The Stress of E & E?

[Vagabound]

Note:  While all input is of course welcomed, this topic does not apply to people who park RVs in RV campgrounds as a rule.

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As I contemplate this vandwelling lifestyle, there is a nagging concern at the back of my mind.  

Although it's been updated now, there was an old military term - escape and evasion.  For those who don't know, it applies to situations like a downed pilot who has to avoid being captured by the bad guys on the ground until the good guys show up to rescue him.  In addition to the obvious dangers, there are huge psychological stresses involved in E&E, sometimes with follow-on negative effects.  

Although using E&E as an example is a bit tongue-in-cheek, there is a similarity between that and boondocking / dispersed camping / stealth camping (especially urban), etc.  The dangers are less severe, but can still be quite tangible (trouble with law enforcement, financial penalties, frequent dislocation, etc).  The thoughts must run through your head: Where do I go?  How long should I stay?  How do I get what I need? How do I avoid being detected? Who will bother me?  Will tonight be the night for the always possible "2am knock on the door"? What will the impact be this time of getting forced out of a spot?  

Based on the rough similarities with E&E, that 24/7 lack of certainty and stability would have to cause some similar, if lesser psychological stress on the vandweller.  Sure, if you follow the rules more, there is less stress.  If you walk on the wild side, more stress.  However, even "risky-area teetotalers" must feel it sometimes.

My questions:  Is this a frequent part of your thinking?  How much do you notice the impact of this stress on yourself?  What do you do to reduce it or deal with it? 

Thanks for sharing your thoughts.

 

[TrainChaser]

I don't like street parking. I've done it a few times, and hated it. I can't really relax. The slightest sound wakes me up. I did it for a bit in San Jose, CA, when I moved there to try to find a job. When I did find a job and got to know some of the people (small business), one of the women let me park in her back yard.

 

[Mobilesport]

I always worry that a drunk is going to rear end me while I'm sleeping , I try to sleep on the side most likely to have less impact but that worry is always there.
I was once told that people that have been drinking have tunnel vision and that's why most drunks more often than not side swipe stuff while driving , I picture them driving just a couple of feet more to the right then they should be (they dont see my van to the side because of tunnel vision) and then there right front side of there car slams end to my left rear of my van and that's where my head is when I'm sleeping. 
Sometimes I hear the cars racing by very fast , a lot of crazy drivers out late at night.

 

[GotSmart]

What, Me Worry?

Attitude is everything.  

Take one lap cat and you feel much better in the morning.

 

[Bster13]

I think for folks with ties to the East coast this E & E would be more worrisome. As a wannabe I'm only theorizing, but I envision the West as this expansive place with tons of free camping. Part of the reason I would pick a Prius or Class B/Van over a truck and fiberglass trailer is for lower stress when visiting big cities and populated places on the East coast....it's just seems so much more difficult to "chill out" out here without ruffling feathers.

 

[Almost There]

My questions:  Is this a frequent part of your thinking?  How much do you notice the impact of this stress on yourself?  What do you do to reduce it or deal with it? 

Thanks for sharing your thoughts.

It has never been a part of my thinking at all!!

Why - because I make a choice NOT to park where I think or know I shouldn't be. I make the choice to do what I have to do to not have that stress in my life.

Even in a large city, which I admit to avoiding to the very best of my ability, I have a choice. I can drive to someplace where it's okay to park for the night, even if it's outside the city.

I look at the cost of gas to do so as still being a whole lot cheaper than paying a fine, freeing my vehicle from a compound or paying for a motel....way cheaper.

 

[Canine]

Since we seldom stay overnight close to a city,when we do we just pay for a campground site.Pretty hard to steath with a 31 ft camper.

 

[Vagabound]

It has never been a part of my thinking at all!!

Why - because I make a choice NOT to park where I think or know I shouldn't be. I make the choice to do what I have to do to not have that stress in my life.
...

Almost There,

You're the up-to-this-point winner!  Why?  You're the first one that even mentioned the word "stress", which is what I'm asking about.  "Bster13" is runner-up for using the term "E&E".

More replies to come maybe ... fingers crossed!  ;-)

Vagabound

 

[highdesertranger]

this must be a back east thing or a city dweller thing.
"My questions: Is this a frequent part of your thinking? How much do you notice the impact of this stress on yourself? What do you do to reduce it or deal with it?"
1. Is this a frequent part of your thinking? no.
2. How much do you notice the impact of this stress on yourself? zero.
3. What do you do to reduce it or deal with it? nothing.
sorry I have not been any help but I just don't understand why someone would put themselves in a situation that causes all that stress. highdesertranger

 

[Svenn]

There's a lot of theorizing and hypotheticals on this forum... anticipation is usually more stressful than the event itself. There are a ton of people on here who have urban boondocked for years and never had a knock on the door, and those that have are almost always told to just move on. I'd take a drowsy 20 minute midnight relocation to a different part of town over sleepless decades worrying about a mortgage and the stability of my employment any day.

Once the cover of night comes I feel much better... and by 4 am or so I'm so fast asleep I forget I'm in a truck. Sometimes I wake up in the morning and look where I parked and think 'dang, I was really obvious there,' but by then I'm moving on. The other thing to realize is that, for a lot of people, showing up 'cold' in a new city isn't very common- usually you know someone, have a place already planned out, or have some other connection that reduces the stress.

All of this being said, I do feel much better that I'm in a truck now than the old days when I was in a car/van. For some reason that extra 6 inches of clearance off the ground makes me feel way less exposed and vulnerable.

 

[Yogidog]

I do find the west where I have only been for a month to be completely different in attitude toward vehicle dwellers, they call them campers here. This lowers my stress termendously!  I have slept great but I have been mostly in wilderness.

I couldn't understand when people experienced in boondocking out here would say there was nothing to worry about, now I get it, we are not all cramped into together, aggravating each other.

U describe my experience in Michigan very well and other places not friendly to people sleeping in vehicles. It was stessfull, I coped by "keeping my eye on the prize" as suanne recently said, remembering who I am, trying to help and think about others. Concentrating on good parts, accepting consequences of decisions I made.  Using it as a challange to increase things I value, 

Look forward to reading others thoughts thanks for posting!

 

[jimindenver]

I have put some thought into this since having a travel trailer would mean no easy escape. I don't know that I could do the urban thing, I have a hard time being in a camp ground even. A motor home would at least give me the ability to leave if I needed to.

 

[Damian Rolling]

I worried about this more when I first started, but do not think about it much at all now.

I’ve had two nocturnal visits from police officers (over a year ago). Once I had to leave, the other time I could stay where I was. I would categorize these as a nuisance rather than a danger. 

Before becoming a van dweller I did a lot of research (forums, blogs, etc.) and concluded lots of people have had a nocturnal visit, but it is rare for anyone to get into trouble.

In fact, the only instance I can find where someone got into real trouble just for sleeping in their vehicle happened in Key West in 2013 (where in 2012 sleeping in a vehicle was outlawed except in campgrounds). The guy in question was issued a citation and a summons. Here is a link to the story: http://keysnews.com/node/54335. I think it is important to note according to the report the guy was given SIX separate warnings from police before getting the citation and summons.

Damian

 

[cyndi]

HDR, enough of the *back east thing*, already!

I never worry about E&E. I assess a place when I first pull in. If I get bad vibes I move then. I've never had to move in the middle of the night, but If I did I head up the road to the next likely looking spot.

I overnight in all kids of places, but generally NOT on the street. Walmarts, Crackerbarrels and other big box stores, rest areas, truck stops, 24 hour Dunkin donuts and McDonalds.

 

[TrainChaser]

I went back and read the original post again.

"The thoughts must run through your head: Where do I go? How long should I stay? How do I get what I need? How do I avoid being detected? Who will bother me? Will tonight be the night for the always possible "2am knock on the door"? What will the impact be this time of getting forced out of a spot?"

The only place that these things would go through my head is during stealth camping in a populated area, which I will pay cash to avoid.

WHY would it even come up when boondocking???

 

[rvpopeye]

I can't park at my mom's house where I spend 12-15 hours a day..
So I have to do the "creative" parking thing.
I do stress some about if the rig will have been towed while I am away , it hasn't happened yet but I did get a phone call from the PD telling me I had to move it once.
Guess they ran my plates then used the phone book ???????

 

[GotSmart]

What me worry~~~  Classic Alfred E. Neuman, which was superseded by Bobby McFerrin.  Dont worry be happy.

https://us.search.yahoo.com/yhs/sea...1006_8.4.0.5068_u_ds_sp&p=dont+worry+be+happy

Only a couple knocks, which were no big thing.  I had some excellent sleep on places that had big NO OVERNIGHT ~~~~ Bla Bla Bla. IMHO, safety is #1, and if a knock happens, you were too tired to continue on. Be nice and polite.  LEO is looking for a reason not to have to generate paperwork.

 

[NickTheoBennett]

 I did get a phone call from the PD telling me I had to move it once.
Guess they ran my plates then used the phone book ???????

That's one I haven't heard before.  Had you been there for more than one night?  I worry that I would be so disoriented if I received a phone call that I'm not sure I would respond coherently/appropriately.  I'm curious to know the details.  Was it the middle of the night when you got the call or were you parked for a day or two in the same spot?  If you don't mind sharing, where was this?

I've only been full timing for a couple of months now, but I definitely tend to park where it is allowed (I have been solely in the west thus far). I only stealthed for a few nights in West Yellowstone, MT, and it was so stressful I decided to never do it again if I have a choice. I was just fine once I fell asleep and didn't get any knocks, but I relate to what people have said earlier in this thread about trying really, really hard to find a legal place to camp.

It's nice to settle down, have a couple of drinks (or smoke a little pot if I'm in a legal state) and not worry about being woken in the night.

 

[Vagabound]

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sorry I have not been any help but I just don't understand why someone would put themselves in a situation that causes all that stress.  highdesertranger

Hi HDR,

On the contrary.  I think your "nothing" reply was helpful.  Nothing means nothing.  One vote for "not a problem for me".  Data as valid as any other.  

As for why someone might put themselves in such a situation, I can think of a few reasons:  inexperience, apparent lack of options, emergency mechanical trouble, too many "over the handlebars" as a child, etc.

I'm also just realizing that I should have added a question to my list:  In what region of the U.S. was most of your opinion based?

Thanks,

Vagabound

 

[Vagabound]

...

I look at the cost of gas to do so as still being a whole lot cheaper than paying a fine, freeing my vehicle from a compound or paying for a motel....way cheaper.

The "just follow the rules" part is the standard recipe.  How do you avoid falling?  Don't trip.  Still, it happens.

That said, your last point was a gold nugget for those trying to figure this out -- relative costs.  Gas vs. towing.  Gas vs. impound fees.  Gas vs. traffic citation.  Something that should be contemplated before $4/gallon gas turns the pressure up again.

Thanks,

Vagabound