Would you advise a Boondocker in your neighborhood?

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PODebbie

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Twice lately, I've approached people in vehicles that looked like they may be boondocking.  One time it was at a state park that only has a day use area.  I said "hello" from about 30 feet.  The young guy looked up from his phone.  I told him I have a van and I travel and boondock in it.  I told him that the city he was in was very strict about traffic laws and if he was interested in sleeping in his van, he might want to go about 3 blocks away into the next city.  He thanked me, but I think he thought I was a busybody. 

The next episode was at Costco.  There was a class C at the edge of the parking lot when I entered the store.  When I left, the rv was still there.  Again, I said "hello" from a distance.  He had Colorado plates and this is Michigan, so it was possible he was not familiar with the area.  I warned him to go north or east for 1/2 mile.  I explained that I lived in the city to the north, and I've seen rvs in shopping areas at night, but the city he was in, was trouble.  I explained that most of my relatives, my husband, kids, and myself had all received tickets from that city.  One was for fog lights too low, one for a cracked windshield, mine was for 3mph over speed limit, my kids were for parking by their high school.  You have to go through the city to reach our city.  I have had the police follow me for several weeks each night when I got off work at 2:30 - 3:00 am.  They followed me at 25 mph for 4 miles thru their city until the city border every night.  I am a 62 year old female driving a 2016 Ford Fusion---no reason for alarm bells.

So, I was trying to be helpful, but should I just keep my mouth shut???
 
Be helpful always


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Sharing is good, but I don't like preaching. Preaching is when someone is telling me how to solve my problems. I like how you shared - just gave them valuable data. You never know anothers situation, even when you think you do. Their choices are theirs. Caring is a wonderful good.
 
I do it all the time but people tend to listen better when I'm in uniform! LOL!!!
 
I’d certainly appreciate the information. Wow.... a speeding ticket for three miles over the speed limit?

In my state, police and state troopers don’t bother with anything less than 10 miles over the speed limit.
Windshields with cracks—-that’s the norm here. The cracks have to be especially bad to get a ticket.


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Temper your conversation with, "If you get hassled" and then explain. A lot of people will still blow you off but will start to consider your kindness after you leave.
 
I never offer unsolicited advice, it makes the assumption that "they" are doing it wrong. Which to most people is highly offensive...especially when coming from a stranger.

The people here on the forums ARE seeking advice and appreciate it and so have a  bit of a different take on receiving and giving advice.

Ive actually seen videos on youtube of people getting physically attacked for offering advice.... being told to mind their own bidness.

Unless someone is at risk of serious injury or death I would let experience be the best teacher. It has a greater impact. I would offer to help but I would NEVER tell someone "how to" unless invited.

IMO there are far too many  people in "The White Hat Brigade". More people should stay in their lane.

Unsolicited help is a huge warning sign. Many people have fallen victim to crime because someone offered to "help", it happens everyday.

Timeo Danaos et dona ferentes
 
OP, I think offering your opinion that your city is not a great place for boondocking is OK, but you may be overdoing the examples. Just tell them in a kindly manner that you're a traveller yourself, that's why you're offering your opinion, and leave it at that. If they take umbrage, well, OK, you did your part to be a good neighbor.

I agree, if a town is especially unfriendly to travelers, I'd want to know. Among other reasons, I won't spend money there unless absolutely necessary, and then spend as little as necessary.
 
Please what town is it so we can avoid it?

As it stands now.. I have blacked out ALL of Michigan.

Actually Ive more or less blacked out everything east of the Dakotas down to Texas. Its a near straight boundary line that You shall NOT pass!

Ive also found that to be a fairly good boundary of ideology as well. Im West 100% in thought and flavor.
 
I try to give people a heads up at least occasionally especially if their behavior in the present will affect other van dwellers in the future. I do understand people wanting their privacy though. If I do talk to someone, I always give an acceptable alternative to what they are doing - places for free camping, how to do overnight parking in a van without "camping" there, how far from the river to shower, use cat holes, etc.     ~crofter
 
I think it would cool to give someone a courtesy 'heads up'. I know I would want someone to let me know. No one wants to be somewhere they're unwanted... and we gotta look out for each other. Tell them the town is sensitive and hopefully you could suggest a place where they won't have to worry about getting contacted.
 
I tend to view advice as a gift.

When people give me advice, I listen and think about it, but ultimately I'm going to make my own decision.

It's very rare that I actually give advice, but I firmly believe that when I do, whether or not people follow my advice is none of my business.
 
Yeah,I would advise them to hook up their power and water and spend the night if their rig looked decent.
 
I am personally finding the parts of central California I'm in to be quite unfriendly, and expensive.

Florida is hit or miss, with the central area being friendlier.
 
The boondockers in my neighborhood are regulars and they already know where they can park or not park. Whole communities of boondockers around here who stick together as a unit when they move every 72 hours to comply with the city ordinance. Unfortunately not all of them are people you would want to approach unless you were looking to buy drugs. As many of them are in RVs or wide bodied vans they are only allowed in the industrial zoned areas. You have to be under 80 inches wide to stay on the street in residential neighborhoods during the wee hours of night/morning.
 
maki2 said:
You have to be under 80 inches wide to stay on the street in residential neighborhoods during the wee hours of night/morning.

Wow, just wow.
 
rokguy said:
Wow, just wow.

Actually, I think the Puget Sound area is pretty good for urban boon docking. For one thing, it is usually not illegal to sleep in your van/RV/Prius, as long as you are legally parked. For another, if you do park illegally and get towed, and your van/RV/Prius is your only home, they can't charge you a fee so high you can't pay it, which is one way cities in other states are cracking down on vehicle dwellers/travelers.

The reason for the 80" rule is that we have a lot of narrow, winding residential streets here. Parking a wide vehicle on one of these streets is just plain rude - not to mention potentially dangerous.
 
If anyone ever meets me please give me advise!! I need all the help I can get!
 
PODebbie said:
So, I was trying to be helpful, but should I just keep my mouth shut???

Hi Debbie!!  (My mom's name is Debbie, so here's an extra smile  :shy: )

In my (admittedly limited) experience, being helpful and kind is ALWAYS preferable to just "butting out." 
As a society we've gotten so fearful and suspicious! In my city when someone approaches you in a parking lot, your first thought is whether or not you have change to give them and if you're willing to do so.  
Even if the subject in question didn't say anything, I'd bet that after realizing you didn't want anything except to be helpful they were grateful.

Also, in the future you'll eventually approach someone who ends up becoming a friend!  
No harm, no foul.  

Continue to be unapologetically YOU!
The world can ALWAYS use more people who are kind and helpful. :)

:heart: 
Brandy
 
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