As always, everyone has different opinions and thoughts on everything in life, based on their background/upbringing/exposure and general life experiences. No single one is right or wrong.

Enjoyed reading that link Chefmom, and couldn't agree more that YES some folks chose to live this way just as some do on the streets and not always through necessity. Back in the late 90's, a well known Calgary Back Alley Bag Lady (quite scruffy/dirty looking) died - she used to push an old style baby carriage around. There was over $1million stuffed in the mattress of that pram, and I personally sold the house she owned that was vacant, no mortgage and all paid up on taxes etc to a Pastor who bought it. She was adamant that her brother never got a penny of her wealth. So yes for her it was a choice - alas not always for all. I have acquaintances that were on six figure plus incomes in top exec jobs most of their lives that claim poverty in retirement/layoffs, yet on the other end of the spectrum I have a spinster teacher friend, who earned a very mediocre salary by comparison, lived comfortably, but frugally and had a very healthy 7 figure nest egg that's grown exponentially since retirement even. So YES, mental capacity aside/genuinely unforeseen circumstances aside, we all make choices and those we have to live with governmental intervention aside!

In a nutshell, we can say we have ourselves, sadly witnessed folks in California as we've travelled, living in beat up old school buses, burnt out dilapidated RVs/Vans and vehicles of many descriptions. Many had old grills, and lots of other "one man's junk is another man's treasure" around. Did it make us feel uncomfortable/unsafe as we walked through these areas = Yes very! Should we have been = probably not, but we only know what we've grown up with/been taught/exposed to in "our" lives. On discussions with locals, I'm not sure how true this is, it was referenced to us something about when they started shutting down the Asylums/Mental Institutions under Regan era, there was nowhere for these folks to go and it's just worsened over the years. As I said, not sure how accurate, it's just what was said to us on numerous occasions by many when we voiced our sadness at what we were witnessing during our travels. Seattle not far from Pikes Market there were untold numbers of folks, many in urine soaked jeans living on a green space there = hardly something that attracts tourism dollars but ..........

Some of these folks really have fell on bad times leading to addictions/self destruction and rather than live on the streets, curled up on deep window sills/doorways, like we experienced en mass when visiting Santa Rosa and other places, they've found this as "for them", a better option than the latter.

Now on the other hand there are those, and many of them, that have chosen to rebel against what in today's day and age is societally acceptable/expected of us as a mass. With my personality type, I can totally understand why they rebel, when over the past many decades, we've all watched our lives get more and more controlled in every aspect by some form of governmental rules, laws, taxation or otherwise. Youth of today won't know any different but ..........

Sure I understand rules etc come into being because of someone/thing pushing the envelope (coupled with some folks with too much time on their hands looking to "save us"), but it feels like everything that was easy back in the 60's, 70's and 80's from creating businesses to ....... (fill in the blank), is a challenge today. In addition they always manage to tag a fee/license/income generating to any new legislation. The property taxes, housing insurance, just general costs of everything seem to have exploded and for many their incomes haven't kept pace, and we all hear often today there's never anything left over, so "what's the point". There has and always will be the "those that have and the those that have not", but that's the way of things for many centuries.

Daughter and I have for many years volunteered from time to time at the Soup Kitchen in Calgary. As a city we were teased about the "Homeless Hilton" that was built to help get those off the street in inclement weather of up to -50 at times. I recall the uproar financially, when Syringe/Needle Disposal bins were put in parks (personally I think far better than a child playing and getting stab by one on the ground). We personally along with many others, do Socks for the homeless at Christmas, whereby we buy a pair of warm socks and fill one with the other sock and various things like gloves, razors, comb, toothpaste etc = the hope is that whilst most will not utilize it for what many of us do it for, some will which is to encourage those on the streets to keep warm, clean up and hopefully get a job and eventually some form of shelter of their own. The biggest help that can ever be given to these folks, is your time. Educating them and exposing them to what else might be achievable in their lives = "you can lead a horse to water but you can't make it drink" comes to mind.

As older generations die out things that seemed upsetting to them, won't to the current then generation, but will undoubtedly be replaced by something else of that time or some other crusade.

As for the comments in the article on how bad working/conditions, for Amazon is or any other company for that matter, we've always over the years been grateful for any and all menial jobs that aided us to become experienced, educated and build our own businesses eventually, and taken the attitude of "if we didn't like it, we didn't have to work there". Employers in our eyes gave us an opportunity to earn and income Period! With all the "you will do this, provide that, adhere to this, pay that and this and ......." that goes on nowadays, I for one wouldn't set up another business in this day and age personally. By the way, our staff were always grateful for the unexpected rewards/bonuses/early finishings/events we bestowed on them for "rewarding great behaviour". Mind you we always rolled up our sleeves and worked in all areas alongside them, never just sat in the "God Palace" so to speak.

Like I say, we are where we are in life because of the decisions we decided to take over the years, which admittedly haven't always been the right ones, but at least we learned and tried to improve ourselves = Our Choice! Some Will, Some Won't, alas our decisions have left hubby and I with beat up bodies, that aren't in the best shape in our retirement years, but I reiterate always to myself "I am where I am in life because of the decisions, I CHOSE to make".

Topics like this article are always very debatable and everyone will have their own take/opinion on the how/what/where/whens. Ironically most of those opinions will have a valid point, albeit some might contradict others.

Now, back to feeling oh so grateful for where we are in life, enjoying our friends, family, RVing opportunities and the fact that each morning we get up there's no white line around us :)

Happy Travels.

SD.

That article describes NOBODY that I know. We’re the “recreational vehicle” people. We’re not really even “campers” ... we’re tourists that live in a 5th wheel (and comfortably so).

ChefMom - i agree that it was a upsetting story. It was an interesting read on a small segment of the population that happen to use RV's as their transitional homes. The same story could be written about people in Seattle that live in 10'x10' wooden storage sheds. Or a large group of non moving RV's that house the homeless on city streets in many cities.

The real story is about how people are coping with being homeless or unable to afford housing in many areas. I admire that these folks have the tenacity and willingness to work through their situations.

Our community of traveling/vacationing/retired RV'ers use their RV's for very different reasons. Most of us have chosen our mobile lifestyles and appreciate the freedom that comes with being able to move and experience different locations. Working RV'ers enjoy their mobile lifestyle as a choice, not as a forced circumstance.

Life is good for us mobile people.

Just got back online to read all of the great and thoughtful replies after days without power due to storms here in the Northeast. Many of you stated that the article was not about those of us who are nomads who choose to live a wonderful FT life traveling around the country. I found SD's response to be both informative and positive--both admirable qualities. Thanks for the response(s).

Karen