Sleeping in a car? - TravelPUNK Backpacker College Student Budget Travel Message Boards!

toddkaz · 09-07-2006, 06:19 PM

I am renting a car travelling through Europe and I am wondering if it is okay to sleep in the car?

I hear that it is not safe to do this?

Does anyone have any input on this?

Where would be a good place to park to sleep? Or is it not a good idea?

**Brookers13** · 09-07-2006, 06:31 PM

im not really sure about the whole car issue...but looking back on the trip i just took, i definitely slept in places that i didnt think i would and that maybe wouldnt be labeled the "safest", but i was fine...maybe i just got lucky tho!

**Sijuki** · 09-07-2006, 06:43 PM

I know I have slept in my car here in the States and have had no issues, but haven't tried it in Europe. I usually look for places that a lot of traffic won't be by, but parked cars are. So you don't look out of place.

**raoulduke** · 09-07-2006, 07:34 PM

Depneds on the weather. Any ordinary day if you park somewhere quiet and lock the doors you should be fine.

But let's not forget that Bon Scott died of hypothermia arfter sleeping of an alchohol binge in his car.

**omisan** · 09-07-2006, 07:58 PM

You might want to check out some camper van resources to see where campers park (besides the obvious camper van parks) - wherever camper vans are allowed, I'm sure sleeping in a car isn't an issue.

**Diorama** · 09-07-2006, 08:43 PM

well I know it's not Europe, but me and my friend lived out of our car in Australia for a bit. It was fine. i mean there were a few nights that we had teenage partiers near by creating a ruckus but we ever felt unsafe besides we had enough pots and pans in the back to knock somebody out! haha...It was such a cheap way to live though. We would park at the beach parking lots and use their washroom facilities...So beautiful to wake up to an amazing sunrise with the birds chirping and nobody around.

The only downfall is that is got dark around 6pm . Not wanting to go to sleep THAT early, we always ended up at the pub and spent the money that we were supposed to be saving on a hostel on drinks instead!

**Somnambulation** · 09-07-2006, 09:03 PM

I didnt realy see it much in the rest of Europe, but in Spain its quite popular to buy or rent vans and travel around and sleep in those. I would see them parked pretty much everywhere - in parking lots or on the side of the road next to the beach. I dont know why a car would be any different, but it might be less comfortable.

**omisan** · 09-07-2006, 10:32 PM

Heh.. that reminds me.. That's what my parents did for their honeymoon. They bought a car in Europe and drove all over Spain, sleeping in the car and often camping on the beach. Eventually they made their way along the Mediterranean and through Turkey, back to Iran.

'Course, that was in the 70s and Franco was still in power. Damn, they're old.

**tumblezweedz** · 09-07-2006, 10:48 PM

Isn't it amazing that 32 years ago Spain was still a dictatorship?

But anyway, as for sleeping in a car. I personally wouldn't recommend it, because it's not my thing, but many roads in Germany and the surrounding countries have pull outs marked by a large blue "P" sign (as in "Parking"). At some of these P's there are also campgrounds with full facilities, and you can opt to either stay in the campground for the full price - which varies - and make use of all the facilities, or you can stay in the P parking area and just use the showers and toilets for a reduced fee. Generally people doing this are driving around in little motor homes, but I don't see why a car should be treated differently. If you're going to be driving around a fair bit, would it be worth investing in a tent, so you can stretch out once in a while?

You don't hear about people being murdered in their cars, but I know a bunch of guys who had their stuff stolen from their car - while they were sleeping (off the effects of copious amounts of alcohol) in it, at the Turino Olympics, so that's a head's up!

As for the legality of it all, I'm sure if you parked in an area where there are campers parked, you'll be fine - but the laws may vary from country to country and you should be prepared to move along if a cop comes up and starts gesticulating at you.

**BigE** · 09-08-2006, 02:59 PM

I don't think I could sleep in a car. I can hardly fit in the average car in Europe (I am 6' 4"). I would probably sleep outside in a sleeping bag if the weather were good.

**Somnambulation** · 09-11-2006, 04:26 PM

Yeah seriously. I cant even sit in those cars comfortably. Say what you want about SUVs, but if Im ever in a situation where I need to sleep in the car my seats in the back fold down just enough for me to stretch out lengthwise.

no brakes · 09-23-2006, 03:15 AM

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(toddkaz @ Sep 8 2006, 01:19 AM) [snapback]138833[/snapback]</div>

Quote:

I am renting a car travelling through Europe and I am wondering if it is okay to sleep in the car?
I hear that it is not safe to do this?
Does anyone have any input on this?
Where would be a good place to park to sleep? Or is it not a good idea?
[/b]

hi,

its not so common to sleep in a car in eu, but if you dont "camp" in your car for more than a day it shouldnt be a problem. dont worry, if you dont have an upper class car (bmw, audi, ...) its very unlikely that someone is interrested in your car - at least not in western europe.