Motorhome key safety

fatbelly replied on 26/06/2017 07:33

Posted on 26/06/2017 07:33

Hi,

This summer for the 1st time we're doing a 3 week tour of France. We've tried to cover all eventualities to ensure we have a great time. But one concern we do have is the trouble it would cause if we were to lose our MH key leaving us stranded. We've never lost a car key etc before but it could happen.

I was thinking of hiding a spare key on the MH perhaps in the toilet cassette locker and when we go out not locking that locker. There is a small area in the cassette locker where a key could be reasonable hidden. Another idea we've had is to leave a key with our neighbour and ring them to courier it to us in the eventuality of a key loss. 

What have you done? What do you think of our toilet cassette idea?

eurortraveller replied on 26/06/2017 08:33

Posted on 26/06/2017 08:33

It sounds as though there are two of you. Perhaps your partner could carry a spare key?  And a spare credit card on a different account is sensible too. 

KeithandMargaret replied on 26/06/2017 08:37

Posted on 26/06/2017 08:37

Leaving it in the cassette locker certainly gets to the bottom of the problem you envisage if you lost your key and the likelihood of someone poking their hands and nose in that area are minimal.

Personally we both take a key when we go out and that certainly reduces the 'lost key' scenario.

JVB66 replied on 26/06/2017 09:03

Posted on 26/06/2017 09:03

We had a spare key in a magnetic key holder that was attached to the motor caravan chassis (just had to remember where)wink

Thornsett replied on 26/06/2017 09:59

Posted on 26/06/2017 09:59

I would read your insurance policy because mine contains "Loss or damage arising from theft whilst the ignition keys of your motorhome have been left in or on your motorhome or your motorhome has been left unattended with the engine running". This rules out, for me, hiding the keys in the toilet cassette locker.

We need to separate the keys from the van when the van is unoccupied. We carry a set each. When this is not possible and one person has to carry the keys, then we carry them in separate garments eg jacket and trousers so we can feel the keys next to our body. Or, in a bag/rucksack.

All in zipped up pockets. In the rucksacks, the keys can be clipped inside the zipped up pocket using a very basic spring hook  - like a Carabiner.

We check regularly that we have the keys.

Tigi replied on 26/06/2017 19:33

Posted on 26/06/2017 19:33

We carry a key each for the car - same principle, but I have mine chained to my belt, a spare set of caravan keys is hidden in the lockable floor of the boot. Many years ago I did lose the keys to the car when about 30` from home we ended up on the back of an AA recovery lorry to be taken home!  As they say "Once bitten etc"

hitchglitch replied on 26/06/2017 19:41

Posted on 26/06/2017 19:41

I can't see any difference from touring with a car. I carry the main key/alarm fob which also has the safe key. My wife carries the spare. We leave a separate set of keys for lockers, toilet cassette etc. inside the van and a spare set in the safe.

I try and get into the habit of engaging the alarm if we both leave the Motorhome for showers etc. It is probably very low risk leaving everything open but we had a bad experience with the caravan many years ago on a site on the Med. coast. We had our keys and valuables with us at the pool. The van was broken into along with several others but we had no losses. Others were not so lucky. One had a substantial amount of money stolen and another, who left his car keys in the caravan had the car stolen.

Having said that, a Motorhome is more secure than a caravan and we now have full alarm system with doors and interior detection. The key is the key!

brue replied on 26/06/2017 20:40

Posted on 26/06/2017 20:40

Our motorhome locks itself within minutes so we always try to carry a set of keys each. It would be easy to step outside with everything locked so we carry our own keys just in case.

InaD replied on 26/06/2017 20:43

Posted on 26/06/2017 20:43

We too carry a key each; being a very non-trusting and suspicious person I'd wonder whether anyone had seen us putting the spare key in the "secret place" frown.  We personally wouldn't do that, also for the reason Aspenshaw mentions, ie insurance.  We do sometimes get a bit paranoid whilst out, and check at regular intervals the keys are still there!  Talk about OCD wink, a bit like checking 3 times that you've locked the frontdoor behind you when you go on holiday!

ABM replied on 26/06/2017 22:21

Posted on 26/06/2017 22:21

Like  tigi,  I have  my  keys  and  my  wallet  firmly  attached  to  my  belt  &  trousers  with  a  quality  chain  --  should  I  lose  one  I'll  have  lost  all  three  and  the  police  will  swiftly  arrange  for  my  protection  !!

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