Prius Hilton #1: Origin Story
Even when I told my closest friends that I started living out of my Prius, the most common reaction was to make sure everything was okay, and to see if I needed any financial help. It was hard for them to understand why I would do this voluntarily. I don’t blame them; there’s a strong stigma around people who live in their cars, and it took a combination of factors for someone like me to choose this lifestyle.
Background
I’ve lived a pretty cushy life in my 26 years. I grew up in a middle class family in the suburbs of Silicon Valley with many opportunities. I studied computer science in college and worked for a few years at Amazon before joining a tech startup in San Francisco, where I’m currently employed. I enjoy my life, and am happy with the path I’m headed down.
My perception is that the demographics of people living in their vehicles is dominated by those in lower economic classes. If so, my upbringing would not have been a good predictor of how things ended up for me. What I believe did lead me to this lifestyle, was a mix of being independent, low-maintenance, and rational — but most importantly, Silicon Valley’s disturbingly-high housing costs.
The Trigger
Post graduation, I’ve only lived with friends, making it easy to justify the cost of rent without giving it much thought. It wasn’t until my most recent roommate decided to move to Seattle that I had to figure out how much I was willing to pay just for housing, without the benefits of living with a friend.
Not wanting to commute, the obvious options were taking a risk with a craigslist roommate, or paying extra for a single bedroom place. Neither of these options were particularly terrible, but I just felt like the value I would be getting did not match the price I would be paying.
#Vanlife?
My research eventually led me to van dwelling. I was on the fence about trying it out; I was definitely intrigued, but it came with a few downsides. Being in San Francisco, it’s difficult to find parking, and I imagine having a larger vehicle only makes things worse. The city also seems to be intent on regulating homelessness in ways which are not completely clear to me yet. Certain tent encampments get cleared away by city officials, while others seem to grow. Vehicles which are obviously meant for living get visited by the cops, though I’m not sure what the consequences are.
The main downside for me though, was the upfront cost (in time and money) of buying a van and preparing it. It’s a large, risky, and unnecessary endeavor even if it might turn out well. I’m guessing many other people like me, enamored with the lifestyle, don’t end up taking the leap because they lack the financial pressure to go through with it.
#PriusLife!
After being in decision limbo for some time, I stumbled upon a blog called #HotelPrius [1]. This guy was in a completely different situation than me, but he showed that it wasn’t (completely) crazy to live out of a Prius, and it even came with some benefits! The Prius comes with a reasonable heating and cooling system out of the box; the car can be left on all night, running on battery, and the engine will only turn on for a couple minutes every so often to recharge. Also, the Prius is incredibly stealthy, reducing the likelihood that I’ll get in trouble. Oh yeah, and I already owned a Prius, removing the large upfront cost. It was meant to be!
I also want to give a shoutout to a blog by Ruslan Osipov [2], which served as my other main resource for Prius-living.
