Sunday, April 10, 2011

TRAPPED IN OUR RV

First, we were trapped in the rest area. However,that was a great trap because we got to relax. Now we are trapped in our RV. Not such a relaxing time.

DSCN0560 Jim went to take the girls out last night before we went to bed, and the door wouldn’t open. Nothing worked to get it to budge. He took off the inside plate of the locking mechanisms and tried everything. Still no good.

 

He then climbs out the bedroom window to see if he can have any luck from the outside. I know we’re supposed to practice escaping through this window but I figured we’d be practicing during day light hours, not at midnight.

He pounded and pushed and unscrewed, and screwed, and levered and banged until I was sure the neighbors were going to start complaining. Scooter was hysterical. She just totally freaked out from all the noise and that thing moving on the door. I was trying to help Jim from the inside but I finally had to take Scooter in the bedroom and try to calm her down. She was a mess.

DSCN0565 Jim finally gave up and crawled back in the window. We got some sleep but were back up at 6:30 this morning to try again. We pulled the jacks up to see if that would be enough to dislodge the door, but that didn’t work either.

Back out the window he goes. At least now he can see where he’s putting his feet. I hand him the dogs through the window so they can do their morning rituals. He works on the door, again with no luck.

We finally called Coach Net. They were really nice and the woman I talked to said this was the second time she had somebody trapped in their RV. They are sending out a locksmith who hopefully can get us out of here. Not sure if we’re going to make it to Death Valley today or not.

DSCN0561 The locksmith finally showed up. He had to climb in our bedroom window so he could work on the lock from the inside. Between the two of them,the guys finally got the door open in about 15 minutes.

 

DSCN0567 See these three pieces? They are supposed to be one piece. I’m sure a lot of you out there will know how this all works and so does Jim.  All I know is this is the piece of metal that caused us to be trapped in our RV.

We can close our door and keep it shut with the dead bolt. When we return to civilization we’ll have the lock replaced on the door and get Jim a new screwdriver. The screwdriver broke while trying to pry the door open. I also didn’t get a picture of Jim climbing in or out of the window. He really wasn’t in the mood.

We aren’t going to make it to Death Valley today. We’ll head that way first thing in the morning.

21 comments:

  1. I got locked out of my Class C when mine broke...fortunately I had a driver (and passenger) side door to use.

    Glad you got it fixed...I really wish you had photos of the dogs going in and our the window! ;-)

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  2. locked out or in..not a good thing!.hope you get it all fixed soon!..don't think climbing in and out of the window is exactly what I would want to do!

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  3. What a hoot! I think I could get out my bedroom window, but forget about getting back in! :) I'd probably break something on me on the exit. I would have loved to see pics of Jim maneuvering in and out...

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  4. Thanks for the reminder, those things are good for about 5 years and it's been just about 5 years since I got locked in. Now wait until the one in the bathroom breaks and locks you out, that happen about 2 years ago.

    They make them out of cheap white metal and that's why they break.

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  5. I have always had problems with RV door locks, both the 5th wheel and now the truck camper. I can't believe it is impossible to come up with an effective lock design that would work properly. Glad you got it taken care of, but what a shame to have to try the window for the first time late at night.

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  6. Oh, no! I tried not to laugh but the picture I had in my mind of poor Jim climbing out the window in the dark was too much!

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  7. I know it isn't funny...but I just can't help myself.

    Glad it turned out OK - sure wish you had a photo of Jim in the window.

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  8. First, we are so happy that everything is working properly and you can enjoy the outdoors again, especially for the little one.

    BUT, I know this sounds terrible but you did a hysterical job of telling the story. I couldn't stop laughing at how you described Scooter. I could picture everything.

    Great post.

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  9. We had a short incidence of being locked in about a month ago but it only lasted for maybe 30 seconds & then the door finally opened. We still have no idea what happened. That squeezing through the bedroom window sounds like it could be something very hazardous to one's health!!

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  10. Thank goodness we have windows we can crawl out of! I'm glad it's fixed and now you're on your way with problems behind and not ahead!

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  11. Wow, that is some story. I kept thinking about what would happen in case of a fire. Apart from that, it was funny reading about Jim going in and out of the window!

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  12. Good grief Guys, I don't think I could bale out of my bedroom window without breaking something. Your experience did encourage me to take a look at my locks. That and all my tools are in the storage area. All I would be able to do is open the window and scream like a little girl.

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  13. Well I am such a newbie that this has never even occurred to me!! I literally learn something every day. I plan to buy a Class C so - as FroggiDonna said - I will have a couple more doors that will hopefully work!

    I am sure the doggies were thinking "WHAT???!!!" as they were being passed through the window! And then you let some STRANGER comes and crawl through the window into their home and make lots of noise!! Poor babies...

    Glad everything worked out well. Thanks for posting this!

    Kerri in AL :-)

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  14. WE apologize - it is a stressful story for you, but hilarious for us first thing this morning. We have all been in situations like that, not funny at the time, but much much later it is. Ask our kids about the time we packed up at 4 am and flung a hitch piece in the forest, in the dark, in a thunderstorm. You might have to do a few 'staged ' pictures...anyway, glad things got fixed! Don says, glad your emergency exits procedures have been practiced.

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  15. I'm sorry but hahahahahah! I know that it probably wasn't funny at the time but I bet someday you will laugh at it.

    Love ya! Honest.

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  16. I sure hope I'm on the inside if ours ever breaks! I've already proved I can live for days without going outside but I couldn't survive long out there. And I would NEVER succeed in getting IN the window.

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  17. I applaud you for being able to keep your cool enough to even think of taking pictures for the blog during that whole ordeal! I would have been so uptight about getting it fixed that taking the pic's never would have even crossed my mind!

    I stand in awe of your level-headed coolness!!

    Noah

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  18. Aren't RVs fun!?! I found myself trying to imagine getting Sage in and out of the window. At 55 lbs I'm afraid it wouldn't be pretty! Plus she's a big chicken! lol We'd have to put up her food and water because every time anything hits her stomach she has to go outside. Guess that's what happens when we get older!

    Seriously, glad all worked out. Do wish for pics of Jim going in and out!

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  19. oh, my heavens, have had that happen and both times the lock got inadvertently put on, don't know who did that! Glad it wasn't as bad as yours. The climbing in or out the window picture would have been good tho!! :)

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  20. OK, So first thing I thought while I was reading this was why didn't you use either of the two front doors ??? It never occurred to me that Class A's don't have a driver and passenger door ??

    The second thing was - "I thought those kinda things only happened to me !! " LOL

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  21. Oh my goodness...what a story! Like everyone else, I'm sure it wasn't funny at the time, but the story certainly is. Glad you weren't trapped in it in the middle of Death Valley.

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