Reverse Elitism

[corky52]

I'm seriously considering changing forums as I sense this forum is only interested in stealth, broke and vans.  I'm not broke, but not rich, I can afford to spend a bit on things, which I like to share what I find in using them.  If you don't like the fact that I'm willing to pay rent to be near cities, I'm sorry that offends you, but I find it cheaper to pay rent than move every night.

Corky

 

[minimotos95]

Minivan with 15a grid power elitist checking in: anybody with more or less luxuries is doing it wrong. 
Seriously this forum attracts tightwads, I'm one of them I either go as cheap as possible or pay extra for what I want. There's no right and wrong way to spend your money as long as it makes you happy,

 

[rvwandering]

It may feel that way at times but I think many new members need to be stealthy because they're still working. They may be considering moving into a van for financial reasons and they're coming here for answers about a lifestyle that's new and often scarey to contemplate.

Please stick around. We need members who have been doing this for awhile and have valuable experiences to share. Your experiences may not be useful to everyone but they're still worth sharing!

 

[Reducto]

My life is different from most here too, but I learn a lot and I like many of the posters so I stick around. I too have sensed some judgment though. Some people find something that works for them and simply can't deal with the fact that it might not work for others whether it be their choice of vehicle, boondocking vs city dwelling, type of work, level of comfort, etc.

It seems odd that a group who has chosen to take a path looked down on by most of society would turn on its own so easily, but it happens. We all have different needs, hopefully we can all make an effort to support each other.

 

[Optimistic Paranoid]

As someone who is retired and drawing a comfortable, but not extravagant pension, I accept the fact that I don't really fit here all that well.  And the left wing politics many here apparently have really drives me up the wall.  The problem is that over on the mainstream RV forums, they seem to spend WAY too much time talking about their golf games and their grandchildren.  I'm even less comfortable over on those.

I do enjoy interacting with many of the people here, and as long as I continue to enjoy that, I reckon I'll stick around.

Regards
John

PS:  I'm not a forum junkie.  Really.  I can stop posting in these forums any time I want to.

 

[flying kurbmaster]

I'm seriously considering changing forums as I sense this forum is only interested in stealth, broke and vans.  I'm not broke, but not rich, I can afford to spend a bit on things, which I like to share what I find in using them.  If you don't like the fact that I'm willing to pay rent to be near cities, I'm sorry that offends you, but I find it cheaper to pay rent than move every night.

Corky

so just curious what prompted this? this forum is interested in many things as welll as what you mentioned it is also interested in building, solar, living off the grid, sharing travel experiences, mechanics, electrical, gadgets, toilets, showers, cooking, sleeping apparatus, design, art, and so much more, are you having a bad day Corky I hope that changes for you, by the way I don';t think anyone is interested in broke, broke no money, broke as stopped on the side of the road, broke toilet, broke shower, broke bed,,,,, I am with you on that one, I hate broke  

 

[skindeepfx]

I am relatively new here to this forum , but i thought i need to give my 2 cents for what is worth.

After visiting this  forum for quite a while i became attracted to it  for the reasons of inclusiveness that i observed.
Yes there might be some strong opinions out there but i consider this the spice that gives  flavor to this melting pot.

I have been on different forums as well and trust me the elitism is much more dominant there. If you don't have the "right " rig you are out.
I find it refreshing that this is a safe place for readers to find support and advice for whatever reasons they are here, regardless of any personal preferences , opinions or budgets.  A big thank you to the moderators and Bob in walking this fine line. 

I  have to be very conservative with the $ amount that i sink into my project and enjoy the many options that are presented here without the judgement of - if it is not top of the line it is not acceptable-

Anyway ,  stay on this forum to keep the discussions , critiques , recommendations alive as we can all learn from each other.

Piece 

M

 

[Canine]

Well,we are all different and trend toward different things.A lot of the posts on here aren't adaptable to my lifestyle and I'm sure my way of living would not suit others.Me and Vic have had and camped in several vans up to a month at a time.No way would I want to live in one.But,thats just me and doesn't apply to anyone else.We've had various campers up to 36 ft with a washer and dryer.we have lived several years in various campers with different levels of comfort.We finally found our niche with a 1971 16 ft camper,pulled by a 1997 4x4 Chevy truck.We have a home base where we spend a couple of months spring and fall.We usually travel summers and winters.We live on modest SS benefits and usually have money left over every month.The only advice I would give anyone,regardless of lifestyle,is to stay out of debt.To each his(or her)own and good luck which ever way you choose to live.

 

[Almost There]

Well,we are all different and trend toward different things.A lot of the posts on here aren't adaptable to my lifestyle and I'm sure my way of living would not suit others.Me and Vic have had and camped in several vans up to a month at a time.No way would I want to live in one.But,thats just me and doesn't apply to anyone else.We've had various campers up to 36 ft with a washer and dryer.we have lived several years in various campers with different levels of comfort.We finally found our niche with a 1971 16 ft  camper,pulled by a 1997 4x4 Chevy truck.We have a home base where we spend a couple of months spring and fall.We usually travel summers and winters.We live on modest SS benefits and usually have money left over every month.The only advice I would give anyone,regardless of lifestyle,is to stay out of debt.To each his(or her)own and good luck which ever way you choose to live.

We certainly are different!! In all the best ways.

I agree that 2 in a van on a long term thing would be too crowded...for me by myself, it's adequate space that gives me the freedom to go mostly where I want and keeps me out of trouble by not allowing me to go too far off the gravel road....

I'm giving up the home base because it doesn't make economic sense to keep it here with the high cost of electricity. I'll keep a 'home base' here each summer in an RV park because my travel will be limited by various circumstances that are beyond my control for right now.

I've also had the benefit of 14 years on the road in various types of mobile living quarters so I do know what works for me.

I'd be doing the van on a much stricter budget but I've been fortunate to have a good income these last few years after learning to live on a whole lot less than most people all my adult life. I can finally afford to say yes to the small details that will make my life much more comfortable.

I don't find any reverse elitism here at all...it's very much a 'what are your needs and what can we teach you/learn from you' attitude that's very refreshing. I've only found it on 1 other forum.

 

[MikeRuth]

Wow corky, I'm not sure what threads your reading but that's not what I get out of this forum. In fact I see a lot of folks in different situations and that seems to afford different answers to there questions. Nothing wrong with that. I've learned so much from this site that I don't even follow others anymore.


lastly IMHO the bulk of users here are some of the best I have ever seen.

Wish you the best wherever you go yet I'd like to think you will stay with us.

Mike R

 

[compassrose]

I'm seriously considering changing forums as I sense this forum is only interested in stealth, broke and vans.  I'm not broke, but not rich, I can afford to spend a bit on things, which I like to share what I find in using them.  If you don't like the fact that I'm willing to pay rent to be near cities, I'm sorry that offends you, but I find it cheaper to pay rent than move every night.

Corky

I don't really fit in either. I most certainly do not stealth. It's hard to stealth when you're living in a 40 ft behemoth. BUT I feel I can contribute a little since I have been camping/RVing since 1979. Some folks can use my advise, others can't. I do feel at times that I am looked down upon because I don't stealth and I do advocate staying in campgrounds & RV parks while "practicing" stealthing or in extreme weather, or when sick. Even when in an area where sleeping on the streets just freaks you out. Unless you have a way to regularly clean your self while holding down a job, I advocate staying in a park with bathroom facilities. I do (repeatedly) espouse the heretic belief (usually it's fact) that staying monthly in a private campground is cheaper than staying for the same amount of time in a public park. I offend pretty much everyone on this forum. But I am a frugal (cheap) person most of the time and therefore can also give tips on that as well as collect a few from others. I periodically leave the forum for various reasons. I too feel it is cheaper to pay the rent and I do like the "free" wifi and cable TV . There is an RV section here. You might find that one more comfortable. I tend to hit "View New Posts" so I end up skimming thru and only look at threads that might be interesting. It does get a little lonely being one of the few park people.

 

[Spirituallifetime]

I don't stealth either, I live in RV'S on property that we own. I have a job working up to 14 hours a day and wouldn't want to have to worry about finding new places to park every night! If I moved to a new location for work I would consider renting in an RV park.

 

[Ella1]

I don't fit it either, except maybe as part of the set that "doesn't fit in", lol.
It's been ages since I've been traveling or camping, and though I did a cross country round trip about 14 years ago, I haven't done much since, due to health.

I'm here to learn. I don't know what I'll be able to do: I am carrying a large air cleaner and between 6 and 10 large O2 tanks, which is enough, hopefully, for 3 to 5 nights. I need free flowing O2 at night, and sometimes during the day. Those take up a lot of space and add a lot of weight. Part of the space under the cot is lost because the machine makes it really difficult to retrieve things from under it. I would store water there and maybe some emergency supplies. I want to do this--vandwell--because I paint and want to get farther from home, spend a night or more rather than having to come home the same day. I am reactive to chemicals, so hotel/motel rooms are out.
If I can do this, I may choose to get a small trailer/toy hauler so I can carry either more O2, reducing the need to map my travels every 3 days along the stores that supply it and or carry a concentrator that can be operated in an noise insulated room for campground use.
CAN a trailer be insulated well enough so the noise of a concentrator could not be heard?
A goal is to be able to go on trips, stopping and painting along the way. I think I would be in campgrounds rather than boondocking most of the time.
About the only think I have to offer right now is questions!
I'm grateful for this site, though when I DO go, I won't be able to take it with me.
Just this morning I was wondering if I COULD do a coast trip, north to south now...

 

[Optimistic Paranoid]

CAN a trailer be insulated well enough so the noise of a concentrator could not be heard?

Ella1, I recommend that you post this question as a separate thread.

At which point, some of us, who aren't real familiar with concentrators can ask questions like "How loud is it?" and "How much power does it need?" and so on before we attempt to answer it.

Regards
John

 

[Queen]

Guess I don't fit in either as I still only tent camp, but I sure enjoy reading here and contemplating the possibilities.

... The only advice I would give anyone,regardless of lifestyle,is to stay out of debt.To each his(or her)own and good luck which ever way you choose to live.

Amen, Bob. The world opens up to you once you banish debt, more choices, more freedom.

 

[minimotos95]

Like was said before everyone and every situation is different. Now that Reducto has upgraded to a newer van as far as I know I'm the only one on here with an old Japanese cabover engine van. Right now I have no house battery or solar, and there's no motor in my engine bay, half of it is 60 miles away, the other half wrapped up in shopping bags. I am young, unemployed, my savings are almost dried up(I am liquidating some assets just to fund the van and maybe another months rent now...) but I have a generous family and friends.

I think there's a lot more talk about stealth on here than people who actually do it every night. I did the semi-stealth thing for a year, it's not for me. Some believe stealth is the way to go, maybe because that's what all the big youtube vandwellers do, maybe because they really like being inside a city but don't want to pay the rent, I don't know, nor care it's none of my business.
Right now I am paying monthly for a site at an RV park until I get my van running. I have grown to like the fact I never have to be stealthy or worry about LEOs coming a knocking and the little community is pretty cool. No doubt there will be situations in the future where I have to go back stealth or wallydock but it's not my first choice and if I was buying a vehicle/domicile I wouldn't even think about that small amount of time just about the time boondocking or at a park.

 

[Rugster]

We all need to understand that we are all different and have different opinions and ways of doing things. I have learned a lot from this forum and quite a bit of it has nothing to do with living in a van. I hope someone doesn't leave because they think there may be some elitism going on. Heck, put 'Not part of the 'You're living in your van wrong! elitists' on your signature, have some fun

But seriously, anyone that has spent ten years (or heck, 2 weeks) living in their van/RV/class C/etc has tons of info they could share which would be invaluable to others like me who haven't actually done that yet.

 

[LeeRevell]

Lots of different philosophies and situations here.  Since I still have my s&b home, don't need to do "stealth" and am very decidedly "right" on the political spectrum I am something of a minority here too.  But I get useful info and enjoy reading of other's vehicles and experiences.  Other forums I am on are more 'cohesive' in their membership but the differences here do keep things lively.

 

[akrvbob]

I think it's very ironic, and very telling, that there is another thread just started saying that we are too uppity and look down on people who want to do unconventional things.  When both ends feel offended you are doing a good job of walking a fine line

The truth is we are an extremely diverse group of people and we all talk about what we know. I don't talk about living in RV parks because I don't like it and don't do it, however, if you go back through my posts you will find MANY times I've recommended to people in their specific situation that the best choice for them is to be in an RV park. But I talk the most about boondocking because I do it and love it. Here is what everyone has to understand:


Because I talk about what I know, like and do, DOES NOT mean I think it's the only way or yours is the wrong way.  Because I'm passionate about it, does not mean I think less of you or you're way.

That sentence can be said about nearly every member! Don't confuse love of my way as hatred or contempt toward yours!


I think many times it's our over-sensitivity that turns what is only a difference in choice into a perceived attack. There are very few attacks here because we have very little tolerance for attacks of any kind from anybody towards anybody--it rarely happens and when it does we will put a quick end to it!

I consider this to be a amazingly tolerant and wonderful group of people. For the most part I am very proud of us.

However, a reminder to be tolerant to those different from us is always a very good thing, so I'm glad this thread came up.
Bob

 

[highdesertranger]

well said Bob. I feel that everybody contributes something. I hope you reconsider Corky. diversity makes the world a better place, life would be boring if everybody felt the same way and did the same thing. again my 2cents. highdesertranger