Free AI web copilot to create summaries, insights and extended knowledge, download it at here

Abstract

olution was a very unique one. We put a few tarps up to cover the top.</p><figure id="62e3"><img src="https://cdn-images-1.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:800/0*3pCOQ7qsBT9D6CLZ"><figcaption><b>Image of the RV with the straps, tarp, and all, and a first real look on Medium at where I live, with my permission, of course. I figured the straps were coming off. You’re not finding us without them. Image by the author.</b></figcaption></figure><h2 id="ff8e">Our ingenuity saved us but also made us stand out</h2><p id="adea">Not only did we have to put tarps up there but we also had to find a way to keep the tarps on the vehicle while we were moving too. That took some ingenuity and know-how. We used a ton of ratchet straps over the top of it all. It does like a bit odd when you see it. I get that people would be fascinated how we drive a vehicle with tarps over the top.</p><p id="2d49">Come on, though. This interesting vehicle is also someone’s full-time home. You may not know that right away snapping away at it but the person you’re observing inside the vehicle knows this. It feels like a bit of an intrusion on our privacy when you gawk or ask us questions about our lifestyle, even if you’re genuinely interested.</p><p id="0f84">The other thing is, I’ve been more anxious recently. We’ve had to move around a bit since we’ve been out of camp. Anyone filming or documenting our vehicle feels like someone judging our lifestyle or even feeling like they’re trying to harm us by doing so. That’s where the overthinker in me kicks in. That’s when the overthinker and observer in anyone would get anxious.</p><h2 id="6378">You can ask permission unless you want us to feel uncomfortable</h2><p id="23bd">It’s cool that someone might want to film or even share our vehicle out of pure curiosity and awe but you should definitely ask before doing so. It’s improper to just take a photo or video of someone’s space and then run before telling them what the deal is. He did it right in our face. That is against common courtesy and just rude in general.</p><p id="862b">If you see the people who abide in a place that looks this unique, maybe just pop by quickly to ask if you can take pictures. Do not make people feel uncomfortable or trapped in a museum while you do it without asking. Mike ended up giving the guy the meanest, longest s

Options

tare as I tried to avoid eye contact completely. He drove off in a panic and we never figured out what his intentions were that day.</p><p id="e137">Luckily, it’ll be soon that we get the straps off. We will be putting a durable wood trim around the sides of the tarp to hold it down to reduce the effect of wind resistance. This will eliminate the need for straps to be on our vehicle at all. It will also eliminate some of the unique, identifying features of our older RV to those who might look to do us harm.</p><p id="acc5">We will just have tarps over the top to continue to find a solution in the meantime until we can afford to replace our roof and keep weirdos at arm’s length. Once we get into our campground, we will have to worry about this much less. We have about two or three weeks to go until we can settle in away from random, prying eyes 24/7 and just relax again.</p><p id="f42b">As I’m writing this, Mike is getting the boards ready to put up so we can get that part taken care of and drive off to Pennsylvania and further away from that mysterious figure who came and went into our lives so quickly after impacting it in such a small amount of time.</p><h2 id="fa63">Amateur photographers and gawkers should heed the fact that this is a home, not a novelty</h2><p id="0170">The bigger point is, that you might think it’s cool to be an amateur smartphone photographer for one reason or another, but if you don’t ask people's permission, you have no business getting into their business or prying into their privacy.</p><p id="1e8b">I am feeling a little more uneasy that we’re still relatively close to the scene with little to no knowledge of what will come of that if anything. I would’ve gladly given that guy a great shot with me in front if he had just asked politely and given us a valid reason for his intrusion.</p><p id="0466">Instead, Mike had to scare him off with his menacing look and that was certainly the appropriate reaction to have in this particular situation. What do you think of this? Do you think we should’ve reacted so harshly? Do you have a different opinion of what might’ve gone down?</p><p id="cafa">Do you also drive an RV or some sort of other mobile home, especially a smaller vehicle like a van or a car? Let me know in the comments how you’ve handled this in the past.</p></article></body>

RV LIFE/LIFE LESSONS/THIS HAPPENED TO ME

What Not To Do When Driving By Someone’s Home

Also known as what happened to us in the Walmart parking lot in our RV with someone and their smartphone

Let me ask you how you’d feel if this happened to you. Would you be very happy if you were minding your own business? Then someone came with their phone and either snapped a picture of you or your home and lingered. Without permission, you automatically have an intruder in your space. That doesn’t feel very good, does it?

The incident and possible reasons he’d want a photo

Thursday morning, Mike and I were just drinking our energy drinks and relaxing in the cab of our RV when someone did just that. Some random old dude with a smirk and a smartphone just filming or snapping pictures of us and our RV randomly after we spent an overnight in a Walmart parking lot.

It’s not like we were out of place, per se. We had been there that night with semi trucks and a few other RVs and most of them parked there alongside us. At least, we shouldn’t have been out of place. I suppose I could give this guy the benefit of the doubt. We do have a pretty interesting-looking RV.

For one, it’s an older model Class C vehicle. A 1990 cab on a 1991 motorhome model. It’s about 27 feet which would normally be unassuming. Neither one of these things would make us stand out on their own. You see, we had to inherit a faulty model when we paid cash for it back late last year.

The model had a leaky roof and we had to find a solution since we had to move into it quickly after our old home had to be towed away. We needed a quick, new home and we also needed to stay dry through the winter and spring months. Our solution was a very unique one. We put a few tarps up to cover the top.

Image of the RV with the straps, tarp, and all, and a first real look on Medium at where I live, with my permission, of course. I figured the straps were coming off. You’re not finding us without them. Image by the author.

Our ingenuity saved us but also made us stand out

Not only did we have to put tarps up there but we also had to find a way to keep the tarps on the vehicle while we were moving too. That took some ingenuity and know-how. We used a ton of ratchet straps over the top of it all. It does like a bit odd when you see it. I get that people would be fascinated how we drive a vehicle with tarps over the top.

Come on, though. This interesting vehicle is also someone’s full-time home. You may not know that right away snapping away at it but the person you’re observing inside the vehicle knows this. It feels like a bit of an intrusion on our privacy when you gawk or ask us questions about our lifestyle, even if you’re genuinely interested.

The other thing is, I’ve been more anxious recently. We’ve had to move around a bit since we’ve been out of camp. Anyone filming or documenting our vehicle feels like someone judging our lifestyle or even feeling like they’re trying to harm us by doing so. That’s where the overthinker in me kicks in. That’s when the overthinker and observer in anyone would get anxious.

You can ask permission unless you want us to feel uncomfortable

It’s cool that someone might want to film or even share our vehicle out of pure curiosity and awe but you should definitely ask before doing so. It’s improper to just take a photo or video of someone’s space and then run before telling them what the deal is. He did it right in our face. That is against common courtesy and just rude in general.

If you see the people who abide in a place that looks this unique, maybe just pop by quickly to ask if you can take pictures. Do not make people feel uncomfortable or trapped in a museum while you do it without asking. Mike ended up giving the guy the meanest, longest stare as I tried to avoid eye contact completely. He drove off in a panic and we never figured out what his intentions were that day.

Luckily, it’ll be soon that we get the straps off. We will be putting a durable wood trim around the sides of the tarp to hold it down to reduce the effect of wind resistance. This will eliminate the need for straps to be on our vehicle at all. It will also eliminate some of the unique, identifying features of our older RV to those who might look to do us harm.

We will just have tarps over the top to continue to find a solution in the meantime until we can afford to replace our roof and keep weirdos at arm’s length. Once we get into our campground, we will have to worry about this much less. We have about two or three weeks to go until we can settle in away from random, prying eyes 24/7 and just relax again.

As I’m writing this, Mike is getting the boards ready to put up so we can get that part taken care of and drive off to Pennsylvania and further away from that mysterious figure who came and went into our lives so quickly after impacting it in such a small amount of time.

Amateur photographers and gawkers should heed the fact that this is a home, not a novelty

The bigger point is, that you might think it’s cool to be an amateur smartphone photographer for one reason or another, but if you don’t ask people's permission, you have no business getting into their business or prying into their privacy.

I am feeling a little more uneasy that we’re still relatively close to the scene with little to no knowledge of what will come of that if anything. I would’ve gladly given that guy a great shot with me in front if he had just asked politely and given us a valid reason for his intrusion.

Instead, Mike had to scare him off with his menacing look and that was certainly the appropriate reaction to have in this particular situation. What do you think of this? Do you think we should’ve reacted so harshly? Do you have a different opinion of what might’ve gone down?

Do you also drive an RV or some sort of other mobile home, especially a smaller vehicle like a van or a car? Let me know in the comments how you’ve handled this in the past.