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Where do you bathe? What do you do when you have to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night?
Gym memberships are way cheap and most gyms have showers. When I lived in my motorhome, I was a student, so I showered at the university's gym. Bathroom in the middle of the night, well, that's where things get creative. I had a toilet because I had a small motorhome (18 foot - nonfunctional shower though it was old), but I've read some pretty inventive solutions to that.
Gym memberships are way cheap and most gyms have showers. When I lived in my motorhome, I was a student, so I showered at the university's gym. Bathroom in the middle of the night, well, that's where things get creative. I had a toilet because I had a small motorhome (18 foot - nonfunctional shower though it was old), but I've read some pretty inventive solutions to that.
Yeah and a spot under the bridge too?? Seriouly, when you GO on the road in a van for whatever your reasons might be, You make your own peace and happiness and anything it takes to stay sane. The van; a Darker colored 3 quarter ton van with a ladder rack and NO windows. There's a million contractor vans on the road and cops don't give them a second look. GET a prepaid phone (no bill) GET a 12v inverter WITH a 1000amp marine battery. GET a 12v frig to keep road food cold. GET a 12v TV to keep up with news or current events. GET some GOOD camping gear. Use a battery razor (no water) TOOLS to maintain your van on the road. Minimize everything, all your papers, credentials except license and insurance and registration should be on flash drives. Use a online mail service. Air mattress and a sleeping bag and you'll sleep like a baby. NOW you're ready.
I'd park the van somewhere down by the river but why would i need to hide from cops?
and instead of a tv and a cell phone i'd just buy a laptop and park by places with free wi-fi
Last edited by iNviNciBL3; 04-28-2014 at 07:26 PM..
I'd park the van somewhere down by the river but why would i need to hide from cops?
and instead of a tv and a cell phone i'd just buy a laptop and park by places with free wi-fi
Cities and towns call people who live in vans vagrants. You are considered homeless. You will get rousted and sent on your way at the very least, ticketed, or arrested.
Cities and towns call people who live in vans vagrants. You are considered homeless. You will get rousted and sent on your way at the very least, ticketed, or arrested.
You know on every level this seems obscene to me (and I question the reality of being ticketed or arrested) If a person is homeless living in a car or van, I don't think most are usually doing this by choice.
As long as the vehicle is presentable, what harm is it doing. I could see having a hour restriction on parking places in any parking areas during business hours, so as not to monopolize needed parking spots. But after the close of business, where's the harm? (maybe parking lot cleaning?)
And unless you live in southern California or Hawaii, I see winters and summers problematic. Of course, I guess you could be a snow bird in a van, couldn't you?
You know on every level this seems obscene to me (and I question the reality of being ticketed or arrested) If a person is homeless living in a car or van, I don't think most are usually doing this by choice.
As long as the vehicle is presentable, what harm is it doing. I could see having a hour restriction on parking places in any parking areas during business hours, so as not to monopolize needed parking spots. But after the close of business, where's the harm? (maybe parking lot cleaning?)
And unless you live in southern California or Hawaii, I see winters and summers problematic. Of course, I guess you could be a snow bird in a van, couldn't you?
Where I live, there are areas where police look the other way. For a time. Then they don't. The people who live or do business in areas that "allow" that don't like it. It's bad for the neighborhood, and will chase customers away. And frankly, the people that live in homes and own business pay taxes -- homeless people don't.
That's why you in general don't see the homeless. I can remember when the construction on a freeway on ramp started, I was stunned to see the very large homeless encampment that was being taken down. There was a 1/4 acre of trees and brush and no one bothered with it.... and there they were.
We also had a "trick" van move into our neighborhood. I and several others called the cops. No one wants prostitution in their front yard. No one wants to hear the ensuing fights when the prostitute tries to "party" with someone's husband. No one wants the drug addled prostitute on their front porch begging for money so she doesn't get beaten up.
More than that, when someone is banging on the side of your house in the middle of night, and you go out with a bat to find out they really are.... I don't have the knees to chase them anymore. Although -- I haven't seen that working girl in my neighborhood again.
You know on every level this seems obscene to me (and I question the reality of being ticketed or arrested) If a person is homeless living in a car or van, I don't think most are usually doing this by choice.
As long as the vehicle is presentable, what harm is it doing. I could see having a hour restriction on parking places in any parking areas during business hours, so as not to monopolize needed parking spots. But after the close of business, where's the harm? (maybe parking lot cleaning?)
And unless you live in southern California or Hawaii, I see winters and summers problematic. Of course, I guess you could be a snow bird in a van, couldn't you?
There are people in the u.s. in every corner of every state trying to survive any way they can, and MANY of them are not as fortunate as maybe you or I. Some sleep in their cars, some in vans, and some don't even have that. They are very fortunate just to have a vehicle they own, so technically they're not homeless. Some ARE doing this by choice, just to save what little money they might have. Have you ever TALKED to one? I have.
There are people in the u.s. in every corner of every state trying to survive any way they can, and MANY of them are not as fortunate as maybe you or I. Some sleep in their cars, some in vans, and some don't even have that. They are very fortunate just to have a vehicle they own, so technically they're not homeless. Some ARE doing this by choice, just to save what little money they might have. Have you ever TALKED to one? I have.
....... They are very fortunate just to have a vehicle they own, so technically they're not homeless.......
Well, if you define a vehicle as a home, then technically they're not homeless. I do not define a vehicle as a home, so I believe that technically, they ARE homeless.
Now, someone is going to say, what about a motorhome? Well, that is an in-between thing, is it not? It is a vehicle designed to be lived in, so I would have to come down on your side in the case of a motor home.
But since when is a car or van a "home"? In the normal, everyday sense of the word, a "home" means a structure of some type, not movable except by extraordinary means.
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I can play semantic games too.
