White cargo van stigma?

[ganchan]

I've noticed that my personal reaction depends on whether there appears to be any attempt at stealth on the exterior. When I see a van emblazoned with a professional-looking corporate logo (especially when there's a phone number included), I don't think suspicious thoughts; I think, "That's a business vehicle." It's only the totally blank, windowless vans that might make me wonder who owns them and why. But even that would probably depend on where it's parked.

I'm definitely going to put my full business contact info my the sides of my van, if only for promotional purposes. Heck I may even plaster my name on the side in big ol' letters. Not hiding anything in here, folks!

 

[flying kurbmaster]

I never think rapist when I see a white van.

 

[anewbiewannabe]

They also tell women to be wary of any vans parked next to them. While it's good to be aware of your surroundings, if I had to be wary every time a van parked next to me I'd never go out. No matter where I've parked in a parking lot, even if there are compact cars on both sides of me, invariably when I came back out there would be a van or SUV or giant p/u truck parked on at least one side of me if not both. I notice this because it makes it harder to back out because they create blind spots.

It's become so commonplace for me that I've probably let my guard down too far, but hey, I'm an old lady now so not so much a target in that manner. I don't have to concern myself as often any more since I got my disabled parking placard, but sometimes those spots are all full.

I'll probably be driving one of those nondescript white vans when I get on the road. I'd really like to paint rainbows and stuff on one but I think that would get me more of the attention I don't want and I will have need of stealth sometimes.

 

[Almost There]

They also tell women to be wary of any vans parked next to them.  While it's good to be aware of your surroundings, if I had to be wary every time a van parked next to me I'd never go out.  No matter where I've parked in a parking lot, even if there are compact cars on both sides of me, invariably when I came back out there would be a van or SUV or giant p/u truck parked on at least one side of me if not both.    I notice this because it makes it harder to back out because they create blind spots.  

It's become so commonplace for me that I've probably let my guard down too far, but hey, I'm an old lady now so not so much a target in that manner.  I don't have to concern myself as often any more since I got my disabled parking placard, but sometimes those spots are all full.

I'll probably be driving one of those nondescript white vans when I get on the road.  I'd really like to paint rainbows and stuff    on one but I think that would get me more of the attention I don't want and I will have need of stealth sometimes.

Yea, I think rainbows might be a tad over the top....

I've driven vans of all colors and never seen the discrimination that was talked about here...maybe I just don't notice it but then other than the occasional W/M or Flying J parking lot I haven't done any city stealth camping and avoid cities whenever possible so who knows.

My van is a white cargo van with the high top on it and I'm old enough to be retired. Note I didn't say old lady... - my aunt is old at 93, I'm still a young'un!! We'll soon see if it gets a bad rap!

As to the parking problem, I try my darndest to pull into a spot that I can pull out forward from rather than having to back up a big vehicle into an aisle in a crowded parking lot. Silly people want to walk behind me or drive down the aisle at breakneck speeds. Sometimes it means parking at the end of a crowded aisle but I figure the extra walk is exercise. 

 

[gypsychic]

I'd really like to paint rainbows and stuff on one but I think that would get me more of the attention I don't want and I will have need of stealth sometimes.

A few family members would like to paint some pictures on my van. Since they are all more artistically gifted than I am, even the 6 year old (no joking) I'm actually considering it. There's a forum member here who is an artist and has painter her TT so cute. (Goes my dragonflyinthesky I believe). I saw pictures of it on Google before I joined the forum and thought I'd really like to do something like that-paying someone else, of course.)

Not sure about the attention it would attract. Even here in Portland, where I do notice lots of vandwellers, I don't notice any artistically creative vans. I'll have to keep thinking about it.

 

[anewbiewannabe]

Yea, I think rainbows might be a tad over the top....

I've driven vans of all colors and never seen the discrimination that was talked about here...maybe I just don't notice it but then other than the occasional W/M or Flying J parking lot I haven't done any city stealth camping and avoid cities whenever possible so who knows.

Darn, I really want rainbows. If I knew the axles and such on the beat-up falling apart salvaged little travel trailer parked by the barn could be made to work again, I'd love to rebuild it and then I could paint my rainbows and flowers on it. I wanted to do it years ago when I was still able to do about anything myself, but I had other priorities.

LOL, somewhere in the past year or so people have started treating me like a little old lady. I have mixed feelings on this since I'm not old enough to retire yet. I do like people going out of their way to hold the door open for me though. I am the oldest living female in my family though. Rainy days can make my body feel like it's 100, but I'm either in my second childhood or young at heart. hehe

Pull throughs are the way to park when possible. I can't walk long distances right now though so have to park closer than I used to. Hopefully by the time I'm on the road they'll have figured out what's up and my leg will function more normally again.

I think some people are just going to find something to judge no matter what. The repeated use of the vans in movies doesn't help give them a good reputation. It's not like the 60s and 70s when there were so many camper vans and buses, but I'm sure they were judged too. This is one spot where it's gotta be harder for the guys. The only profiling I ever got was like reverse profiling at the airports when I had to fly a lot right after 9/11---at least I think that was what it was. They'd pull me out as a "normal" white woman of a certain age so that the others of other ethnic backgrounds couldn't say they were being profiled. Either that or I looked suspicious. :dodgy:

Might be fun to have a white cargo van meetup somewhere one day. Wouldn't that blow people's socks off!!!!

 

[anewbiewannabe]

A few family members would like to paint some pictures on my van. Since they are all more artistically gifted than I am, even the 6 year old (no joking) I'm actually considering it. There's a forum member here who is an artist and has painter her TT so cute. (Goes my dragonflyinthesky I believe). I saw pictures of it on Google before I joined the forum and thought I'd really like to do something like that-paying someone else, of course.)

Not sure about the attention it would attract. Even here in Portland, where I do notice lots of vandwellers, I don't notice any artistically creative vans. I'll have to keep thinking about it.

I guess it all comes down to whether one needs to be somewhat stealthy sometimes. I wonder if any of those companies that provide free cars if you drive them around with their advertising have any of the larger vans. I see the smaller transit type and cars around here all the time. Other than if I could do something like that, I think I'll keep my artistry or other artistry inside the van to start with.

 

[Tin Can Express]

Might be fun to have a white cargo van meetup somewhere one day. Wouldn't that blow people's socks off!!!!

I went to a caving convention last summer, camping was allowed wherever. There was a whole row of plain cargo vans in the parking lot being camped in. Heard some interesting comments about camping on van row.   We had fun and all drooled over the Sportmobile that showed up.

 

[Lafnbug]

I'm not sure if it matters if it's true or not, once the stigma is out there and established in a culture. Remember when they were looking for the DC sniper? White vans is what they were looking for, not a Crown Vic...

+1 on that one! Someone called on me back then, while I was working outside on a house! I was aware of the situation, but still shocked by Officer Friendly's visit, as I was nowhere near any of the shootings, and had been there all day. This was about the time I confirmed the limitless depth of human stupidity.

I freely allowed a cursory search of my van (not living in it, a bonafide work van) to 'disarm' the situation. Some of you might want to think about your tactics in a similar situation, depending on what you might have on board. The moral is Situational Awareness.

 

[anewbiewannabe]

Definitely seems like we all have to figure out a basic plan so that it's part of our memory banks in case we sort of freeze up if someone questions us. I saved something about dealing with LEOs from another thread here so that I can study it and become familiar with it so I'm prepared should I need to be.

TBH I'm not familiar with the DC sniper because I've been out of touch with a lot of the goings on of the world by choice for a while, but the mention of it reminded me of a situation with an overpass shooter years ago---seems the vehicle in question was a white cargo van if I remember right. *sigh*

In this instance I'm definitely seeing it as a positive for me that I'll be a solo female van dweller. I'm also thinking that keeping my personalized license plates for a van is not a good idea either. I do think that I will be considering a magnetic sign or two for if I have to be stealth in a city area. I have a couple ideas in mind.

 

[SoulRaven]

I'm in a blue conversion (non-high-top) van, and even I've encountered the stigma. This is most likely because vans of any kind generally stand out in Seattle due to the significant parking problems, people are highly motivated to go with smaller vehicles or no vehicle at all. A couple of my friends jokingly called it "the abduction van".

Last week I spent a single night street parking a major road through a neighborhood, which is about the equivalent of a highway but lined by houses and street parking on either side. I typically avoid spots near houses but figured with so many cars and such a busy street and so many houses then one night shouldn't be a problem. Next morning I overhear the following exchange right outside:


"I don't know whose creepy van this is, parked outside of my house."

The other person was asking her something about whether she wanted them to report it to the cops.



"No, I think...I think it should be fine, I guess."

They reassured her it probably belongs to someone across the street. "Yeah, you're probably right, okay..."

I felt terrible for scaring the poor woman, and was tempted to stick my head out and be like "It's okay, it's just me! Sorry, I'll get out of your hair now!" But I figured that'd just freak her out more. Instead, I immediately readied myself to get moving, and about half an hour later took my time in the front to get organized, hoping she might see that I'm just a little slip of a young woman and of no threat to her. I felt like leaving a note of apology or some small gift, but concluded the best I could do was just leave things be.

I think windowless vans get the worst of the stigma, but in some areas any van at all tends to be viewed with suspicion.

 

[MK7]

White cargo van just look more ominous. That's why part of the conversion van's conversion process is to paint it a different color and break up the single paint scheme with decals of palm trees & pinstripes, to make it look friendlier and livelier.

 

[flying kurbmaster]

If think people who have a fear of white vans, windowless vans or vans in general are scary, need therapy and if it continues should be institutionalized, having said that I feel that way about purple Toyota Prius'. I wouldn't want one of them parked next to me.

 

[anewbiewannabe]

I guess my personal bias is preferring vans plain---whatever color or style. Except for rainbow and flowers of course. But that is probably because we had a plain light green Dodge van in the 60s. That's not to say I haven't seen some custom paint jobs that were drool worthy---OMG that old ford truck with the yellow and white that someone (sorry, I remember your icon but not your name yet) shared in the conversion section! And the panel truck!!!! :heart: So, that's probably why I don't think weird thoughts when I see vans usually unless it's to covet having one of my own. The ones with 4wd and mud on em I just get envious of.

Flying kurbmaster. And I didn't even know there were purple priuses---wonder if purple people eaters drive them? I will definitely be on the lookout for those!!! ROFL

 

[LeeRevell]

My father always had white vans. His preference for white became a sort of family joke. He once, on pure impulse, bought a Dodge Ram truck. Very odd, because he was an incurable Ford guy! Mom phoned me about it. I asked "What color?" Mom says, "What else? White!" He later traded it in on a Mercury Gran Marquis in silver, only because they didn't have a white one. He said he wanted "One really nice car" before he died. He still had the 1986 E150 that I have now, though it's so rusty I use it as a parts vehicle for my 1988 E150 (which is brown).
I see so many white vans - Chevys. Fords and Dodges, I hardly notice them. No stigma here! Park at a Lowes, HD or Sears store, you'd blend right in!

 

[surfer]

How about some ideas to do something like the Harley riders to bridge the gap between vandwellers & stick-n-brickers to lessen the stigma?

 

[flying kurbmaster]

Great idea!! we can all wear, leather vest, leather chaps, leather bandanas, sunglasses, boots all with Vandweller logos, then get skanky girlfriends, shine our rigs, drive five minutes to the local donut shop, park in a row, look staunch and admire each others vans......, maybe it will work,.... the locals might think we are just all pussys that like dressing up, and scaring children but somehow I doubt that would work in the case of the scared homeowners, they need real help.

 

[anewbiewannabe]

Great idea!!  we can all wear, leather vest, leather chaps, leather bandanas, sunglasses, boots all with Vandweller logos, then get skanky girlfriends, shine our rigs, drive five minutes to the local donut shop, park in a row, look staunch and admire each others vans......, maybe it will work,.... the locals might think we are just all pussys that like dressing up, and scaring children but somehow I doubt that would work in the case of the scared homeowners, they need real help.

LOL...Hey! I resemble that remark! I'd need a skanky boyfriend instead. I'll have to lose 10lbs. to fit back in my chaps though. I really need to try them on to be sure---they may still fit.

Some serious stereotyping there. Even the true motorcycle gangs I know of around here do helpful things in the community. But the average Harley owner nowadays is more likely to be a professional in some occupation like doctor/lawyer/dentist/etc---at least in the Midwest.

Seriously though, there are a lot of HOGs that do many good things in many communities. There are mixed M/C groups that do a lot as well. Poker Runs, Toy Runs, Benefit Runs are just the ones off the top of my head---fun and community service stuff all in one.

I have no clue what the white van brigade could do to allay the concerns or fears of those that have them.

 

[SoulRaven]

Having been there and done that, the only way I can see to get rid of the cargo van stigma is to drive something else.

After having had many types of RV's, vans, buses, you name it, the only one where I was ever treated with disrespect was in a cargo van. Now I did have some parking problems with other rigs, but none of the negativity from the public.

The criminals like to steal and then use cargo vans in their activities. It's in the news frequently. WE can't change that. What we can change is the public's perception of us by not driving cargo vans, and not hiding like criminals.

There are lots of respected full timers all over the country, in every type of RV, trailers, vans, you name it. They are respected because they are not trying to hide what they're doing.

Sleeping in your vehicle is only illegal in a very few places in the USA. Even in most of those places it really isn't enforced unless you're making a nuisance of yourself, or you make the neighbors nervous and they complain.

Security guards in commercial/industrial areas love to justify their existence by calling the cops on ANY van dweller. Same with neighborhood patrols/watches. Park by a school yard and you are bound to make some parent nervous. Once you learn where to park, your chances of that night time roust are greatly diminished.

Most people aren't terribly afraid of campers, they're more afraid of the unknown. If we are ever going to remove any stigma, then we need to start acting more like upstanding members of society rather than people who must hide their existence.

Full timers don't hide, they are proud of their lifestyle and choices. That's what our goal needs to be if we want to be accepted by mainstream society. Most full timers have done it, and we can too.

 

[akrvbob]

You can have my white cargo van when you pry it from my cold, dead fingers.
Bob