Your Best Tips for Going Stealth

[John61CT]

Totally depends on the attitude of the local population and LEOs toward van dwelling nomads. Can vary by time of day, and by area within the same jurisdiction.

Downtown high-rent cities or wealthy neighborhoods, much greater actual-stealth appearance and tactics are required.

Laid back towns without paranoia about outsiders no stealth needed at all.

 

[lenny flank]

The purpose of stealth isn't to hide from the cops. They know all the tricks and you always stand out to them--but they have better things to do with their time.

The purpose of stealth is to avoid attracting the attention of ordinary people. If some neighbor or passerby notices you there and gripes to the cops or the store manager or whatever, then the security dudes or cops are now obligated to roust you out even if they would not have done so on their own. People cannot object to your presence if they do not notice that you are there.

Stealth also helps you avoid being noticed by potential thieves or vandals.

I do not use stealth to "hide". But then, I also don't park in places where I am actively not wanted.

 

[Jack]

Stealth also helps you avoid being noticed by potential thieves or vandals.

Thanks for saying this.  

Living as part of the system, in the middle of a big city for so long, my idea of stealth, especially in the beginning, was very different.  Very Hollywood.  It's slowly changed because of this forum as I came to understand it better.  The part I quoted above, without even realizing it until I read it, is the whole reason I was so concerned about stealth.  That's who I want to be "invisible" to.  It was never about trying to hide from cops or neighbors.  In that light, I only wanted to be stealth so as to not make anyone suspicious and uncomfortable.  I'm not one to be pulling out all my gear and camp out in parking lots or neighborhoods.  I'm all about respect and there's no one quieter than me.  

But, now that Lenny brilliantly read my mind and gave me clarity over my true concern for stealth - unwanted criminal attention - I'm open to suggestions about that, although I would imagine it's much the same.

 

[Canine]

Criminals, too, are going to know what you are about. Don't kid yourself thinking you can make yourself invisible to people who make their living on taking advantage of the weak. You can be young or old, male or female, in a van or in a house, and what matters most is if you present yourself as weak not less visible. Of course being less conspicuous is going to help, but being seen as someone who isn't weak will help keep you safer.

A study was done with hardened criminals that were still locked up and they were given a video showing various people walking. The criminals were then told to say which people they would attack and which ones they would leave alone. They were remarkably consistent in their ability to identify weaker prey. That's the mindset of a predator. Just like a wolf will instinctively know which of their prey is the weakest. We can't see it and it seems amazing to us that they can know such a thing. When we walk by a house or a van, we see a house or a van. When a criminal walks by he/she sees a window cracked open, a broken street light, a hedge that conveniently provides cover, etc.

If you want to be stealth, you can park behind a tall hedge in the shadows which will keep the neighbors from seeing you, but that same environment will put you at a disadvantage with a bad guy.