KevinsMap
Adventurer
My friend is among the stronger of the vulnerable; yet she is still, at the end of the day, a female living alone. Will you preach compassion to her, when her life is at risk?
Is This Van Stealthy Enough to Stealth Camp With?
- Thread starter Sagan
- Start date
My friend is among the stronger of the vulnerable; yet she is still, at the end of the day, a female living alone. Will you preach compassion to her, when her life is at risk?
fog cutter
Adventurer
i have no need to preach, just look at things from a different perspective.
KevinsMap
Adventurer
Yes, and now you can see another "perspective".
I have sought to show that hostility to "urban camping" is grounded in fundamentals of human nature, and that this firmly holds the moral high ground. Why? Because it protects the weak; an imperative for every community. For these permanent residents, "the perspective" is that visitors to a neighborhood must be invited. If the visitors feel no need for an invitation, and especially if they live in stealth, then they are a very real (if only potential) threat. They are unknown, unknowable, and accountable to no one in the neighborhood.
The human laws of hospitality cut both ways; Invitations must be sought, then honored. This is truly ancient. You cannot rationalize this away, without putting yourself in the wrong.
Perhaps you can see yourself, in the fashion of Bobbie Burns...
"O wad some Pow'r the giftie gie us
To see oursels as ithers see us!"
Forbye
Observer
I work right across the street from one of the SODO (South Of DOwntown) encampments. Make no mistake this is not a KOA. This particular group chooses this location due to it's proximity to a methadone dispensary, social service offices and scrap metal recyclers. Your vehicle will not blend in at this location and you may be targeted as easy pickins'. I am not against the bulk of urban campers, but this particular area is not one that you would be welcomed into by the locals. Aside from a few isolated pockets in Seattle, most urban campers here are just down on their luck and working hard to improve their condition, folks living off the grid or urban campers on a stopover.
The OP might consider one more option...park outside of a VW dealership, you can't blend in any better than that.
Last edited:
fog cutter
Adventurer
doesn't that get mighty uncomfortable?
Joash
Adventurer
The commercial vehicle looks super low-profile. My only concern is that criminals might break in hoping to steal tools and equipment.
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
v_man
Explorer
I lived in my car during most of grad school , an 89' honda accord , probably the most awkward vehicle to live out of . My only advice is to move often , parking in the same place on consecutive nights is asking for trouble . And be ready for the inevitable tap-tap-tap on your window with a Maglite in your eye . Getting rousted now and then is part of the deal...most of the time I was just asked to move on .
Bojak
Adventurer
In this case I think you should opt for permission than forgiveness. Approach the employer and ask if you can van dwell in the work parking lot. If there is a work apartment then they have some sort of understanding of the situation already. Approach a church and seek permission. Remind them that it will be cheap security for them. Your biggest obstacle will not being an eye sore for wherever you park. Small business owners with parking also could benefit from an extra pair of eyes around.
pyrate
Rollin' along
You might want to check areas that have van/car pool parking lots. Unmanned and normal for vehicles to be parked for various durations and to be seen as regulars. The hardest part is keeping the appearance of unoccupied. Reading lights, TV, Computer screens illuminate the inside well and can be easily seen outside unless precautions are taken.
We have a lot of people living in vehicles in our area. The biggest issue for the rest of us is don't mooch off the services we pay for that you avoiding. I've found people hooked up to my water bib and filling their tanks. Or parked next to my trash cans doing spring cleaning only to find my trash cans full (and many times with items I can be fined for putting there like paint). And once I locked my cans only to have a big trash heap left for me to clean up.
A "I support (local law enforcement)" bumper sticker can add a nice touch.
I guess the biggest thing is don't become a nuisance to anyone and you should be fine for awhile.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
We have a lot of people living in vehicles in our area. The biggest issue for the rest of us is don't mooch off the services we pay for that you avoiding. I've found people hooked up to my water bib and filling their tanks. Or parked next to my trash cans doing spring cleaning only to find my trash cans full (and many times with items I can be fined for putting there like paint). And once I locked my cans only to have a big trash heap left for me to clean up.
A "I support (local law enforcement)" bumper sticker can add a nice touch.
I guess the biggest thing is don't become a nuisance to anyone and you should be fine for awhile.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
escadventure
Adventurer
KevinsMap
Adventurer
Last edited:
brian90744
American Trekker
Just Don't park that thing in my street, we have enough homeless living the life.
I have a different perspective. I am the owner of 2 different apt complexes, as well as convenience stores etc. Parking on someone else's property is trespassing. Even if you don't think it is.
Doing this in my town will get you arrested and your van towed and impounded. Maybe that is part of the "game" to you. Not to the responsible adults in my town. I wish you the best of luck. Please stay out of PA.
fog cutter
Adventurer
jeeze. and i thought colorado was tough on them texans.
calicamper
Expedition Leader
Wow lots of haters not familiar with the current housing issue and costs in the Bay Area. Its as bad or worse than it was in 98 through 2000 when Dot bomb days were going crazy here in the Bay Area kids making 80-100K a year salary right out of college many not even college grads. I rented a 12x12 room had two other roommates "Girls" and I'm a guy, we were roommates for 4yrs! All of my co-workers were renting rooms or living in interesting temporary situations like vans, sailboats or couch surfing during the week and camping on the weekends etc.
Fast forward to 2003 my girl friend and I both of us had been scraping every cent we could saving money bought a condo along the GG park in the Richmond dist. All the Van dwellers and RV dwellers live parked along the park during the week working in the City otherwise known to outsiders as San Francisco. One of the Vandwellers was living in a very cool diesel Airstream RV he kept it clean - no clutter on it and moved it regularly etc. He is actually a very very very respected and well known Chef in SF! Many others were young kids getting savings saved up and the career going etc. About 20% of them are what I call upscale homeless those are the folks with stacks of junk piled on their vans and RV's have one or more dogs and dump trash and sewage in the gutters and more or less end up getting the crack down on sleeping in your vehicle codes created.
My approach was $700 a month everything I owned fit in a 12x12 room and I was rarely there it was more like a closet with a spot to sleep during the week. I was poor and saving every dime so weekends I found that I could race sailboats and in most cases the beer and food was covered by the sailboat owner especially if you worked into a skilled valued and needed role! Which I did! Even had a few paid trips going and crewing for owners in races like Seattle, San Diego and Florida etc. Living out of the van in SF is probably cheaper than my room rental approach but probably not by a whole lot given much of the time I had a vehicle worth almost nothing and very little costs except rent, Booze and date funds.
Today I rent my condo and own a family home just outside of SF. Our very very nice 1400sqft two bed 1 split bath with single car parking garage, back yard and deck in a great location goes for $4000 a month. The typical renter I've only had two and the second one just moved in in March this year are professional couples making typically a combined income of 250-300K a yr. My renters have been non native to CA "newbies" with very good jobs who plan on staying and buying in a few years. My prior renter bought a home near my current home. That was after renting from me for 6yrs and he was originally from Boston. My current renter is also from the East Coast but has been in SF for 10yrs and will probably rent for another 3yrs and end up buying in San Francisco as they have family there also. The area our place is in is where SF families typically migrate to after the single pre kid days closer to down town. As a result the properties are larger and the neighborhood is primarily 30yr and up professionals with kids or reaching that kid point in their life etc.
Fast forward to 2003 my girl friend and I both of us had been scraping every cent we could saving money bought a condo along the GG park in the Richmond dist. All the Van dwellers and RV dwellers live parked along the park during the week working in the City otherwise known to outsiders as San Francisco. One of the Vandwellers was living in a very cool diesel Airstream RV he kept it clean - no clutter on it and moved it regularly etc. He is actually a very very very respected and well known Chef in SF! Many others were young kids getting savings saved up and the career going etc. About 20% of them are what I call upscale homeless those are the folks with stacks of junk piled on their vans and RV's have one or more dogs and dump trash and sewage in the gutters and more or less end up getting the crack down on sleeping in your vehicle codes created.
My approach was $700 a month everything I owned fit in a 12x12 room and I was rarely there it was more like a closet with a spot to sleep during the week. I was poor and saving every dime so weekends I found that I could race sailboats and in most cases the beer and food was covered by the sailboat owner especially if you worked into a skilled valued and needed role! Which I did! Even had a few paid trips going and crewing for owners in races like Seattle, San Diego and Florida etc. Living out of the van in SF is probably cheaper than my room rental approach but probably not by a whole lot given much of the time I had a vehicle worth almost nothing and very little costs except rent, Booze and date funds.
Today I rent my condo and own a family home just outside of SF. Our very very nice 1400sqft two bed 1 split bath with single car parking garage, back yard and deck in a great location goes for $4000 a month. The typical renter I've only had two and the second one just moved in in March this year are professional couples making typically a combined income of 250-300K a yr. My renters have been non native to CA "newbies" with very good jobs who plan on staying and buying in a few years. My prior renter bought a home near my current home. That was after renting from me for 6yrs and he was originally from Boston. My current renter is also from the East Coast but has been in SF for 10yrs and will probably rent for another 3yrs and end up buying in San Francisco as they have family there also. The area our place is in is where SF families typically migrate to after the single pre kid days closer to down town. As a result the properties are larger and the neighborhood is primarily 30yr and up professionals with kids or reaching that kid point in their life etc.
Last edited: