a buddy of mine quit his job but didnt tell his parents, leading him to leave home at 8 and sleep in the backseat of his car on a stretch of road or a parking lot until hes had his fill of sleep. I told him that theres a half decent chance of someone nosy enough calling the cops and at least getting hassled. Of course in a truly free society people would be allowed to sleep in their cars, but we obviously dont live in one, but is it actually illegal?

so he's 8 years old and had a job? i think that part is illegal. but for sleeping in the backseat of a car, depends where the car is. the cops will probably think he is drunk or high or something of that nature.

It must be illegal for a kid to leave home only being 8 years old and working. It probably won't be helping him that he is driving a Ford Pinto.

8 O'clock ya buncha wiseguyzzz

I don't remember the exact code, but I believe the vehicle has to be equipped for sleeping, like an RV.

The only think I can think of is if there was a sign prohibiting you from stopping. For example some highways prohibit you from stopping except in an emergency. In those cases, the court can find you guilty of a lesser offense. That's primarily because they didn't want to discourage people who were really tired from pulling over (and thus avoiding a mult-car collision with fatalities).

http://leg1.state.va.us/cgi-bin/legp504.exe?000+cod+46.2-830.1

There are signs all over Ocean City about sleeping in cars being prohibited.

I'm sure there's a law about it around here, whether or not it is closely enforced.

However, there are lots of safe places to do so, like public parking garages that are not heavily patrolled by security, or parking lots like Safeway, Giant, Target, walmart, etc, if you park out on the fringe of the lot, away from the busier front spaces where nosy soccer moms park.

If you park in a McDonald's near an interstate, you can always tell any hassling cops that you are on a long road trip and catching a few winks for safety's sake.

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The function of conservatives is not to meet every liberal program or scheme with a denunciation or a destructive counterscheme, but rather to weigh its advantages and defects, supporting the first and challenging the second. A declaration of ideological warfare against liberalism is by its nature profoundly unconservative. It meets perceived radicalism with a counterradicalism of its own.

This is a good opening for tinted windows....

So he'd rather waste time with this hassle than tell his parents?

Watson Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> a buddy of mine quit his job but didnt tell his
> parents, leading him to leave home at 8 and sleep
> in the backseat of his car on a stretch of road or
> a parking lot until hes had his fill of sleep. I
> told him that theres a half decent chance of
> someone nosy enough calling the cops and at least
> getting hassled. Of course in a truly free society
> people would be allowed to sleep in their cars,
> but we obviously dont live in one, but is it
> actually illegal?


Gotta love the smell of a car that has been slept in on a regular basis

Not sure about the legality of it but I've slept in a car a million times and never had a problem.

That said, shouldn't he be looking for a job instead of sleeping?

I used to do it almost daily on my lunch break. I kind of miss the mid-day nap really.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/13/2015 09:44AM by WingNut.

>I used to do it almost daily on my lunch break. I kind of miss the mid-day nap really.

I've been taking afternoon naps in my car parked in the office garage for over 4 years now. I absolutely love it. I have throw pillows on my backseat to prop under my head and between the knees for comfort. I don't even set an alarm clock. My body is used to 20 minutes naps.

I wish my company would create a "nap pods" room where people could catch a 20 minute power nap after lunch.

I bet the police would do nothing to your 8 year old friend the first time. If they catch him again though, I bet they could easily cite him for loitering.

There needs to be a push for American culture and business to adopt the siesta.

exfairfax Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> So he'd rather waste time with this hassle than
> tell his parents?

Or look for a new job??

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The function of conservatives is not to meet every liberal program or scheme with a denunciation or a destructive counterscheme, but rather to weigh its advantages and defects, supporting the first and challenging the second. A declaration of ideological warfare against liberalism is by its nature profoundly unconservative. It meets perceived radicalism with a counterradicalism of its own.

notme Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> >I used to do it almost daily on my lunch break. I
> kind of miss the mid-day nap really.
>
> I've been taking afternoon naps in my car parked
> in the office garage for over 4 years now. I
> absolutely love it. I have throw pillows on my
> backseat to prop under my head and between the
> knees for comfort. I don't even set an alarm
> clock. My body is used to 20 minutes naps.
>
> I wish my company would create a "nap pods" room
> where people could catch a 20 minute power nap
> after lunch.


Maybe it's because I pay over $300 a month for a monthly parking garage pass, but for the past 15 years, I've napped in my car, ate lunch in my car, and years ago even smoked a few bowls in my car, and I've never been hassled. The valets coming and going would see me, and even a few security guards, and nobody ever hassled me. But that was on private property, 5 levels down in a downtown DC parking garage.

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The function of conservatives is not to meet every liberal program or scheme with a denunciation or a destructive counterscheme, but rather to weigh its advantages and defects, supporting the first and challenging the second. A declaration of ideological warfare against liberalism is by its nature profoundly unconservative. It meets perceived radicalism with a counterradicalism of its own.

I always thought coming up with the excuse, i'm too drunk/tired to drive so i pulled over and slept, would be good enough for any cop. After cops will tell you to pull over in that situation.

I personally got caught in NY sleeping in my car before a music festival. What sucked was I just woke up and was being interrogated. I had nothing to hide, so i wansn't afraid, i was just jumbling up all my words, because i couldn't think stright that early after waking up. I guess it ended okay, cops said as long as your not doing anything wrong, sleep in your car as long as you want.

Adam Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I always thought coming up with the excuse, i'm
> too drunk/tired to drive so i pulled over and
> slept, would be good enough for any cop. After
> cops will tell you to pull over in that situation.


As far as drunk goes, if you're going to sleep it off in your car, leave the keys outside under the back tire.

I've never been hassled before by anyone when I napped in my work truck
after a big meal or during a rainy day.

That would be some shit if it was some ordinance making it illegal
to sleep in your car. I know this does not pertain to the original thread
but homelessness is not illegal..

fourty03 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I've never been hassled before by anyone when I
> napped in my work truck
> after a big meal or during a rainy day.
>
> That would be some shit if it was some ordinance
> making it illegal
> to sleep in your car. I know this does not pertain
> to the original thread
> but homelessness is not illegal..


Actually, that is why there are laws on the books in many places against sleeping in your car. They don't arrest people with legit reasons, but it gives the cops a way to get rid of vagrants.

Though it seems like Fairfax County is fairly tolerant of the obvious vagrant who sleeps in their car. I've seen several car campers around the area over the years. The last one I saw was a guy in a pickup truck parked in a safeway parking lot for almost a year. He even had his leaky bed cap covered with a green tarp for about 6 months. Nobody ever hassled him, and even the safeway employees would say "yeah, the poor guy lost his job and has no place to go. We give him food sometimes" when I would ask about him.

-----------------------------------------------------------------
The function of conservatives is not to meet every liberal program or scheme with a denunciation or a destructive counterscheme, but rather to weigh its advantages and defects, supporting the first and challenging the second. A declaration of ideological warfare against liberalism is by its nature profoundly unconservative. It meets perceived radicalism with a counterradicalism of its own.

Johnny Walker Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Adam Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > I always thought coming up with the excuse, i'm
> > too drunk/tired to drive so i pulled over and
> > slept, would be good enough for any cop. After
> > cops will tell you to pull over in that
> situation.
>
>
> As far as drunk goes, if you're going to sleep it
> off in your car, leave the keys outside under the
> back tire.


I think as long as the keys are not in the ignition, you're perfectly fine. But I remember a few times in High School, during the winter, where the cop didn't care that I had the engine running, he was just glad I had the foresight to sleep it off instead of drive.

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The function of conservatives is not to meet every liberal program or scheme with a denunciation or a destructive counterscheme, but rather to weigh its advantages and defects, supporting the first and challenging the second. A declaration of ideological warfare against liberalism is by its nature profoundly unconservative. It meets perceived radicalism with a counterradicalism of its own.

I am heading to DC for the weekend on the 9th and dont have a place to stay and was planning on just staying in my car. As its a big event that weekend I assume security and cops will be on high alert but would they give me and a friend trouble for just sleeping? Also, does anyone have any suggestions for good/safe places to park?

bloody blisters Wrote:
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> so he's 8 years old and had a job? i think that
> part is illegal.


"the wisdom of the wise will perish, the intelligence of the intelligent will vanish."

You'd think that the cops would rather you sleep it off than drive, but I had a Fairfax cop arrest me for sleeping in my car, citing drunk in public. Her rationale that I was slurring words, never mind that I had popped a Xanax and been asleep for two hours. The point is that we live in a police state and they'll arrest you if they want.

crow Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> You'd think that the cops would rather you sleep
> it off than drive, but I had a Fairfax cop arrest
> me for sleeping in my car, citing drunk in public.
> Her rationale that I was slurring words, never
> mind that I had popped a Xanax and been asleep for
> two hours. The point is that we live in a police
> state and they'll arrest you if they want.


1. you are posting 5 years later

2. if you drink never get in a car, simple right?

E7jDL Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------

>
>
> 1. you are posting 5 years later
>
> 2. if you drink never get in a car, simple right?

You're ignoring the fact the we live in a police state. It's lemmings like you that have allowed this to happen.

If you still think we live in a "free country" you're kidding yourself. And stupid.

Like button for Hecky , as for idiot, what ID you have no other place to ho but your car?

bloody blisters Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> so he's 8 years old and had a job? i think that
> part is illegal. but for sleeping in the backseat
> of a car, depends where the car is. the cops will
> probably think he is drunk or high or something of
> that nature.


He's mexican, quit his lawn service job. the 8yr olds are the same size as the 40yr olds and usually have a mustache, no one ever knows.

Hecky Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> E7jDL Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
>
> >
> >
> > 1. you are posting 5 years later
> >
> > 2. if you drink never get in a car, simple
> right?
>
> You're ignoring the fact the we live in a police
> state. It's lemmings like you that have allowed
> this to happen.
>
> If you still think we live in a "free country"
> you're kidding yourself. And stupid.


Daww...look at the Randrpid repeating talking points.