Afraid of sleeping out in random parking places after reading this

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nakamuru

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Feb 6, 2019
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So I been doing lot of researching on rvs and came to a conclusion I wanna get a truck and camper to put on. I been just trying to get used to this lifestyle and slept around places and actually got great sleep in my regular volvo I have . Living in Seattle I had thought it was one of the safer places as homicides are lower then other major cities. However news spread that more homeless people are being killed and sometimes it's just random killings. One in particular , a man who was 79 living in his van got shot to death. After reading about this I just realize Seattle isnt as safe as I thought and second guessing this and just getting a condo in gated community is better. Anyone in Seattle boondocking and see this as concern as well? Link I read was

https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/crime/king-county-homicides-in-2018-troubling-trends-in-homeless-cases-random-killings/
 
Homeless people in Seattle like have no fear.  They do whatever they want and I remember one guy just knocking on my door in my car when I was taking a nap. Or one time It was summer day and resting in the car with window down and hear rattling sound and guy tried taking my bag with all my work in it. I yelled and he let go. Homelessness is a problem in Seattle. My concern is that if people being provoked etc in can see why things occur. But article see.s to indicate some are just random. Kind of like the scare back in 70s or 80s where NYC had random mugging that brought lot of fear to public.
 
Are you talking about living in the vehicle on the city streets?  In most places that is illegal anyway.

No place is 100% safe (including that condo), but campsites rank among the safest.  City streets late at night, not so much!
 
As Gary said, living in your vehicle on city streets is illegal in most areas. Even if not officially illegal, it is usually highly regulated, like not parking on streets during certain nighttime hours. If you plan on living in your camper, better find a campground, especially in a city like Seattle.
 
Thats just plane creepy.  Why other than being really cheap would you want to do that?  I understand Seattle like other large cities has priced the housing market out of existence for the average Joe, but really?  Maybe its time to move out of that mess knows as Sea-Tac and learn to embrace small town life.
 
Yes, crime does happen and none of us are immune to it. However, we can't live in a prison of our own making based on fear. If you want to go camping and enjoy the great outdoors go for it but as always be aware of your surroundings. If the locale looks sketchy move on. If however you are looking at living out of your vehicle on city streets that is illegal and dangerous.
 
donn said:
Thats just plane creepy.  Why other than being really cheap would you want to do that?  I understand Seattle like other large cities has priced the housing market out of existence for the average Joe, but really?  Maybe its time to move out of that mess knows as Sea-Tac and learn to embrace small town life.

Well Seattle has lot of people living on streets and living in their cars so not that creepy. Guess it's bit of a cultural thing where outsiders who aren't used to it will consider it creepy. But if your windows are tinted and unseen look like it's part of the crowd then I say it's cool ninja stealth not creepy. 

Also Seattle has a law where parking and sleeping in your car is permitted but not more then 72 hours. Just have to see signs with towing etc.

I do occasionally go to campsites or hotels but mostly saving up for a condo. Condo in Seattle that is little more then descent is quite high and downpayment in itself i'm saving up is around 80-100k. Hopefully I rent that out and continue boondock as its fun .
 
We are infested with politicians.. Now in one respect they are like insects (Some are good, some not) Some are interested in helping the homeless.. Some .. Well they have a different plan.

Sadly the latter lie. they claim all the problems are caused by Immigrants. Homeless. People of a different religion or some other blather.. When in fact THEY are the cause of most of the problems.

And this thread is the result.. People look at the homeless and instantly think CRIMINAL..  Only the homeless person is 100% not a criminal..  Heck he might even be a retired member of the law enforcement community (Officer or civilian) .

Sadly The Violence against others folks are gaining ground just now.
 
John, once again you have introduced politics. Why do you repeatedly feel the need to do so?
 
Just like spending a night in a Rest Area or Walmart parking lot, situational awareness is key to sleeping in your car.  If an area doesn't feel right, move on.  Been there, done that.  As to sleeping in your car, if that's what you need to do to reach your goal, just do it. 

Honestly, I'm not sure things are any more dangerous today than 50 years ago.  I recall going to the New York World Fair in 1964.  I was with two friends who wouldn't ride on the subway.  So three young 21 year old kids who were pretty sure a ride on the subway meant a knife in the back.  Of course we were from the Midwest and all we could do was imagine what lies just around the corner in the real West Side Story town of New York City with all those Jets and Sharks lurking in dark corners.  At the end of the day we survived, and had a pretty good time. 

 
If you don't have enough money to afford a campground then you certainly don't have enough money to buy an RV. Cheap RVs are not cheap. They are expensive to repair. RV mechanics cost over $100 per hour.
 
What Tom says is true.  However, affordability is not always the issue.  Maybe it's just a mind set, but I don't like parting with my hard earned money when there are options that leave more in my pocket.  Putting things in perspective, I still have a flip phone.  No text, no Internet, just talk. 
 
That was the best Worlds Fair, FORD had all their best including the mustang 64 1/2.
 
Call me paranoid but, RV Forum QZ rallies and illegal places aside, in over 30 years of RVing we've boondocked less than a handful of times, and I didn't sleep for most of those. OTOH we have several friends who have no qualms about boondocking anywhere their RV will fit.
 
Tom said:
Call me paranoid but, RV Forum QZ rallies and illegal places aside, in over 30 years of RVing we've boondocked less than a handful of times, and I didn't sleep for most of those. OTOH we have several friends who have no qualms about boondocking anywhere their RV will fit.

I concur, although I did try it a few times in my earlier RVing days, truck stops, rest stops, parking lots. I often had such a miserable night sleep, it was just never worth it to me.  Every little noise stirred me, and what I didn't hear, I made up.....
 
I had a rough time sleeping the first few times I boondocked, but after that I never have had trouble. But I also boondock in places where its ok to do so, parking lots, rest areas etc. I dont think Id be able to sleep well if I was parked on a city street.  Id be awake most of the night expecting a cop to knock on my door telling me to leave.

Stealth camping may be fun at times, but you'll probably have to worry more about local homeowners upset with you parking on their street before you have to worry much about homeless. Most homeless people really just wanna be left alone. Homeowners dont like people living in their cars in front of their houses.
 

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