What do you do for protection while sleeping in truck?

[stevex]

I was curious what some of you do for protection while driving OTR and having to sleep in your truck night after night for weeks at a time. I have heard of people carrying knives, ball bats, big flash lights, wasp or bear spray or a pistol. I would really like to keep my Taurus Judge with me but still not sure if it could be possible.

I know there is no nation wide concealed carry but could your truck be considered a residence like an RV and your allowed a pistol while parked to sleep even if your CCW is not accepted there since you are not carrying it? It would just have to be properly locked and secured while traveling of course.

Or what else do you recommend. I am not concerned with company policies since they would only know if i had it if i had to shoot someone and at that point i would not care. I do not know if DOT is allowed to make you open a locked sentry security box during an inspection or if you can say you lost the key.

I realize that you should attempt to park in well lighted areas and areas with many other people if possible. But have seen some trucks parked in some shady areas waiting for a shipper/receiver or they ran out of hours and had to park. I have never in my life had to use any weapon to protect my life since i try to avoid those situations. However i still carry a pistol just so i am prepared if i ever need it.

If you dont wanna share publicly what you do feel free to PM me.

 

[mndriver]

I do the same thing on the road I do at home.

Stay in well populated areas. Not that that means a whole lot in lots of areas. If I know I am going to shady areas, I don't go in until I absolutely have to. Parts of Chicago come to mind.

Otherwise, it's how you carry yourself. Do you act like a victim or do you act like you can take care of yourself. I had two guys come up to me today peddling movies and crap. One backed off with just how I looked at him. The other got the hint when I just said "no". Being an MP teaches you stuff like that.

 

[fullyarmedcitizen]

I am an ex sheriffs deputy and we carried this spray called "freeze plus P". It's a mix of heavy duty pepper spray with tear gas. And let me tell you something, it's called freeze because whatever someone was doing prior to getting nailed with this stuff? They stop instantly. You can buy it on Amazon. I had to get sprayed with it to carry it. And when I worked for Detroit, we would spray people daily. To the point where I actually enjoyed the smell, taste and feel of it. That was straight pepper. This stuff? Game over. It hurts worse then anything you can imagine. Get a canister.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B009Q...eze+plus+p&dpPl=1&dpID=41t9oFhCn+L&ref=plSrch

 

[stevex]

I usually am constantly scanning my surroundings. I am pretty good at seeing trouble before it begins. I am not a small guy either, 6'3" and 230lbs. However, that is not what i am concerned about. I am concerned that while i am sleeping some idiot smashes my window and starts climbing into the truck. At 3am, pitch black, been awake 2 seconds, not knowing what weapons this moron has or his intentions. I would rather just point the .410 and pull trigger. My home has never been broken into but i still keep a 12 guage beside my bed.

 

[fullyarmedcitizen]

I usually am constantly scanning my surroundings. I am pretty good at seeing trouble before it begins. I am not a small guy either, 6'3" and 230lbs. However, that is not what i am concerned about. I am concerned that while i am sleeping some idiot smashes my window and starts climbing into the truck. At 3am, pitch black, been awake 2 seconds, not knowing what weapons this moron has or his intentions. I would rather just point the .410 and pull trigger. My home has never been broken into but i still keep a 12 guage beside my bed.

If you do carry a gun, don't advertise it. On here or anywhere. Never know who reads these threads. And it may be easy to narrow down who you are by reading your previous posts. It's legal if you have a CCW and that CCW has recipricosity with the states you drive in. And those that don't, you'll need two safes. One for the weapon and one for the ammo. Very few companies allow it though. So you'll risk being terminated if found out by said company. It's not worth the risk for me personally. As stated, the freeze works very well.

 

[mndriver]

Well, you can either realize it's and issue and do one of two things. Have anxiety over it or sleep like shit.


Or you can realize it's an issue just like at home and plan accordingly. Sleeping alone in abandoned parking lots isn't wise. Sleeping in a rest area outside of a bad neighborhood is a good idea. Sleeping at the petro, loves or pilot is a lot better idea than sleeping in a bad part of town in a place like Atlanta or Chicago.

 

[mndriver]

Another suggestion, run your seatbelt or else use a strap or something to tie your doors closed.

And while your on the subject.....


Get yourself a smoke detector too for fire. Consider that when you are tying your doors closed.

 

[stevex]

If you do carry a gun, don't advertise it. On here or anywhere. Never know who reads these threads. And it may be easy to narrow down who you are by reading your previous posts. It's legal if you have a CCW and that CCW has recipricosity with the states you drive in. And those that don't, you'll need two safes. One for the weapon and one for the ammo. Very few companies allow it though. So you'll risk being terminated if found out by said company. It's not worth the risk for me personally. As stated, the freeze works very well.

This is why i added the part about PMing me. I know there could be carriers, law, or just big mouths here. I dont want to get anyone in trouble. I just am trying to gather as much info as possible. Hell, my classes dont even start for another months. BUT, i want to know as much as possible for when i do start driving. Knowledge is never useless.

 

[fullyarmedcitizen]

Well, you can either realize it's and issue and do one of two things. Have anxiety over it or sleep like ****.


Or you can realize it's an issue just like at home and plan accordingly. Sleeping alone in abandoned parking lots isn't wise. Sleeping in a rest area outside of a bad neighborhood is a good idea. Sleeping at the petro, loves or pilot is a lot better idea than sleeping in a bad part of town in a place like Atlanta or Chicago.

Sometimes when you're out of hours you just have to find the nearest shopping center or store lot big enough to fit a truck. It's inevitable that you will end up sleeping in an area where there are not a lot of people and maybe not the safest of places. I think it's crazy that companies create policies that disarm their work force when they are all alone out here. Like it or lump it though. I guess for most of us, a paycheck is more important then our safety. I hate that I can't bring my pistol. But that's the rules. And you either follow them or suffer the consequences if caught.

 

[stevex]

Another suggestion, run your seatbelt or else use a strap or something to tie your doors closed.

And while your on the subject.....


Get yourself a smoke detector too for fire. Consider that when you are tying your doors closed.

I had already planned on a CO/smoke detector. The seat belt or tying doors together is a great idea. Then they have to come through small window.

 

[mndriver]

A shopping center or such that's not abandoned is one thing. Parking in a closed store that hasn't had traffic for months is entirely different.

Awareness of you surroundings is critical.

 

[stevex]

A shopping center or such that's not abandoned is one thing. Parking in a closed store that hasn't had traffic for months is entirely different.

Awareness of you surroundings is critical.

Yes. I am well aware of trying to make sure you dont park in areas that are high risk areas. At the same time it could happen while parked in the middle of 50 other trucks. Just much less unlikely.

 

[fullyarmedcitizen]

I had already planned on a CO/smoke detector. The seat belt or tying doors together is a great idea. Then they have to come through small window.

Seatbelt around the doors? I do t get it. If it's locked, their still going to have to break a window to get in. Unless they can jimmy the lock. Is that easy to do? I don't know.

 

[mndriver]

It's easy enough to pick a door lock. It's a standard barrel lock. The seatbelt or strap keeps them from being able to actually open the door.

 

[mndriver]

Yes. I am well aware of trying to make sure you dont park in areas that are high risk areas. At the same time it could happen while parked in the middle of 50 other trucks. Just much less unlikely.

You've pretty well got the idea then. You can either have anxiety over it, or realize this is part of the lifestyle and a thought to get used to.

Probably a shittier answer than you were looking for, but it is what it is.

 

[fullyarmedcitizen]

It's easy enough to pick a door lock. It's a standard barrel lock. The seatbelt or strap keeps them from being able to actually open the door.

Hmmmm. Didn't know that. Of course how would I??!!??

 

[stevex]

It's easy enough to pick a door lock. It's a standard barrel lock. The seatbelt or strap keeps them from being able to actually open the door.

While i am not a thief. A few yeard back i got into lock picking as a kinda hobby. I was amazed that after a few months i could pick 5 and 6 pin locks that have security pins and no spring load action. I can pick my GMC sierra lock in about 15 seconds. Though the alarm goes off as soon as door is open.

Seatbelt around the doors? I do t get it. If it's locked, their still going to have to break a window to get in. Unless they can jimmy the lock. Is that easy to do? I don't know.

They still have to crawl through the window which will slow someone down alot and put them in a vulnerable position

 

[mndriver]

Hmmmm. Didn't know that. Of course how would I??!!??

No different really than a car.

 

[fullyarmedcitizen]

No different really than a car.

Didn't know they were that easy in a car. That would have saved me a lot of headaches the couple times I have locked my keys in there.

 

[GroceryHauler]

I have box cutters stashed throughout the truck so one is always in reach no matter where I am. And since I pull a reefer, I set the trailer brakes and pull forward against the brake so when some jerkwad thinks he's going to pull my fifth wheel release they'll dislocate their shoulder before they release the latch.