Originally Posted by sykerocker
The difference is the respect he's just shown me. Whether he's willing to ask to use my property, or just taking the attitude that it's his for the night.
Although I do not own a shotgun and hope I never have to point a weapon at another human being,
I agree that your general attitude is correct. Camping on private property without the express permission of the owner is extremely rude, and realistically the owner has no way to tell the difference between a harmless cycle tourist and a potentially unpleasant vagrant.
I can only assume that it's become the camping of choice for a lot of people. And I get a real sense of unease about the morality behind it.
Actually, I think it's a fairly small minority, just a somewhat vocal one. After all, stealth camping requires that you give up more creature comforts than using campsites, like showers, cooking etc.
Originally Posted by SanDiego
Attitudes like that are precisely why many of us (including Americans) do NOT want to cycle in the USA, particularly the Atlantic Coast.
What, you think that if you get caught stealth camping in Texas, they're going to make you some hot chocolate?
(FYI, in Texas a property owner is allowed to use deadly force against a trespasser after dark....)
But we're talking about 'stealth camping' here, which I assume means the camper is:
* very close to the road...
So? If it's my property, and if you did not ask my permission then you have absolutely no right to be on it. It's my land, I pay the taxes and mortgage on it, and you have no right to treat it like your private campground.
Even if you can't see the stealth camper, in principle it is no different than someone sleeping in the vestibule of your apartment building or the front yard of your suburban home.
...holding people at gunpoint, and stealing their gear and bike because they camped in a corner of your 10 acre estate? And you're PROUD to post that here with an international biking community audience?
Seems to me that the "international biking community" are best off knowing that if you get caught stealth camping, there is a good chance you will get chased off immediately and possibly lose some or most of your gear. I'd regard this as useful information.
Originally Posted by greenstork
Some countries allow camping anywhere, including on private land.
Care to cite a reference for this?