Living in a Van • Hacker News Board

Re: Living in a Van

#161

Post by larrys » Sat, Oct 06, 2012, 6:22 PM UTC

guelo wrote: post #80

larrys wrote: post #75

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"Non-snarkily, I think people are the same everywhere, mostly good and hard working" If that is the case then why do I keep my windows up when I drive through those neighborhoods. Are you saying I have nothing to fear driving my new expensive car through, say, many areas of Newark NJ or areas such as the "Badlands" in Phila PA? Or that I am safe to walk the streets in those areas? And if those areas are so great and…

I have no idea about those neighborhoods, but I've spent plenty of time in east Oakland without incident, statistically the 4th most dangerous city in the country. No matter how much crap you hear in the news it's not an actual war zone, most people lead normal day to day lives. From my experience people want to get out because the government services like schools and police suck, not because they hate their neighbor…

"but I've spent plenty of time in east Oakland without incident, statistically the 4th most dangerous city in the country."

You do what you can do to protect yourself. While crime can and does happen everywhere there are places that you are more likely to be a victim of a crime. Probability wise of course.

Even with respect to car theft you will find that insurance companies charged rates depending on where you live and even where you park your car (garage etc.) There is a basis for this you know.

Re: Living in a Van

#162

Post by larrys » Sat, Oct 06, 2012, 7:53 PM UTC

poppysan wrote: post #115

larrys wrote: post #51

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"Glib is the word I would use, for romanticizing a scenario" I would use glib in the same way that people romanticize people living in poverty. Particularly single moms with good kids living in the ghetto. Single mom works so hard holding down 3 jobs cleaning offices and her kids all work hard if only they were given a chance and didn't live in the projects. (Watch http://www.pruitt-igoe.com/ on netflix to see a litt…

I grew up in extreme poverty on a very dangerous street. My father died when I was a child, and with half an income, my mom was forced to work several jobs to support herself and 5 children. The only place we could afford to live was the "ghetto". My siblings and I worked hard each day, with no electricity on some days, no running water on others. Even with this hard work, only 2 of my siblings have managed to excel…

First let me say that I feel bad for your situation and what happened to your father.

But you say "fewer intelligent people willing to work to fix these difficult issues" juxtaposed against "2 are still struggling? It is because when my father died, my younger 2 siblings were 3 and 4 years old. We moved to the bad neighborhood the year after, and they grew up with no realistic model of "success" with which to strive."

So what have the 3 children who advanced (including you) done to help the 2 that did not? I'm curious because you are suggesting that there is something that an outsider can do (and surely they can do something agreed) so I'd like to know what someone in that situation does to help their own family?

On another note do you also feel that part of the problem is perhaps having more kids than you can support? Depending on your income it would generally be easier to provide a good lifestyle for 2 kids then for 5, correct? Don't take offense I simply would like to know your thoughts.

Re: Living in a Van

#163

Post by biafra » Sun, Oct 07, 2012, 4:31 PM UTC

timofei7 wrote: post #82

larrys wrote: post #33

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"is class disdain because I'm too well off to consider it or class disdain because when I wasn't well off we had too much pride to ever stoop to anything like that." Normally when you read stories about these outliers in life there is always a story behind it. I remember the case of the guy on the street corner who was discovered as having singing talent, made it to network news shows, was given some sort of leg up o…

So many negative reactions, I'm surprised. But then I've been surprised by how narrow a band "normalcy" really is before. I lived in a van for a summer. I have a story, but I don't think it involves mental illness or laziness or wasting my life. I was working fulltime as a sysadmin at an Ivey League school and taking classes fulltime there at the same time. Yes, that meant I slept very little and had no "free time",…

The land of the free. Where you loose your job if someone finds out you live in a van.

Re: Living in a Van

#164

Post by poppysan » Mon, Oct 08, 2012, 1:11 AM UTC

larrys wrote: post #162

poppysan wrote: post #115

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I grew up in extreme poverty on a very dangerous street. My father died when I was a child, and with half an income, my mom was forced to work several jobs to support herself and 5 children. The only place we could afford to live was the "ghetto". My siblings and I worked hard each day, with no electricity on some days, no running water on others. Even with this hard work, only 2 of my siblings have managed to excel…

First let me say that I feel bad for your situation and what happened to your father. But you say "fewer intelligent people willing to work to fix these difficult issues" juxtaposed against "2 are still struggling? It is because when my father died, my younger 2 siblings were 3 and 4 years old. We moved to the bad neighborhood the year after, and they grew up with no realistic model of "success" with which to strive.…

My fathers death was not expected, and, while tight, we were able to live fine before he died. Two incomes turned to one as us kids grew older, taller, more needy. I don't think it's an offensive question, and my situation influenced me to stop at 2 kids.

Re: Living in a Van

#165

Post by poppysan » Mon, Oct 08, 2012, 1:16 AM UTC

larrys wrote: post #162

poppysan wrote: post #115

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I grew up in extreme poverty on a very dangerous street. My father died when I was a child, and with half an income, my mom was forced to work several jobs to support herself and 5 children. The only place we could afford to live was the "ghetto". My siblings and I worked hard each day, with no electricity on some days, no running water on others. Even with this hard work, only 2 of my siblings have managed to excel…

First let me say that I feel bad for your situation and what happened to your father. But you say "fewer intelligent people willing to work to fix these difficult issues" juxtaposed against "2 are still struggling? It is because when my father died, my younger 2 siblings were 3 and 4 years old. We moved to the bad neighborhood the year after, and they grew up with no realistic model of "success" with which to strive.…

Also, I get rather preachy with my brothers about how I believe they should proceed with their lives... And they listen, but it's a bit hard to change how people see the world.

Re: Living in a Van

#166

Post by gavanwoolery » Mon, Oct 08, 2012, 5:53 PM UTC

vijayr wrote: post #32

gavanwoolery wrote: post #14

Not quite a van or RV, but I have always found the tiny house movement interesting. http://www.tumbleweedhouses.com/ Many of them are small enough that you can legally tow them anywhere.

Wowwwww !! These look absolutely beautiful. But one still needs to own a piece of land. What would be interesting though, is a bunch of people buying a piece of land (sharing the land/electricity/water costs), and living in half a dozen of these on the land. Don't know about the legality of it, but it would be awesome

Yeah, certain types of land are zoned for multi-residence accommodations, and many RV parks are not too strict on their guidelines (higher-end RV parks are often very strict, and often only permit diesel/class A vehicles). Many lots of land are cheap enough that the cost could be split easily (in many remote areas, land can be bought for (literally) a few dollars per acre).