Last Updated on July 5, 2023
There can be some challenges to solo RVing that keep many people from trying it. When it comes to solo RVing, the general consensus is that there are 3 major reasons that single people are hesitant to try it. Safety, being overwhelmed, and loneliness is the top reasons cited when asked why single people have not hit the road alone.
Safety
Safety is a concern for anyone traveling alone, whether it is in an RV or to a different country. What you see on the news doesn’t help. The fear of break-ins and thefts are sensationalized by news coverage and it seems they are more frequent than they actually are. There is no news coverage of the thousands of RVers who safely travel the road alone all the time. Realizing and accepting that these isolated incidents are not the norm is the first step to overcoming the fear of solo RVing in terms of safety.
Solo RVing comes with unique challenges that can keep singles, and those with a spouse who isn’t fond of traveling, from hitting the road. Over the years, I’ve talked to many would-be solo RVers and have identified three major points of resistance. One concern is how safe it is to travel alone. Another concern is being overwhelmed at the thought of having to handle all of the tasks of RVing without a partner to help. And the third concern is worrying that traveling solo will be a lonely experience.
There are a few standard rules of safety you can follow to increase your safety as you travel solo:
- Lock your doors at night and stay aware of your surroundings. If you don’t feel safe, just leave.
- Keep family and friends up-to-date on your travel route.
- Try and avoid staying in places where you’re the only RV in the vicinity.
- If you’re staying overnight in a parking lot or rest stop, park under a light and within view of a security camera.
- Camp in areas with a good phone signal.
- When you leave your RV, close the blinds and secure anything valuable left outside. Have a camera set up or stickers that say you have them.
- One final tip for solo female RVers is to use decoys. Set out two chairs to give the illusion there are at least two travelers. This is not always necessary but many solo women travelers have used this trick to enhance their feeling of safety.
Feeling Overwhelmed
Feeling OverwhelmedMaintenance, meal planning, route plotting, and every other aspect of travel can make RVing solo overwhelming. The good news is that there are ways to make it all more manageable so you can focus on enjoying the experience. Before you head out, learn the basics about how your RV works so that you don’t feel completely lost on your first trip. Remember too that just because you’re traveling alone doesn’t mean you have to face all the challenges without help. Make friends with more knowledgeable RVers and seek advice from them.
It is also important to remember that it is okay to be scared, particularly if you decide to go full-time. It’s a perfectly natural reaction to the upheaval that comes with a big purchase and going outside our comfort zone. Here are some ways to make the fear more manageable:
Break big tasks down into smaller ones.
Practice the things that make you most nervous, such as dumping tanks.
Enjoy the process and instead of dwelling on what needs to get done and what you don’t know, celebrate the small victories.
Loneliness
LonelinessNothing could be further from the truth than solo RVing being lonely. RVing can actually be as social as you want it to be. Join RV groups that you can follow on social media. You can learn where people will be as well as events. It is also a way to keep in touch with those you meet at campsites so you can keep friendships going between visits.
If you RV seasonally or full-time, taking on a work-camping job or volunteer position is a great way to make friends and stay socially active while RVing. In work camping, you’ll have other RVing coworkers to bond with and give you a sense of community, even though you are traveling alone.
Solo RVing is not as challenging as it might first appear, and there are solutions to help you deal with problems of safety, being overwhelmed, and loneliness. As the top reasons why people are hesitant to hit the road alone, there are ways to overcome them so that you can enjoy a rewarding and pleasurable RV adventure.
Last update on 2023-09-28 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
