Nighttime Vandalism vs. RV's

I have a very nice, clean, late model, hi-top van conversion, in which I frequentily sleep on the streets at night, as I travel, to save money.  However, on a number of occasions, I have had someone throw a small ROCK (or other object) at my said camper, usually between the hours of 12 midnight to 3 a.m.  (2-3 a.m. is a VERY bad time for such street camping).  Such invariably leaves a big CHIP in the paint, or a knick on the windows glass.
I DON'T "camp" in bad neighborhoods, nor on remote industrial/commercial streets.  Have any of you, no matter what the circumstances (even RV parks), ever experienced such RV VANDALISM, no matter how "petty"?  I am male, aged 63, white.  I often think that such is RACIALLY motivated, or some local resident wanting to RID such camping from their neighborhood, no matter if it is my FIRST appearance there.  On one very recent occasion, during broad DAYLIGHT here in a very decent area of Mountain View, CA, a group of five young Hispanic youths, while running (ON FOOT) down the street at great speed, ran right by my van as it was PARKED.  Just as they passed, a ROCK hit my van, causing a big paint chip on the left upper side of the hi-top.  At first, I tried to pass-it-off as a mis-fired rock, intended for one of the Hispanics.  But, such was hardly the case.  As I exited my van, said youths were long down the street, and into the bushes.  THANKS for any comments about any SIMILAR type of incidents.  (END)
[edit]Fixed subject line[/edit]

My post here should have been "Nighttime Vandalism vs. RV's" (not RS's).  Sorry!

Taken care of.

I have never experience any type of vandalism with my RV but then I do not camp on public streets.  Very few RV parks are worse than the streets.  

Moreover, in camping overnight in Mt. View you are violating the city's Municipal Code.   Section 19.111c says:   No vehicle parked upon any public street shall be occupied or used for dwelling purposes".

Camping in the streets, you are camping illegally.  It then is a question of who gets you first, vandals or ticket writing cops.

I could not say I was a victim of vandalism per say, but one night we decided to spend the night by the beach. As it began to get night time, the daytime visitors began to leave, which we tought it was nice to be alone at night. As it got later, the young punks from the town (South Padre Island) began to cruise along the shore after the bars closed down. They were drunk and were being stupid. I was sitting outside the whole time with my porch light on to show presence, and my wife and kids were inside watching TV. I had piece of mind because I have a CCW and carry all the time on me. Plus I also have an AK-47 inside the coach, that my wife knows how to use very well. We were not worry, but we were annoyed cause they came to disturb our tranquility. After a couple of minutes, county sheriff showed up and began to round them up and kick them out. Funny thing is that one of the deputies approached me and told me that if we were planing to spend the night, he would advice us to arm ourselves for safety sake. I smile and told him "don't worry, we are covered (putting my hand over my hip)" he then smiles back and wishes us a good night. ;D  I love Texas!

Camping on the streets is a really dumb thing to do, as you have been finding out. Yes, it is illegal in almost every community. If nothing else you can be cited for loitering. If you are in a strange town and you need a place to spend the night safely then sign up for this web site. If there are no places that you can find then your best bet is a Walmart, Cracker Barrel Restaurant, Flying J truck stop or a highway rest stop. If none of those are convenient then try motel or a hotel with a large parking lot. Or try a hospital or some other place that has 24 hour parking. But never in someone's neighborhood on the streets. There are gangs walking around all night in many neighborhoods and with your out of state plates you stick out like a sore thumb.

I agree with Tom.  You really shouldn't be out on the street anywhere unless you have permission.  If I saw someone setting up shop or even just loitering in an RV on the street in front of my house, you can be darn sure I would find whether they belong to a neighbor or not and politely send them on their way if they weren't visiting someone.  (And I am an RV'er...imagine what a non-RV'er would be thinking).

A) Its usually against the law (it is in my county)
B) It invites vandalism
C) It's a street, not a rest stop...there are more appropriate "free" options, as pointed out above.

BTW, I would not throw rocks at you 

THANKS(!!) for all of your replies. 

Phpvet,

I need to add another caution.  If you continue parking in residential areas, please avoid schools at all costs.  You'll panic everyone in the neighborhood!  And undoubtedly get a visit from someone in blue.

ArdraF

A search of prior messages here would say don't do this!

Are you sure they were Hispanic, and not some other cultural group? e.g. San Jose, not too far from you, is well known for Vietnamese gangs.

From a 30-year resident of the greater Bay area.

This is one of the reasons I like Wal*Mart.  The Super stores have 24 hour security in their lots and lights that make me feel safer.

As I've said countless times, Wal*Mart security is there to protect WM property, NOT folks who overnight in their parking lot. I don't care how many times they drive by your rig, they would be negligent in their duty if their primary focus was not WM property.

I'm sure you are correct about the primary reason they are paid for driving around the parking lot.  But I feel better knowing they are there and I assume that they are a deterrant to people who would want to cause any sort of vandalism.  If nothing else, they would be available to call the cops to come, if needed.  I have been in parking lots where the security stopped by our trailer to chat and make sure we were OK. 

On two occasions I've stopped at the local police station and ask where was a safe place to park and spend the night. One directed me to a Walmart I'd missed and the other had me park in the lot behind the station with the off duty police cars.

Tom said:

As I've said countless times, Wal*Mart security is there to protect WM property, NOT folks who overnight in their parking lot. I don't care how many times they drive by your rig, they would be negligent in their duty if their primary focus was not WM property.

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And you have been wrong about it countless times. You have never spent the night at a Walmart in your life, how would you know why the security guards are there?

The fact is if there were absolutely no cars parked in the parking lot there would be no need for a security guard. No one goes to a Walmart parking lot to steal one of the trees planted there. The guards most certainly do keep an eye on the vehicles and people in the lot. If someone does attempt a break in on your vehicle and if they see it they will most certainly do something about it. I have talked to dozens of security guards at Walmart and they are very serious about protecting their parking lot, and the people and vehicles parked there.

The fact is most anyone would consider overnighting in a Walmart parking lot with a security guard as being a much safer sleeping arrangement than if there were no security guard there.

Tom,

We're all entitled to our opinions. Doesn't mean anyone is "wrong" just because their opinion differs from yours. We could talk about the crimes committed in WM parking lots, including one well reported episode that resulted in a shooting death. But I won't mention them  

If I need to spend my life in a WM parking lot or camped on a street, I'll sell the coach.

Tom said:

Tom,

If I need to spend my life in a WM parking lot or camped on a street, I'll sell the coach.

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I'm with Tom on this one....one time in north Georgia enroute to Florida we almost did stay at a WM as it was getting too foggy to travel, but luckily found a decent Comfort Inn for the overnight.  Regardless of how secure so many say they feel about WM & Truck Stop overnights, it just isn't within our comfort zone.

But, if we ever need to, a WM or truck stop would definitely take priority over city streets or vacant lots.

Dick

Closest experience we have had is raccoons having a brawl under our van.  Main damage was to tipped over lawn chairs.

phpvet said:

I I have had someone throw a small ROCK (or other object) at my said camper, usually between the hours of 12 midnight to 3 a.m.  .  THANKS for any comments about any SIMILAR type of incidents.  [edit]Fixed subject line[/edit]

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I have never had anyone throw any kind of rock at our RV.  We have boondocked  for over 10 years at  several places including Walmart parking lots,  but never on a public road. 

Me again, the guy who began this "thread", several weeks ago, about RV vandalism.  Nothing thrown at YOUR camper in 10-years?  Very lucky, or the Gods are on YOUR side.  Not the case with me, though.  A while back, I was (in my RV) parked on the street in front of a local McDonald's here in (rather upscale) Mountain View, CA, when I heard something hit the McDonald's-facing-side of my EXPLORER van conversion.  I jumped out to see that some male youths (Arab-like broken English) had thrown a paper cup (half-full of ice/drink) at my RV.  I grabed my heavy-steel "cane" and approached them.  One of them, very "apologetic" in said broken-English, claimed that he (on a dare) had intended said cup (at 3-point range) to land in the McDonald's trashcan (sort of) near my van --- at least in the DIRECTION of my van.  He ran to my van, and at least put on a good show of cleaning-up what he had done, with more "apologetics".  Sometimes, especially you folks with much BIGGER campers/rv's, will indeed have experienced paint chips or small dents (on roof, etc.) from maliciously-tossed objects, but, by the time you NOTICE such, you simple "rationalize"-it-away as merely "incidental"  because you can't make the VANDALISM connection.  Here in the San Francisco Bay Area, punts are maliciously BURNING strangers' cars at night, for sport, firing pellet guns at passing highway vehicles, for sport, "keying" (scraping the paint) of entire new car dealer LOTS of vehicles, and all manner of other malicious mahem, not to mention the gang-related "tagging" of vehicles, buildings, etc.  THANKS again, for all of your feedback.