How Gabby Petito’s Death Exposed a Dark
Side of #VanLife
Rolling Stone,
by
EJ Dickson
Original Article
Posted By: earlybird,
9/26/2021 2:18:31 PM
Several years ago, Annie decided to buy a van. With her partner at the time, she made a pact: they were going to save $10,000 each and then hit the road for a year, living out of their van and hitting 49 states.
It was fairly early in the evolution of the #vanlife influencer community on social media. At the time, there were few depictions of the lifestyle on Instagram: cozy, sun-drenched selfies in perfectly appointed backseats with nary a crumpled Doritos bag or empty soda bottle in sight; bright red buttes and cliffs framed by flawlessly filtered vistas. But Annie was drawn to the idea of total freedom, of seeing
The real question about this, being it's from Rolling Stone, is any of it true?
26 people like this.
Reply 2 - Posted by:
PCMM 9/26/2021 2:47:28 PM (No. 927178)
So living in a van down by the river might not be a great idea? Shocking. /s
23 people like this.
Reply 3 - Posted by:
JHHolliday 9/26/2021 2:56:05 PM (No. 927184)
Our local rag ran a cartoon today implying that the excessive coverage of the Petito murder was only because she was an attractive white girl. True as far as it goes but that’s human nature these days. It’s a numbers thing. We tend to ho-hum the headlines like “Nine shot dead in Chicago the weekend”. Nothing new there and most of us just scroll by and ignore.
15 people like this.
Reply 4 - Posted by:
BRDG 9/26/2021 3:08:09 PM (No. 927190)
Brilliant #2.... "Van Down By The River"....excellent SNL skit worthy of rewatching on YouTube.
The best part is the "kids" attempting to conceal their laughter.
5 people like this.
Reply 5 - Posted by:
MMC 9/26/2021 3:19:12 PM (No. 927204)
As someone who has endlessly researched the idea of van camping- I have watched many videos and said to myself “I don’t need to watch your mental health issues”.
On the flip side, with covid,lock down and desire to see family long distances away- a traveling mama mobile - stealthy van- off grid living- seems a good solution. But, there are many pitfalls- and I wouldn’t consider van life full time.
11 people like this.
Reply 6 - Posted by:
jfodoch 9/26/2021 3:37:35 PM (No. 927220)
Do you really want to spend 24/7 cooped-up in a van with anyone, even a spouse ?
10 people like this.
Reply 7 - Posted by:
RuckusTom 9/26/2021 4:12:00 PM (No. 927246)
I can't stand being around this abusive person for long periods of time. I know. Let's get a van, travel the country and be right on top of each other 24/7.
7 people like this.
Reply 8 - Posted by:
DVC 9/26/2021 4:12:40 PM (No. 927247)
When you are young, you imagine that you invent everything.
Mrs. DVC and I traveled in a station wagon with all our camping gear for almost two years in the late 70s. Spending weeks at a time where ever we wanted to be. The fall in Alaska, and skiing in Vermont, wintering in Florida and south Texas was a really fine time. Eventually, we found jobs and we settled down. And we were married, not random, interchangeable partners, and we kept a gun in the car for security. Lots of great memories, no dark memories for us.
18 people like this.
Reply 9 - Posted by:
bad-hair 9/26/2021 5:59:36 PM (No. 927310)
It's basically mobile homeless. Going to get interesting when gas prices double. Oh and then there's FOOD prices.
Might even need a mortgage on the van.
3 people like this.
Reply 10 - Posted by:
Mushroom 9/26/2021 6:58:49 PM (No. 927350)
Spousal Unit Prime and I did a 30day stint in our MH. It was delightful and we realized we really DID like each other. That was the beginning of many opportunities (re:excuses) to use the MH in my work. We have broken down a few times (normally a tire issue) and we weather the time(days even) waiting for a tow to take us for repairs. I should mention our MH is 27yrs old. :)
I recall a couple, that sold their bar, bought a state of the art big ol' motorhome and were back within a week. Even after the decades of marriage they couldn't take being together.
Executive summary: It's a different life, take a training run at it before you commit.
See you on the road!
6 people like this.
Reply 11 - Posted by:
NorthernDog 9/26/2021 9:07:43 PM (No. 927422)
It sounds like having a large following on social media becomes the most important thing in some peoples' lives. I'm not sure why because it's very ephemeral. Someone who was popular a month ago could now be largely forgotten. It's not worth enduring abuse, a loss of privacy, and possibly even death.
3 people like this.
Reply 12 - Posted by:
4Liberty2020 9/26/2021 9:19:54 PM (No. 927429)
As a 24 y o my husband got a new 69VW camper when he got back from Vietnam and we traveled 2 months across our beautiful country, we had no trouble at all about being together 24/7.
Since then I travel many times alone in my car or my small self-contained MH, if my husband can't be with me, I always carry or have nearby mace, wasp spray, "heat" and I NEVER leave home without my two dogs. No one will get near my vehicle without the dogs alerting me.
But, the first thing that I do before starting for any trip or short drive is to say a short prayer for safety and traveling mercies . The Lord has never failed me.
Thank you, Lord.
8 people like this.
Reply 13 - Posted by:
planetgeo 9/27/2021 12:06:34 AM (No. 927490)
The "#vanlife influencer community"?! Seriously? Chris Farley lives!
2 people like this.
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Comments:
This story sounds as though it could be a parallel to Petito’s.