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Monday, November 8, 2010

RV Lifestyle : Gypsies, Caravan's, Europe, US and fairness

As I drive about 45 minutes one way to work, I try to listen to podcasts and other edifying material. Dan Miller says that "music is [ junk food ] for the brain." One of the podcasts I listen to is from a group of folks called Intelligence Squared.

Recently, they had a quick debate about the rights of travellers (this is a podcast link). Travellers though are really gypsies and they're preferred dwelling - or at least one of their common dwelling is the caravan, or as we would say in the United States, the RV.

One of the discussions in that podcast centered around the idea of zoning (named differently in the UK). But it discussed how the Gypsies were routinely rezoned on their own land so that they could not park their caravan's (RV) where they wanted - again - on their own land. I couldn't help but think, aren't the Gypsies the same as American's who are full-timing in RV's? 

I had a smile when I thought of a group of Prevost owners as a bunch of Gypsies.

I thought that was very interesting article since I too live in an RV. For those of us who live in an RV, who isn't witnessing or hearing 2nd hand the stories of how Walmart is starting to not want RV's to park in their parking lots, or how some cities are asking RV's to keep passing on by. I wonder, are RV's so bad? Aren't we just folks who like living small? Who have the wanderlust? Or who just like the hyperorganization of an RV?

I know that as I look at different places to move the RV in and around Austin, I find it difficult to find a lot where we can keep our RV, particularly close to where we want to be. The parks simply are not in close to town, and if they are, the town works hard to legislate them out.

Are we modern day US Gypsies? We all have a little European blood in us, don't we?

Should we start pushing back on a society hell-bent on zoning RV's clear into the country? I sure think so... in fact, I think RV's are going to be the wave of the future - with the idea of "living small" or "living within your means" being the watchword of the day. In fact, RV's are built better than the single/double wides. They are far more earthquake proof than a wooden frame building. The biggest weakness of an RV is wind and extreme temperatures. But maybe the idea of a migratory population moving to more temperate regions is a smart idea anyway - better for macro energy conservation.

Well for what it is worth, lets all start reminding everyone that zoning against RV's is discriminatory. Maybe we can make some new law? Ooooh that sounds fun. 

1 comment:

T Shaughnessy said...

Check out the movie 'Snatch' with Brad Pitt. You'll see a bit of a difference between the U.S. Prevost RVer's and the UK based Pikey's err... Travelers (and their 'dags'!).

Quite entertaining. Almost better than 'RV' with Robin Williams.

Me likes your blog.