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A single gal friend was touring the USA with 2 High School daughters. As 3 gals, they got pretty creeped out even staying in decent Motels, and chain Hotels.
They used my Hospitality Guest home directory in a few big cities on east coast, and found them so safe, accommodating, and pleasant, that they routed the remaining 3 months journey where they could find Guest Home accommodations. (~$10 - $20 / night for all three of them).
We used them for over 100 nights last yr alone, and have been using them for 25+ yrs.
Very safe, very educational, very welcoming, very helpful.
Compare the areas where you might find low cost motels to the potential areas you can park a van and stealth camp. You can stealth camp in some pretty nice areas, if you carefully select them. I work field service in the Washington DC area. In the past, I have had installations to perform on the opposite side of town where it is easier to stay in a hotel so that I can be on site early in the morning without facing the traffic. Based on what the company would allow for hotel charges, I would have had to drive another 40 miles in the opposite direction and still face traffic coming back in the morning. The alternative would be to stay in a sketchy area in an "affordable" hotel. I went home every night and got up early to return. At least I still got paid for OT travel!
As far as the OP is concerned, I would look for a used Dodge Caravan or Grand Caravan with stow-n-go seating. The rear seats can fold into the floor resulting in a very flat surface. When the seats are up, the area underneath can be used to store valuables out of sight. You can stow the seats down one side of the van to make a longer sleeping area if you are tall.
The van gets over 20 mpg typically. I like the idea, since you can still stay in a hotel occasionally and use the laundry facilities, and the pool, while the van can park at the hotel in a standard space, and nobody would ever know that it is your home 80% of the time.
I was all set to point out that a Corolla gets 30-35 MPG and that difference could offset any savings. But I was wrong. Say you travel 300 miles/day, that turns out to be only about a $15 savings. Of course travelers do not go 300 miles every day and each day you stay in the same spot adds to the savings.
Spend a few hours watching the ID channel or reading true crime novels and you'd understand the ''fear culture''. It is not fiction.
I used to car camp using a tent in my younger years, 40 years ago, but would only do so now LOCKED and concealed in a van or SUV now. Sure there was crime ''years ago'', but more creeps are mobile and inspired and educated by more widespread knowledge of how serial killers and stalkers operate. These types are actually trolling for victims alone. Better to be safe than sorry. Park in a well lit, safe-as-you-can-find place. Be alert at all times and be smart.
What are we talking about here? Camping in a tent in a campground vs in a van on a street or down by the river? Of course the campground would be safer. If it's a van vs a tent in a campground I see no difference. If it's a van vs a tent by the side of the road I'm not sure there are a lot of places where you can simply pitch a tent by the side of the road
Last edited by DaveinMtAiry; 02-16-2017 at 10:59 AM..
As a woman, I feel safer sleeping in a vehicle than in a tent. Yes, I know that it's easy to break into a vehicle, but it does take a bit more effort than getting into a tent. Plus in a vehicle I am safe from bears and other wildlife. In a tent I have to leave all of my food outside - locked up in the vehicle or in a bear proof container. I can take cookies to bed with me in a vehicle - have to have my midnight snack, you know! I am not afraid of bears, either - goodness knows I have enough of them in my neighborhood - but I know how to coexist peacefully with them.
Yes, there can be a bit of a fear factor in the USA - it really does depend on the person, though, and their individual comfort levels. Maybe it's less about crime statistics - although those can certainly play into the situation - and more about the individual.
Doesn't list my favorite options, but there are plenty of good choices on this wiki.
Thanks. That is an interesting concept. Again I wonder about the safety of letting strangers into your home but it looks like there will be several there at once so I guess that lessons the risk.
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