Nomad's Living in Vehicles: The New American Frontier | American Steem

So far, this community has taken time to discuss one of the oldest homes in America and the largest construction project in the country's history. Today, we're going to shift a little to the side and talk about a subculture that's starting to grow as fast as the speed of light. I'm talking about car nomads who live in the very vehicles they drive to work. Some don't have normal jobs and instead showcase their lifestyles on social media sites such as YouTube and Instagram.

Years ago, these groups of individuals had things a bit easier, parking in WalMarts and camping on public land. However, as time has passed, laws have changed, and none of that is acceptable anymore in the United States. The laws are a bit different in Canada, where Crown land is generally public access, although normally packed with Grizzly Bears and other wild things. It gives those in the colder sections of North America a bit of an advantage when it comes to nomad status, although much more dangerous.

In America, though, where there is currently a nationwide rent crisis, it's cheaper for these folks to take their homes on the road. What I found the most interesting as I dove further into this genre of vehicle dwellers is the time they spend building their homes on wheels. Now, don't get me wrong—some sleep in the back of their cars, but others get, well, craftier. Take, for instance, the video below of a 1992 Geo Tracker converted into the 'World's Smallest Truck Camper.'

I guess it's all about how you perceive things on whether or not you'd call these folks homeless, but being homeless has always been an issue in the United States, no matter how much the government would like you to think otherwise. The numbers in the graphic above may show a major decrease over the last 16 years, but it doesn't tell the full story, which is that most of the falloff you see there is because many Americans quit reporting to government agencies once their benefits ended or never filed in the first place. Not to mention, life after the pandemic in America is difficult for even the most financially secure sections of the population, where rent for one-bedroom apartments in major cities has soared.

It all adds up to a major issue that's not going away. While this post is not centered on the ongoing homeless issue, we will return to this topic in the future. The numbers on the chart below are based on the median monthly rent for a one-bedroom apartment in the largest cities in the United States in November 2023 by city (in U.S. dollars).

Chart via Statista

As you can see from the chart if you're paying rent in America, chances are you're overpaying at this point—it's just the nature of the beast. Not that long ago, it was a renters market, but during the pandemic, that changed after restrictions limited property owners' ability to increase rent prices and evict tenants. Once the restrictions were lifted, an immediate crisis was at hand, as thousands were thrown out. Couple that with the fact that many states are still paying a minimum wage that hasn't increased in decades, and you start to get a better picture of where we are.

Some of these vehicular nomads take it to the next level and turn their home on wheels into a moving video studio of sorts. Like 'Phil' (below), who was a stock trader before deciding to move out on the road (I believe he's been at it for over four years now and just bought a new rig), this is just another interesting story out on the open American highways.

Finally, I wanted to touch on one YouTuber who I've followed for several years now who spends his time traveling all over the Pacific Northwest, Canada, and Alaska. His channel name is Foresty Forest, and he lives in his van (with his cute lil' dog 'Rocko'; with a stove and most comforts of a normal home. He also drives out in the midst of the winter into elevated spots of the continent to hike.

A lot of his content is filmed from a drone, and he has tons of footage to kill for.

As you can see from this microdose of what the internet has to offer (there are thousands who are not filming their lives), the vehicular nomad movement is on the rise in America. Not only is it a movement, but it's a subculture that has grown since I've learned of its existence over the last 5-7 years. It seems like a rough alternative to living life, and as you can see, there are not that many older people...meaning this is a younger person's movement (20-45). Just like there's no country for old men, there's no car bed for them, either.

At any rate, catch you guys on the flip side. 👍

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