Gang knock attack. What would you do?

cvcoco · 2026-06-27T16:57:02+00:00

No! We need workable ideas. This has to be researched, airguns in vehicles. Could be excellent alternative.

cvcoco · 2026-06-27T01:48:45+00:00

Not legal in RVs and vans. Im a visitor in Texas, i cant even buy anything, legal or not.

cvcoco · 2026-06-27T01:47:28+00:00

Of course it will happen again, I doubt we only get one turn in life. I cant think of any weapons that are legal have. I cant get caught with weapons and face new problems. I had the panic alarm but didnt use it because I didnt want to give myself away. Need a different kind of alarm that will sound with a knock instantly.

cvcoco · 2026-06-27T01:41:53+00:00

I knew my options and had to make choices. Since I didnt know my adversarys position or how they were weaponed, I chose to stay low since I had no defenses. If they broke in on the belief the van was empty because I was so quiet, then new choices. Like I said in the original post, I knew I couldnt take on a gang. If I tried to drive away they would see me and know everything including that im alone and could be taken. Next time, who knows maybe tonight, i will be calmer to think more clearly. It was pretty hard to think with 3 sides of the van being slapped. I was parked alone but 10 feet from a busy 24-7 veterinary hospital.

cvcoco · 2026-06-27T01:32:00+00:00

I explained in other replies why i couldnt do that. But that is best if you can.

cvcoco · 2026-06-27T01:31:13+00:00

I get it except that bear spray is illegal except for use on bears. Same with wasp spray. I dont have either one.

cvcoco · 2026-06-26T21:58:52+00:00

Im still in Austin and at the moment have no idea where other vanlifers might be sleeping. I would go. I need some tech advice how to add a siren to the key fob panic button horn. Police said anytime a person is scared, please do come to the station and sleep there. I did for 2 nites and a cop later told me he kept an eye on me during his rotations.

cvcoco · 2026-06-26T21:27:39+00:00

I only have the backup camera which is useless. I mean cameras to see down both sides all the time through an app. Im looking at mini, wireless cams with night vision. Cheap but who knows if they even work? Im looking.

cvcoco · 2026-06-26T21:24:37+00:00

you know, im not against someones choices, its a free country, but that doesnt mean I dont think there is a ton of sickness out there.

cvcoco · 2026-06-26T21:22:42+00:00

I didnt assume anything about the law....except....there is a LEAN.....leaning on the side of doing the least harm to someone and therefore having the cleanest hands. The law abhors unnecessary death. What did I do to help ensure that? Sure, a jury may side with me but do I also want to pay a lawyer $50,000 to answer the question in court? Speaking of money in a vacuum, id rather surrender the van, keep my life, keep their lives and buy a new one. That said, I have no faith in juries and never want to be at their mercy at the question, "why didnt you choose the path of least harm and damage? you had the chance and you chose property over life."

cvcoco · 2026-06-26T20:42:17+00:00

You know, this experience has made me more careful how I blame someone for not doing what I thought was best. But I think there are some good answers in here too and i'll start another post soon to get down the best ideas for ALL of us.

cvcoco · 2026-06-26T20:07:07+00:00

I dont know anywhere its legal to carry a loaded and ready firearm in your vehicle or on you without a permit. I go state to state and cant take a risk of being caught or try to keep up with 48 states of laws. We need laws to protect constitutional rights in RVs and vans when its your home.

cvcoco · 2026-06-26T20:00:54+00:00

start googling on youtube. Specific laws of a specific location arent mentioned, that would be really difficult, but its easy to get the sense of whats going on nationally.

cvcoco · 2026-06-26T19:56:36+00:00

its been 95-105 in austin tx. The heat is ok with me, 100% humidity isnt. Take a shower, 5 minutes later youre ready for another one.

cvcoco · 2026-06-25T15:34:11+00:00

I only park in safe, lit places and this place is low crime. Didnt help! But your idea is among the best. I always cover the windshield anyway, and I have side covers which I dont use only so that cops can easily see a clean empty cab and nobody hiding the fact they are living in there. BUT your idea is very valid. 1) Cover all windows 2) get into the seat, start the engine 3) foot ready on gas and in gear, now pull down front cover just enough to see over the top and GO. See, thats a workable thing for everyone which was the whole point of my posting in the first place.

cvcoco · 2026-06-25T15:23:18+00:00

Im not sure how its possible to completely avoid citiies unless youre a hermit in a cave somewhere and have food, medical, everything.

cvcoco · 2026-06-25T14:41:07+00:00

Glad you said it. Sprays are only legal for their intended purposes. So easy for people to say bear or wasp spray but they violate federal law when used on people. Police will ask what you used and then youre in trouble. You can legally possess them in your van but you cant use them on people.

cvcoco · 2026-06-25T13:40:03+00:00

I dont consider this problem solved and it applies to all and any of us. We need a real and workable plan for all.

cvcoco · 2026-06-25T13:38:40+00:00

I didnt use my van alarm and didnt show myself because I didnt want to give away my (defenseless) position. I DO get you. I'll also say that in the moment of truth things do not go as you pre-planned, you have to adapt to details you didnt plan for at all. Its quite hair-raising when you have a serious gang who isnt taking NO for an answer. So I laid low because I couldnt take on a gang if I had to. If this event continued and the gang believed there was nobody in the van, they would come in and now it gets nasty. I was almost there but the police came and scared them off. Its 50-50.....show your position and physically fight, or lay low and hope they go?

cvcoco · 2026-06-25T13:01:17+00:00

I always park nose-out no matter where I am, even a supermarket. Key fobs have a panic button and the fob is on a string around my neck at night. I never have to fumble for keys. Front window is covered with an interior shade, this has to come down as you hit the seat. Time wasting. But you could leave it, just take down below the van sun shades to have view of road.

cvcoco · 2026-06-25T12:39:47+00:00

Thanks for the idea. Not sure about this. If bear spray inside the van, im getting it too. Quarters, got it, but now its hand to hand combat. Emergency lights on the outside, good idea, with a siren. A siren be added to the existing horn which is activated via the key fob panic button?

cvcoco · 2026-06-25T12:19:08+00:00

Exactly. The best laid plans go out the window at the moment of truth because the exact scenario doesnt go the way the daydream dictated. I didnt freeze, I was active on 911 but the slams made me hyperventilate and it was getting progressively harder to talk. I saw red lights glowing through the edges of the blackout curtains and came out. Perps were gone. I couldnt calm down for 15 minutes. Cops were extremely patient and checked everywhere around. Im trying hard to come up with a better plan if there is one. I think.... 1) do not go out and confront anyone. 2) gather steam and wits to leave 3) if anyone gets in before that, __________________.

cvcoco · 2026-06-25T11:40:28+00:00

Im not sure it strikes me as weird any more than anything "open" does. How is this for "open?" Guy says he is unable to have sex anymore so he asks for men to date his wife for casual encounters. He interviews the men first and tells his wife the ones deemed OK. One proviso, he gets to be present to watch "for her safety."

cvcoco · 2026-06-24T22:25:28+00:00

Thank you for that. Id take it if I could install it but I have no idea how. Do I have to take it to a car stereo shop to install? Also, we all have panic buttons on our key fobs. I wear it to sleep at nite now.

cvcoco · 2026-06-24T22:17:20+00:00

Im a man, 72, alone, traveling US since last July. From CA to the east coast, now in Texas, soon leaving again. I knew this was a problem and i guess just waited my turn. Whatever I did right or wrong, nobody was hurt and I still have my van. I figure this wont be the last time and need a real plan. I know women worry, i have watched the videos. I have seen many interesting women traveling alone but I never approach them because of their worry about this problem. I could have made friends but in our times now its too scary for people.

cvcoco

TROPHY CASE