Let’s Talk About Respect
There’s no easy way to say this, so let’s not sugarcoat it, a lot of van-lifers, car campers, and nomads are ruining it for everyone else.
Communities are tired. Businesses are posting “no overnight parking” signs. Small towns that used to welcome travelers now ban them outright. And it’s not because people hate adventure - it’s because too many of us have stopped showing basic respect.
Leaving trash. Dumping gray water and toilets in parking lots. Taking up six spots with awnings, tables, and chairs. Blasting music at midnight. Treating a grocery store parking lot like a free campground. It’s selfish, lazy, and the reason those same spots won’t exist next year.
If we want the freedom to keep traveling, we need to earn it back.
Respect the Places You’re In
Public land and shared spaces are not your backyard. You don’t get to leave a mess because “someone else will clean it up.” You don’t get to carve your name in a tree, dump your pee jug in a ditch, or park for a week in a downtown lot.
If you can’t camp somewhere without leaving a trace, you shouldn’t be there. Period.
Pack out everything. If it didn’t grow there, it doesn’t stay there.
Use rest stops, gas stations, or dump facilities - not the side of the road.
Don’t block others or sprawl out like you own the place.
Basecamp Tip: Keep a small trash kit and a spare container for gray water. If you wouldn’t do it in your neighborhood, don’t do it in someone else’s.
Respect the People Who Live There
That “perfect overnight spot” is probably next to someone’s house, business, or trailhead. They pay taxes to keep that area clean and safe. When travelers trash it, they deal with the fallout.
Buy a coffee. Eat at a local restaurant. Say hello. Show them that nomads can add value, not problems. We’re guests - start acting like it.
Respect the Community You Belong To
Van-life and car camping used to be about freedom, craftsmanship, and simplicity. Now it’s sliding toward entitlement. If you care about this lifestyle, call it out when you see it. Set an example. Don’t post the coordinates of fragile campsites online. Don’t normalize trash piles and burnout spots.
This community survives on trust - and we’re losing it fast.
Respect Your Space, Too
Your setup says everything about how you travel. If your car, van, or build looks like chaos, chances are you’re treating the places you visit the same way. Build something intentional, keep it clean, and take pride in it.
Good design and good manners go hand in hand. Stop putting your feet on someone else’s coffee table.
Final Thoughts
Adventure is a privilege, not a right. And if we keep treating every parking lot, trailhead, and campsite like our personal dump site, that privilege disappears.
So pick up after yourself. Be quiet. Park small. Leave it better than you found it - or don’t call it van-life at all.
