Stealth city life: Good idea to paint a fake contractor logo on the side of your van?

[Canine]

Note to self or Justanotherhuman, be sure to check spelling before the sign is painted on...

 

[gcal]

You want to distract attention from your vehicle? Get 4 pigs. Paint 1,2,3 & 5 on their backs. Turn them loose. They'll be too busy looking for #4 to pay any attention to you at all.

 

[Canine]

Hah that's great!  So don't use any of these signs...  There are more but I think Bob might ban me...    

 

[VanLifeCrisis]

shitake is spelled right tho . shitake mushroom. i dont think it was by accident they left mushroom off and divided it at door lol

 

[highdesertranger]

yeah the signs bring on the scrutiny of the commercial LEO's. at least here in the peoples republik of kalifornia. highdesertranger

 

[BigT]

If you do, make sure the 'business' is obscure enough that people won't be pestering you for jobs. 

And don't use a fictitious name that suggests you have valuables inside the van: "Joe Diamond Transport" or "Gold Coin Delivery Service", unless you really want it broken into.  

Personally I don't go for stealth at all.  When I'm on a road trip I generally have my kayak on the roof, and soon I'll be mounting a huge solar panel and solar shower.  I also have tinted, sliding camper windows on the sides.  My rig screams "I'm in here!"

 

[Canine]

So Big T, do you not try to park at places you may get challenged and therefore stick to, uh, WallyWorld, truck stops, rv parks or far of boonie type spots, OR do you go ahead and city park anyway? Just wondering.

How have you secured the kayaks?

Are your plates the same state as where you hang out? These are all things to be considered.

If Bob and others who park on BLM land and whatnot with their solar setups and screens etc try that in my town, it wouldn't last a day, for obvious reasons. However where they park it's fine.
For me, I can't afford the tickets or p...ing off the locals, so I camouflage.

Just wanting your thoughts and situation so I and other readers can compare...

 

[Matlock]

I'm not sure where you call home, but in the 30+ years I've been in business (I own & operate a custom sign & graphics shop)...but I've never heard of such a thing...EVER!
I've ALWAYS had my name plastered all over my rigs (it IS my business after all)...and I've never of anyone encountering such LEO nonsense.

I have heard of LEO's asking for CCB#'s, which are supposed to be on all forms of business advertising (including vehicles)

...maybe it's a big city, East coast thing. Glad to be out West.

It is really amazing how different things vary from state to state.
I'm in Ohio.
I'd guess every state has it's laws. Worth checking w/insurance to verify if an ad or phone #'s on the vehicle would
violate your insurance coverage. I'd guess the time to verify isn't after an accident.

I don't remember the fine cost here but in NJ = $500.00 fine
MA requires Commercial plates as does NY if you advertise on the vehicle.

 

[gcal]

And don't use a fictitious name that suggests you have valuables inside the van: "Joe Diamond Transport" or "Gold Coin Delivery Service", unless you really want it broken into.  

Personally I don't go for stealth at all.  When I'm on a road trip I generally have my kayak on the roof, and soon I'll be mounting a huge solar panel and solar shower.  I also have tinted, sliding camper windows on the sides.  My rig screams "I'm in here!"

I'm guessing that you don't look so much like you are vandwelling as van vacationing, on your way to or from somewhere.

 

[Optimistic Paranoid]

I'm guessing that you don't look so much like you are vandwelling as van vacationing, on your way to or from somewhere.

When you stop and think about it, it's an interesting bit of misdirection.  Instead of them thinking you're a homeless, out-of-work person living in your vehicle, they think you're a working stiff on vacation.

Regards
John

 

[Canine]

Somehow we are getting off track here. What Matlock said is correct, each state's laws vary and where he is you don't put a fake commercial sign on, whether it's Bobs Beer Tasting Service or Toms Toilet Testing Ltd. because it's illegal and just gets you into trouble.

All my humorous image posting aside, it's not a good idea to fake a business. Just make your van uninteresting looking and/or get some insurance for the time burglar Bubba breaks in.

The OP has a legitimate question, "should I put a fake business name on my van". Most people have answered that's it's not a good idea. I reiterate it now, it's not a good idea. But you do what you think you can either get away with or what works better.for you. That's my take on it.

However, if you want to have a sign that says "Septic Tank Service, van contains samples" you can if you think that will keep people out. I've never been broken into but it's more about where and when I park instead of any sign I have. The crackhead that is desperate will break into the "Septic Sampling" van if he thinks there's something fencible (sp?) inside.

So anyway, "that's my opinion and I'm sticking with it..."

Dusty
Dusty's Dog Doo-doo Disposal
Call "someone who cares".

 

[LeeRevell]

I'd do the same as when I park my old beat-up KLR650 among the nice shiny sportybikes.  Park the van among nicer MH's, and maybe Burgler Bart will rob them instead - they have such nicer 'stuff'. 
Just make your rig harder to break into also.  You cannot stop a determined thief but you CAN redirect him.
I don't do 'stealth' in town, so never really considered how to 'blend in'.  I learned long ago I simply do not stay 'under the radar', with my size and weight.  I am used to being noticed.

 

[TMG51]

Not sure if this has been brought up, but from my time as a construction worker, I know that a construction vehicle if lettered on the side as such can park on a resident only street without being ticketed. At least that's how it was in the cities I worked. We called their offices and confirmed.

 

[MikeRuth]

Business vehicles fall under a different category in traffic stops by law enforcement, they are not private vehicles and can therefore be stopped to be check for permits and be inspected for road safety at any time! An unmarked private van law enforcement must have specific reason to do a traffic stop, they can't do a random stop on it.

Had no idea of this. I need to investigate further but is this nationwide? 

Mike R

 

[Optimistic Paranoid]

Had no idea of this. I need to investigate further but is this nationwide? 

Mike R

Isn't Seraphim a retired Ohio cop?  Wonder if he'll see this and comment?

Regards
John

 

[highdesertranger]

I don't know about nationwide, but here in kalifornia having a name on your vehicle brings all kinds of extra scrutiny and with it, the commercial enforcement LEO's. highdesertranger

 

[Queen]

Saw a stealther yesterday, no signage but he did park right in the construction mess nearby, had a ladder on top but if you looked close the small chain and lock holding it in place were rusted solid. I stopped next to him on my bike while I was securing something in my basket, he sat up from his bed and looked at me, I smiled, gave him a thumbs up, and pedaled off.

 

[Patrick46]

well...you could always tell the LEO that you bought the van from the contractor who's logo is on the van, but haven't had the time or know-how to remove it yet.


...but I'll get right on that Sir!!

 

[rakuman]

Seems to me any marking would be detrimental to stealth... any identifying features that stand out can be remembered.  The Grey Man is featureless and passes out of people's memory as soon as he passes.

The ultimate technology would be the SEP Field (it was in one of Douglas Adams' "Hitchhiker's Guide" books.)  Thousands of races throughout the galaxy had tried for millennia to develop invisibility, but none were able to pull it off.  Then someone invented a much easier and simpler approach:  The SEP Field (Somebody Else's Problem.)  The field emanated by the SEP generator affected the perception of the observer... anything, no matter how outrageous and noticeable, would just be considered Somebody Else's Problem and ignored. 

"These are not the Droids You are looking for"

 

[Jimmyflorida]

I did see a van once in a best buy parking lot that was park beside there geek squard van and van on the side has a sign that said "Premium Service " Pretty sure it was a vandweller but blended in really well most people would never notice