Ever been caught/harassed?

[yamsack]

Hi all,<br>Has anyone ever been caught or harassed by police or anyone else while attempting to stealth park in the city?&nbsp; If so, what were the consequences?&nbsp; Were you asked to just move/relocate or were you ticketed, vehicle impounded, etc.?<br><br>I plan on stealth parking in my local neighborhood and just parking along regular side streets near residential areas.&nbsp; Thanks for your responses.<br><br>

 

[Butternut]

<font size="3"><font face="Georgia">I'm usually just told to move along. Most of the time the cops try to make the whole this as unpleasant as possible just to deter you from doing it again. I think they've figured out that ticketing someone living in their car, in most cases, is not is not very productive. It can still happen, though!&nbsp; </font></font><br>

 

[Tara]

90% of the time they check your license and tell you to leave. Once they detained me and a female officer came along and wanted to take me to a shelter. Another time campus cops in PA told me my vehicle was illegal to operate in their state. I just kept being really confrontational until they gave up and left me alone.

Most of the time it's more like the time my friends neighbors called the cops cause there was a creepy van with broken out windows. The cop got there and was like, oh, you don't have broken out windows. Are you visiting someone? Okay, well sorry to disturb you. Or another time I got plowed in while I was sleeping at a rest area but didn't know it. These cops woke me up pounding on my window all like omg are you okay? I asked them to leave me alone and wouldn't talk to them... and wow I felt stupid when they left and I saw I was stuck.

The main thing is to know your rights - if you don't know em you don't have em.

 

[Guest]

I have only had one police officer ever knock on my door and he just wanted to see my face to get a quick ID....in a truck stop in Texas....never before or after and I have been on and off the road for many years....<br><br>I think some folks could&nbsp; make some better choices as where, when and how to park for the night.<br><br>If you want to check out a guy who is very, very good at this stuff, check out Tioga and George's blog....<br><br>http://vagabonders-supreme.net/<br><br>He very nearly never gets harassed in his very non-stealth rig. Frankly I think the more stealth you try to be, the more obvious you become....just my experience. <br><br>The last thing you want to do is make a cop suspicious. The second to last thing you want to do is think they are stupid...<br>Bri<br><br>

 

[user 423]

I had a 'circuit' that I used of about 4 locations around town that I rotated in and out of. One was a small parking lot next to a neighborhood park that I had used many times over several months. I was fine until one night a cop checked me out and told me I needed to leave...even though I pointed out there was nothing posted about overnight stays (you're just asking for more trouble if you pitch too much of a beef) and then I left for Walmart.&nbsp; Then I figured out why I had been hassled. The morning before, I had noticed an empty 1lb. propane bottle on the ground next to a trash can and thought to myself, "dang scavengers". Evidently someone had rummaged through the trash looking for aluminum cans and had tossed out the LP bottle and I hadn't felt like cleaning up their mess. Well, I should have picked it up because I'm pretty sure the neighbors had reported someone in a camper van was trashing the place with empty LP bottles. Lesson learned.<br><br>Another time I was dozing at about 10pm at a park that had posted "Park Closes at 11pm".&nbsp; A young, probably rookie cop knocked on the side door and said to me, " I just wanted to know what was going on".&nbsp; I asked him if he always automatically thought that "something was going on" and was that the probable cause?&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; He quickly peeked inside and then sheepishly told me he didn't need to see my ID,etc.and apologized for waking me.<br><br>

 

[Butternut]

90% of the time they check your license and tell you to leave. Once they detained me and a female officer came along and wanted to take me to a shelter. Another time campus cops in PA told me my vehicle was illegal to operate in their state. I just kept being really confrontational until they gave up and left me alone. <br>

<br><br><font size="3"><font face="Courier">Yup, as soon as they see I'm a woman they start pushing the shelter option. I have to explain that I'm here by choice, not because I've no where else to go. Because I live in one area I've found that being confrontational just makes them think up reasons to harass me. If I'm nice (which only happens if they're nice) they tend to leave with a "just checking to make sure you're ok".&nbsp; </font></font><br>

 

[4x4tour]

Slowday, <br><br>Some FYI for you.&nbsp; "Dozing" (sleeping) in a park (one hour prior to closing or not)&nbsp; IS more than enough probable cause for contact.&nbsp; Parks nationwide are known to be havens for criminal activity,&nbsp; which is why they are proactively patrolled.&nbsp; There is mucho case law on justifiable contacts in park settings. <br><br>"Dozing" is a by-product of drug and alcohol use,&nbsp; so an officer is in his.her right to contact you to determine, (1) if you're dead, or (2) you're under the influence of a controlled substance in public etc...<br><br>If that officer DID NOT contact you (when he saw you sleeping), and you were later found dead, he'd be jobless.&nbsp; It's all about liability when it comes to public agencies. <br><br>My advice is to be as NICE AS POSSIBLE.&nbsp;&nbsp; Sarcasm has no place during a police contact, IF YOU want it go well... IME (in my experience)... lol <br>

 

[user 423]

<font face="Times New Roman" size="3"></font>

<font face="Times New Roman" size="3">If an officer REASONABLY THINKS that someone may be overdosing, dead, injured, etc... they can invoke<b> exigent circumstances</b> to permit contact, AND entry. </font>

<br><br>Since I have had no priors or warrants whatsoever, a fully insured and legal vehicle,etc. my infrequent encounters with LEOs have never been a problem (unlike 30 years ago when I may occasionally have been 'carrying'). I'm always polite and the cops have been also, in my experience. It's just that your cited example really means that LEOs almost always would have a 'reasonable' excuse to check you out.&nbsp; Sure, it does happen that people expire, are found drunk,etc. in a parked vehicle but most of the time that would not be the case with a camper van. The police should know that people live in them, either long-term or just for the weekend, or when visiting for a football game,etc.and I just think they should not necessarily assume that criminal activity is taking place in them.<br>

 

[yamsack]

@ 4x4tour&nbsp; After reading these responses, it seems that most vandwellers have had instances of being spotted by law enforcement for sleeping in their vehicles.<br><br>I think you're the best person to ask since you were a former police officer.&nbsp; Again, I don't plan on parking anywhere near parks, beaches, or live in a highly visible vehicle like an RV.&nbsp; I plan on parking near apartment complexes, in which most folks would just think that the van belongs to someone living in one of the apartments.<br><br>Is this a good plan or do you have any better suggestions regarding how to avoid being rousted by the police?&nbsp; Thanks for your thoughts.<br><br>

 

[4x4tour]

<span id="post_message_1269826590"> I plan on parking near apartment complexes, in which most folks would just think that the van belongs to someone living in one of the apartments. Is this a good plan or do you have any better suggestions regarding how to avoid being rousted by the police?</span>

<br><br>I wouldn't.&nbsp; Renters are <b>especially aware</b> of their surroundings, especially when their cars are parked outside, and not in a garage.&nbsp; You'll wonder, "man, did someone see me pull in and not get out?", "are they wondering why I'm mulling around my vehicle?" etc.<br><br>But, you could always make contact with the apartment manager and "mow lawns for parking" or something similar.&nbsp; People love to haggle... .<br><br>Yours is a tough question...&nbsp; You came to the right site, though.&nbsp; Plenty of experts here.&nbsp; Personally,&nbsp; I like BLM/NFS type nesting.&nbsp; My rig stands out like sore thumb... <br><br>

 

[user 423]

Apartment complexes would be chancey but in a large complex you would probably be OK, short-term. &nbsp; If you are observed at all, that could lead to complaints. With all the child abductions these days, some folks are understandably very nervous.<br><br><br>

 

[Guest]

I honestly think it is all up to you as to whether or not you get hassled.<br><br>In many ways you create your own reality and with a good attitude, with good "situational awareness", and becoming&nbsp; aware, which are all things you can practice and become better at or change, you will be fine. <br><br>AJ has a lot of experience and good clues as to what you need to be aware of and how to use your own awareness to your own&nbsp; advantage. <br><br>When my wife was a State Trooper dispatcher in Alaska, she told me there were something like 140 things the troopers could stop you for. It was almost sure that you either had one of those things wrong with your rig or that you do one of those things while driving so if they are suspicious of you, they WILL stop you within their job requirements. I have no reason to believe that there aren't plenty of things that they can quite legally knock on your door for, in spite of&nbsp; anyone's buttons getting pushed....<img src="https://vanlivingforum.com/images/boards/smilies/wink.gif" align="absmiddle" border="0"> <br>Bri<br> <br> <br><br><br><br>

 

[4x4tour]

Bri, <br><br>

I honestly think it is all up to you as to whether or not you get hassled.  In  many ways you create your own reality and with a good attitude, with  good "situational awareness", and becoming  aware, which are all things  you can practice and become better at or change, you will be fine.

<br><br><br><br>Amen, brother.... Thanks for the "fill"...lol <br><br>

 

[Guest]

It's all good AJ......<br>Bri<br><br>

 

[Stillwater]

[Broken links and deleted references removed from the beginning of this post by Moderator]</div><div><br></div><div>Have I ever been caught/harassed? Um, sure. Usually whenever I was skirting the fringe of common sense and legality to start with though. You know, kinda deserved it? My personal background, though I have been a bit forthcoming on my welcome thread, is really no one else's business but suffice it to say that I am *not* a current or past member of law enforcement. I do have a number of friends and family members who are in law enforcement - both federal and local.</div><div><br></div><div>Are there idiots in law enforcement? Sure. Is there a quantifiable percentage of folks in the overall population who fall into that same label? Of course.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>Virtually all of us are, at some point in our life, in some position of "power" or authority when dealing with others. Most folks handle it with grace. Some folks not so much. The true fiber and character of an individual is *not* shown when they're in a comfort zone. How one behaves when they're down-and-out AND how they behave when they have great power - that often reveals the true nature of ones integrity. Most of us handle it pretty well. Others become petty, exclusionary, bitter, cynical, hostile and even a bit sadistic.</div><div><br></div><div>These ugly people are thankfully the minority but are hardly solely isolated to the employ of law enforcement. They're in the military, communes, hospitals, municipal governments and - heaven help us - online forums.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>Simple fact - some folks are just not good people.</div><div><br></div><div><b>Again, some folks are just not good people and don't play well with others, no matter their walk of life or where you encounter them. To stereotype them all with the same broad brush is juvenile and inappropriate.</b></div><div><b><br></b></div><div>[Reference to deleted post removed by Moderator]</div><div><br></div><div>Two points from this thread that I will address:</div><div><br></div><div>1) Have I ever been harassed? Sure... by <span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">criminals</span> (often,) cops (rarely,) the uber-religious (less so now that I no longer live in the South,) the myopically opinionated (whatever,) those unwilling to help themselves who want to freeload off of others (nauseating,) and <span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 0);">my children</span> (yes, you <i>have</i>&nbsp;to take a shower tonight.) The one highlighted in <span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">red</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">&nbsp;is why I chose to get the training (and continue to do so) and permits to carry a firearm, among other preparation. The entry highlighted in </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 0);">gold</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">&nbsp;is why I am very serious about it. This segues to the next point...</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><br></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">2) Firearms. They're an inanimate object. Fear of inanimate objects isn't terribly rational and more often emotional. Just like a knife, a car, a book or a ottoman. <i>Actually, maybe the ottoman is justified. I just bumped my toe on one.</i>&nbsp;They are a tool, like any other, to be used by responsible people. If you are frightened to shoot a gun, drive a car, ride a motorcycle, run that kayak over the twenty foot falls in 25F water, change a dirty diaper, or fry bacon naked... then don't. It's okay. While there is a chance your life may depend on it at some point, there is a just as healthy chance that you'll survive without bacon on your BLT. Worry about drunks/drug addicts/mentally incompetents/criminals doing any of the above... they're not terribly safe and, if natural selection does her thing, hopefully they won't get to reproduce and set the gene pool off kilter.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><br></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">However, with responsible folks who "carry," you won't see a firearm at all and, if the person does "open carry," then it shouldn't be leaving the holster. More importantly, they're not used as tools of force by non-criminals to settle matters of opinion or heated debates.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><br></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">As I hobo my butt out of the house tonight and am approached by a stranger, he has two methods of inducing me to perform his will: by employing sound reason and logic --or-- by force &amp; violence. Being in a position to negate their ability to use force and violence, I create an environment of peace in this interaction as the only tools not negated from their arsenal are reason and logic.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><br></span></div><div>Some of the earliest examples of gun control in the US were aimed at keeping freed ex-slaves unarmed and unable to deal with the lynch mobs and Klan.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>Don't worry about legal guns in the hands &amp; holsters of those who have passed a FBI background check and been trained in their lawful usage. Worry about criminals and those who would induce you by force and violence. By their very nature, they are ignoring the laws.</div><div><br></div><div>I've difficulty defining myself as conservative or liberal; I associate strongly with some of each of their values. Though I grew up in Florida, I lived many years in East Tennessee / Western NC. I suppose I associate myself more with a culture of people I grew to know there. They were an undefinable mix of hippie and hillbilly. Hippybilly? They were extremely self-sufficient. They were *always* willing to help those who <b>can't</b>&nbsp;but unwilling to help those who <b>won't.</b>&nbsp;They worked hard and were loyal to friends and family. They asked for nothing from others but expected no one to tell them how to live their own lives. They were respectful when respected. They were wildly defensive when someone met them with force and violence. They are particularly disdainful of the <b><i>thought police,</i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">&nbsp;whether that came in the form of the government, organized religion or popular opinion.&nbsp;</span></b></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><br></span></b></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">Finally, law enforcement. They deal, by and large, with criminals. The worst of the ugly people. The men and women of law enforcement are the reason so many can take the gamble to <i>not be prepared to deal with a negative interaction with a violent criminal</i>&nbsp;and the roll of the dice work out for them. The police are there to deal with those folks and discourage their bad behavior due to their presence and/or apprehend them into custody. At some point you may be "interviewed" by a policeman because you're in an environment that <i>appears that it could be criminal.</i></span></b></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><br></span></b></div><div>It's getting late and this is wandering...

[Reference to deleted post removed by Moderator]</div><div><br></div><div><br></div>

 

[BackToBasics]

Very insightful stuff going on here, makes me feel better about my experiences on test runs, and I'm beginning to boil it down to bad luck, and the jurisdictions I was in when I was harassed. One of the best tactics I've found is to change my appearance. Much like someone who is against LEO's would not pre-judge a plainclothes, an LEO will not prejudge a citizen that doesn't *look* like&nbsp;someone that may be a&nbsp;threat. <br><br>Sometimes I think the tats and choice of clothing make them jump to conclusions before hearing me out,&nbsp;though I'd have to say, 90% of the time that's happened, the cop was a rookie. I guess the same problem would&nbsp;apply to the&nbsp;people who live in vehicles as well.. Since criminals often operate out&nbsp;of them, they may be&nbsp;quick to assume&nbsp;if not trained&nbsp;well&nbsp;enough.&nbsp;<br><br>It's too bad there aren't licensed stickers you can buy for a small fee from local PD's or government buildings, that would identify you as a non-criminal mobile dweller... It really would eliminate a lot of the problems, for us, and LEO's. Though I have to say, I'd rather see people respecting others space and property to a point where this isn't even an issue to begin with.. Only in a perfect world full of good people...<br>

 

[guyfromafar]

I have had numerous occasions that I just pulled over and said I am done for the night... I have to get a few winks, no matter what anyone thinks... and yes, I've had my door pounded on in the middle of the night and the business end of a 3' long flash light blinding me.&nbsp; I usually have at least one dog with me that will curl anyone's toenails... so while I restrain them enough to open the door and peak out, I tell them I only plan to be here for to catch a few winks, is that ok with them? Not once have I been told to move. <BR><BR>Oh, I remember once on hwy 101 just north of Gaviota State Beach (they were full) I pulled into a little town and in a vacant lot I drove to a secluded place and climbed into my little trailer to get some sleep. I over slept... when I woke up it was broad daylight, and the vacant lot was filled with people in costumes, and there were floats, tractors, horses, etc... it was the staging ground for a PARADE... not one person bothered me. I quickly jumped out of my trailer into my vehicle and toodled off... driving on the street that was closed off for parade.... I rolled down my window and waived at the crowd...<BR>

 

[dragonflyinthesky]

<B>I like your style Guy.&nbsp; </B><IMG border=0 align=absMiddle src="https://vanlivingforum.com/images/boards/smilies/cool.gif">&nbsp; <B>As my father always says, "if you can't dazzle them with brillience, baffle them with |BS</B><BR><B>dragonfly</B><BR>

 

[guyfromafar]

well, thank you....<br><br>what brilliance I might have certainly doesn't come easy after a knock on the door in the middle of the night, if I have anything to fall back on it's BS or nothing.. <br><br>

<B>I like your style Guy.&nbsp; </B><IMG border=0 align=absMiddle src="https://vanlivingforum.com/images/boards/smilies/cool.gif">&nbsp; <B>As my father always says, "if you can't baffle them with brillience, baffle them with |BS</B><BR><B>dragonfly</B><BR>

<br>

 

[She]

<P>Has anyone parked at the railroad station? Im from long island NY and it seems safe but was wondering if other people do that.</P>