Stealth parking in New York City

[loveelvin]

Hello Friends,
I've been a long time lurker here, trying to read and learn as much as possible. I have a dream of getting a high top cargo van, and living full time in New York City. I hoping to do this by September 2013.
There was one member here, Triumph, who had been stealth parking in NY, but he hasn't posted in a while.

My question is, is it possible to stealth park and live full time in Brooklyn NY? I'm not talking about down town Manhattan of course.

if any of you can give me any advice about this, it would be greatly appreciated!

Peace,
LoveElvin.

 

[thinker]

lol. why would you need to stealth in nyc?<br>you can't set up lawnchairs and a grill outside (maybe) but for the most part, no one cares.<br><br>you should move around a bit, but don't stress too much. there's cemateries bordering industrial areas. neighborhoods where people don't know each other's names.&nbsp;<br><br>hell, every now and then, someone farms or sells x-mas trees on public property and no one notices. a few years back they caught a guy renting parking spots to people on city land.<br><br>don't get me wrong, i'm not saying tempt fate. when you get here you'll have to do some scouting, but it won't be hard.<br>a cop is not going to waste his time on you. in fact, i'm not sure you'd be breaking any laws. if you are, most cops don't know it. (be aware, cops often make up their own laws. the other day, one told a coworker it was "a felony if you give a cop a hard time." seriously.)<br><br>there was a story here with a video a while back about some nut with an rv full of trash [literally hanging off it and out the windows] but as long as he moved it for alternate side parking, cops said he wasn't breaking any laws.<br><br>there are laws few know about and parking during the day will be a bigger problem [overnight, you CAN do manhattan and rather easily if you practice ALLE]. you aren't supposed to leave a vehicle more than 7(?) days in the same spot i think.<br><br>most of what you learn will be hands on. your biggest problem will be posted parking times. do NOT ignore them. the fines the city takes in in a day, could feed a third world village for... ever.

 

[chrisbarclay]

lol. why would you need to stealth in nyc?<br>you can't set up lawnchairs and a grill outside (maybe) but for the most part, no one cares.<br><br>you should move around a bit, but don't stress too much. there's cemateries bordering industrial areas. neighborhoods where people don't know each other's names.&nbsp;<br><br>hell, every now and then, someone farms or sells x-mas trees on public property and no one notices. a few years back they caught a guy renting parking spots to people on city land.<br><br>don't get me wrong, i'm not saying tempt fate. when you get here you'll have to do some scouting, but it won't be hard.<br>a cop is not going to waste his time on you. in fact, i'm not sure you'd be breaking any laws. if you are, most cops don't know it. (be aware, cops often make up their own laws. the other day, one told a coworker it was "a felony if you give a cop a hard time." seriously.)<br><br>there was a story here with a video a while back about some nut with an rv full of trash [literally hanging off it and out the windows] but as long as he moved it for alternate side parking, cops said he wasn't breaking any laws.<br><br>there are laws few know about and parking during the day will be a bigger problem [overnight, you CAN do manhattan and rather easily if you practice ALLE]. you aren't supposed to leave a vehicle more than 7(?) days in the same spot i think.<br><br>most of what you learn will be hands on. your biggest problem will be posted parking times. do NOT ignore them. the fines the city takes in in a day, could feed a third world village for... ever.

 

[chrisbarclay]

I live in Manhattan and yes you can park a cargo van in the street daytime and at night as long as you follow what the signs tell you. A few times a week you will have to move the truck or sit in it while you wait out the "No Parking" period. *usually 2 hours). You will be parking on the side streets. If however you have a commercial plate then you can't park in the street overnight. You also can't go on Park Ave and some other areas and you can't go on a "Parkway" Stealth camping and commercial plates do not go well here in the Big Apple.

 

[LMTLMT]

Hello chris, when you say “commercial plates”, are you referring to NY plates or?? I have a California license plate and in CA all cargo vans are registered as commercial but I’m using it as personal use. Does cops in Manhattan give extra attention to out of state vehicles? I would like to visit the new 9/11 tower and looking for ideas of parking for two or three days in Manhattan or somewhere closer. Of course free is best but I would pay at an outdoor lot or rv lot if it comes down to it. Any insight would be appreciated.

 

[chrisbarclay]

Hello chris, when you say “commercial plates”, are you referring to NY plates or??  I have a California license plate and in CA all cargo vans are registered as commercial but I’m using it as personal use.  Does cops in Manhattan give extra attention to out of state vehicles?  I would like to visit the new 9/11 tower and looking for ideas of parking for two or three days in Manhattan or somewhere closer.  Of course free is best but I would pay at an outdoor lot or rv lot if it comes down to it.  Any insight would be appreciated.

Commercial is commercial....any state. You shouldn't have registered in CA. Your best bet would be Arizona. They will change the title. " Does cops in Manhattan give extra attention to out of state vehicles?"  We get about 50 million tourists here a year so I doubt it. First off, with that plate, you will get a ticket if you go down the FDR, Park Ave, Parts of 5th Ave, any parkway in New York State. You are required to have the name of your company, address and phone printed on the side. (I don't know if true of out of state plates) Bob Wells technically lives in Nevada but they won't allow personal use registration in NV for his cargo van. So his van is registered in AZ. You might want to do the same. I don't know if it would work but if you did register in AZ and had that 'cargo van' knocked off the title just maybe you could re register back in CA as a regular vehicle. Not sure about that. As far as you parking here in NYC, it's for loading and unloading only. Get rid of that plate.......

 

[CityWoman]

I don't know anything about the commercial plates issue, but for anyone who might wonder, it's perfectly legal to sleep overnight in one's vehicle in NYC. No laws against it. As stated by a previous poster, you just have to move the car every couple of days to follow the alternate side of the street parking rules, for the street cleaning vehicles to get through and do their jobs. The city publishes a calendar so that you know on what days and side of the street you're allowed to park in each neighborhood or zone. I would only want to make sure I'm not parking in an area with a lot of rats, or where my personal safety would be at risk - but on a side street in a mostly residential neighborhood, should be okay.

 

[Ballenxj]

 Bob Wells technically lives in Nevada but they won't allow personal use registration in NV for his cargo van.

Actually, Nevada does allow cargo vans, box trucks, etc. to be registered for personal use. I have registered both a box truck, and a cargo van in Nevada as personal vehicles.
A friend that still lives there has a dump truck, big diesel that hauls a goose neck trailer, etc. all registered as a personal vehicles. He uses them to haul lage things back and forth to his mine. Just don't get caught doing commercial work with that type of vehicle without proper commercial registration and documentation. (d.o.t. number)

 

[chrisbarclay]

Actually, Nevada does allow cargo vans, box trucks, etc. to be registered for personal use. I have registered both a box truck, and a cargo van in Nevada as personal vehicles.
A friend that still lives there has a dump truck, big diesel that hauls a goose neck trailer, etc. all registered as a personal vehicles. He uses them to haul lage things back and forth to his mine. Just don't get caught doing commercial work with that type of vehicle without proper commercial registration and documentation. (d.o.t. number)

Was Bob Wells wrong?  
From what I understand, it's actually not illegal to live in a car, van, rv or whatever in the streets of New York City. As far as cargo vans being registered with personal plates? One person who has done it told me that if you put in a window and a seat behind the drivers seat you can do it. But why bother with a cargo van? Get a passenger van with dark windows or an old conversion van with a high top. 

Here's my plan, I'll be getting an older Toyota Sienna, I will toss out all seats but the drivers seat. Put in some kind of bed and a porta potti.  Register in South Dekota (No taxes) but spend 9 months of the year in the Big Apple.
I will live in whatever neighborhood strikes my mood. Spend time in the Hamptons, Vermont and Maine.
One thing about New York City is the fact that it now has free and fast Wi Fi. I can sit in my car with a laptop and cell phone and do a Network Marketing business. I avoid all the big expenses of living in this city, I own my "home" and answer to no one. Also considering eventually getting a 30 ft boat and living in that for at least part of the year.

 

[OutdoorFT]

FWIW, maybe not much, but my F350 has a commercial plate. I think its due to the weight of the truck. even my dad has had commercial plates on his F150. Not sure how AZ does it but in NYS thats what they do. While I wont be stealthing in my truck, I wont be using it for commercial use either.

 

[WalkaboutTed]

In AZ, my cargo van is titled as a personal vehicle, as long as it's under 10K#.

But interestingly enough, when Hubby went to finance his van, Navy Fed Credit Union wouldn't loan on a cargo van, because it is considered commercial, even if for personal use.  Ended up with another credit union, Vantage West (all over Arizona) who would loan on a commercial vehicle for personal use as long as it's under 10K#. Go figure.
Ted

 

[MrNoodly]

Just don't get buried in a blizzard.

 

[Ballenxj]

Was Bob Wells wrong?  
<-------->
Also considering eventually getting a 30 ft boat and living in that for at least part of the year.

I didn't say anybody was wrong! Remember, all that participate in this kinder, gentler forum get trophy?
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
What I "did" say is that I have registered both a 99 one ton GMC box truck, and, an 03 three quarter ton cargo van as personal vehicles in Nevada. The trick was under 10K lbs.
 My friend still has medium sized diesel trucks, one goose neck hauler, and one dump, both registered as personal vehicles. This was all within the last few years. I am no longer in Nevada.  Your mileage may vary.
PS, I had once upon a time planned to live aboard a 30 ft sailboat in the PNW. Minds do change I guess.

 

[CityWoman]

From what I understand, it's actually not illegal to live in a car, van, rv or whatever in the streets of New York City.

That is correct. I mentioned that upthread.

Here's my plan, I'll be getting an older Toyota Sienna, I will toss out all seats but the drivers seat. Put in some kind of bed and a porta potti.  Register in South Dekota (No taxes) but spend 9 months of the year in the Big Apple.

I will live in whatever neighborhood strikes my mood. Spend time in the Hamptons, Vermont and Maine.

I really like your plan! Would you be keeping anything in storage or at a gym as well? I live in NYC now, and don't have a vehicle yet, but my plan is similar to yours. My problem with making it happen is I am totally broke right now, but I will do it!

One thing about New York City is the fact that it now has free and fast Wi Fi. I can sit in my car with a laptop and cell phone and do a Network Marketing business. I avoid all the big expenses of living in this city, I own my "home" and answer to no one. Also considering eventually getting a 30 ft boat and living in that for at least part of the year.

You are already in NYC, correct? The free wifi isn't everywhere, and you have to be near one of the kiosks. I don't know how fast it is, but I wish I could get it in my apartment! But most of the parks have it. Plus it's easy enough to park near some business that has free wifi that doesn't need a password (although the Starbucks near me turns it off now when they close for the night).

 

[ColdBrook]

I am glad you have the option of how you register your vehicles in other states but in NYState our pickup truck HAD to be registered as commercial because of the vehicle weight.  We only got it to tow our 5th wheel camper.  It also has full double doors and seats in it. So having a seat behind the driver's seat makes no difference. Even though it is our personal vehicle and the only vehicle we owned it had to be registered with Commercial Plates.  They go by vehicle weight. It is registered in my name, no business involved at all.  Which means when we visit our daughter and her family in the NYcity area we got 2 tickets for parking on the residental streets on the Sunday after Christmas 2 years ago.  And they wrote two big tickets at the same time (about 4am Sunday morning)   There are no signs stating you can't park on residental streets with a vehicle with commercial plates. You are just supposed to know you can't park there.  Now we have to rent a car in order to go visit our daughter in NYCity.

 

[poncho62]

Here in Ontario Canada, pickup trucks and commercial vans have commercial plates. The owner can put a "For personal use only" sticker on the plate too. He can then haul his trailer or use the pickup/van as his personal vehicle. You are not to use it for commercial use though.

 

[FreeWheelinTravel]

Hi, new here so I apologize if this is a stupid question. But can anyone recommend some areas to look for parking in the NYC area? This would be for a 25 foot shuttle bus. I'm planning on keeping it stealth as much as possible, and only a short-term stay -- no more than a week. I would prefer to be in the city, but I could also stay in New Jersey and take a bus or train in. I just need someplace where parking is readily available, where I won't be shot by gang members or hassled by the cops. I would not have NY plates.

 

[Kia girl]

Look at which Walmart's in your area allow it. They are usually pretty safe and plenty of room.


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[CityWoman]

Hi . . . can anyone recommend some areas to look for parking in the NYC area? This would be for a 25 foot shuttle bus. I'm planning on keeping it stealth as much as possible, and only a short-term stay -- no more than a week. I would prefer to be in the city, but I could also stay in New Jersey and take a bus or train in. I just need someplace where parking is readily available, where I won't be shot by gang members or hassled by the cops. I would not have NY plates.

Look at which Walmart's in your area allow it. They are usually pretty safe and plenty of room.

There are no Walmarts in NYC.

There aren't very many parking lots, either -- not for free, anyway. I would just look for a quiet neighborhood (maybe upper east side close to the East River, near the hospitals) and park on the street. But you would need to move it or sit in it every few days for the street cleaning vehicles.

 

[GeorgiePorgie]

Commercial is commercial....any state. You shouldn't have registered in CA. Your best bet would be Arizona. They will change the title.

I live in California and am planning to start living in a (probably cargo) van starting when it gets warmer. Do I have to use commercial plates and will that haunt me when traveling around the country? It seems like cargo cans are usually recommended for stealth. Is registering in a different state difficult?