If you spend enough time in your car, it starts to feel like a second home. But, sometimes, during long or imperative journeys, it is even necessary to sleep in your car.
Why sleep in your car? People do it when traveling to save the price of hotel rooms. They do this for long stays or to save money on rent. But also if they feel too tired to drive. But many experts have discovered many more important benefits of sleeping in the car, related to the freedom it provides.
Sleeping in your car: What you need to know
Sleeping in your car isn't always comfortable or convenient, but it can be done. Wondering how to sleep in your car? Let's first address a legal and fundamental question
Sleeping in your car: The law
- A l'international
Cities in federal states and some countries are increasingly banning sleeping in vehicles, primarily to address homelessness in particular areas. In the United States, for example, 81 cities banned sleeping in your car in 2014, which is a 199% increase in cities banning sleeping in your car from 2011. Since no one wants to wake up to the sound of a police baton hitting the car window, we recommend that you check local laws to see if this is allowed.
In Los Angeles, for example, it was illegal to sleep in your car until 2014. A federal court struck down the 31-year-old law, saying it discriminated against poor or homeless people. The practice is also legal in other high-rent cities like New York and San Francisco (during specified hours). Several states allow overnight parking at rest stops, but the majority do not.
- Sleeping in your car in France
In France, the law allows you to sleep in your car. However, if you are drunk and your location shows that you have recently driven you are illegal unless you prove you have not driven.
Sleeping in your car: Danger?
Most criminals probably won't target someone sleeping in a car. Nevertheless, you may feel vulnerable if you are in town. Veterans who sleep in the car suggest two ways to protect themselves. The first is camouflage: tinted windows, covers or tarps, And even stack things around you.
The other is to choose a safe place. Don't pull over to the far corner of a deserted rest area or park on the side of a road. Instead, it is better to park on a supermarket car park or another department store, in a church car park or in a nice neighborhood residential area where there are many other cars parked on the street.
There are hidden dangers to sleeping in your car. Maria Fernandes, a 32-year-old woman from New Jersey, worked three separate jobs at three Dunkin' Donuts, slept in her Kia Sportage between work hours. One night in 2014, The New York Times reported, a rear gas tank tipped over, filling the car with fumes that killed Fernandes in his sleep. Sleep in your car with the engine running can also cause the car to fill up with carbon monoxide mortel.
Tips for sleeping in the car
First, determine where you will go. Instead of trying to get comfortable in a reclined front seat or a rear seat that's too narrow, try folding the rear seats down and sleeping with most of your body in the trunk, you can also opt for an inflatable mattress which will make sleeping easier. It is important to close the windows or the sunroof for ventilation.
Larger vehicles allow for a more comfortable night's sleep, but you don't need a gigantic SUV or full-size pickup truck. A man interviewed by Business Insider says he sleeps in a tiny Honda Fit on the streets of New York. (The Fit, small as it is, has a surprising amount of cargo space when the rear seats are folded down.) He uses the gym to shower and store his clothes, and he advises getting two essentials : extra batteries for your mobile phone and a car charging cable.
Protect yourself from the outside elements. The insulation of a car is weak, however all you need is a night mask to block out the light and noise-canceling headphones to avoid being disturbed by the noise.
