living in a caravan to mitigate sensitivities, stop being around people?

....... said:

It is like an aspie heaven - I am certain theyre all on the spectrum. 

You're probably right - I'm finding wherever you find specialists and experts in niche industries or interests/hobbies, you'll find all the aspies.

Not so much in the islands and on the far flung coasts. Outer Hebrides can be devoid of midges for mpst of the time and they never get frost - ever. maybe once or twice a decade. It is like another world out there. In my experience - if there are dodgy folk around everyone knows who they are. Abd the groups of van life surfers kind of live in a dialectic way with each other as they are often in the water together in stuff that is seriosly life threatening. They make the cornish surfers look like kids playing. Sometimes you get a cornish 'legend' turn up all arrogant and wanting respect but they either drop the attitude or they get minced on hard rock reef! 

It is like an aspie heaven - I am certain theyre all on the spectrum. 

There's a balance to be struck to avoid the police or scumbags poking around - either be amongst lots of other van-lifers so you get the safety in numbers or get away from everyone so you're on your own away from civilisation - pros and cons for both choices.

Scotland is lovely - but the midges are terrible in the summer.

Yes - Scumbags - that is why it is best to head north as far as you can. About 700 mles from London, north to Caithness or Sutherland. It is nowhere near as cold as you'd think. Not like further south in Scotland as the North Coast gets direct warming from The North Atlantic Drift (wrongly known as Gulf Stream)... So when the Highlands is under 3 feet of snow and minus 20c - the north coast is usually well above zero.

Moderator actually does some work - how hard was it - lol

I have 2 friends trying to do this at the moment - one has built a 'metal tent' from an executive Toyota Hiace - it's quite small and low so he can get into car parks with height barriers but that makes it little more than a bed on wheels.   He fitted a diesel heater and he can cook with the door open.   He uses it to get away for the weekend - he and his wife say it's camping without the wind flattening your tent.   (he's undiagnosed aspie)

The second is building a converted horse-box on a Renault chassis - it will have a rudimentary shower and toilet but it's a massive amount of work to get it built - I don't know if he'll ever finish it - I hope he does for his own satisfaction and wellbeing.   (He's a very diagnosed aspie but has motivational problems so progress has long stops when he can't function.)

That's a good plan with the elevation! What's your living situation like right now? What's the issue specifically you're having?

in the summer, you need to go up in elevation... so big mountains. think rockies or sierras, or actually various other ones.... for every 1000 feet in elevation, temp goes down 5 deg F... so at 7000 feet, you go down 35 deg F..... 7000 feet elev is reasonably common..... i would never go to humid areas.................unpleasant. many find being up in the mountains really nice and gorgeous.

UK is very cold and wet - much more the further North you go - we don't have many 'nice' days to be comfortable in a van.

US has a bit of everything - but really only 2 seasons - Summer and Winter - the Northern states are Mosquitoes or 6 feet of snow   

Southern States tend to be hot and humid or hotter and more humid  

That's why total insulation is the most important detail.

That's a clever idea making the van look like it's used by drain-clearance workers. Thieves usually target attractive vehicles.

The climate is pretty consistent throughout the UK. We're like the equivalent of one American state, whereas you guys have lots of different climates. I still have seen Americans claim that it's hot anywhere there in a van in the summer, though. Not sure what to believe on that.

Yes - you're right - I was under the  impression that they were UK based.

It is much easier in the US - I think Walmart pledged to allow van-lifers to spend a night in their car parks if they need to.

Some of the bigger issues are getting fresh water and safely dumping of waste water and toilet waste.

A big solar panel setup on the van roof obviously identifies someone living in a van so a conformal panel is less efficient but less obtrusive.

Having the ability to have outside space makes the van more versatile.

Some people put fake livery on their van to put off potential thieves - things like a couple of filthy hi-vis on the front seat backs and maybe labelling the van as drain-clearance specialists or as a charity church vehicle.  

The big problem is noise / light emanating from the vehicle in the dark of night - it's good to just be invisible to everyone.  

in the usa, one guy put it best: i follow 70 degrees farenheit! you go up in altitude to escape heat, go down in altitude and south west to chase warm in winter. just think gorgeous scenery. that's the idea.............. but also some insulation, solar, etc... but basically, you chase the temperature you like. a lot of folk do that. not sure that would work in uk....

It turns out raspberrypie is actually in the US so he probably won't have that much problem finding somewhere to park. I've read an issue than can occur in the US is it's very hot in the summer in a van. That means you're basically forced to spend your day outside in summer time. Even some nights will be very hot so air conditioning or a fan is quite important. 

what it be like, living in a van, across the pond.........the godfather of the van movement.... he seems like a cool guy.... he actually interviews people about their vans, and youtubes them. 

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/01/31/style/rubber-tramp-rendezvous-rv-trucks-vanlife.html

enjoyed the single dad article... a number of van dwellers home school their kids here... hadn't heard specifically of kids with special needs (only the poor adults, lol)..... it's wonderful that the dad was able to bring his son out to greet the world in a safe way........

I've heard of people who want to live off grid doing this - converting vehicles to live and travel in - but I think they plan out where they're going to be and when and prearrange parking with land owners. Its probably not the same as how it works in the US but then they have more space and different laws.

i'll maybe check the UK youtubers of caravan life... except, there are millions here... everything you're saying holds true here.... except we have tons more free open land... i'd like to build a safe space in my van. currently, the safe space looks like an enclosed metal box with almost no windows....!!!! but i just bought a $1000 lithium battery to brighten it up, lol.

same thing here. many use gyms for showers, etc - even parking over night. as an aspie, i currently don't have any interest in being around noisy gyms....

ty. i'll look at them. basically, here across the pond, it's very similar, i suspect. you definitely hear about people with health, mental health, or other issues who take to the vans for healing. it's what i'd like to do, but like i said, a tin can on wheels is not my idea of home... but, i'm trying to put it together.