Let's hear from the RPF ladies: Would you be able to see past the slightly smelly, eating off food encrusted dinnerware, exterior and see the man beneath? Or blow him off as the creepy guy living in his van?
At the very least, I would give him a list of suggestions for more comfortable van living.
First of all, he should have bought a cargo van - that is, one without side windows in the back, and having only the driver and passenger seats - for greater privacy and added space. Then all he would need for curtains would be one behind the front seats and one over the back windows.
A platform bed running width-wise across the back of the van provides a ton of storage space underneath. Also, a 2" dowel with half of each end chiseled off like so:
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can be inserted neatly into the Econoline's inner frame where the sidewalls and roof meet, for hanging clothes. I had mine just inside the rear doors. Curtains there kept the sun from fading the colors.
I built a cooking area behind the driver's seat, consisting of countertop, two-burner propane stove, and rack space. Underneath were the 5-gallon propane tank (each fill-up would last about two months, cooking twice a day), water jugs and plastic storage bins filled with food, safe from mice and bugs, and out of the way. All sorts of implements were hung from large wire hooks attached into the "ribs" of the van body.
Toilet consisted of a #10 can with plastic lid for urine (a large plastic coffee can is easier to handle, but they weren't around when I was living in an Econoline), and a 2.5-gallon plastic bucket (with lid) and sawdust (available free at any sawmill) to cover stool. That whole mess can be buried or dumped in the woods or even sealed into plastic bags and put into a dumpster.
Bathing inside an Econoline apartment is a simple matter of heating water in a stockpot and using a dishpan to take a sponge bath. I learned to take a complete bath AND wash my long hair with less than two gallons of water, which I would inconspicuously dump on the lawn or parking lot. Once a week I would spend $1.50 on a visit to the university pool for a "real" shower.
Since I didn't need to hide the fact that I was living in the van, I made a special curtain to attach like an awning over the rear side double doors when they were open, and a mosquito curtain to hang across the side door opening. Of course I had small chunks of wood stored in a bag hanging from the inside of the side doors to slip into the hinges to keep the doors from blowing shut. So there was plenty of ventilation, even in the rain. The same could be done with the rear doors if one really wants a lot of wind!
For light, I used a propane lantern, oil lamp or candle(s), depending on how much light I needed and what I had available at a given time. Like I said, there was plenty of storage under the bed (queen size) with access both from inside the van and from the back doors. One can also rent an 8'x10' unit for about $25/month to keep additional supplies if one is not constantly on the move, or get a top carrier if you are.
I'm not sure I'd ever meet this theoretical van-denizen, but I'd at least strike up a conversation if I did. There's nothing wrong with talking to people, just vital to have your alarm bells loud and clear.
