DIRECTORY
Appearance of Rig
Windows
False Walls
Where To Park
Sleeping Locations
Flying Under The Radar
Appearance Of Rig
Don’t make it look like you live in your van.
Robbery is a sad reality we face in this world. Lessen your chance of becoming a victim by keeping your belongings organized and stealthy.
Keep the outside of your rig looking clean especially the windows and tires. You don’t want your vehicle to look abandoned.
WINDOWS
Sunshades
Get a foldable sunshade for your front windshield. Put it up for privacy, heat deterrent & when leaving the vehicle for privacy.
Window Covers
Light leaking from windows is an obvious sign that someone is present. Let’s cover that up with a couple of window covers.
Create your own window covers with dark materials such as cloth or cardboard. You can also purchase curtains.
You can make your own window covers using the following materials.
-camping pads
-dense foam (cut to the shape of windows) covered with black felt: looks clean, hard to notice, dampens sound & retains temperature.
Tint Windows
Use retractable opaque film on front and side driver/passenger windows to keep people from looking directly in, while maintaining the appearance that its just window glare for a natural look. Use optical tricks rather than blacking out to appear more stealth.
False Walls
Create a false wall for your living area in the back. If you have tinted or opaque windows it will make a false wall or curtain difficult to spot. Use a material with a similar color to your interior to be less obvious. Your best options are white, gray, & black.
Tip: curtains can make it obvious that someone is hiding things in the van. (especially with windows open)
To build your own false wall you can use:
– dark, light-blocking curtain
– black felt or sheet
To Hang, use:
– hooks
– curtain rod
Where To Park
I have created a page covering all types of parking locations & best practices.
Park in quiet spots with a lot of other cars.
Your best bet for a quiet spot is street parking near apartments, or in industrial areas.
Blend in, this will be determined by the type of vehicle you have.
Sleeping Locations
Never get out of the van at your sleeping spot
Switch spots often
Find as many spots as you can. Minimum of 7-10
Flying under the radar
Some recommend putting a company logo on the side and a ladder on top to blend in.
Some arguments against it are that you’ll probably look like a contractor (they’ve got expensive tools in their vans) or if you get in a wreck you can be denied insurance coverage if they suspect you use your vehicle commercially and don’t have commercial insurance.
If you know what you’re looking for, it’s easy to tell if a vehicle is being lived in or not.
Keep your ride looking nice, get occasional car washes, keep the tires filled & clean. Always rotate your sleeping spots.
Basically don’t draw attention to yourself & follow the law. You’ll be fine.
Safe Travels
