Road Tripping Yaris... or should I just buy a van?

[JustPassinThru]

Originally Posted by Kal-El

Cross country trips in a van will cost a fortune. That said, I wouldn't sleep in a Yaris. I guess a van makes sense if you really don't want to stop at cheap motels.

There's the other problem; that of local law enforcement not allowing overnight camping/sleeping in a vehicle.

It's a serious problem in most urban/suburban parts of the country. The police see a strange vehicle, or one with out-of-area tags on it...they'll be investigating. Routing you out; and they'll tell you to move on. And they won't be friendly about it.

Arguing with them will get an invitation for arrest for vagrancy. Even if you can prove assets, the trip to Central Booking will take hours - and your van will be towed, if only for spite.

Even stopping in rural areas invites problems. Farmers have theft issues these days; cattle or equipment. A strange van could be casing or doing a lookout. And most farmers know how to use a gun.

Motel or marked campsite. Which means most of what a finished-out van offers, isn't really very useful.

[nookandcrannycar]

Originally Posted by JustPassinThru

There's the other problem; that of local law enforcement not allowing overnight camping/sleeping in a vehicle.

It's a serious problem in most urban/suburban parts of the country. The police see a strange vehicle, or one with out-of-area tags on it...they'll be investigating. Routing you out; and they'll tell you to move on. And they won't be friendly about it.

Arguing with them will get an invitation for arrest for vagrancy. Even if you can prove assets, the trip to Central Booking will take hours - and your van will be towed, if only for spite.

Even stopping in rural areas invites problems. Farmers have theft issues these days; cattle or equipment. A strange van could be casing or doing a lookout. And most farmers know how to use a gun.

Motel or marked campsite. Which means most of what a finished-out van offers, isn't really very useful.

What about official rest areas off freeways/interstates ? It is my understanding that in most states you can sleep in your car at one for up to 8 hours. I've only done this when really tired and, given the time, a motel would be a waste. I've only been hassled by a cop (CHP) once (on I-5 in California ). Also, what about Wal-Mart parking lots? Doesn't Wal-Mart have a policy that this is okay (possibly hassled in a passenger car, but in a van?) ?

One guy on another website (who has income from rental properties and a military pension) has a delivery van that he converted for living and divides his time between a very small apartment in Southern Caifornia (almost always uses the van there rather than the apartment), the van in WA state, and a small boat he has in Hawaii. He writes that there are quite a number of places in Southern California where you can park a van and sleep in it without hassle....Venice, CA + a few designated places in Santa Barbara come to mind. I know the Santa Barbara part is (or at least used to be) correct, as a friend of mine lives in Santa Barbara (owns a house and a condo there) and this relaxed policy has gotten on her last nerve for years.