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"Hello Darlin, Nice to see you - Conway Twitty"
(set 6 days ago)
Location: 9764 Jeopardy Lane
792 posts, read 373,012 times
Reputation: 833
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They sell some really heavy duty hardened locks these days so depending on the locking mechanism on your UHaul if you park in a public, visible place I doubt someone with an angle grinder, bolt cutter, crowbar, etc. is going to defeat it without being noticed. This isn't a 5 seconds and your in type of thing. You can also block access with your vehicle and/or make sure the back is visible. There are also cheap, battery powered, adhesive entry alarms w/remotes you can get so if someone did make entry which I think is unlikely you would have 100+ decibels when they opened the door.
Many motels have complete surveillance of the property. The front desk staff have shown me their surveillance computer screen. They're watching the exterior day and night. Just ask the hotels you're considering about that.
We try to park in a well lit spot that is visible from our hotel room.
The last time I moved, that's what I tried to do. I pulled up in front of a motel late at night. It was a sketchy area with lots of homeless on the streets. I rang the night bell and checked in. I asked the night clerk if I could park the truck and trailer in the parking lot so I could keep an eye on it. She said sure, but don't drive under the front canopy or you are going to hit it. I thanked her for the warning and drove the truck around and came in the back. After parking, the first problem I noticed was that I only had one way out, the way I came in. I couldn't go out the front. But there seemed to be quite a bit of space to turn around, so I didn't worry more about it. Then I discovered the second problem. My room was in the back so I didn't have a view of the parking lot anyway.
The next morning things got a whole lot worse. The parking lot had filled up and there was no space to turn around. I spent 45 minutes trying every possible maneuver to reverse the truck and trailer out of the parking lot, but it was just too tight. Several people saw my predicament and told me that they would be leaving soon, which would give me more space. But none of them offered to move their cars sooner. So I gave up and parked the truck back were I had it, and decided to wait for people to leave. Just then a guy came out of the motel and told me he was a tow truck driver and asked if I needed help. I said yes. I ended up paying him $20 and he reversed the truck between the parked cars effortlessly.
I wished I has just left the truck and trailer parked on the street. It was a well lighted area right in front of the motel office. It would have been just as safe as where I parked it. I just wasted 90 minutes of time and a $20 bill.
Lesson learned. Make sure to park in an easy location to leave.
Well our move was successful. We chose to stay at nicer hotels in cities with less crime. Made the days longer. I put a Club on the steering wheel, got some decent padlocks for the roll up door, auto-transport chains to the truck bumper, pulled the fuel pump relay and backed the wifes car right up against the bumper of the U-haul. Took in the valuable papers and laptops each night. Didn't sleep well at all but nothing was messed with thankfully. Thanks for all the help.
Late to this thread I see, but I'd add that they sell a lot of inexpensive motion alarms with a beeper you could have in the room with you. Might be a way to use one of those to beep you if someone is walking around the truck.
Location: East of Seattle since 1992, 615' Elevation, Zone 8b - originally from SF Bay Area
44,550 posts, read 81,103,317 times
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For only 2 days I would sleep in the truck at rest areas, rather than a motel. With a trailer you would be among the 18 wheelers and much safer as most of them are armed. Just bring a pillow and blanket or two, those seats are pretty wide. Hopefully it won't be too cold at night where you are going through.
Having done this a few times I would add staying at a nicer hotel away from the cluster of motels, fast food joints and gas stations right off the interstate helps a lot. Hilton, Sheraton, Marriott or Hyatt properties for example might cost $50-$100 more per night but worth it my opinion for more piece of mind to be located in a safer area where thieves cruising parking lots stick out like a sore thumb and can't get away quickly. Boutique chains like Aloft, Indigo and W are good options too.
OP has already made it home safely, since this was in August of last year.
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