries behind you at the trailhead...
Happy Hang Times!

**Slanket** · 02-25-2011, 11:10

My car has been broken into repeatedly and I've found a couple things that help:

1) Get renter or homeowner insurance to cover the cost of stolen items.
2) It helps to drive a car that isn't as nice, though certain vehicles are often targeted because they are easy to get into and/or steal regardless of how nice they are.
3) Make your car look like it's got nothing valuable inside. I usually leave a couple fast food bags and some other junk scattered around when I leave my car for a while to make it look kind of trashy.
4) Not sure if this has really made an impact but I have a car seat in the back for my son and have not had my car broken into since. Might be a coincidence or it might guilt potential thieves into picking another target.
5) I have a CB radio in my car and didn't think much of it until a friend pointed out that it made me look like an undercover cop, which I would think acts as a major deterrent. A CB radio and antenna costs about $60 and can be useful when cell towers go down or are out of range and you get into trouble since highway patrol usually monitors CB channel 9 (not to mention it can be fun on long trips).

**Festus Hagen** · 02-25-2011, 11:23

Some folks will break into your car to GET your CB. I had somebody drag the mag-mount across the roof of the car leaving horrific scratches in the paint... "just because" I guess.

If you use a GPS or anything that sticks to the windshield with a suction cup, *clean* the windshield before you park anywhere suspect. Even if someone can't see anything but Wendy's takeaway wrappers in your car, if they see that tell-tale circle on your windshield, they're breaking in to rifle your glove box and console.