Date: Wed, 23 Aug 2000 11:43:13 -0700
Reply-To: "MOST,DAVID" <most@ucla.edu>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: "MOST,DAVID" <most@ucla.edu>
Subject: Re: urban camping in sf
In-Reply-To: <20000823170744.19399.qmail@web9004.mail.yahoo.com>
Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=X-UNKNOWN
It's possible that someone was watchin me as i closed the curtains and
left the vanagon parked for the evening. In any case, the general rule in
cities is to have all the curtains open and nothing visible of interest to
a thief. A thief might infer that if the curtains are drawn, then either
someone is sleeping or there's something to hide. If a thief isn't scared
away by someone waking up, then he might was well try to break in to see
what's hiding behind the curtains.
I later learned that the place I parked (semi-commercial) wasn't such a
good place to be overnight. It's actually a pretty nice neighborhood, but
apparently there's a fair amount of drug related crime in the vicinity.
In cities, I've had great luck in residential areas where there are at
least a few other vehicles parked on the street.
David
On Wed, 23 Aug 2000, steve guzzi wrote:
> You got stuff stolen when you had the curtains up? I
> would have thought that would deter thieves. The
> curtains are sort of a mixed blessing in urban
> situations. First they give you privacy, which is so
> essential, I cant sleep if I think somebody can just
> walk up and start staring in at me. But then, they
> sort of alert people to the occupancy of the vehicle,
> most notably the police, who seem to love waking
> vehicle dwellers at 4am to tell them to move along.
> ive never had this happen to me, but i have friends
> who have and supposedly it gives you quite a start to
> hear that forceful knock on the window in the dead of
> night.
> -steve
>
> --- "MOST,DAVID" <most@ucla.edu> wrote:
> > I spent 4 months during the summer of '97 living in
> > my vanagon in SF. I
> > always slept in the bottom bed, and I never had any
> > problems at night.
> > The only problem I did have was one night when I
> > wasn't in the van and
> > stupidly had the curtains up. I had only been in SF
> > for a bout 1 week,
> > and I was still figuring out where to stay.
> > Unfortunately, my window was
> > smashed and most of my stuff was stolen. Insurance
> > took care of most of
> > it though, and it made my travels lighter.
> >
> > I parked on regular residential streets in a variety
> > of neighborhoods such
> > as the Marina and the eastern most part of the
> > Richmond. i found a nice
> > little cul-de-sac just north of the Presidio where I
> > could get a quite
> > night's sleep on most nights. you just have to pay
> > attention to the
> > parking signs for street cleaning. Other
> > neighborhoods would have been
> > fine as well, but I started playing tennis every day
> > in the Marina in the
> > morning, so it was nice to wake up near there. Ah,
> > the good ol' days...
> >
> > David
> >
> >
> > On Tue, 22 Aug 2000, steve guzzi wrote:
> >
> > > hello all,
> > > what are the sweet urban camping spots in sf?
> > > so far mainly i see westies, etc, near ocean
> > beach.
> > > any other fun/tolerant neighborhoods?
> > > -steve
> > >
> > > __________________________________________________
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>
>
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