Date: Wed, 20 Aug 2003 19:25:26 -0500
Reply-To: Blake Thornton <blake@MATH.WUSTL.EDU>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Blake Thornton <blake@MATH.WUSTL.EDU>
Subject: Urban camping -- what it is not
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Now, I know that many people on this list have lived in their vans for
prolonged periods of time. In addition, many of these people have lived
in their vans as their *ONLY* place of residence.
With this in mind, let me tell you what I think is *not* true urban van
living:
- being on vacation and staying a few days in the city or walmart. This
is still *vacation*
- Sleeping in your van in your driveway from time to time. Your house is
right there and you are on private property -- no threat of being caught
and you have a shower/bathroom right there.
- Sleeping in your van 10-15 minutes away from home. Fairly similar to
the above reason.
If your van is your only residence and you have a "real" job, you have
my respect. If your van is your only residence and you are a river guide
or a park ranger or something similar, then this isn't the same. If you
have to wake up in the morning, find a place to shower, put on somewhat
nice clothes, get to work and pretend to your fellow workers that you had
a nice sleep in your bed, then you have earned my respect.
As far as getting caught. I lived in my van as my sole residence from
march - december 97. I slept in the parking lot at the university. I had
police wake me up 4-5 times. Until the last time, it was a male officer
who woke me up and told me that he was concerned that someone was dead in
the van. He told me to go back to sleep and even told me that he would
watch out for me. Very nice. The last time I got woken up, it was a
female cop who told me to leave or she woud arrest me. I left and didn't
go back to the university parking lot. In any case, I got the feeling
that the cops wouldn't do anything to you if they found you. Since this
time, I have found ways to not get caught. I wasn't as smart as I should
have been back in 97.
But, remember: sleeping in your van in an urban setting while vacationing
is nothing at all like living full time in your van in urban settings.
Blake
84 Westy
St Louis