Here's another topic where noone should reply with "I've got a great hiding place--I put it right here..."
Around your stick house you have countless hiding places and several neighbors that can be used to hide a spare key. Whether full timing or going for the weekend, it generally isn't a bad idea to have a spare key nearby in case you get locked out of your RV too. For weekenders you are probably close enough to home where it doesn't matter, or you might be travelling with friends and you can swap keys. But for longer trips, you are likely on your own. So I have two suggestions...either put the key where it is obvious & not easy to get at, or make it a two step process so that someone can't accidentally or quickly gain access to the key.
The obvious / not easy method might actually work well for RV'ers. For instance, put the key inside the air conditioning unit (or something) on your roof. The only way for you/anyone to access it is to borrow a screwdriver (or whatever) from a neighbor and climb up the ladder and be on the roof for a few minutes. The general idea being that someone can't get to the key without being out in the open (obvious), probably attract some attention, and having to spend a minute or two (not easy) to get access to it.
The second suggestion takes a note from many current computer security methods--a two step approach. So you can use a fairly common key safe like http://www.selectlocks.com/site/1266378/product/90-14095 or http://www.lok-it.com/ or http://www.selectlocks.com/site/1266378/product/90-18605 but instead of putting the key to your front door, only put a key to one of your outside lockables. Then in there, somewhere well hidden, will be your main RV key. So maybe the key gets into one of your basements, and in there, hidden under your winter clothing, compressor, tools, etc., is a spot for your key. This two step process makes me feel a bit more secure using one of these key locks. The locks are well built, but they also say "hey everyone, there is a key in here". So at least I significantly reduce the reward for someone breaking into them.
Old Snipe said
09:44 AM Sep 5, 2006
Yep, that's exactly what I do. Or do I???
Best Regards!
Darrell and Judy said
10:04 AM Sep 5, 2006
I'd say that you probably don't want to get too "keyed" up over it, but sounds like a good idee to mee.
Darrell
Paul and Bonnie said
06:37 PM Sep 6, 2006
Sounds like a good idea to me! I have been locked out of our 5th wheel by my husband who was 20 miles away in Pittsburgh. He left before sunrise to get into town and beat the rush hour traffic to take his Dad to the Dr. He decided to lock the door before he left since I was there alone (except for the dog who sleeps harder than I do!) When I got up, I took the dog out for his walk, but didn't shut the door because I knew it wouldn't take long to take care of business. Later that afternoon, I took him out again, but shut the door to keep the cool air from escaping. It turns out that when you lock the door with the key, you can open the door from the inside, but once it is shut, OOPS! I thought I had accidently locked the door when I went out. Lucky for me I had my cell phone clipped to my belt. (don't ask me why??} Anyway, I called my sister-in-law and found out Paul was on his way back to the campground. So, I got a chair and put it under the end of the fifth wheel to keep out of the hot sun and waited. Luckily it wasn't very long. It was only after he got back that I found out that he had locked the door. It is a good thing I didn't shut the door when I went out that morning or I would have had a long wait outside!!
Doncat said
09:50 AM Sep 8, 2006
Great links for the spare key safes, thanks Do you own one of these?
Tom N Gina said
12:28 AM Sep 10, 2006
Yepper been there done that....... Locked the better half out and I was 250 miles away for work. Not sure how she did it but she crawled through the basement and then through the clothes shoot. A few black and blue marks was enough for me to head to the key maker and hide one................. somewhere.............just not sure if I remember.........Honey?..... Honey do you you remember what I did with that hidden key? LOL
Of all the things I miss the most it is my mind.............
Here's another topic where noone should reply with "I've got a great hiding place--I put it right here..."
Around your stick house you have countless hiding places and several neighbors that can be used to hide a spare key. Whether full timing or going for the weekend, it generally isn't a bad idea to have a spare key nearby in case you get locked out of your RV too. For weekenders you are probably close enough to home where it doesn't matter, or you might be travelling with friends and you can swap keys. But for longer trips, you are likely on your own. So I have two suggestions...either put the key where it is obvious & not easy to get at, or make it a two step process so that someone can't accidentally or quickly gain access to the key.
The obvious / not easy method might actually work well for RV'ers. For instance, put the key inside the air conditioning unit (or something) on your roof. The only way for you/anyone to access it is to borrow a screwdriver (or whatever) from a neighbor and climb up the ladder and be on the roof for a few minutes. The general idea being that someone can't get to the key without being out in the open (obvious), probably attract some attention, and having to spend a minute or two (not easy) to get access to it.
The second suggestion takes a note from many current computer security methods--a two step approach. So you can use a fairly common key safe like http://www.selectlocks.com/site/1266378/product/90-14095 or http://www.lok-it.com/ or http://www.selectlocks.com/site/1266378/product/90-18605 but instead of putting the key to your front door, only put a key to one of your outside lockables. Then in there, somewhere well hidden, will be your main RV key. So maybe the key gets into one of your basements, and in there, hidden under your winter clothing, compressor, tools, etc., is a spot for your key. This two step process makes me feel a bit more secure using one of these key locks. The locks are well built, but they also say "hey everyone, there is a key in here". So at least I significantly reduce the reward for someone breaking into them.
Yep, that's exactly what I do. Or do I???
Best Regards!
I'd say that you probably don't want to get too "keyed" up over it, but sounds like a good idee to mee.
Darrell
Yepper been there done that....... Locked the better half out and I was 250 miles away for work. Not sure how she did it but she crawled through the basement and then through the clothes shoot. A few black and blue marks was enough for me to head to the key maker and hide one................. somewhere.............just not sure if I remember.........Honey?..... Honey do you you remember what I did with that hidden key? LOL
Of all the things I miss the most it is my mind.............