Covering windows draws attention?

[bicyclehobo]

I am not a fulltime dweller. I have have been working from home for the past year. My boss is telling me I will be returning to work 2-3 days per week.

The tricky part is that I [font=Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif]moved outside of the city I work in...I'm a good 3 hours away.[/font]

[font=Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif]I am setting up my hatchback to be my mobile motel for the days I am back in the office. I know the city quite well and have already started to list out places I will attempt to park at.[/font]

[font=Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif]I bought the weathertek window covers for my car and was a little disappointed that the black side is shiny. I am going to add a layer of felt. I can't help but feel that a car with these all about the windows will draw more attention that a car without them. They do block out the sight effectively....but I may not need that. I only need to sleep in the car.[/font]

[font=Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif]I am considering a "hidden in plain sight" method where I do not block out the windows...instead I fill the back with garbag-y looking things that will conceal me and the bedding. I have a bunch of old laundry baskets, scrap looking cardboard, and some large plastic sheeting that my mattress was wrapped in. I only need to sleep in the car...no cooking, eating, etc.[/font]

[font=Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif]Anyone have any thoughts on this tactic? I found this video and started thinking about how I could do this in a hatch back:[/font]

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[font=Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif][size=small][font=Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif]Thanks in advance [/font][/font][/size]

 

[MrAlvinDude]

Very interesting video.  Awesome idea with the card box boxes.

I do however think that the biggest giveaway, is when he climbs into the back.  If anyone sees that, I wonder if people will have any doubt, that he is trying to sleep in the car.

Where as, if he pulls into a parking spot, and do not open the door. But just sits in the front seat for a minute. I think that will draw less attention.


So, if possible, I would arrange things, so it would be possible to enter "the box", by crawling between the two front seats.


Also, if the windows in the back, were very dark, as to be tinted very dark, it would also limit the view, for any outsider.

To the human eye, visible movement is what will draw attention. This can be avoided both by the boxes, and by some very dark tint.

Where I live, working vans (and hatchbacks) will even have mirror foil, in the back windows, if the owner wants to limit the option for bypassers to see, what ever is inside the back of the vehicle.



A clean looking vehicle (inside and outside), is less likely to cause raised eyebrows, so I wonder how well the 'chaos' approach, for the stealth cover of the inside of the car, will end up working out for you. 

The cardboard boxes, in the video, has the advantage of a fairly clean looking interior of the car.

 

[bullfrog]

With slightly tinted windows I used Reflex insulation and covered one side with black Gorilla tape to make a durable window covering that just looked like dark tint. With rain deflectors on the windows you can slightly open the windows and by installing a small fan to draw in outside air from the floor area exhaust the hot air out the windows. I removed the passenger seat and made a flat platform. I would arrange things to where I could pull into my sleeping location after dark and finish covering the windshield quickly and go to sleep without getting out of the car or having much time with the interior lit up. There is no thing such as stealth. Park legally and you don't have to worry about the knock or answer if someone does, tell them to go away or just wait till they leave and drive to another location. The big secret to going unnoticed is to arrive when no one is around and leave before anyone comes. Let security or law enforcement know, ask permission, or ask for locations you can. I would think if you work somewhere they would allow you to park there as good employees are hard to come by, I've had them not only give me permission to park but leave break rooms and bathrooms open for me as well as supply grid power.

 

[maki2]

If the sleep in the car concept does not work out look on craigslist in the shared rentals or the couchsurfers website. It might not cost much to rent a sleeping space for 3 nights a week. You might also be able to find a private driveway spot that way. Possibly even find a couch or driveway to rent from a fellow employee. Could even be a labor for sleeping space trade for doing something such as lawn mowing or other chores. Keep an open mind and solutions and oppportunities will come your way.

 

[PeterPiper]

My windows in my caravan are tinted to 15% so you'd have to get right up on the glass and cup your hands to tell there is anything behind the glass. Darker than that and I'm not sure you could tell even doing that.

 

[bicyclehobo]

Thanks for the feedback everyone

I will take this all into account.

 

[MrNoodly]

Perhaps not draw attention, but more like confirm suspicion. The suspicion would be triggered by something else, like not blending well with other cars in the area, not having seen the car around before, no one ever parking there overnight before, other suspicious activity in the area, and so on.

 

[user 37446]

"There is no thing such as stealth..."
Have to disagree there however it's how you are camping out and in what that makes the difference as responders have noted.
I PT in the suburbs of or the downtown parts of a larger city and stay over night or sleep during the day depending on the need for work.

My window blocks are mostly dollar store flat black poster board ($1 ea) box taped together if needed. The other 2 are the original flat black painted cardboard I used since I had scrap boxes available.

I keep the front seats reasonably tidy with no excessive items or obvious "camping out" things visible. Plastic bags hide lots of items on the passenger floor.
I don't use reflectix (the shiny side anyway) as it is a giveaway.

If going to sleep at night, try to go into your pre-planned area late and leave early. Rotate your spots so as to not be in the same place two nights in a row, and have 5-7 places that you feel "good" about to use. Completely avoid neighborhoods or any place signed (so you need to pre-check areas during daylight hours first).

Never park far away from other cars (if at a box store with overnight stockers for example),and don't park in an obviously "hidey" spot, just make it look like you belong there as opposed to not belonging.

Once you are "in for the day/night", don't exit for any reason and don't show light or make noise. Unfortunately my vehicle turns it's parking lights all on when I lock or unlock and there's no way to disable that without pulling the fuze, which would be very inconvenient. You should be able to disable the overhead dome light, if so equipped.

As others have said, a clean, not full of visible crap vehicle will usually be left alone.

I have been spotlighted just once by a curious police or security person at 1:20 am as I made the mistake of parking by a box truck in a dark office complex p. lot instead of next door at the brightly lit up large hotel. Lesson learned (avoid the dark spots). I then gave him 10 minutes and left that area.

 

[desert_sailing]

Depending on cost... I think the perforated vinyl is fantastic for blocking outside looking in situations.

Even getting up close it's near impossible to see much. Put the black felt behind it and your going to have plenty of privacy but YOU can still see out perfectly.

It's definitely on my list.

 

[crofter]

With slightly tinted windows I used Reflex insulation and covered one side with black Gorilla tape to make a durable window covering that just looked like dark tint. With rain deflectors on the windows you can slightly open the windows and by installing a small fan to draw in outside air from the floor area....

@bullfrog
Exactly where are you getting fresh air near the floor? Did you install a vent or was there already one there?

I like the idea of the perf vinyl to beat the heat, & as a way to make a white van blend in more with commercial vans. The solar on the roof rack does eliminate stealth though, while also providing shade.
-crofter

 

[bullfrog]

I installed vents but many vehicles like the one in the video have them as part of their hidden flow through ventilation systems.

 

[crofter]

Duh. I forgot that the Promaster has openings at floor level near the tail lights. I'm using one as an electrical port, could be moving air through the other one. 
-crofter

 

[bicyclehobo]

For vents I grabbed a set of these for the rear windows. They are pricy and not made for every type of car - https://www.visualautowerks.com

They might also draw some unwanted attention

 

[bullfrog]

With some rain deflectors to hide them that might work well!

 

[bicyclehobo]

With some rain deflectors to hide them that might work well!

That's a good idea bullfrog...thanks!