While we encourage differing opinions here, please do not give advice that takes a cavalier attitude towards safety.

I am no expert on bears, but I can assure you, a bear is not a "big raccoon." Bears are very large, very strong and potentially very dangerous animals that are smarter than you think and should be treated as such. Anyone who thinks otherwise is asking for trouble.

A bear can and will rip a door off a car to get at a meal-there was one on display in Yosemite last time I was down in the Valley with the doors torn off by a bear. When is the last time you saw a Toyta dismantled by a raccoon? My guess is never.