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Article by Greg Rickman, Tiffin Ambassador
(The following article is part one in a three-part series on staying safe while traveling)
In the last edition of Roughing It Smoothly, I introduced a three part series about how to stay safe while traveling this great country in our motorhomes. I titled this series Situational Awareness. This first part is about staying safe while in rest areas, truck stops and overnight parking locations such as Wal-Mart and Cracker Barrel.
I will start each of these three articles with the definition of the term “situational awareness’. It is important to understand the concept. Situational awareness by definition is the ability to perceive, understand, and effectively respond to one’s situation. It involves comprehending a given circumstance, gathering relevant information, analyzing it, and making informed decisions to successfully address any potential risks, hazards, or events that might occur. In plainer terms, it is the art of noticing things around you.
After a long career in law enforcement, I have seen my share of tragedy, actually way more. But one thing that I learned is that it doesn’t have to always be this way, meaning people don’t have to be victims of crime or other unfortunate situations. Staying focused and being aware of your surroundings can be the difference.
I will begin this story with a story. As a traveling motorhome owner, this incident really shocked me. And I mean REALLY shocked me. And it was what actually inspired me to write this series.
On June 19, 2024, Gary and Mary Weaver of Eureka, Missouri were parked in a rest area on Interstate 80 near Grand Island, Nebraska after spending the night there. They were inside their motorhome with their Jeep tow vehicle still hooked up on the south side of the rest area near some tractor trailer trucks. It was early in the morning, around 7:00am.
As Mr. Weaver came out of the motorhome, he was confronted by a 22 year old man from Ohio who had arrived there in his own vehicle. A witness observed the suspect demanding the keys to the Jeep tow vehicle. Mr. Weaver refused and ran back into the motorhome.
The suspect, who was armed with a knife, then chased Mr. Weaver back into the motorhome and began to stab him. Mrs. Weaver was still inside and she also was stabbed. The suspect then exited the motorhome and tried to unhook the tow vehicle but was unable to figure out how to do it. He then fled in his vehicle and was apprehended about 20 miles away after crashing into a river while being pursued by law enforcement. Unfortunately, Mr. Weaver did not survive this attack. He was only 72 years old and was a loving grandfather and talented musician. His wife, age 71, did survive but was critically injured. The suspect was charged with murder and other charges. A despicable act to good people just enjoying their retirement years while living the RV dream.
The incident was captured on a truck drivers dash cam and reported to law enforcement at 7:08am. Yes, that’s correct. All of this occurred in a span of 8 minutes. And in broad daylight. A time of day when one would think they are safe pretty much anywhere. And the shocking part for me was that my wife and I were at that same rest area on a trip through Nebraska a few months before this incident. Kinda hits home.
So what could one do different in a situation like this? There is certainly no one to blame for that event except the suspect. But being aware of your surroundings, staying focused and recognizing that threats do exist at any time or location is a good place to start.
Overnight parking at Wal-Mart and Cracker Barrel locations is very popular among the RV crowd. You can buy groceries and grab a bite, save on campground fees and just pull in and pull out. I have never personally stayed at a Wal-Mart but I have slept a few hours at a Bucees, which does not allow overnight parking. But I have also read of thefts, tampering and other criminal activity during these overnight jaunts that deter me from trying it. And the one time I did try it, it didn’t turn out too well.
On a return trip from Florida, we decided to try out the Cracker Barrel experience of overnight camping. I did everything (or so I thought) right. I called the manager and asked for permission. I scoped out the parking lot using Google Earth. And I planned to eat at the restaurant as appreciation for my overnight stay. What I didn’t know was this particular Cracker Barrel location was in a really bad neighborhood.
When we arrived there and parked the motorhome, I noticed there were hardly any cars in the parking lot. There was hardly anyone inside the restaurant. Then, while we were inside the motorhome, two males approached the drivers side window and asked my wife for money. I mistakenly had the door open but the screen shut. That won’t happen again, you can be for sure of that.
This is where some of my training kicked in. My wife was in her front passenger seat, watching the overhead tv. I was sitting out of view. I immediately realized that there was something different about my wife’s voice when she turned to me, advising me someone was outside. My gut told me something was wrong. Recognizing something bad was about to happen, I armed myself with the firearm next to my seat and addressed them through the window. When I refused to give them any money, they started making comments about how “nice” the motorhome was. I perceived this to be a veiled threat. Luckily, I was able to defuse the situation and they went on their way. I then decided it was too dangerous to be there and it was time to leave. As we were leaving, I witnessed a drug transaction in the parking lot. Good decision, because that would have been a restless night.
So, what can we learn from these scenarios? First, as I said above, we have to recognize that threats to our safety do exist and seem to be happening more frequently than most of us ever remember. You should always be aware of your surroundings, tune in to your environment and learn how to people watch. Take note of vehicles parked near you or anyone hanging around outside. Does something look out of place or suspicious? Choose carefully where you park for the night and use lights and cameras to your advantage. Listen to your gut instincts and trust your intuitions. Know your level of focus.
You should always have a plan when you leave the motorhome. If I pull into a rest area, I do not leave my wife inside alone. We leave to use the facilities together and lock the motorhome and all basement bays while we are away. We wait for each other and come back together. We have a plan as to what to do if we encounter an issue. I like to see any potential problem first so I can address it and adjust to it before it becomes one. In police work, we called it ‘keeping your head on a swivel’. If you have a family plan in the event of a fire, you should also have a plan for other potential issues you encounter while staying at these overnight parking locations.
You should also know your equipment. Know if something looks different about the motorhome or tow vehicle after you have stopped. One of my personal routines is to check the hitch connection between the motorhome and tow vehicle every time I stop. I even watch the rear camera when stopped at a red light. Before we pull out, I physically check this connection and usually find it ok. Except for the one time it wasn’t. Recently, we pulled into a rest area in South Carolina early in the morning. We stayed about 45 minutes and I observed numerous people and vehicles come and go while we were enjoying some breakfast. We were parked in a dedicated RV/truck parking area and every vehicle who parked near us met that description, except one. As we were about to leave and I came out to do my customary inspection, the driver of a car parked next to me suddenly hurried to the vehicle and left quickly. I thought this to be odd and took note of the type of vehicle and the driver. Imagine my surprise when I discovered that someone had stolen one of the tow pins that connects the Jeep to the tow bar. I would have lost the Jeep in less than a mile had I not discovered this. A horrifying thought of what could have happened.
I am not implying that these types of locations are unsafe places to stay overnight or get a few hours of sleep before continuing on your journey. With the proper mindset, they can be and usually are, a safe and economical way to spend a few hours without the hassles of setting up in a campground. Just remember, be alert to your surroundings. You are a prime target if you’re not paying attention.
Greg’s dream was to own a motorhome after his retirement from a long career in law enforcement. He and his wife Tina live in Baneberry, TN part of the year and travel this great country in their Tiffin Phaeton 40IH, enjoying the excitement of exploring new places and meeting new people. Their motto is “If you can’t wear shorts, flip flops and a t-shirt, we ain’t going!”
