Guidelines for Overnight Parking in Towns

[VanDwellerMod]

Guidelines for spending the night in towns, compiled by the forum moderators:


Overnight Parking in Towns Guidelines

A few businesses such as Walmart, Cracker Barrel, Flying J Truck Stops, casinos, and Cabelas actively welcome overnight parking in their lots. Unfortunately some cities have ordinances that prohibit sleeping in a vehicle within city limits so these same businesses may have signs prohibiting overnight parking. Other possible overnighting spots include big box stores, 24 hour fitness centers, 24 hour grocery stores, hospitals, and on the street near apartment complexes and in industrial areas. This practice is typically for one-night stays while traveling from one point to another.  But if you must stay for more than one night, rotate among several spots. 

Research a city before parking overnight to judge the level of enforcement of overnight parking laws to avoid ticketing and fines. 

Stay as unobtrusive as possible even when a businesses is welcoming to overnighters. Do not do anything that could call attention to the fact that you are living in a vehicle. Local residents may be uncomfortable with this lifestyle and local business owners may see it as detrimental to their own businesses.

Park on the far edges of parking lots away from main traffic lanes.

Arrive late and leave early.  If you are staying in a town for a long time find more than one spot and rotate through them.

Do not set up anything outside. 

Avoid using slide outs if possible.

Do not dump gray or black water or allow holding tanks to leak.

Do not run a generator if you're parking in a residential neighborhoods.

If you must use leveling jacks put pads or boards under them to avoid damaging parking lot asphalt. 

Do not deposit large amounts of trash in business trash cans.

Pick up after your pets. Be kind to the landscaping crews.

Patronize the local businesses if possible.

 

[ArtW]

This and the boon docking post are great, are they stickys? they should be

 

[VanDwellerMod]

Thanks. Yes, both were made stickies.

 

[crofter]

How do you research a city? I had no idea that people were getting tickets for being asleep in a parked vehicle. Isn't being asleep in a parked vihicle better than falling asleep while driving?  - Crofter

 

[Almost There]

For researching a particular town, I use Allstays.com

From their 'Drivers' section I take a look at the WalMarts...if all of the WalMarts in a city show that there is no overnight parking I can pretty much assume that it's the town restrictions that are in place and being enforced.

Check the reports that people file for those stores and you'll find out what's going on.

I'm parked right now in a W/M that has 3 hour parking signs posted....BUT, it's pretty evident from the reports on Allstays and from the number of overnighters in the parking lot that this store doesn't want or encourage the town to enforce it. The other store is downtown and I wouldn't stay there.

Keep in mind that I try really hard to only stay where I'm welcome - I've never even tried to park on city streets or overnight at the beach in a large city.

 

[rvwandering]

Like Almost There I use the Walmart reviews on Allstays as my main resource. Here's an example of a city that really cracks down on RV parking -
    https://www.allstays.com/c/Walmart/CA-Rohnert-Park-Wal-Mart-1755.htm        This level of enforcement is rare but checking first could save you from getting a $100.00 ticket.

  If I'm more concerned I'll google " overnight RV parking on city streets in (name of city)"  even though we rarely park on city streets. This search brings up links that will give you an idea of the number of people  permanently living in RVs in the city and what the city is doing to curb any problems which could be fines, banning parking during certain hours, or banning oversize vehicle parking on any street at any time. The restrictions may apply to anyone sleeping in any vehicle. One of our members got a ticket while sleeping in his SUV on a street even though it seemed safe because other people were sleeping there too.

  Getting ticketed is rare. Most of the time you'll just get a warning and a request to leave.

 

[Dgorila1]

............ I'll google " overnight RV parking on city streets in (name of city)" ........

I just googled Va Beach and saw the city code. I knew about having to keep rv's parked behind the line of a structure but the 3hr time limit for street parking surprised me, especially since this is a major tourist destination. Guess they want the visitors in all the hotels here rather than in rv's. 


City Code Section 16-41.2 – Major recreational equipment and non-commercial trailers parked or stored in residential areas are subject to the following limitations:

• Major recreational vehicles and non-commercial trailers shall be parked or stored within an enclosed building or behind every plane of a structure that is substantially parallel to and facing the public right-of-way. Such equipment may be parked in a driveway or approved parking area for a period not to exceed 24 hours for loading and unloading. 
  
• Through lots; such equipment must be parked or stored on the portion of the lot that  is clearly and physically the rear of the lot provided that it is substantially screened from the public right-of-way with a six-foot solid fence or equivalent  vegetation or landscaping.
  
• Corner lots; such equipment may also be parked or stored on the portion of the lot that is clearly and physically the rear of the lot and behind the plane of the house parallel and closest to the public right-of-way.
  
• No recreational equipment shall be in any public street or public right-of-way for more than three hours.
  
• No such equipment shall be used for living, sleeping or housekeeping purposes except in locations lawfully established for such use.

 

[CityWoman]

I'm sure many of the members here are already familiar with this 2015 article on stealth parking from Truck Camper magazine, but it's a goodie worth including here: Stealth Camping With A Truck Camper

 

[ChickadeeJP]

Here's one I learned with my car in the town I had lived in for a few years:

They don't have to have no overnight parking signs on every street to still give you a ticket. There were signs for no overnight parking on a few of the main ways into town but some were overshadowed by trees or just became part of the scenery after driving by them so many times. I had a double respiratory infection, a big snowfall that prevented my from getting back in my sloped driveway, a small child, and my dad was out of town so he wasn't able to help with the driveway. After going to urgent care, I triple checked the street closest to my house that had parking and the street had already been plowed, before parking there. Woke up to a ticket the next day. I had no idea that there was no overnight parking allowed on any of the side streets by houses. I was able to find the city website and dug around until I found the information. So, even small towns often have a city website, cut costs of putting up clear signage (I'm used to Chicago and Denver where every block is clearly marked), and it's best to check a million ways before parking your vehicle anywhere.

 

[slynne]

I have fought parking tickets like that and won. Of course, the way they get you is that almost always the time and effort to fight the ticket is more costly than just paying it.

 

[Vagabound]

...

• No recreational equipment shall be in any public street or public right-of-way for more than three hours.
  
• No such equipment shall be used for living, sleeping or housekeeping purposes except in locations lawfully established for such use.

I think the section after the bolded section is even more interesting, restrictive, and troublesome.

Tom

 

[timotb]

I bought a Sprinter RV, removed all the decals that say "Im an RV" just so I can pull over and park and not be bothered by the criminal element or the police.   Still experimenting with it.

 

[Ballenxj]

Nice looking rig. It screams RV to me though. If we know what to look for, you can bet the cops do too. Maybe even some of the smarter criminals.

 

[timotb]

I have fought parking tickets like that and won. Of course, the way they get you is that almost always the time and effort to fight the ticket is more costly than just paying it.

Some of you might frown.....but I have never paid a parking ticket in my 40 years of driving.  I don't get them often and you are right, it is too costly for them to fight and chase down a ticket in order to get paid. They can send bills in the mail....they go straight in the trash.  It has never effected my licence here in Ohio.  The rules can change in bigger cities, like New York where they might get mean.   I got a $250 dollar fine for parking in a no parking area for 15 minutes in the city of Cleveland 10 years ago.   They sent bills in the mail and got nothing. They stopped after a year or 2.

Right here in my home town I got a parking ticket for parking to go to a store.  The road was a side road and not clearly marked.   I sent them a letter and the ticket (which I don't have a habit of doing) stating the tricky situation and the lack of a clear appeals procedure.   Never heard from them.  The ticket is gone.

The above relates to car parking.  Why not a small, inconspicuous rv as well?   Collecting a parking fine from a smaller town that you don't visit often, especially from out of state, would be almost futile....unless they really want to roust you in the middle of the night and take you to jail.

 

[GotSmart]

That is the worst advice to post ever.  Many places will attach the fines and penelties onto your registration.  I personally know one person that was hauled in because of a parking ticket in CA.  

Dont tempt the bears.

 

[highdesertranger]

I just saw this I agree with Mr. Smart. that is terrible advice. in California they tack all unpaid tickets to your registration plus penalties. if you are from out of state they will turn it over to collection agencies. highdesertranger

 

[Almost There]

And in some jurisdictions, unpaid parking tickets are attached to your plates and come time for renewal...well it ain't happening unless you pay the fines as well as all the added charges for not paying them on time in the first place.

 

[user 37446]

Even though I just part time, I drive a lot in the summers, just like now. I have put over 7000 miles on since the end of May. 

I normally stay in (first choice) chain hotel parking lots, anything from Super 8, H.I. Express or Best Western for examples. I will stay in a casino lot if in a state that has them. I stay in truck stops or very large gas station lots as well (many cities and towns have them within their boundaries). 

I have been known to stay overnight in a auto repair store lot, like a Firestone or Goodyear. (Pretty easy to say the car wasn't working right so I'm there for early morning drop off).

I sometimes stay at a Walmart, but its down on my list.  For very small towns, I look for their parks.

Of course it's the rule of in later (9-10 pm) and out before the sun rises when I stay in a populated area. Seems to work for me but then a Prius isn't that noticeable.

And yes, while some may toss their tickets, I'm very leery of not keeping my license clear. My frequent border crossings cause me to regularly come up on whatever overbearing Orwellian registries the governments have now. Note that in the article I have excerpted below, it states that a Canadian (BC) drivers license is automatically SUSPENDED after 3 months of an unpaid ticket...

From the site usentrywaiverlaw.ca: (2017). Bolding is theirs...

[font=Georgia, serif]"If you receive a traffic ticket in the USA, you should either pay the fine or arrange to go to court to dispute the ticket. Obviously, the latter option is not very convenient since you will likely no longer be in the state by the time your court date is scheduled to occur.  If you ignore the ticket and are caught driving in that state again, you could be arrested and even put in jail. Although an unpaid traffic ticket will not render a Canadian inadmissible to the United States (no need for an I-192 US Waiver), border officials will often inform the local Police force that a "wanted" individual has just entered the country. [/font]

[font=Georgia, serif]This scenario is extremely common for BC drivers in Washington state. A British Columbia driver's license is automatically suspended three months after a traffic ticket becomes overdue, and upon entering the United States, the Police will pull them over and cite them for driving with a suspended license in addition to not paying their previous ticket. At this point, the Police officer can either release the individual for a mandatory court date, or they can be booked into jail. Neither situation is ideal, however, and unless you want to risk needing to take time off work to drive across the border and attend court you should always pay your US traffic tickets on time. Regardless of whether it is a ticket for driving in excess of the speed limit, failure to signal when changing lanes, running a red light, or failing to stop at a stop sign, not paying the fine can cause you major problems if you are ever pulled over while driving in that state again. Being charged for driving while suspended, which is a criminal misdemeanor, can also have additional ramifications such as causing a person's Nexus card to be revoked."[/font]

 

[SoulRaven]

California put a hold on my Texas license, I made it thru the DMV but when the paperwork Hit Austin, I got a notice I had to settle with Kern County ASAP. Improper lane change.

 

[tx2sturgis]

Years ago I received a fine in the mail at my home in Texas, for illegal parking in some town in Florida.

I had not been to Florida in 30 years....seriously. 

I called the number listed on the ticket and explained that fact to the clerk, and she said something to the effect of, oh its probably an error writing down the tag number...or entry into a computer.

She said, dont worry about, its dismissed.

Nice of her, but what if she had said tough, you have to pay it?

As far as I know, it was dismissed and I have not heard anything else about it.