Demystifying the Urban Stealth Legend

[One Awesome Inch]

I have about 6 spots I rotate through in large urban setting. I arrive at 6pm and leave by 9am. I do everything I would normally do and don't worry about it. Except headphones only and absolutely no light can be seen behind my bulkhead. No knocks in over 2.5 years. The key is I only park in front of apartments or light industrial places.

 

[mayble]

It's not so much about hiding the vehicle as it is about hiding the occupant.  Your rig could glow in the dark as long as it's legally parked and appears unoccupied.

 

[John61CT]

Slight exaggeration there?

From one of my favourite films

 

[user 37446]

I think you did well finding that spot. 

As far as the need to pee goes, I've had luck with eating a handful or two of lightly salted peanuts just before bed, the salt retains the water and gets me through the night. If I drink anything (water) after 6 pm and don't have anything salty to eat, I'm up between 2 and 4 am always.

 

[deadwood]

I'm a weekend warrior, but I "stealth camped" in San Diego this weekend.

Around midnight or so I drove to a neighborhood near the Ocean Beach pier. Too close to the pier was a little sketchy with drunks walking the street, etc, so I drove a few blocks away from the shore. The neighborhood I found had cars parked all along every street - the typed of neighborhood with relatively small houses, dense population... San Diego is expensive so I'm guessing it was all muli-person families or people with roommates. I drove down a few blocks until I found a nice spot on a level street. It was along the side of a house vs the front, and it was an area where you can't exactly tell which car belongs to which house. As a bonus, this spot was behind a plumber's van and in front of a big pickup. Our E-350 slid right in.

I love urban camping in San Diego. The first time I was there I camped by the beach as well. What a mistake that was. All night long I could hear drunks and skate boarders. Barely slept as all. Now my go to place is Point Loma. Beautiful neighborhood and super quiet and peaceful. Plenty of places to park on the street and blend in.

 

[GrayWhale]

Long term stealth within city limits is a myth, even if you move locations within the same city each day. Any LEO will recognize your "stealth" vehicle within 72 hours , no matter who stealthy you may think it is.

They then choose whether or not to come knock on your door. That is the reality of it. I doubt there is much you can do on that front other than keep a tidy camp and have a clean rig.

So true. Cops are trained to spot things that are peculiar. Being polite and honest to the cops, usually goes a long way. I'd be more concerned about upsetting the local resident as it is they who calls the cops and now the cops need to get some results or they'll keep getting the same calls about a strange van in their neighborhood.

 

[ChetLazar]

In the movie Men in Black Zed said "From now on you'll have no identifying marks of any kind. You'll not stand out in any way. Your entire image is crafted to leave no lasting memory with anyone you encounter. You're a rumor, recognizable only as deja vu and dismissed just as quickly. You don't exist; you were never even born. Anonymity is your name. Silence your native tongue."

 

[WalkaboutTed]

I just spent 3 nights camped on the street, right off the main square in a college town in TX. I was more concerned about the drunken kids messing with me. I wasn't encouraged when my son told me that his driver side mirror had been trashed a couple of weeks previously and some other minor vandalism (in the same exact same parking spot). I didn't have much of a choice to park but there.

My son folded my mirrors in and I hoped for the best. I was careful about light escaping at night, but was able to watch videos and read on my tablet. No problems. I did have one kid lurch into the side of the van while walking down the sidewalk. That's all.
Ted

 

[Thirsty Boots Nomad]

Disclaimer: I do have a fall back that is pretty much perfect if I need it. I work at the airport and park in the employee lot. Some cars are parked for a day and some for a few days and commuters leave their cars their for months on end and it is normal. So my van can be there any time day or night for any amount of time and no one will think twice about it. Some days if I get off work late and don't want to drive to my normal area I'll just climb in and go to bed. I could probably stay there every night of the year and no one would take notice. But I don't want to be there all the time. I have plenty of good spots in town I would rather park at but I do feel fortunate to have the work parking lot if I ever need it.

Several months ago I read an article about several airports where one of the parking lots designated for employees were defacto rv camps because large numbers of employees were living in their vehicles (all conventional rv's I'm fairly certain) there.

 

[breeze]

I just spent 3 nights camped on the street, right off the main square in a college town in TX. I was more concerned about the drunken kids messing with me. I wasn't encouraged when my son told me that his driver side mirror had been trashed a couple of weeks previously and some other minor vandalism (in the same exact same parking spot).  I  didn't have much of a choice to park but there.

My son folded my mirrors in and I hoped for the best.   I was careful about light escaping at night, but was able to watch videos and read on my tablet.  No problems.  I did have one kid lurch into the side of the van while walking down the sidewalk. That's all.
Ted

I would say the 'Gig is up' at that location unless there are epileptic kids roaming around at the school. I've never seen someone lunge into a van or car parked on the street, even at a college. That and your son's mirror don't sound random.

Of course,

"and some other minor vandalism (in the same exact same parking spot).  I  didn't have much of a choice to park but there."

does not sound "all secure." Above all else, be safe and secure with several alternatives if possible. I know it all depends on the circumstances, but it sounds like it's starting to get dangerous at that location, imo.

 

[FlowerGirl]

I think Lenny hit the nail right on the head, actually many nails on many heads

In Manhattan, you could walk down the street in red sequined boxer shorts and not much else, and no one stops you. No one particularly cares. Everyone is busy rushing around, and, as Lenny pointed out, the cops have better things to do with their time. Or so we tell ourselves.
Mostly, though, with this level of population density, you can easily do your own thing without being hectored, as long as you're conscientious about not littering, etc. What this place lacks in Nature, it more than makes up for in affording you anonymity, perfect for introverts.

As long as you obey alternate-side-of-the-street parking rules here (which are posted) so the street sweepers can get through, no one will really care what you're doing. Good to know, if you plan on passing through here to take advantage of cultural events, shopping, enjoying global cuisines, etc....

 

[SoulRaven]

The ultimate stealth is being a middle aged woman in a some boring color minivan with no visible-from-the-outside mods parked in a middle class suburb.  No bumper stickers or anything that identifies the vehicle as unique other than the license plate. Also nothing in the front seats besides books.  Favorite title to put on the top of the pile: Nonviolent Communication.

I would probably make an excellent operative.

Actually, the aux battery would probably give me away if anyone looked at the floorboard of the passenger seat... hmm... how to disguise...

 

[FALCON]

I've lived in my van for about 550 days now and have spend, I'd guess, at least 200 nights in towns and cities. I've never had any real problems. I've had the cops come knock I think 4 times. For 3 of those, I was being lazy/daring compared to what I normally did (and didn't really care if the cops came to talk to me). The other one was a bit of a surprise but was no problem and the cop told me a place to go where the police wouldn't bother me (in fact, they did that in 3 out of the 4 interactions). I've also had an old Indian lady knocking on my van for a few minutes one morning. And I had one hoodlum kid open my side door that I somehow forgot to lock while sleeping in a crappy neighborhood(!). He was even more surprised than me, and when I told him to close the door he did and ran away.

I have a white cargo van with windows that I cover with blackout curtains. It blends in fairly well, but does have solar panels and a vent fan on top.

For over 200 nights, that's quite little, and as I said, no real trouble ever. So, I guess I'm saying that urban stealth camping is not a myth or legend, and that if you have a plain cargo van or stealthier, it's really easy. There is some extra daily work of driving to different spots (if you just try to park and stay right in one spot multiple days, you're going to have trouble)

I recently wrote this blog post on how to van-dwell in cities.

Bob has already covered the basics in his book and blog posts. They are:
- Blend in
- Minimize the duration your van is parked in the spot you sleep (when you're ready for bed, drive to a spot and go to sleep immediately. Then when you wake up, move the van again immediately)
- Don't park in the few neighborhoods who's residents are most likely to call the police.

 

[Technomad]

Given this is a site about van life much of the advice about stealth parking assumes a cargo van.

But what about a box truck? I’ve scoped our some industrial areas around here and they tend to have a random assortment of box trucks parked in them.

I had figured a box truck in light industrial areas would be pretty stealthy... and assumed that some nights I’d just stay in an RV Park. But if RV parks don’t like skoolies I wonder how they will feel about me!

The truck will have no windows, a wall between cab and box (with door so should be super light tight) but will have solar panels on the roof.

I gave scoped our Lowe’s and Home Depot and they had several trucks like this in the lot in early AM. Not stealthers, just delivery people I believe.


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[John61CT]

I guess I'm saying that urban stealth camping is not a myth or legend

No one is saying it isn't happening.

The myth is that it's worth going to heroic lengths, taking extreme measures that compromise the usability and comfort of your rig

with the idea that "magic formula" will make you immune from discovery in an area that really wants to prevent us overnighting there.

The actual reality being that we are being allowed to to so in locations where they don't care

your being discreet, flying under the radar, considerate of the locals' sensibilities

and your presentation as a responsible, respectable citizen

are what helps that tolerance to continue,

as opposed to the illusion that the "perfectly stealthiness" of your vehicle itself acts as any guarantee.

In really hot areas like downtown San Francisco or affluent streets of Beverly Hills, when the chief says make sure to roust all vehicle dwellers, all it takes is a cheap thermal scope and hefty fines.

 

[GeorgiePorgie]

As far as the need to pee goes, I've had luck with eating a handful or two of lightly salted peanuts just before bed, the salt retains the water and gets me through the night. If I drink anything (water) after 6 pm and don't have anything salty to eat, I'm up between 2 and 4 am always.

Just keep a plastic gallon jug handy. For a man, the solution is easy.

 

[John61CT]

Just keep a plastic gallon jug handy. For a man, the solution is easy.

Go go girl gadgets

https://www.amazon.com/GoGirl-Female-Urination-Device-Lavender/dp/B003BEDUS6

 

[Wanderer]

Given this is a site about van life much of the advice about stealth parking assumes a cargo van.

But what about a box truck?  I’ve scoped our some industrial areas around here and they tend to have a random assortment of box trucks parked in them.

I had figured a box truck in light industrial areas would be pretty stealthy... and assumed that some nights I’d just stay in an RV Park.  But if RV parks don’t like skoolies I wonder how they will feel about me!

The truck will have no windows, a wall between cab and box (with door so should be super light tight) but will have solar panels on the roof.

I gave scoped our Lowe’s and Home Depot and they had several trucks like this in the lot in early AM.  Not stealthers, just delivery people I believe.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I'd suggest parking at local grocery stores. Unless a cop is called, the employees really don't give two poops about who is parking out in the lot.

I see box trucks quite often parked at Walmart. There's one I KNOW the owner is using the truck for sleeping in. But it's nice and clean looking. No one bothers him.

I think it's also cyclic. During the summer some are very mobile and seeing new places, so you "See" more, but you don't know if they are really delivery or stealth vehicles. Those are the pros if you can't figure out who is who.

 

[Morris deCat]

Hey,
Most cities have medical "communities", orthopedic, vision, dentist, etc. etc., meaning they are all within a stone's throw
of each other AND most have Security Guards (for Pharmacies).
Find one, locate the Security Guard, hop right out of your vehicle, swagger up to him/her and do your best John Wayne.
"Howdy partner, I've arrived in town a little early for my appointment, do you think anyone would mind if I waited for them to open
in the morning?". "Where would be the best place to park that's out of peoples way?"
"Thanks, partner, much appreciated".
You can sleep as late as you want and take your time.

 

[Kevin Carney]

I live in the perfect neighborhood for overnight vehicle sleeping. Single family homes and duplexes, fairly close together. Middle and working class families. Lots of cars parked on the street, but still space available. There are all kinds of vehicles, including my small white cargo van and an old rusty conversion van two blocks down the street that is always in the same place and I don't think ever moves. Sometimes a stranger parks in front of my house. I never think twice about it. Probably someone visiting a neighbor. People come and go at all times of the day and night. And who is walking around late at night noticing which vehicles are parked where? I'm sure not, and I don't know anyone who is. Hell, if you parked in the same spot every night, people would probably just assume you belong there. The police rarely drive through unless someone calls. I doubt a quiet darkened van would raise any suspicions if it arrived late and left early and wasn't parked immediately in front of the front porch of a single family home where the owner might think of the spot as their space.

Having said all that, I've never tried any urban camping. So, take it for what it's worth.