Personal Safety question

Never had a problem

No Alarm Systems.
If you're going to be a Company Driver many companies don't allow guns. Not sure of any that do actually.

 

About the best you are going to hope for there is a blind eye. Too many laws and depending on where you go the state laws have gotten so far out of whack this year it may be best to just rough it.

 

You are much less likely to encounter trouble if you apply a little common sense. Criminals look for easy targets, so don't make yourself one.

 

In 3 years I have not felt threatened in any way.
Don't let your fears get the best of you.

I don't think you are any more likely to have a problem in a truck stop than you would walking down any street.
Probably less chance, since there are good truckers all around that are always willing to lend a hand. And the same usually can not be said of the general population on city streets.

 

The guns in trucks thing has been beaten to death in the past, just search for it. I have an 18" pry bar in the truck I use as a tire thumper and I can wedge it in to hold the handle out when sliding tandems if the handle doesn't stay out on it's own. In a pinch it could be used for security but so far and for the expected future it will only be hitting tires. Too many newbies are scared of everyone. I hold the door for the driver behind me, always greet everyone I see and take an opportunity to sit down and share a meal or talk to some people I wouldn't have met otherwise. That's a big part of trucking for me. Sat the other day hearing about the life experiences of a big 'ole Texas boy that's been driving for 30 some years. He had some incredible stories and more importantly tips on where to find the best eats when I make it south again (Texas is my favorite state and I will not leave before I find a little hole in the wall restaurant to have some BBQ).

 

Pay attention to your surroundings and heed those funny vibes that hit sometimes. I rode with my husband for a year in 2008-2009 and we never had any problems, of course 2 is better than one. But there was t+he only time we felt unease was one of those rest areas without facilities we pulled into in Iowa. There was a pickup truck and it left, a couple of minutes later a little red car pulled in front of our truck, the guy wasn't doing anything per say, but here a few minutes later the white pickup pulled up back behind us. There was a lot of room where they could have parked, and it just felt funny to us. The red car guy kept watching in his mirror. We ate, did not get out of the truck, and buggied out. I think that is the first time I ever felt the prickly hairs of something just not right.

A lot of people say keep a can of wasp spray on hand, it will shoot up to 25ft.

Thread the seatbelts through your door handles when in the sleeper esp. Some worries were voiced though about this not being a good idea in case the truck caught fire. Of course unless a person had a key to get in to said truck, they would have to break a window anyway.

 

Honey most the guys out there are just trying to do their jobs they aren't looking to assault women but that said they are still just a bunch of horny, lonely old farts. They do get excited when they see a pretty woman so just don't invite them back to your truck. In 8 yrs I've been flashed 5 times. Keep your cell phone close so you can get a picture and call their companies or the police. Don't trust anyone hanging around the truck stops that aren't drivers,they are usually scammers, drug addicts or nefarious types.

 

don't be skeered
don't park in stooped places
well lit areas
been every nasty place this country has to offer
never had trouble
never carried weapons