Urgent: MCI MC-9 Owner had 2 side windows smashed out in Mesa last night

[Gary Hatt - Publisher BCM]

Doug and Mindy Ashwood were attacked last night after leaving Quartzsite, AZ, while parked on the side of the road  in Mesa, AZ.  They are in need of two MC-9 side windows, and a toll window.  They will be heading back to Prince Edward Island starting in the next few days.  They will be in AZ for at least a week.  Their route will take them thru Dallas, then northeast into Idaho, and then northeast thru the Buffalo or Niagara Falls area.

If you have any windows or know of anyone that may have windows that will fit a MC-9, and may be located along this route please call them on their U.S. cell phone at 858-265-7219 or email them at mdashwood64@gmail.com.  But a phone call is preferred as their internet access is limited while traveling.

[RJ]

If you can help Doug & Mindy, you can also reach them thru me at 559, two six zero, 4106 California time, between 0800 - 2100.

TIA,

RJ

[buswarrior]

Ditto.

Mindy and Doug are good friends of mine, launched into the busnut craziness over the past year.

The whole of the left side driver's side window is a mass of cracks, the two stock passenger windows are damaged.

Anyone have spares kicking around?

happy coaching!
buswarrior

[Runcutter]

If they're heading north from Dallas (Iowa, not Idaho?) -- might a detour to Sam Caylor's in Rantoul, KS be in order?

Arthur

[luvrbus]

There was a huge bus salvage yard in Plano that a bunch of MCI's but I don't have contact for it I cannot find his card 

[Runcutter]

I wasn't aware of anything in the Dallas area.  Clifford, do you think this might be it? 

Carter's Wrecker & Salvage
972-517-6573
1920 Hedgecoxe Road
Plano, Texas 75025

I looked at their location on Google Earth, and I didn't see any obvious buses.  However, they might be worth a call, - if it's not them, they'd probably have a suggestion.

Darby Diesel Repair in Hutchins, just south of Dallas was scrapping a couple of MCI's when I was last there.  But, that was 2-3 years ago.  I tried to research them for the "Marilyn" thread, and I'm not sure if they are still in business.

Arthur

[lvmci]

If the mci9 and 102C3 windows and frames are the same, I  have two at B&B in the storage room, speak to Van or Gary, Tom, lvmci...

[Scott & Heather]

Anyone know the details? Why were they attacked? Were they in the bus at the time? Was it an attempted robbery? Were they parked on the side to sleep at night?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Geom]

The behavior of some people is unbelievable sometimes! Yeesh!! 
I wish them well on this fairly-crappy chapter in their bus-life.

[Runcutter]

I just called Carter's Wrecker, they don't handle buses.  Referred me to Collin County Truck Parts.  Called them.  While they used to handle coaches, they said that was years ago -- all they have now are schoolbuses.

However, something I should have thought of earlier -- there is an MCI Service Center in Dallas -- not far from Love Field in Northwest Dallas - to find it on a map.  Obviously that would be retail cost, but might be worth checking out.  I was in there for seat bolts many years ago, the facility is pretty easy to reach.

Arthur

[lostagain]

Couldn't a good glass shop cut some glass to fit?

JC

[Gary Hatt - Publisher BCM]

The only details I have based on their initial phone call is that yes they were in the bus sitting on the sofa after dark on a gravel turnout when they were first attacked. I believe they were attacked four separate times, I am guessing about maybe in 15 minute intervals.  The vandals not only broke out windows but also beat the side of their bus. I don't believe it was a robbery, they just beat the hell out of their bus.  Don't know why.  

But based on my past experience, you never always know when you may have inadvertently cut someone off, or were just going too slow up a long grade in front of an inpatient driver.  This is sometimes enuf to piss someone off and cause them to to retaliate.  Personally I get cut off now and then because I frequently drive pretty slow, but if it is me that gets cut off I think that maybe they have ADHD like me, or are just old like me and not 100% cognizant like me of what is always going on around me and didn't do it on purpose so always let it slide. It is not worth escalating something relatively minor into something that could turn dangerous.

Doug did go after them with a baseball bat or something on the last attempt and put a few dents in their car. (not a recommended tactic by the way) The police were called.  To date, no arrests that I know of.

This is just a crazy world. But the good thing about traveling in a bus, rather than other types of motorhomes, it is pretty hard to get got whilst you are inside the safety of a bus. They couldn't even break thru the glass, only spider webbed it from what I understand.

Makes you think maybe there are times you should carry a gun on board.  Doug and Mindy can't easily do that because they are from Canada and would have problems crossing the border.

[Gary Hatt - Publisher BCM]

Personally I will not have that problem with my Eagle in another month or so.  I will be installing Motion-Guard security flood light fixtures with integrated long-life arrays each equal to a 100 Watt incandescent light bulb.  I plan on installing four of these light fixtures on each side of my bus near the roof line as well as one on the front and one on the rear of my bus. 

They are motion-sensitive and with that much lighting it should light up like a parking lot all around my bus if anyone even thinks about coming close. I will also have one switch that I will be able to turn on all of these lights at the same time or each set individually on command.  I don't believe anyone would dare come any closer to my bus that is not welcome once I finish installing these lights. Check out these very popular lights at http://rvledlites.com/product-category/motion-lighting/motion-guard-products

Even though a bus is much more difficult to break into than a stick-n-staple trailer or motorhome, you may still have an incident like Doug and Mindy experienced but vandals don't like being seen in the light.

If you will be attending the SoCal Mini-Rally at the East Shore RV Park in San Dimas, California on March 4 - 6, you will be able to see what I am talking about. Remember to bring your sun glasses as these lights are very bright.

Also along with my Omniview 360 degree camera system, I plan on purchasing the DVR that goes with it such that it will record any movement outside my bus if I ever need to see what is or was going on outside my bus whether I am there or not. Check out this system here http://operationsaferoad.com/fleet-solutions/

In this day-in-age, security must be taken seriously as there are a lot of nuts out there, and I don't mean bus nuts.

[John316]

That sounds rough. Not a fun situation.

Good lesson for everyone else. I know we had some strange people, that we encountered. Good to have a plan, and know how to handle a situation.

Be safe!

[Gary Hatt - Publisher BCM]

Sorry if I mislead anyone regarding Doug and Mindy's incident.  Here is the story in Doug's own words that he just got back to me with.

We were parked for several days in this dirt park area. I didn't piss anyone off in my driving abilities. I am very aware of drivers around me as I drove a city bus for many years. As for taking a bat to someone's car, it wasn't until his fourth pass that I was out of the coach and all the damage was done including taking a heavy pipe to our side window that I tried defending my family with my bat.

These are Doug's own words and I believe him 100%.  He is an excellent driver and he even  offered to drive one of my two buses home from Quartzite so I wouldn't have to make two trips myself. Which I gladly took him up on and he did a great job. BTW, if you ever need a bus transported from one place to another, Doug and his wife Mindy are both very professional drivers and will help you move your bus or busses for a very reasonable fee.  They both have been diving buses professionally for many years.