Newbie stealth tips

[thegrapsman]

I like parking on forest service roads, not so much in towns. But I have noticed that condensation on windows will tip off unsavory characters such as copz that someone is sleeping inside. Not sure how to deal with this problem other than cracking strategic windows...I'm not a scientist so i dont understand thermodynamics or whatever the hell covers condensation.

Couldn't condensation be solved with having a fantastic fan-vent on the roof? That cheaprvliving youtube has some videos on how to install them yourself, I guess the wiring is the biggest issue though..

 

[bjorkedfork]

I have found that truck stops and rest areas off the freeway in addition to store parking lots like walmart, lowes, sharis, winco, and such to be decent. Typically places close to the freeway and open 24 hours seem to be okay places to park overnight but as the op mentioned, the key is rotation. For extended stays I try to find free campsites or no-reservation campgrounds that are close in.

 

[THEOEHT]

starbucks never kicks me out, slept 40+ nights in their lots no probs. very few people ever come by, just the semi truck at 3 am stocking the shelves. best wifi of any parking lot too. state parks in the off season are usually unpatrolled. nat forest roads are always a good option but of course far from civilization. walmarts are always good too

 

[Will Wood]

starbucks never kicks me out, slept 40+ nights in their lots no probs. very few people ever come by, just the semi truck at 3 am stocking the shelves. best wifi of any parking lot too. state parks in the off season are usually unpatrolled. nat forest roads are always a good option but of course far from civilization. walmarts are always good too

Starbucks!! Wow, I would never have thought of that..

 

[THEOEHT]

Starbucks!! Wow, I would never have thought of that..

their wifi never drops, the employees are usually really chill, private bathrooms for cleaning up in. an employee told me that they throw out food sunday and wednesday at 10 pm and never lock dumpsters. ive found around 100 pastries, breakfast burritos and egg samwiches in 1 run, still in packages.

 

[happythoughts123]

Such a worry for me is places to park....these are great suggestions right on.

Finding places to park is what ultimately pissed me off with my last van and led me to scrap it and start riding trains again.

 

[Rhubarb Dwyer]

My experience in urban areas is such that, among all the complications of car/van/truck living, parking spots is one of the trickiest.
I never had the condensation issue, because I was in my canopied truck bed. However, that came with attraction factor of being seen climbing in and out.
Aside from the previous suggestions, one of my best consistently okay spots was in a park-&-ride lot at a transit center.
PDX has lots of them, so I chose the largest and it was great. No patrol that I ever noticed. Rolled in after dark, parked on the fringes of the lot, morning, and in the morning the lot was packed solid. All the other cars made it more discreet to crawl out.
I also try to look around for streets or stretches that are lined with RVs and foggy windows. I cause less trouble and leave no mess compared to some rubber trampers, so I "fit in" without being a target for enforcement.

 

[WanderingDao]

College areas have been my standby for years. It is normal to have hundreds of cars parallel-parked along the sides of roads where college students live, with out-of-state tags. You have to deal with noisy kids late at night, but I have never had a problem with cops, or with the public other than loud drunk people yelling nearby.

 

[BelleBottoms]

Large hospital lots work, though I find them depressing. Casinos are usually welcoming. Some places open up their fairgrounds lots when there are no events scheduled. I think staying out of town is best though. Better rest & less hastle.

 

[Lillith]

I can say from personal experience of myself and a friend of mine Dominoes emyployes will almost no fucks if you park overnight in the lot. Have heard similar things about Taco Bell.

 

[Owyhee]

What do stickers or no stickers have to do with it? Even if you have a residence, RVs are meant to travel. I see $200,000 motor homes covered with travel stickers of where they've been all the time.

The oval sticker for where you've been and state/national park stickers are fine. Dead head/band, political, weed, and the regular record store stickers put a red flag for authorities and debbie do gooders. To be truly stealthy you shouldn't have stickers on your rig. The ultimate stealthy camping would be done with a white work van, with an amber light up top with hard hat and hi-vis vest up front in the seats so coppers and neighbors assume its just a work van, not a clandestine camper.

 

[Wild Ty Laserbeam]

I can say from personal experience of myself and a friend of mine Dominoes emyployes will almost no fucks if you park overnight in the lot. Have heard similar things about Taco Bell.

I would go so far as to say that almost no fast food employees give a fuck about anything, but it's not up to them. Hell, that's why they give so few fucks. After they close, that random single van parked in the lot might look suspicious to law enforcement.

On the other hand, I'm not a stealth guy, but fast food joints (with enough room in their lot) typically don't care if you hang out for a few hours when they are open.

 

[Ezra Fyre]

Finding places to park is what ultimately pissed me off with my last van and led me to scrap it and start riding trains again.

I would go so far as to say that almost no fast food employees give a fuck about anything, but it's not up to them. Hell, that's why they give so few fucks. After they close, that random single van parked in the lot might look suspicious to law enforcement.

On the other hand, I'm not a stealth guy, but fast food joints (with enough room in their lot) typically don't care if you hang out for a few hours when they are open.

TIP - Mc. Donald's has free wifi nation wide too.

Having previously been the manager at fast food & coffer shops - correct*most* employees wont give a fuck. Funny though, managers are specifically supposed to. Its actually policy to NOT let you stay. But *most* people, including managers simply just can't be fucking bothered to do their damn jobs in the first place.
What, i did however - if i see your ass pull in, i literally make a note. Vehicle, time, license plate, descrip of people/pets if i can see em, and my impression of the vehicle and its intentions. Then, i either leave the traveler the F alone, and go home myself... Or, I go say Hi, let em know "technically" they can't park there, BUT, I'm not running them off. The morning manager will be in around X time, they're going to (depends who next manager was) ... & answer any questions they might have for a "not running them off" friendly local.

Now in writing my note - 1. I never put it in the manager's log (aka, official record) which is where I'm supposed to write that. Instead it went on scrap paper I'd leave in the office. If I HAD to put it in the log, i copied it in. Otherwise, the notes would go away. I wrote them #1, because it was my job. #2, to cover my conscience... If anything happened... (Particularly if I only saw gals in the car.) ... I wanted the information, just Incase. and #3, to cover the company/MY ass/job, incase anything happened.... Aka someone robbed the store that night - then I don't get fired for not paying attention to the lot.... (Seriously Guys - There's NO Less Than 20 pages in the manager's guides/training manuals about this shit. .... Policy REALLY is They Care.)....

I was always friendly with travelers, but, that's me. Kinda hard to kick out the guys just looking for a sleepover that isn't going to get them arrested, when I've got like 10 dirty kids getting fleas all over my living room at home, haha.

Best Tips - BE FUCKING POLITE! (only came real close to calling the cops once - not cause I NEEDED to, but to be the Bitch! Only wanted to that one time - and it was emotionally charged, because those guys were such fucked off assholes - i really wanted to....) Be Fucking Polite. DON'T Trash The Lot! c'mon ya fuckn' squater, I don't want your trash! ... And Dude, IF you're going to dive in the dumpster ANYWAY ya could put your garbage straight in there, INSTEAD of filling the 3 small cans in the lot, so the guys running late to open, don't have to do it for you in the morning. Thanks. (from employees who do care)