Disappearing removable power cord?

[Viajante]

I've never stolen the power cord. Generally I go for the cooler of beer just outside the door. Power tongue jacks are good, too. Just block the tongue, raise the jack and use the cordless on the bolts, 3 minutes. Sometimes if I have time I block the whole frame, let the air out of the tires and take all four. Bike racks generally have more value than the bikes so I take those. Generators are automatic grabs and easy. Most important is to look around the site to find the game camera and take that. Those tv domes on the ground are easy but low value for some reason. People like my Escape trailer which makes for a great ice breaker to find out who has what and if they are going on a wine tour for 6 hours. It all helps with my monthly spend.

[gbaglo]

That's probably why my 80 lb. battery, with questionable life left, is still on my back bumper.

[Vicescape]

Originally Posted by C&G in FL

I personally would very respectfully disagree with some of the posts in this thread, or at least qualify why I disagree. Something might be taken if there is a thief in the area. Yes, there always will be thieves, but not every person is; most people are honest and would never take what does not belong to them. In my last 3 trailers I have ordered removable shore power cords or installed them myself after taking delivery. If a thief will take a power cord, then he/she will also walk off with a camping chair, a grill, a camp stove, a propane cylinder, a door mat, a cooler, or whatever. In the 15 or so years since I “switched” from attached cords to removable cords, I have not had one “walk away.” Plus I can honestly say I have yet to meet someone who has. I refuse to allow paranoia affect my choices. I cannot begin to imagine the hassle of grabbing the aforementioned items and locking them inside the trailer every time I want to wander away from my campsite. On the other hand, if I were out in the boonies at the end of a remote logging road I might be more inclined to secure my property. I probably wouldn’t want to camp in that type of a location anyway. I just do not find that most camping locations are teeming with thieves, or if there is someone with sticky fingers, detachable cords are at the top of their priority list. And in reality, the only difference between an attached cord and a detachable cord in potential for theft s a wire cutter.

I’m not sure you are disagreeing With most. No one is stating or believing that most are thieves, but it only takes one, and they don’t have to be campers. They could be just passing through or scouting and have nothing to do with the park. I also think most would also agree that most locations are not teaming with thieves, but it does happen. It’s happened to me, which is why I now lock things down. I know if someone really wants something which is locked, they can easily get it, but most would probably move on to an easier steal. I also believe no one here would disagree with you, that most are honest.

[Greg A]

Personally, have never had a power cord disappear, or anything else while camping. Now in storage lots that’s a different story.
My guess would be if that had happened it was a fellow camper who after driving all the way for the weekend camping trip, discovered they left their power cord at home and simply borrowed one. Maybe an easier thing would be to spray paint some wild markings on the power cord to make it easier to find where it went if it disappeared.

[C&G in FL]

Originally Posted by Vicescape

If something can be taken, it will be.

Originally Posted by Vicescape

I’m not sure you are disagreeing With most. No one is stating or believing that most are thieves, but it only takes one, and they don’t have to be campers. They could be just passing through or scouting and have nothing to do with the park. I also think most would also agree that most locations are not teaming with thieves, but it does happen. It’s happened to me, which is why I now lock things down. I know if someone really wants something which is locked, they can easily get it, but most would probably move on to an easier steal. I also believe no one here would disagree with you, that most are honest.

My post was mostly a reaction to the absolute statement in the first quote above. That being clarified, you are absolutely entitled to your opinions and I respect them, I just do not share them. And you are correct that “it only takes one.” However, if that “one” is not around, “it will NOT be taken.” While there is always a first time, in a lifetime of RVing I have never had a single item stolen. At 71-1/2, that is a large number of years of having unsecured items that have not been taken. I try to approach life from a standpoint of trust. When I drive down the road, while I exercise caution, I trust that the oncoming driver will not cross the center line and hit me head on. When I go to the doctor, I trust the diagnosis will be correct leading to the proper treatment. When I go to the grocery store, I trust the clerk will ring up the items correctly. When I deposit money in the bank, I trust that the institution will not embezzle my funds. When I post on a forum like this one, I trust that others will respect my opinion (sometimes that particular trust is misplaced), and people (drivers, doctors, clerks, etc.) do make mistakes. I could go on and on, but the bottom line is that in the card game of life, in my mind trust trumps paranoia in every hand. Sure, I have been burned on occasion, but haven’t we all?

[Jim Bennett]

I am in the camp of preferring to trust our fellow man for the most part, especially those that go camping. Not that some protection is not taken, that is just common sense. But for me, to worry about something like a power cord being stolen is kind of a bit paranoid, as I too have never even heard of one instance of this happening. I like going camping to relax and give my mind and body a rest from regular every day life, and just don't care to spend time in a worrisome state, especially when the risks are so, so small. There are just too many more serious things that happen in life that do need good attention, that shutting down the worry mode for these little things makes enjoying my life that much more fun.

I hate stress. Please pass the whiskey.

[C&G in FL]

Originally Posted by Viajante

I've never stolen the power cord. Generally I go for the cooler of beer just outside the door. Power tongue jacks are good, too. Just block the tongue, raise the jack and use the cordless on the bolts, 3 minutes. Sometimes if I have time I block the whole frame, let the air out of the tires and take all four. Bike racks generally have more value than the bikes so I take those. Generators are automatic grabs and easy. Most important is to look around the site to find the game camera and take that. Those tv domes on the ground are easy but low value for some reason. People like my Escape trailer which makes for a great ice breaker to find out who has what and if they are going on a wine tour for 6 hours. It all helps with my monthly spend.

That is why I consider Texas to be the same as camping at the end of a remote logging road, and wouldn’t even consider camping anywhere in the State. Rather than calling it the Lone Star State, it should be called the Den of Thieves Republic. Everyone knows all Texans are a bunch of low-lifes.

Obviously, I am just kidding. The only Texan I never warmed up to was LBJ. Never met him, but I have never met a Texan that I disliked. And I truly appreciate your humor (humour, for our Canadian contingent)! BTW, got a good bike rack for sale at a decent price?

[cpaharley2008]

I switched from the removable to the fixed for theft reasons. the thief appears to be inside me, some of my memory cells have been taken as I age. On my last trailer I "misplaced" my power cord and tore the place apart looking for it. Finally reordered a new one from WallyWorld. When I went to start packing for a camping trip I found the original in a cardboard box in the house? To this day I do not remember bringing it in nor putting it in a box. So that thief is still around....

[steve dunham]

When traveling / camping and in only one area of the US , we’ve had stuff taken from our cooler and our credit card info stolen ( Twice)
Viajante’s post confirmed our suspicions / observations

In over 40 years of tent camping in Canada we have never had our campsite tampered with ( except for bears) or anything stolen
Probably not a scientific study but we will be returning to Canada in May

[C&G in FL]

Originally Posted by cpaharley2008

I switched from the removable to the fixed for theft reasons. the thief appears to be inside me, some of my memory cells have been taken as I age. On my last trailer I "misplaced" my power cord and tore the place apart looking for it. Finally reordered a new one from WallyWorld. When I went to start packing for a camping trip I found the original in a cardboard box in the house? To this day I do not remember bringing it in nor putting it in a box. So that thief is still around....

Sounds familiar, Jim. Three years ago my wife announced to me two days before our departure for a 3 month trip that she could not find her key to the tow vehicle. Not a good idea to travel with only one key, so at the last minute I had to get a new key cut and programmed ($225). Took a while to get there, but I was sitting outside at a campground in Illinois when she comes out and says “Guess what I just found.” She had packed the key in one of her containers a couple of weeks earlier and forgot she had done it. Life was more simple and less expensive before vehicle keys included chips/transponders!

[cpaharley2008]

It's tough getting old.........

[alanmalk]

Originally Posted by C&G in FL

That is why I consider Texas to be the same as camping at the end of a remote logging road, ...

Since we're using Texas as our sample...
Having hosted many hundreds of campers over 3 full seasons (in Texas), I can not recall a single instance of someone reporting a lost/stolen item. But to be fair, cars left overnight along the Rio Grande have been broken in to. We strongly encourage backpackers and campers to take reasonable precautions - hide valuables out of sight, etc., if leaving a vehicle unattended near the River.

At the other end of the world - Colorado, fairly close to Denver, a bunch of us had our cars broken in to while on a backpack. I did hide everything of value and the thieves only managed a ratty t-shirt, old shorts, and a cooler with a can of Coke. 30 years later I still miss that cold Coke after a long hot backpack.
--
Alan

[rubicon327]

Originally Posted by C&G in FL

Life was more simple and less expensive before vehicle keys included chips/transponders!

Used to have spare keys zipped tied up underneath my old Jeep which was great. Most of the time locking keys inside was never an issue with soft top and sometimes no doors. Did need them a couple of times though when I goofed with the hard top/hard doors on. Really only needed the door key though. The ignition was so worn it started without a key.

[Vicescape]

Originally Posted by C&G in FL

My post was mostly a reaction to the absolute statement in the first quote above. That being clarified, you are absolutely entitled to your opinions and I respect them, I just do not share them. And you are correct that “it only takes one.” However, if that “one” is not around, “it will NOT be taken.” While there is always a first time, in a lifetime of RVing I have never had a single item stolen. At 71-1/2, that is a large number of years of having unsecured items that have not been taken. I try to approach life from a standpoint of trust. When I drive down the road, while I exercise caution, I trust that the oncoming driver will not cross the center line and hit me head on. When I go to the doctor, I trust the diagnosis will be correct leading to the proper treatment. When I go to the grocery store, I trust the clerk will ring up the items correctly. When I deposit money in the bank, I trust that the institution will not embezzle my funds. When I post on a forum like this one, I trust that others will respect my opinion (sometimes that particular trust is misplaced), and people (drivers, doctors, clerks, etc.) do make mistakes. I could go on and on, but the bottom line is that in the card game of life, in my mind trust trumps paranoia in every hand. Sure, I have been burned on occasion, but haven’t we all?

I get it. Just a difference of opinion. By taking the first line of the quote only and omitting the rest, it’s a slight misquote. It’s only an absolute when it pertains to a specific person that may be thieving, if that’s a word.. A thief usually isn’t particularly in what he takes. But I digress. I’ll remain vigilant, because that who i am. Unfortunately to a fault sometimes.