Stealthing with removable Decals

[wasanah2]

This one has it all covered. All you need are 11 good stories to cover all the variations,
https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/71Soxb5eeJL._SL1500_.jpg

LOL, my van's not that big.  Now that WOULD be suspicious.   LOL  I think I will choose man, woman, 2 kids and a dog.  That sounds like it would work.

 

[wasanah2]

If employees are using their own vehicles to work on the job, they don't have a special license nor license plate.  I see vehicles at road work sites where they are parked there while they work.  They have, a lot of them, their own tools and their own gear.  So next time I go by, I want to get a good look to see what kinds of decals or identifying marks might be on them to see what an industrial park van should look like.

 

[highdesertranger]

oh! what a tangled web we weave when first we practice to deceive.

I say don't do it. highdesertranger

 

[Minivanmotoman]

There's a famous old saying that applies here.
You can fool some of the people all of the time.
You can fool all of the people some of the time.
But you can't fool all of the people all of the time.

It's a good idea but, there always a but.
Stealth and perception can be influenced/improved short term. Couple times maybe at best.
But after awhile, the same old van with the same old plates.
People will see you get in or out, or not get in or out and notice.
Where it is tolerated, no problem.
If you arrive late and leave early, improve your odds.
If you move around frequently, again, improve your odds.
If you travel extensively, really increase your odds.
Success is really a short term thing.

Long term those around you will notice.
In a very busy City environment, will blend in, yes.
In places that really enforce it, they know what to look for. It is doable but success decreases with time.
People have been rousted in plain white minivans in Urban areas as seen in YouTube by a famous nomad.
Eventually, everyone does get noticed.
If it's tolerated and you move often, can be done.
If it's not tolerated in an area, could get very interesting. Stickers will not give your vehicle a new look, still the same model and color and plates.

 

[GeorgiePorgie]

Personally, I have no problem with deceiving when it comes to victimless crimes. It hurts no one for me to sleep in my personal vehicle in a supposedly "free" country.

 

[QinReno]

oh! what a tangled web we weave when first we practice to deceive.

I say don't do it.  highdesertranger

I had written several replies like that, but didn't post them because I didn't want to be preachy. That's HDR's job. Someone told me a few posts ago to listen to HDR, and OBEY!

(and I've been doing that ever since).

 

[wasanah2]

oh! what a tangled web we weave when first we practice to deceive.

I say don't do it.  highdesertranger

Don't put decals on my car?  No soccer balls or stick family?  Come on, maybe no signage, but no decals?

 

[wasanah2]

I had written several replies like that, but didn't post them because I didn't want to be preachy. That's HDR's job. Someone told me a few posts ago to listen to HDR, and OBEY!

(and I've been doing that ever since).

I don't like Koolaid.

 

[wasanah2]

Personally, I have no problem with deceiving when it comes to victimless crimes. It hurts no one for me to sleep in my personal vehicle in a supposedly "free" country.

It IS our country.  You're right.  And it's a crime that we have to think this way to enjoy OUR country.  And I agree totally with you.  Besides, even if it isn't a crime, being told at 2AM to "move along," you have to move along even if it is legal to be there.   I hate to be woken up at 2AM.  I really do.  I just want a parking place and peacefulness, and I'll go on my way at dawn.

 

[wasanah2]

Minimotoman,  Florida has done something very interesting.  They have not one or two types of plates.  I think it's well over a hundred.  Everyone has different looking plates.  In fact, both my cars have different plates on them.  One has a horse on it and the other sea turtle.  So not only do you have your vehicle, but also your one of a hundred plate, which of course never changes.    I don't know if that's helpful to LEO's or not in remembering vehicles.  I would think it would be helpful.  Not sure.

I don't think other states have so many plates.  At least I haven't seen anything like Florida's many kinds.

 

[velojym]

They only care about commercial tags, in some states, if the vehicle is above a certain weight range. I can't speak for all of them, though.

You could just get some plain black numbers, put 'em on your front fender and on the back door when you need to look industrial-stealth without more signage. I see those all the time, especially on vehicles that don't get enough public exposure to bother with advertis-ey markings. Also, if asked by an authori-TAH where your commercial paperwork is... tell em whatever you like, but there's no more commercial requirement to have a number on your vehicle than anything else, like all those Airstreams out there with club numbers.

 

[wasanah2]

They only care about commercial tags, in some states, if the vehicle is above a certain weight range. I can't speak for all of them, though.

You could just get some plain black numbers, put 'em on your front fender and on the back door when you need to look industrial-stealth without more signage. I see those all the time, especially on vehicles that don't get enough public exposure to bother with advertis-ey markings. Also, if asked by an authori-TAH where your commercial paperwork is... tell em whatever you like, but there's no more commercial requirement to have a number on your vehicle than anything else, like all those Airstreams out there with club numbers.

That is EXCELLENT!  Yes, numbers.  I've seen that too.  And the story line can be a club number.  I'm a Moose member.  I'll put my Moose number on there and I can show my card in my wallet that has the same number on it.  I camp at Moose campgrounds too.   Yeah, that's totally legit and industrial looking.

That's an awesome idea!

 

[Weight]

The only legal requirements covering decals, numbers, or stupid family counters; if you have commercial plates you must have the name on the vehicle. Usually 3 inches high. You can have anything else on your vehicle. Except outright misleading stuff. My whole point comes down to this; Stealth is an illusion held by the person sleeping in the van. They know you are there. They allow it or they knock on the door. That is it. Signs do not make any difference, and may irritate a tired officer looking to have an issue.

 

[wasanah2]

The only legal requirements covering decals, numbers, or stupid family counters; if you have commercial plates you must have the name on the vehicle. Usually 3 inches high. You can have anything else on your vehicle. Except outright misleading stuff.  My whole point comes down to this; Stealth is an illusion held by the person sleeping in the van. They know you are there. They allow it or they knock on the door. That is it. Signs do not make any difference, and may irritate a tired officer looking to have an issue.

Thankfully, I don't have commercial plates.  I think the proof in this is testing it out.  I'll do that as soon as I recover from surgery next week.  I like the magnetic black numbers idea on the outside (and I have my lodge card) and I like the stick family and some other types of decals that can show through acetate.  I'll take pix and then you can see how it looks and then I'll test it out.  After staying in a house convalescing from the surgery, I will be VERY motivated in getting back to stealthing.

Here's the skinny on the FL commercial plates: " If the declared GVW is 26,001-80,000 lbs (26,002-80,000 for a truck/trailer combo), the heavy truck is considered a commercial vehicle. If the vehicle travels intrastate (only in Florida), two plates are issued, and the plate displaying the decal is attached to the front of the vehicle."

I venture to say no vans in the class I'm driving will be in the commercial range.  In our state, we only get one plate that goes on the back for non-commercial plates.  I guess that saves money.  Every other state I lived in, you had to have 2 and the decal went in the back.

Just the same, I will follow the rules.  I will use numbers, and they will be my camp numbers for Moose for industrial parking.  And for times I'm family vanning, I'll use the acetate stickers and see if it works out in a residential area.  Now I gotta go order me some decals.  LOL

 

[John61CT]

Personally, I have no problem with deceiving when it comes to victimless crimes. It hurts no one for me to sleep in my personal vehicle in a supposedly "free" country.

It isn't really free, only if you're wealthy. Every other developed nation is much more free for non-wealthy people.

Sleeping in your vehicle is illegal most places.

Yes stealth is "deception". Purely as a practical matter there are hundreds of factors more significant than stickers.

Not worth the trouble IMO. But if you like the soccer mom ones on a family-looking minivan NP.

The "working ones" if they don't match **you** when the cops shake you down may well make things worse.

 

[lenny flank]

I had a feeling you wouldn't like the idea.  I don't think you've liked even one of my excellent ideas.  

Tee hee hee.  

I am just an immensely practical person. And in terms of sheer practicality, plain and simple is always best.

 

[wasanah2]

It isn't really free, only if you're wealthy. Every other developed nation is much more free for non-wealthy people.

Sleeping in your vehicle is illegal most places.

Yes stealth is "deception". Purely as a practical matter there are hundreds of factors more significant than stickers.

Not worth the trouble IMO. But if you like the soccer mom ones on a family-looking minivan NP.

The "working ones" if they don't match **you** when the cops shake you down may well make things worse.

Yeah, I'm off the idea of a business magnet, but I do like the numbers which will match my Moose number and I will use it when I'm camping the Moose camps. 

I've seen people sleeping (napping) in parking lots while someone else is shopping etc. during the day.  In the daytime, no one thinks about someone sleeping in a van.  Other people are working and seeing a van parked for 8 hours in one place isn't weird.  People park a lot of places while they work without issue.

Summer time this wouldn't work unless you are at high elevations, but Winter it would.  What if you switched your days and nights and maybe park at the gym with your gym decal on there, sleep for 8 hours, and then leave to go somewhere else for the evening and for getting wifi and such.   Especially if you were somewhere with a lot of nightlife it might be fun.  If you're awake when you're discovered, you're just parked in one place for a bit.  I mean you could go to a Dennys or an IHOP and park outside there, as long as you are awake and there for a few hours, no big deal.  You've already slept for 8 hours. 

You could go to the beach for the day and sleep there.  The cops clear people out after dark in some areas, but by then you've already had your rest.  Yeah.  Coupled with the decal idea, I like this.

 

[wasanah2]

Tee hee hee.  

I am just an immensely practical person. And in terms of sheer practicality, plain and simple is always best.

Scratch out practical and put in pessimistic.  We are brain storming here.   It doesn't matter what I say, you continually slam a great number of good ideas.  I figured it was your personality, and that's okay.  I expect it from you now.  I was waiting for it, and there it was.  LOL  There are all types in this world.  Truly practical people don't shut down ideas, they foster more thought, because they know that they don't know everything, and something positive can come of the exercise.

Edit addition: I just read what I wrote and I want you to know I didn't mean it in a harsh way.

 

[lenny flank]

I'm all game for people to try anything.

The real test for any idea comes in the real world.

 

[RowanFae]

If you go the route of magnetic signs, you can get them at Vista Print.

A quick tip. If you request a business brochure/samples they will send you coupons for free things like one free magnetic sign, etc. At least, they used to.

Is it really necessary to change things up like that? I suppose I will probably have to remove The Walking Dead stickers and bloody hand print stickers from my vehicle then (jk).