When you think of RVers, we’re guessing you have a vision in your head. Probably others who look like you: they’re at their campsite in the woods, they’ve got a campfire going, and they’re grilling hot dogs… Okay, that’s a little idyllic, but you get the point.
But RV life isn’t always about scenic views and recreational escapes. For some, living in an RV isn’t a choice rooted in adventure—it’s a necessity. It might be their only affordable housing option or a way to avoid homelessness when other alternatives aren’t available. These individuals often park their RVs on city streets, in industrial areas, or wherever they can find a space. While they share the same type of dwelling as those at campgrounds, their day-to-day challenges and reasons for being there are vastly different.
Does that make them any less of an RVer? The answer might depend on how you define the term.
Some think of RVers primarily as leisure travelers or snowbirds chasing warmer weather. Others view anyone living in an RV, regardless of the reason, as part of the broader RV community. Still, the experiences and societal perceptions of these two groups are often worlds apart.
After you vote, please feel free to leave a comment, but please keep politics out of it. Political comments will be deleted. Thank you!
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RV stands for “Recreational Vehicle”. For the folks who are homeless, theirs (in my opinion) would be PLV. “Primary Living Vehicle”.
RV’ing? Cmon rvtravel!
While living in a beach apartment in the San Fransisco area I discovered most of the old RVs parked on beach roads were actually rented out on a nightly basis usually to homeless. Going to work early in the morning I would observe them filling with water at an old gas station and dumping in sewer grates. I talked to several homeless people who looked forward to a shower, warm bed and refrigerator and cooking facilities for a night only to find the “RV” was basically not functional in the boondocking mode. Do not say this is California as we found the same in many of our travels?
Nor do I think of snowbirders packed into 500+ bare-field corporate “RV” parks to escape northern snow & ice to be RVers. It’s no more a form of temporary housing than the folks who live out of their “RVs” along the side of the road – other than paying for lot rent and electric. That said from a snowbirder who seeks out smaller mom & pop southern RV parks. Most are a little more than fish camps with access to rivers & lakes and the occasional trails. Recreation is a key component of our snowbird camping: recreations like kayaking, biking, & hiking. Short of that, it’s simply temporary housing – like those roadside RVs.
5×5 on that.
Hmmm. So those in the “bare-field corporate ‘RV’ parks” don’t qualify as ‘recreating’ if they play golf, quilt with a group, dine-out or -in with friends, etc? They may gather in those parks for the community, and my have many friends that also go to those parks each winter. Don’t discount others, just because they don’t have the same interests as you.
It is the “paying for lot rent and electric” that makes them much different than those parked in dilapidated units on the side of the road. They can move to a different location when they want, which may include sightseeing and other forms of recreation that may be more acceptable to your definition of RVers.
Well said Duane!
No more than homeless living in tents under an overpass are tent campers.
Perfect response
Unfortunately, they may have no other choice. Lacking a permanent housing solution is a killer.
My old bike with butterfly handlebars and a banana seat was a recreational vehicle. Those pictures you showed were not RVers they are Poor Decision Makers.
Many of the NIMBY’s in America have no clue what it’s like to be homeless…I do as I was in that situation back in 1969 and had to join the Army to get 3 squares and a cot. While most towns have no plan on how to deal with this problem, it will only get worse since the “rich” have taken over Washington.
JB…sorry to tell you this, but wealthy people have always run Governments and always will. It does not matter what party or political belief they have. If they come into politics with not much, somehow they all leave with a lot.
In addition, 20 individual Billionaires supported the Dem Presidential campaign while 13 supported the Repub Presidential campaign. 🤔
I have to chuckle when people think that the conservatives are the only wealthy politicians and the liberals are just ordinary folks like us and that only conservatives owe political favors to the ultra wealthy. Politicians are two peas in a pod.
Except for Trump. He’s not beholden to the career politicians (Democrat, Republican or Liberal) and that’s what has the democratic left so upset.
But his only goal is to fill his own pockets.
Really? Where did that idea come from?…oh, i know! Do you not understand what’s really going on in our country? Don’t be so naïve…pay attention to what’s really happening, not what the liberal democrat’s are espousing. I think the overwhelming majority proved during this last election that America is fed-up with liberal politics. Rather you want to believe it or not, changes for the better ARE coming.
What have you been smoking?
😂 enjoy being on the losing team
No worries…they will thank us later…right now it’s a great day every day and WE THE PEOPLE have our country back!! 😃🇺🇸
😂
TRUTH 🇺🇸
JB, today you can’t walk by a business with a help wanted sign. Many are paying well above minimum wage because of the competitive job market. No, the rich haven’t taken over Washington, and you’ve watched too many Joe Biden speeches, but what has happened is that you have middle-class politicians who gain a federal position, congress, any number of federal authorities and use their new found government connections to line their pockets with gold, just like Joe.
and then offer wide reaching, pre-dated pardons to cover things…just in case we the people wake up and see what happened to enable enrichment to themselves and family members.
Let us all know how that turns out when the Musk salute becomes the new fad.
FYI, Musk has Asperger’s Syndrome. Asperger syndrome (AS), also known as Asperger’s syndrome or Asperger’s, is a diagnostic label that has been used to describe a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by significant difficulties in social interaction and nonverbal communication, along with restricted, repetitive patterns of behavior and interests. I would think people would give him a pass on this one, don’t you?
😂 seriously J B…you crack me up! D.O.G.E. led by Musk is already “undoing” the evils you speak of regularly. I highly recommend you get informed instead of constantly being inflamed! I realize it’s much easier to parrot a narrative instead of doing your own homework. However, It’s a much more productive way to live…not to mention so much more peaceful 😎
The “rich” are being evicted from Washington 🇺🇸
Thank you, RV Travel! No, unless they do periodically take an RV trip somewhere. If they do travel in the RV, then I would consider them RVers. My impression is that they never move the RV while living in it. Have a great weekend and safe travels!
I’ve parked our TT on a residential street – for a few days, in front of a relative’s home, and with official permission from the municipality. It wasn’t just a ‘shelter’. We were already on the road and re-routed for a death in the family. Under other circumstances we would have had a pet sitter, driven without the TT to the relative’s home, and stayed either there or in a hotel.
The key difference is whether the RV is just a form of shelter by necessity vs occupation by design and the owner is maintaining both the RV and the space around the RV. The location has little to do with it.
Most of these rigs are old dilapidated and do not move on their own. The rigs on PCH in the Malibu area are/were towed there by a scammer and rented out daily to homeless. They are parked in prime locations were you or I would be towed for doing the same. Its just another case of political mismanagement.
But I also don’t consider someone who lives in a permanently parked RV in an RV resort to be RVers. They are no different than someone living in a park model or manufactured home.
RVin is about exploring, adventure, travel ,..
Homeless living in squaller, filth, and perhaps desperate to survive in the mega-tax Western states where one making $100K a year can be considered poor. The government created most of these situations but the idiot politicians have no idea now how to fix it.
AMEN to that.
There’s a new sheriff in town 🇺🇸
What about the term RV…. recreational vehicle… is not defined.
What I want to know is, who here are the 5% that responded “YES”
Wow.
The comments, the poll itself and picture chosen to accompany it.
Just. Wow.
I sincerely hope no one here experiences illness or injury that maxes out their health insurance, wipes out their decades of hard work and savings, and suddenly throws them into the category of “other”.
I realize some of this is a fear response. In my former life, I didn’t fully grasp the concept of my carefully constructed safety net being illusion either.
There but for the grace of God go I.
Signed, a fellow RVer.
I would think not an RVer. I think it’s more of a survival issue. It would be nice only to lay false claim on those that out of desperate need are or have been forced to or into this or that situation. As before in a statement we have no idea of why the situation but rather a jump to conclusions. Having retired and having the best health insurance coverage with degrading health issues it wouldn’t be long to be in the same boat. I think about those of the lower working class and what social security gives them in pocket, those late 60s, 70s and even 80s. It’s not enough to make rent say thing about other bills to live. So I’m not casting the first stone.
I do not consider that to fit the term “Recreational”.
We get out of life, what we put in to it, along with smart choices. America is still the land of opportunity, if you are willing to work hard and sacrifice. Not saying those on minimum wage are not hard workers, but too many today have decided minimum wage jobs are a career then complain about not affording the basics. I’m an old guy who has seen many people spend money on nice cars, boats and such, but never plan for retirement.
All one needs to do is notice legal immigrants who come to America for a better life and become wealthy.
Not everyone is intellectually smart enough to make what others may consider smart choices. Two fellows that I knew were very hard workers, did hard work, and any work they could get. Intellectually they had a difficult time. In the 1950s and early ’60s they still could afford to rent small hoses and raise families and drive worn out cars. They were able to make a living and do their part to prop up society. How our nation left those individuals behind is a shame.
It’s called greed and it is prevalent in all aspects of society and has become a festering disease that can’t “be fixed”.
It’s being tended to currently and WILL be fixed 🇺🇸 D.O.G.E 😎
Just because someone has fallen through the cracks in life and has been fortunate enough to find shelter in a old dilapidated RV does not make them RV’ers it makes them extremely unfortunate.Some of you may say it’s their own fault for not planning for their future but I’ll tell you right now as someone that was married and fairly economically sound for retirement etc almost everything was lost due to a devastating terminal cancer diagnosis. No, insurance does not cover everything. There but for the grace of God. In case your wondering, after the toughest 6 years of our lives she passed away. The cost of treatments would have wiped out most people’s savings. Be grateful.
There’s nothing recreational about eking out an existence.
The “R” in RVers stands for recreational. These people are NOT recreating. It’s just a mobile home to them.
Wish I’d seen this earlier. I would have made popcorn.
Perhaps FMCA or some other RV organizations should start an outreach program to educate those “RVers” on proper maintenance of their last-ditch homes.
I do not think that people living on the streets in a rv are considered rv’ers…this is a last ditch effort to have some shelter. The quick and easy answer is not forthcoming.