How to Covertly Sleep in Your Car
 

From Survivalblog.com:

How to Covertly Sleep in Your Car--Jolly

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.

Cover all the windows on the inside with large sheets of butcher paper (white) or brown wrapping paper. Both can be found for cheap at Wal-Mart. It's important to do a neat job of it so there are no wrinkles, holes, or other damage. I use clear wrapping tape, and cut to fit. On both vehicles, the windows covered were tinted, and only a close look would you even notice they were blocked off. They just look - blank.

On the Suburban, I bought a bungee cord and tan curtains for $10 - again from Wal-Mart. String the curtains on the bungee cord. Then, attach the cord to the coat hanger hooks behind the driver's and passenger seats. Make sure they hang straight and neat. There will be a gap at the top of the curved roof, but it's nothing to worry about.

The last step is to turn off your car's interior light if you can. On many newer cars, this is done with a switch on the driver's console. Other cars have a switch on the light itself to prevent the light coming on with an open door. If all else fails - disconnect the light bulb.

The hard part is finding a place to sleep. Here is one time when you cannot sleep in Wal-Mart's parking lot. You're not driving an RV, just a car. And "empty" cars will be scrutinized by flashlight-wielding security or police.

In a large metropolitan area, the best places are large apartment complexes, preferably straddling a street. Park in the street right behind another car already there. I did this for well over a year without any problems at all.

In the drive-in apartment complexes, ensure there's a lot of extra spots, and that the one you pick is not marked in any way. Usually, I try to pick a spot that the front of the car faces a wall, or the garbage dump area. You don't want to face a park or sidewalk. You want your car to be one among many. Don't park way off to one side - dog walkers may be too common and wonder about the car with curtains.

Small office parks are another good choice. Here, the opposite of apartment complexes is wanted. Park the car as far from the building entrances as possible. Here it's easier to face a wall or line of bushes. People will do anything to shorten their walk to work.

Going to sleep is not normally a problem - I usually went to sleep well after midnight. Whatever you do, don't dawdle when entering your sleep area. There may be people that notice a slow-moving car driving slowly through a parking lot more than once. Scope several places in advance, and have a primary and secondary location for the night.

The two most observable times will be going to sleep and getting up. Usually, you'll be more visible during daytime, obviously. But, getting noticed depends on what time you're leaving and where you parked.

If you can wiggle into your driver's seat without getting out of the vehicle - you have it made. Neither time was I able to do that. I had to leave the car to get into the driver's seat.

I left small flaps in the paper on both cars and would open them to look in all directions (as necessary) for pedestrians and security vehicles. When you're sure you're clear - make a very fast exit, and get your feet on the ground. After that, if required, you can pretend you're retrieving something, and take a leisurely pace. Unless somebody was looking directly at your car when you exited, they will almost assuredly assume you just opened the door, rather than popped out of it.

In an office park, ensure your exit is on the opposite side from the office buildings. Imagine a bored secretary staring dazedly out the window. Suddenly - a scruffy looking man with wild hair pops out of a car door, walks quickly around the hood and drives off. Not good. In my favorite park, I was between a wall and a tree break. Though I finally got noticed after six months, and had to use backup.

Do not stretch, or scratch your head, or hang around at all at this time. Get into your car seat. Start it, and leave at a normal pace. I don't know about you, but it you're like me - you'll be way too scary an apparition for most people. You should have also designated a place to go in the morning to do the ritual wake-up duties such as bathroom, teeth, hair brushing, etc. I usually use McDonald's. I then repaid them for their facilities by buying breakfast.

Other items to remember are ventilation and security. The pickup was no problem - I just left the windows open a crack, including the back panel. This allowed me to hear my surroundings pretty well, too. On the Suburban, it was more problematic. One inch on each window was left open at the top, and I didn't leave the back open. I also engaged the car alarm.

Unfortunately, one morning I forgot about the car alarm, and opened the door causing it to go off. I had the key in my hand, and stopped it very quickly, and I was sure the whole world had noticed my faux pas. Alas, nobody even hears car alarms anymore, and I didn't have to abandon that spot.

Never, ever go to rest stops on the interstate to sleep. While traveling, if I couldn't find an apartment complex or office park, or other suitable location, I'd park on the onramp of a highway - many times between trucks doing the same. I got rousted three times by cops over the years. Technically, it's illegal to park there. Each time I told the truth - I was very tired, and unsure I could proceed to the next motel location. Two of the three times, the cop said that's fine, and go ahead and stay. The third time, he helpfully noted that the very next exit had a motel.

If you have a regular route, other considerations might come into play. For me, sleeping in a tiny Honda Civic, I would have problems with biting insects - and very warm nights. Both problems were solved with an onramp location in an extremely windy spot next to San Francisco bay. (Parish Road off of I-680 in case you're wondering ). My pattern was to arrive about 2 am on a Sunday night and sleep until 7am Monday morning. I then proceeded across the bridge and went to a Burger King in Walnut Creek. I was rousted twice in a six month period.

I have less experience in rural areas. Though extreme familiarity with a route can help by allowing you to identify good spots during the daytime for possible use on another trip. For example, I used to drive between Oregon and Pahrump quite often (on my way to attend training at Front Sight). I spent one whole day identifying likely spots for impromptu camp spots.

One spot, south of Tonopah was a short road that led to some kind of a relay station. I'm pretty sure it was a microwave station, but it doesn't matter. The small fenced-in building was partially hidden behind a hill from the main road, and clearly was not visited very often. The road leading to it went further around the hill, leaving a nice void hidden from the station itself.

Between Tonopah and Hawthorne, I identified two spots very similar to the first, though both were very windy. North of Hawthorne, Walker Lake had parking spots that I felt comfortable enough to use without hiding.

Rural terrain will dictate your choices, too. In South Carolina, I identified two spots on US-25 north of Greenville that looked pretty good. Their characteristic? They were both old houses that had been completely covered in kudzu! I could literally drive under a canopy of kudzu and hide the entire car.

Finally, etiquette inside the car. I always wore gym shorts and T-shirt in a sleeping bag. Never anything resembling underwear. I never used a flashlight or listened to the radio. I was there strictly for sleeping. I didn't eat, cook, brush teeth, or anything else except sleep. The human eye is especially tuned to see movement. Even with covered windows, a brief movement might catch a dog-walker's attention enough to wander over and look at the car. Not a good thing.

I estimate I've saved more than $10,000 in motel bills over the years.

The main thing is to have people assume the car is empty, and belongs to somebody nearby. Obviously, in a serious crisis, extra thought may be necessary to keep below the radar of both security and nosy people.

Re: How to Covertly Sleep in Your Car
 

I did this for 5 weeks in San Francisco, in the back of a full size truck with a camper shell.

it was quite peaceful - it was like a vacation ! i was looking for an apartment and it just took some time.

I had one piece of plywood leaning against the left hand side of the camper shell. I also had some pieces of plywood to put up against the right hand side.

as it turned out, the apartment I got was too noisy, and for a while I continued sleeping in the truck, because it was quieter than my $1100 a month teeny studio. One of my neighbors figured out what I was doing from observing the CONDENSATION on the windows.

during that 5-week period, i had a very set routine. wake up before dawn, eat bread, get some coffee, go to the gym (shower, brush teeth, swim). it worked - i got to an Internet cafe usually about 10 AM to begin the day's apartment hunting.

there was very little "freak-out factor", like "oh my God, i'm living in a truck".

of course, i was doing it by choice. i think it's a good training for people to go through BEFORE THEY NEED IT - to get the routine down before reality forces you into a difficult situation.

i remember one morning, it was a Saturday morning. there was a woman who was sweeping her sidewalk - and i was parked right in front of her house. i didn't want to give up my 'secret spot', so i had to wait another half hour for her to do her thing. thank God she only swept her sidewalk on Saturday mornings.

Re: How to Covertly Sleep in Your Car
 

pardon my stupidity, is sleeping in your car illegal??

Re: How to Covertly Sleep in Your Car
 

Everything is illegal now, except for the stuff that's mandatory.

Re: How to Covertly Sleep in Your Car
 

The very best place is a truck stop, but get permission before you try to use the showers. They are really only for truckers. Next best is a church, but don't become a pest - be gone by morning. Third best is a supermarket parking lot, a different spot every night. Any place else you're a prowler.

Re: How to Covertly Sleep in Your Car
 

I once drove my ISuZu rodeo down through Mexico for
a month

Was very comfortable sleeping in the back and felt safe

Would do it again...take a drive down to chat with..

Jesse Ventura in the Baja!:4_8_4v:

Re: How to Covertly Sleep in Your Car
 

I have always sought out a church parking lot. The few times I have not I have encountered problems. I have never taken any precautions to secret myself other than to park away from foot traffic.

Re: How to Covertly Sleep in Your Car
 

that's sig material :ok:

another addition to my GIM quotes file

Re: How to Covertly Sleep in Your Car
 

Seems like the author takes his covert sleeping seriously.

I have done this probably a couple dozen times in the back of a truck. A few times in Parking lots, lots at rest stops and a few times hidden in the bush somewhere and only been bothered once. It was at a ski resort, I was in the parking lot and sometime during the night somebody broke a window in chalet and the cops showed up to investigate. Luckily I didn't fit the description, cops seemed fairly nice, I told them I arrived at 2 am and was too tired to find a hotel. They let me stay.

If you wanted to do this seriously you could buy an old work van. Some of them have no windows in the back and you could set it up the way you wanted. Many of them can only be entered from the back but you could probably rig a secret hatch into the front. Put some big decals on the side that say something like "Rick's Plumbing" and nobody will think twice.

Re: How to Covertly Sleep in Your Car
 

I think that the best place is actually in hotel parking lots. Lots of coming and going, and lots of "foriegn" plates all the time. Also close to restaurants and toilets. If its a one time stay, you might even go inside and eat some free continental breakfast. Just act like you are supposed to be there and they wont notice unless you try it more than once.

Re: How to Covertly Sleep in Your Car
 

did this MANY MANY times while on tour following the dead

got bothered once by the police outside of philly behind a grocery store....asked me where i was going from and where i heading....told them we just wanted some rest and we'd be gone at first light....they said ok and left. stinks gettin woke up by a cops flashlight though. other times it went fine and theres actually alot of folks that travel this way.

Re: How to Covertly Sleep in Your Car
 

Don't forget your pee bottle!

Re: How to Covertly Sleep in Your Car
 

i sleep in my rover all the time. just put the seats down and climb in th back. to think i should have had a clandestine plan for all of these years.

Re: How to Covertly Sleep in Your Car
 

I say if you are going to sleep in your vehicle, do it right.

Old school style.

Re: How to Covertly Sleep in Your Car
 

Now that is signature material. Kudos.
:ok:

Re: How to Covertly Sleep in Your Car
 

Pick the ones with free wireless internet. :10_1_20:

Re: How to Covertly Sleep in Your Car
 

:bear_thumb::bear_thumb::bear_thumb::bear_thumb:

Re: How to Covertly Sleep in Your Car
 

As a former long-haul trucker smokeybear slept hundreds of times in the middle of cities or rural towns and was never hassled -- honky tonk parking lots mostly. If ever hassled he had a good reply planned....

"Gee officer, you wouldn't want me bobtailin' back to the truck stop after four hours of beer drinkin' would you?"

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wulfenite (Post 1974892) Don't forget your pee bottle!

The piss jug was a necessity. Empty plastic gallon milk or water bottles worked best. When they get filled up just dump it into the gutter or throw the bottle into a dumpster.

It was one of the "ways of the road."

Trailer Park Boys

Trailer Park Boys

0.

Re: How to Covertly Sleep in Your Car
 

we still have some free campgrounds here in the northernmost state if you know where to find them...and there are usually spaces open...

most are next to a river or a lake with bathrooms, fire rings and pitcher pump water, go gather your own firewood for free(dead and down, no chainsaw)...trout and salmon fishing at your doorstep...you usually only see in-state license plated vehicles there cause the tourists in expensive motorhomes don't know about them...or they are looking for a private campground with full services at 30 bucks a night...

http://kenai.fws.gov/VisitorsEducato...g/cmpchart.htm

i spent 5 nights this summer pitching a tent in different freebie campgrounds i know of, just for the heck of it...and another 20 nights with a few spent in pay campgrounds, or just wherever for free like down by the saltwater on the beach, highway pulloffs, etc...

seems odd to have to hide to sleep...where did america go ?

Re: How to Covertly Sleep in Your Car
 

Interesting thread. I'm someone that needs more sleep than the average person. During my super ambitious days, I made it a goal of mine to take a nap in my car during every work lunch break. Also, I would try to catch a 15-20 minute catnap when I showed up at the gym after work in the gym parking lot (the thinking being that the more well rested that I was, the more productive I'd be). What I came to discover was that it wasn't worth the hassle.
First of all, you'd be surprised by the number of people that think it's hysterical to bang on your window and wake you up. No matter how many times I told people to leave me alone, they never fully did. I even resorted to making a sign that said "don't bother me until X time", but it didn't work. It always amazed me that people that worked for me would never get the hint. More than once I brought one of the offenders into my office and blasted them, but for some reason they never believed that I was serious. Weird.
Also, at the gym I had the cops called on me at least three times. And a couple of times, observers went into the gym and told the receptionist that 'something must be wrong' and someone would bang on my window asking if I was allright. You would think that they would get the hint that it was my habit, but they never did. I always found these experiences strange and inexplicable, and I still do.

Re: How to Covertly Sleep in Your Car
 

lol yea its unbelievable what goes on these days. People are just so afraid of everything and of course, the government tells them to report every little crap they see. I was once volunteering in high school for a local food bank. We had to get up early 5am or so. We all went to the school and stood in the front, to wait for the drivers to come pick us up to take us to the food bank. Well, some dumbass drove by saw us all standing there and called the cops. When the cop came he said someone called and reported a gang fight hahahaha. We were just standing around freezing our asses off.

To get back on topic. My dad used to drive to Montana every now and then from California. He is type of guy who likes to save a buck if he can. It takes about two days or so to get there. What he did was drive until he got tired then just pulled over to a rest stop/side of the road then goes to sleep. When he wakes up he just starts driving again. Great way to save money considering you'll burn 200-300 on hotels if you were to use them. Well of course a retarded cop drives by and sees him. The cop knocks on his window and wakes him up. The excuse the cop gave was that he didn't want him to overheat in his car. Lame.

yes if you park on public streets. Where is it legal to sleep in your car? Of course, designed areas where most of the time you have to buy a permit or pay something (and pay all the retarded taxes as well). Obviously the point of sleeping in your car is to pay nothing.

Re: How to Covertly Sleep in Your Car
 

That sounds like the logline from the biker movie "Easy Rider:"

"Two men went searching for America...











...and couldn't find it."

Re: How to Covertly Sleep in Your Car
 

My beater truck "The Red Beast" - 1991 C2500HD - has a bench seat....put 2 pillows against passenger door...can stretch out pretty good - I've slept in it a few times.

Also my Pontiac Montana (been a few times me and wify called it the "Moantana") - take out all the back seats - makes a great bed......big air matress.

Re: How to Covertly Sleep in Your Car
 

Don't forget to fill your cooler and check your email while you're there.

Re: How to Covertly Sleep in Your Car
 

Don't throw the "piss bucket" out !!! Save it !!!
It has multiple uses.....
1. Age it for 30 days - well capped.
2. It will smell worse than rotten eggs.
3. Pour it where ever you want keep animals away from.
4. Use it to get even with someone......

Re: How to Covertly Sleep in Your Car
 

I have a friend with a VAN/RV TYPE B which blends in quite nicely, just park and sleep. We went to North Dakota and parked where we wanted.

It seems the original poster wants to park in an Urban area and that can pose some problems.

Re: How to Covertly Sleep in Your Car
 

The only time I was ever hassled was when I stopped in a parking lot where the cops had staked out a store. They woke me up and suggested the truck stop nearby.

Re: How to Covertly Sleep in Your Car
 

You can sleep in any Super 8 parking lot in Texas, just as long as it's below 40 deg. Once you smell the wood it's all good.

Re: How to Covertly Sleep in Your Car
 

Natural Mace as well.


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