Covertly Sleeping in a Vehicle

I can say this.

My old man has been a truck driver for 40 years.
Unless your sleeping armed in a locked and running in a big rig, sleeping at a reputable 24 hr rest stop is NOT a good idea...

The shady characters in in the crown vic always always will think more than twice before they crawl up the gas tank of a rig and pound on the window demanding money, your little Surburban, nope, not so much.

Better off with the apartment complex or industrial park. My 2 cents, park close to the entrance of the building as possible, no shite. You're dead guilty of something if your car is parked 100 yards away from the building at the back of the parking lot when the other two cars are parked next to the door. Park a few spaces max away from the poor sucker who's stuck working there inside all night on 2nd or 3rd shift.

The fuzz often cruz industrial type complexes a few times a night and look for vehicles parked on the "rim", that's a no no! Park right next to the building like you work there, that will not raise any flags. Just like blending in at appt complexes. The poor saps (sometimes like myself) that work off-shifts, don't go outside until their shift is over and it's time to go home, by then it's morning and no one cares.

NOTE: You may want to park in the 3rd or 4th spot as it's always the same folks that get to work bright and early (think 6+ am) getting the 1st spot and KNOW what the other 6 am employee cars look like (like myself).

Just blend in. Anything on the outskirts or "rim" throws the 1st flag that that says, "Hey, don't mind me, I'm just gonna hide out back here." isn't good.
Better be wakened by the 6:30 am door slam of the cappuccino charged work-a-holic than the flashlight of the 2 am local fuzz with his hand on a pistol...
 
A well trained, non neurotic, non yapping type dog or two is great for these type situations.

As for rest areas, I've never had a problem. I park under a light, it gives reflection to your windows and makes seeing in more difficult. My biggest concern is not getting plowed by someone falling asleep as they get off the ramp into the rest area, especially in winter. I try to find a spot away from the possible path of an out of control vehicle.

Taking out two or three large german shepherds to pee kind of wards off anyone who might be eyeballing a potential victim. I'm also always armed...nuff said.

I've pulled off into auto parts store parking lots and put a sign in my window "Car broken, waiting for store to open"........slept without a problem.
 
No sir I am not kidding. A car is a big target, like the proverbial glasshouse. My best bet is to keep the seat relatively up, car ready to go if you have to. It seems that no matter when you need to grab some sleep, be it a short nap or a long rest you will have some concerned citizen looking to help or general lunatic looking to take coming up to your car. A man in a car with the seat kicked back is more of a target, and more noteworthy, than a guy slouched in a seat. Your best bet is a larger commercial lot, sometimes an office complex (in the middle of the day) works for a quick nap, if you need to get a "nights" sleep, a strip mall lot is usually good, don't park too close to the rest of the cars and not too far away. This isn't best done at night, but during the day. In my experience you make better time traveling in the off hours anyway. If you are planning to not use a motel, you are better served traveling nocturnally than being ready to fight someone in a dark parking lot you have no business being in at night.
 
Why all the covert secrecy (real question not sarcasim)? Is it that big a deal to sleep in your car or truck? Is it illegal? Is it just that you don't want to be disturbed or is it danger you are avoiding?

Uless you look like a serial killer or hermit why sneak around gettiing in the driver's seat in the morning. It would make you look suspicious. Throw a hat on and just get in and drive.

Driving across country I stayed at hotels for $35.00 a night (1990). My comfort is worth at least that.
 
Just curious... what about the parking lot of a hotel/motel? There are plenty of cars coming and going. Generally well lit. Just blend in somewhere.
 
richc said:
Just curious... what about the parking lot of a hotel/motel? There are plenty of cars coming and going. Generally well lit. Just blend in somewhere.
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sounds good (an outta state lic. plate would'nt look unusal).
...you could even take it to the next level, and hit the lobby in the a.m. for the free coffee/continental breakfast.[wink]
 
Old Glory said:
Why all the covert secrecy (real question not sarcasim)? Is it that big a deal to sleep in your car or truck? Is it illegal? Is it just that you don't want to be disturbed or is it danger you are avoiding?

Uless you look like a serial killer or hermit why sneak around gettiing in the driver's seat in the morning. It would make you look suspicious. Throw a hat on and just get in and drive.

Driving across country I stayed at hotels for $35.00 a night (1990). My comfort is worth at least that.
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+1

My reply to this entire thread is

spockwtf.gif
 
richc said:
Just curious... what about the parking lot of a hotel/motel? There are plenty of cars coming and going. Generally well lit. Just blend in somewhere.
Click to expand...

That's where I used to sleep. Only issue for sleeping is decent hotels generally have really bright parking lots, good for safety not great for getting shuteye. Plus hotel lobby toilets are usually the cleanest. Guess I have to turn in my ninja card.
 
I do not do it often but I stay in a church parking lot or a wall mart parking lot. Of course I have my dog Yazz with me.
 
One night long ago, when I'd been doing my insane 800 mile weekend driving routine to pick up my boys and get them back to their mother, I was dangerously sleepy, so I pulled into a turnout on the highway that is used as a part-time weigh station.

I'd left the boys at their grandparents, so I was alone in the wee hours. I reclined my seat all the way and fell asleep in nothing flat. I don't know exactly what I started dreaming, other than I dreamed I was falling asleep at the wheel and was about to head-on with a truck.

I woke up with a death grip on the steering wheel and both feet jammed so hard on the brake pedal that my head hit the roof and my butt was off the seat. And it was one of those "wake up blind" moments: my eyes were wide open, but I literally could not see a thing, not even the oncoming headlights I'd been seeing in my dream. (This was in the boonies, relatively speaking, with no artificial lighting anywhere around.)

After what seemed like 10 minutes of panic (probably more like 30 seconds), I was able to: A) figure out that I wasn't really almost in an accident; and, B) turn on my headlights and dome light to figure out where the hell I was.
 
I have never had to sleep over night but I have done the nap in a gas station parking lot during the day. no problem due to the sun and activity of the location. Any of my long drives (MA-FL) usually include another person (wife) and we stay at a $50 a night highway hotel.
 
Maybe the thread has drifted, but my understanding of the original thread was not the 2 hour cat-nap during a long trip or even the 1-nighter while driving cross-country, but an extended "I have no place to sleep but my car"

As most people have said, there are lots of places that one can sleep in a car of 4-6hours without drawing a lot of attention, as long as you're out of there before you look out of place. On the other hand, if you're situation requires several days or more "living out of the car" things take on a whole new priority and moving the car everyday means burning gas, which could be in limited supply.
 
ShadeWPI said:
Maybe the thread has drifted, but my understanding of the original thread was not the 2 hour cat-nap during a long trip or even the 1-nighter while driving cross-country, but an extended "I have no place to sleep but my car"

As most people have said, there are lots of places that one can sleep in a car of 4-6hours without drawing a lot of attention, as long as you're out of there before you look out of place. On the other hand, if you're situation requires several days or more "living out of the car" things take on a whole new priority and moving the car everyday means burning gas, which could be in limited supply.
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I think the thread may have drifted because the point of the original post seemed confusing. Unless you're the UniBomber, a felon on the run, or homelessly living from your car, I don't understand the utility of equipping your car for sleeping in apartment parking lots, pissing into soda bottles, and washing up at a McDonalds bathroom.
 
ScottS said:
I think the thread may have drifted because the point of the original post seemed confusing. Unless you're the UniBomber, a felon on the run, or homelessly living from your car, I don't understand the utility of equipping your car for sleeping in apartment parking lots, pissing into soda bottles, and washing up at a McDonalds bathroom.
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Preparation for Life During Wartime.

 
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No the original post indicated he was being frugal and was suggesting was to sleep in your car to save money and not be detected while doing so.

"I'm fairly frugal. Several times I have worked out of state. I hated giving upwards of $100 / per night to hotels so I developed a system for sleeping in my car that ensures that I would not be noticed. The first vehicle I used was a pickup truck with a bed camper top - not a real camper, just a top with windows on the side. The second vehicle was Chevy Suburban. Both vehicles were reputable looking, and not too new or old - completely innocuous."

These techniques could be employed to save money or during SHTF scenerio.
 
theGringo said:
Preparation for Life During Wartime.

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Hahahaha...no, really. WTF? Who other than a homeless guy or a fleeing felon lives out of his car and washes up at McDonalds to save a couple of bucks? At what point does BO and pissing in jug overcome the $50 cost of a hotel room?
 
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ScottS said:
Hahahaha...no, really. WTF? Who other than a homeless guy or a fleeing felon lives out of his car and washes up at McDonalds to save a couple of bucks? At what point does BO and pissing in jug overcome the $50 cost of a hotel room?
Click to expand...

I once stayed at a Super 8 Motel in Havre de Grace, MD. I assure you, sleeing in my truck would have been prefereable. The place was filthy. The shower curtain was moldy. I turned on the heat and a small like old turds filled the room, setting off the smoke detector. I had to sleep with the window open in winter.
 
ScottS said:
Hahahaha...no, really. WTF? Who other than a homeless guy or a fleeing felon lives out of his car and washes up at McDonalds to save a couple of bucks? At what point does BO and pissing in jug overcome the $50 cost of a hotel room?
Click to expand...

I can think of a number of [not great] reasons... not that I'd actually DO this unless I had no choice.

Being frugal is one, although I already have a place to live... so I'm not sure why I would be need to stay in a car on a business trip that would pay for my hotel. And, if I was on vacation, but was too poor to stay in a hotel, I would not be on vacation! (Or, at the very least I would stay in a hostel or a campground.) I'm guessing the OP doesn't get to expense his trips because he's working for himself (whatever he does).

Long driving trip, and can't find a hotel on short notice that isn't booked up... that could be another reason.

Thinking about this for myself (only theoretical), every apartment complex I lived in would have been a terrible place to park. All spots were visible from the apartment windows, so I'd be easily seen.

Office parks don't seem so great either, although where I work now I do see the occasional lone car parked at the far end of the lot when I go for a walk at lunchtime. Sometimes, I can tell that someone is in one of the cars. They are typically the same cars each day, so I figured it was people who worked in the building (maybe security or grounds keepers).

Rest stops are of course terrible! One time in the 90's I was driving back from Maine well after midnight. I was so tired that I was having severe trouble staying awake. I couldn't take it anymore, so I pulled into a rest stop (the good kind, with gas and a food court, although all closed now) to just try to sleep for 30 minutes. Within one minute after I had pulled into a spot with no one else around, two other cars pulled up, one on either side of me (they could have parked anywhere since the lot was empty)... and they both started staring at me... just staring with evil glaring eyes. I started the car, flipped off both of them at once (one hand for each side of my car) and sped on out of there.
 
Prepper said:
One time in the 90's I was driving back from Maine well after midnight. I was so tired that I was having severe trouble staying awake. I couldn't take it anymore, so I pulled into a rest stop (the good kind, with gas and a food court, although all closed now) to just try to sleep for 30 minutes. Within one minute after I had pulled into a spot with no one else around, two other cars pulled up, one on either side of me (they could have parked anywhere since the lot was empty)... and they both started staring at me... just staring with evil glaring eyes. I started the car, flipped off both of them at once (one hand for each side of my car) and sped on out of there.
Click to expand...

So it was you!

Seriously, I used to drive to Maryland on business, and didn't like being away from home much, so I'd head out at 2 am rather than go down the night before.

I used to stop somewhere in south Jersey and grab some Zs, just to freshen up. Never had a problem. But I could see maybe doing a cross-country trip and wanting to sleep in my car sometimes, rather than pay for a hotel every night.
 
Prepper said:
I can think of a number of [not great] reasons... not that I'd actually DO this unless I had no choice.

Being frugal is one, although I already have a place to live... so I'm not sure why I would be need to stay in a car on a business trip that would pay for my hotel. And, if I was on vacation, but was too poor to stay in a hotel, I would not be on vacation! (Or, at the very least I would stay in a hostel or a campground.) I'm guessing the OP doesn't get to expense his trips because he's working for himself (whatever he does).

Long driving trip, and can't find a hotel on short notice that isn't booked up... that could be another reason.

Thinking about this for myself (only theoretical), every apartment complex I lived in would have been a terrible place to park. All spots were visible from the apartment windows, so I'd be easily seen.

Office parks don't seem so great either, although where I work now I do see the occasional lone car parked at the far end of the lot when I go for a walk at lunchtime. Sometimes, I can tell that someone is in one of the cars. They are typically the same cars each day, so I figured it was people who worked in the building (maybe security or grounds keepers).

Rest stops are of course terrible! One time in the 90's I was driving back from Maine well after midnight. I was so tired that I was having severe trouble staying awake. I couldn't take it anymore, so I pulled into a rest stop (the good kind, with gas and a food court, although all closed now) to just try to sleep for 30 minutes. Within one minute after I had pulled into a spot with no one else around, two other cars pulled up, one on either side of me (they could have parked anywhere since the lot was empty)... and they both started staring at me... just staring with evil glaring eyes. I started the car, flipped off both of them at once (one hand for each side of my car) and sped on out of there.
Click to expand...

I'm with you 100% on the possible need for the short stop on a long driving trip if I can't find a hotel, etc. The link in the OP spoke of outfitting a vehicle for long-term sleeping, and then making that basically a regular way of life. I guess I've become too attached to personal hygiene after all these years of showering and stuff. I couldn't imagine traveling for business and then showing up anywhere after having spent a night or two in the car, let alone making that my main plan. As far as SHTF goes, what kind of bizarre Turner Diaries fantasy world would require you to butcher paper the inside of your car windows and sleep in apartment complexes and office parks?
 
ScottS said:
I'm with you 100% on the possible need for the short stop on a long driving trip if I can't find a hotel, etc. The link in the OP spoke of outfitting a vehicle for long-term sleeping, and then making that basically a regular way of life. I guess I've become too attached to personal hygiene after all these years of showering and stuff. I couldn't imagine traveling for business and then showing up anywhere after having spent a night or two in the car, let alone making that my main plan. As far as SHTF goes, what kind of bizarre Turner Diaries fantasy world would require you to butcher paper the inside of your car windows and sleep in apartment complexes and office parks?
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Its the "Survival" sub-section...[rolleyes]
if you are looking for logic,critical thinking and common sense try the "HAM " sub-forum.[laugh]

When I posted this almost a year ago I thought it was an interesting read.

I reviewed the threads you've started since 2006 mostly classifieds, very "Craig's-list-esqe.
Any interesting non-fiction/non-classifieds topics to share?
 
glostamon said:
Its the "Survival" sub-section...[rolleyes]
if you are looking for logic,critical thinking and common sense try the "HAM " sub-forum.[laugh]

When I posted this almost a year ago I thought it was an interesting read.
Click to expand...

Well, there's "Survival," with a wealth of practical information for use many real-world situations--some of which we've experienced right here in just the last few years, and then there's "Eric Rudolph Red Dawn Turner Diaries Survival," with information for use by "Freedom Fighters" when the "New World Order" is looking to crush liberty-loving hero's under its boot of oppression. I tend to pour over the former and laugh at the latter.

I reviewed the threads you've started since 2006 mostly classifieds, very "Craig's-list-esqe.
Any interesting non-fiction/non-classifieds topics to share?
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Although a bit hard to read, I think this is supposed to be a slap at me. If so, I'm too dense to get it. If it makes you feel better, I'll consider myself somehow chastened.

I'm not the one who kicked the thread back up, and I've been careful to specify "the article in the OP" vs "the OP's personal experience." I do remember reading it when first posted and thinking it had less to do with "Survival" than with "living like a fleeing felon," but, hey, that's just one man's opinion.

P.S. I have no interest in getting into a pissing match here, which somehow this is devolving into, so I'll remove myself from the thread.
 
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Well, learning to live like a fleeing felon may very well be a valid survival tactic. As the government gets more tyrannical and starts going after everyone (everyone is a criminal, remember -- no one can go throughout their day without violating some law somewhere anymore), some people may get creative in figuring out how to live. It may be necessary for some, through no fault of their own, to abandon their home and live out of a car for an extended period of time as they flee being captured as a political prisoner.

Disclaimer: Don't do any illegal activities even if you don't know you are doing them. If they come for you for violating the law, don't live out of your car but instead turn yourself in, bow down to your masters and beg for leniency.
 

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