Surge?

[Vagabound]

A question for anyone, but especially the long-time people (and the site admin with access to the database):

I have been astonished by the large amount of new people posting to the "Newcomer's Corner" forum over the last month or so that I've been watching.  Nearly a continuous stream.

1.  Would you say this is pretty normal (over the last few years) or has there been a noticeable surge recently?

2.  Is this causing a "The More, The Merrier" attitude or a "Run for the hills, Margaret!" feeling among current vandwellers?

Thanks,

Vagabound

 

[cyndi]

I didn't repond in the poll. But, I don't think there is a surge, really. I'm the one who checks out newly registered members in an effort to protect the forum from known spammers and hackers. I've been doing it for at least a couple of years.

Somedays there are 20-30 new members (that's high) somedays there are 3 or 6. Some days there are none (not very often) There's no rhyme or reason to it.

 

[Vagabound]

I didn't respond in the poll. But, I don't think there is a surge, really.  ...

After the fact, I thought that I should have included a choice in the poll "There is no surge" to be all-inclusive.  Turns out that either forum polls cannot be edited or at least I don't know how to do it.

So it seems like a steady stream to you, averaged out over the last few years.  Interesting.  

There are a lot of anecdotal comments in vehicle dweller blogs and videos about no information on the lifestyle being available online "when I started out a few years ago".  Now it seems like everyone and his brother is driving around in a van with a video camera! ;-)  Well, perception and data don't always match.

If others comment, it will be interesting to see how they perceive it.

Thanks,

Vagabound

 

[rvpopeye]

No worries how many from me , but the tribe IS growing.
And not just this tribe , vehicle dwellers are everywhere.
I meet some every day !

 

[cyndi]

There are a lot of anecdotal comments in vehicle dweller blogs and videos about no information on the lifestyle being available online "when I started out a few years ago".  Now it seems like everyone and his brother is driving around in a van with a video camera! ;-)  Well, perception and data don't always match.

Oh! I think there are defintitley more people doing it; millenials who are cycnical of the current system, boomers retiring early and foregoing the retirement home to get back to the days of their youth, or missed youth. and those in between - burnouts from corporate, bluecollar and professional America. I just don't see it as a surge. more of a progression.

As for the you tubers and bloggers, I think they're trying to make a buck. Unfortunately, I believe that ship has sailed. The bloggers and you tubers who have been around will continue to do well, the newbies will never have the spring board that Bob, Technomadia and some of the other popular bloggers had.

 

[rvwandering]

The number of vehicle dwellers does seem to be increasing. I think it's mostly a positive thing but I am concerned about the people who are moving into their vehicles as a last choice and do not have a support system and who are not aware of sites like this one where they can get advice. Some preparation before and knowing where it's safe to go afterwards can make a big difference in whether it's a positive experience or not.

 

[Vagabound]

Oh! I think there are defintitley more people doing it;   ...  I just don't see it as a surge. more of a progression.

Cyndi,

I think you're exactly right!

(oh no ... if we can't tell people they're wrong, can we tell them they're right ?!?)  I feel conflicted, but I think I'll risk it.  ;-)

"Surge" seemed the right word when I wrote it, but I guess I really just meant a big increase.  To me it seems like a change on the order of that hockey stick graph about climate change.

The more interesting thing (the impetus for which you described pretty well) is that van dwellers of all types are increasing while simultaneously the general trend over the last several years is that homelessness is decreasing.  Even though I know those two things are not synonymous, it's intriguing. That relationship seems to indicate that much of the increase in van dwelling is by choice, and that is a positive thing I think.

Vagabound

 

[VanDwellerMod]

Here are some graphs that demonstrate that there's steady, almost linear growth in this forum.



The top graph shows the cumulative number of registered users.  It's jagged because I regularly purge users who have zero posts and six months of never signing back in.  This helps keep the database as speedy as possible.  (Note: about 3K of our current membership are known spammers who have been banned from signing back into the forum.)

The second and third graphs are the cumulative number of threads and posts, respectively.

The statistic that is the most meaningful to me is the number of active users within the last 24 hours.  The software doesn't provide a graph of that, but when I first came on as admin in January 2014, we averaged about 90 active users every 24 hours.  Now we average about 190 active users.  I'm sure it would plot the same linear pattern as shown above for the number of users, threads and posts.

I've also noted the same steady increase in the number of guests who view the forum, but never bother to register.

No surges, but very healthy growth.

 

[TMG51]

I voted "other." I think it's a good thing that people are choosing to free themselves and find that in vandwelling, and I would never disparage anyone for doing so. However I think the upward influx is a bad thing because the more it catches on the more the government will try to regulate it somehow, and squeeze money out of people who are circumventing property tax etc.

 

[AngryVanMan]

Here are some graphs that demonstrate that there's steady, almost linear growth in this forum.

That's about a 20%+ annualized growth rate in registered users and a 45%+ annualized growth rate in forum content. This would be linear/steady growth if the adult population was growing at a similar rate; but it's not. The population in the US is growing at a 0.75% rate by comparison. This rate of increase will probably decline at some future point, but if CRVL was a stock people would be very excited about it.

 

[anewbiewannabe]

...It's jagged because I regularly purge users who have zero posts and six months of never signing back in...

I've also noted the same steady increase in the number of guests who view the forum, but never bother to register.

I'm so glad I didn't get purged since I probably made it around 6 months without posting or signing in after I no longer had my own internet access.  It took me forever to find the info to be able to sign back in so I was a guest whenever I had a chance to get online---so grateful I didn't need a password to at least read on the site. Now that I've found the info I put it someplace so I'll always have it with me when I have access to the internet in case I have something to say.

Thanks!

 

[Gary68]

the only problem i see is from the interweb and utube a lot of youngins are mistaking free for $$$ and not dom
i see this a lot in the homesteading thing too,they just dont realize that homesteading is a 16 hour a day job

 

[anewbiewannabe]

Gary, yeah, the motivating reasons today are a lot different for many than the reasons from the 60s and 70s. Hopefully most will grow up a bit just like those of us who were around back then.

 

[Yogidog]

I just brought this topic up to someone last night and asked if I could run it by them at rtr!

There was so much of increase in people in woods in vehicles this summer, I could hardly find a spot and I couldn't really blame anyone I posted stuff too!

I said last night I am not so concerned about the people posting, but I know for sure, the ones many are concerned about "homeless" and  hard core drug addicts, are reading, no posting and using info on spots.. I have heard and i see a kind of standard issue vehicle relex in Windows, propane tank, ect.

I am examining my personal responsibility in this, what I am comfortable with, I want to empower individuals but I am concerned with what it will do to the land, Everytime I use it I alter it, even using leave no trace. Just read desert solitude, awesome he talks about the national parks, I wonder if we are doing the same. Law of unintended consequences. Again not the core group here, which I know are very responsible, many leaving it cleaner than they found it.

And I am not advocating anyone else do anything different. I am looking at my part in it. I said I don't want to be on my death bed and feel like I added to the environmental mess. But I would feel good knowing I helped some people live free ethical delima! The internet changes everything. My dad pointed out tribes often initiated people after they were proficient in the norms, if they got out of line elders corrected them, we dont have the seeing first hand what is happening.

So I have no conclusion on this. I am positive everything we do has consequences.

Side note, I started my blog as a possibility of helping empower, mentor women starting out, as I think I was confusing everyone in my captains log as to what the heck I was doing! Will never be money involved or trying to get readers, just for those that are like me, poor mostly!

Anyway glad I am not alone in seeing changes. Kids in parking lots now think I am cool!

 

[Yogidog]

I always think of things when I log out as I set in the beautiful west, it seems there is room for everyone, it was back in midwest it was getting really crowed. I do believe the locals will make an ordiance against parking at Walmart soooo many of us there all summer. Again no blame I was there too

 

[BradKW]

So I have no conclusion on this. I am positive everything we do has consequences.

So I tried to think of something I could do that doesn't have any consequences. I really felt that I was on the right track with naps, until I realized that feeling well rested was indeed a consequence of a good nap.

I almost gave up.

But then I realized that making this post might actually be the most inconsequential thing I could do...

 

[VanDwellerMod]

I'm so glad I didn't get purged since I probably made it around 6 months without posting or signing in ...

I'm glad you are still here too!  But, your account would never be removed because you posted when you first joined in March 2015.  It's only those who have never posted that get purged.

 

[Yogidog]

So I tried to think of something I could do that doesn't have any consequences. I really felt that I was on the right track with naps, until I realized that feeling well rested was indeed a consequence of a good nap.

I almost gave up.

But then I realized that making this post might actually be the most inconsequential thing I could do...

Nope it affected me and now I am wondering how u and the keys are doing?

 

[Gary68]

Nope it affected me and now I am wondering how u and the keys are doing?

me too,i just thought brad might be using all that solar for a railgun

 

[Yogidog]

I try and not stay in the problem, especially when I bring them up

So I am thinking no one could have known this vandwelling thing would get this big, but it makes sense so many are tired of the way things are, so as tony robbins and others talk about, a paradigm shift is happening. So we have an opportunity to create smething new.

I am thinking of the summer rtr and how unexpected the numbers were and the rangers calling a halt to it and saying who wants to take responsibility for all these people.  It will be interesting to see how many and what happens at winter one.  The woman who I am going to camp with said, 200 that's too big, I want to camp in small groups and I know many  have been doing that for years and will probably naturally happen. 

But I was thinking  if any of the long timers did what Bob does, and I plan to do, and see some others doing like dragonfly "gathering" people up, love that! anyway opening their camp to new people, showing them the ropes. Seems it could benefit both sides. Maybe when we get old, those young ones could help us out! It was scary for me to camp alone in the beginning, and other woman have said that.

And like most of u already do, the spots can be solved with pms. 

Id love to hear other ideas, but that is probably better for another thread? Just felt I should through out some possible ideas if I am going to bring up problems! Thanks!