If you've ever taken a long road trip, thought hotels were too expensive, or wanted to save on room rent, you've probably wanted to stay in your car. Sleeping comfortably in a car can be a valuable life skill, whether for a night or a year. Once you find the right location, you can quickly fall asleep if you are creative.
Step
Part 1 of 3: Preparation for the Night
Step 1. Buy a sleeping bag or two to deal with the cold
What you need to get a quality night's sleep in your car depends on the location and the weather. In sub-zero temperatures, you will be helped by two layers of sleeping bags, blankets, and a warm hat for your head.
- A sleeping bag for around IDR 700,000 - can keep you warm at -28 degrees Celsius outdoors. In the car, you can sleep in a sleeping bag in a temperature of -6 degrees Celsius. If it gets colder, put on an extra layer of sleepwear.
- Use safety pins to keep your sleeping bag closed. If you fall and roll over in the middle of the night, your sleeping bag may fall off and you'll wake up feeling cold.
Step 2. To deal with high temperatures, find a way to circulate air without letting insects in
If it's hot, hang a cheesecloth over an open window to let in some air while keeping out insects. Weather is the most important factor to consider. Hot weather can make it worse, you will wake up in the morning sticky, smelly and full of mosquito bites. Try opening the window about 2.5 cm wide to work around this.
You can also purchase wire mesh to place on windows (or on the roof of your car if you can open the roof) to combat mosquito problems or if you need airflow to stay cool
Step 3. Gather everything you need for a comfortable night
Maybe you can get some snacks, a pint of water, a flashlight (to find the restroom at night), a pillow, and whatever else you need. Think long, especially if you plan to spend more than a night or two in your car.
If there are other people or luggage in the car, you will be forced to sleep sitting up. This isn't the best option, but if necessary, use a travel pillow to support your head and neck. You will wake up happier in the morning
Step 4. Keep your car clean
All you need is a few essentials, such as a flashlight, water, a backpack to carry a set of clothes (unless you're traveling far), and a towel. The rest will only annoy you. Sleeping in a clean car is great fun - and having plenty of room to sleep can make you comfortable too. If your car is dirty and smelly, you will have a hard time falling asleep.
A clean car will also attract less attention, especially if it is clean on the outside. If your car is tidy, there will be very few people bothering or curious about you
Step 5. Consider preparing a tarp
Tarpaulins are inexpensive and avoid threats from strangers - chances are that if someone saw the tarp covering your car, they wouldn't suspect that you were sleeping in it (unless your windows were foggy). The tarpaulin is also flexible enough so you can get good ventilation.
Use tarps in residential areas only overnight. If a mysteriously covered car shows up, a resident might call the police to tow it. If you sleep in this area, keep moving
Part 2 of 3: Choosing the Right Place
Step 1. Find a location that won't get you a ticket
Unfortunately, sleeping in a car is illegal in many places. Here are some area ideas you can use to avoid strikes:
- Stores like Wal-Mart or 24-hour fitness center. It can be difficult to tell who is sleeping in the car and who is parked while shopping or training. The bad side? Lots of people walking around - although this can provide some kind of security too.
- Churches and other similar quiet places. If someone catches you, hopefully he will be kind enough to go about his own business.
- Back road and under the flyover. Both of these places are low volume areas where you'll be hard to find - just make sure the area doesn't have a significant population.
- Residential areas that allow parking of vehicles on the street. Just don't stay too long or your vehicle will look suspicious.
Step 2. Consider what your place will look like during the day
For example, you find an empty parking lot next to a soccer field. In the middle of the night, when no one is in the area, this place is the perfect location. Then, you will wake up the next morning with a thousand 6 year old little kids and mothers watching and suspecting you. Surely this isn't what you expect to happen, is it?
The same goes for back streets, and, well, pretty much everywhere. Even if the place is perfect at night, consider what might happen in the morning. Will your back road become a track for farm vehicles? The church parking lot that you live in will soon be filled because of the morning service the next day?
Step 3. Position the car in the right direction
Consider these two things:
- Face the car in the most difficult direction for people to watch you or see through their windows. Location corners are usually good areas.
- Face the car in the direction you want when you wake up in the morning. Head east if you want the sun to wake you up, and west if you want to stay asleep.
Step 4. Choose a location that has a public bathroom
Use your common sense: You'll definitely have to pee at some point, so choose a place that's close to the bathroom. In summer, public beaches are the perfect place to bathe.
You can always pee anywhere if you have to, but make sure no one catches you and you are fined
Step 5. Consider disguising yourself
If you're worried about being caught, make yourself hard to spot. Use a tarp, or other stuff to cover you in the car, or sleep under a pile of rags.
Part 3 of 3: Ensuring Comfort
Step 1. Go to the bathroom before you go to sleep
You won't sleep well with a full bladder, especially if you sleep in the car. Park the car at the spot you've chosen, and visit the bathroom before you end the night. You won't regret this.
And maybe before you continue your journey. Keep moving around to avoid getting too much attention
Step 2. Consider opening a window
Again, this depends on the climate of the area you are in. However, you'll still be sweating regardless of your location's temperature (naturally, of course), so consider opening a window even just a little. If you do this and sleep with a blanket in the cold, it may even feel comfortable.
However, for safety reasons, do not open it too wide. And if there are mosquitoes, open it even smaller. A 1.25 cm wide opening is big enough
Step 3. Take aspirin
If you have trouble sleeping under adequate conditions or your body has a tendency to "wake up" feeling achy, take an aspirin before you go to bed. You will fall asleep more easily, stay asleep, and feel less sore in the morning.
This applies to certain vehicles. If you can take the backseat off and sleep however you please, then chances are you won't have this problem. But if you have to curl up in a fetal position, aspirin is a good idea
Step 4. Adjust the position of the bench
Do as much as possible. If you sleep in the back seat, push the front seat forward to get as much space as possible. Tuck your seat belt so you don't stab your back.
If the back seat can recline, do it. You can also remove the backrest so you can put your feet (or your head) in the trunk area
Step 5. Wear several layers of clothing in the right amount, but still be comfortable
If someone knocks on your door, you want to be caught properly dressed. So stay comfortable, but don't take your clothes off (if you usually do this when you sleep at home). Workout clothes are usually the best choice. This way, you can quickly turn your bed into a runaway car if needed.
Also consider the weather. If it's cold, cover your head so your body heat doesn't evaporate. If necessary, wear several layers of clothing. If it's hot, wear shorts and a t-shirt. You can also wet it before bed to keep it cool
Step 6. Lull yourself to sleep by thinking about the beauty of being free
Oh, the joy. You don't have to pay for expensive hotels. After a few nights, your body might even get used to it. Actually sleeping in the car is not too different from sleeping in the room. Some people have been doing this for years, and you'll soon find out why they love to do it.
Having trouble falling asleep? Wear soundproof earplugs that can help you sleep anywhere, even at the airport or train station. If your ear protectors are like this, then you can wear them to sleep in the car
Tips
- Don't forget to lock the door!
- Do not carelessly store valuables in your car. You may attract the attention of thieves. Hide from being seen.
- If you are in a location without bathing facilities, use wet wipes for a fresh sensation. Visit your favorite store and look in the toiletries/toiletries section; You can find a soccer ball the size of an envelope for around Rp. 12,000, -.
- Bring a map so you can pinpoint sleeping locations in each city, and plan ahead to save fuel and time.
- Bring a black cloth and a spray bottle in the summer. When you wake up, wet a towel and use it on the dashboard. After you've been driving for about an hour, the fabric will heat up and the water on the dashboard will evaporate, making the air cooler. It is also effective for winter if you put a towel on the heater in your car.
- Do not lean your neck on the seat belt, this can cause irritation and red lines on your neck.
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Some possible places to sleep:
- Wal-Mart parking lot. There's a lot going on at Wal-Mart, this store is open 24 hours, so there will always be a car there, and the location is pretty safe. Park around the back of the shop, close to employee cars, but don't park alone. Use a tarp to protect your privacy.
- All 24 hour shopping centers are a good idea -- Hannaford's, Price Chopper, etc. -- all places that keep working at night. The night workers are usually pretty good too.
- Avoid the hotel -- the police often patrol the vicinity twice a night. They may bother you if they see a foggy window. Hotels also sometimes record police numbers to check their guest lists.
- Libraries are also great places -- using the rationale that you're reading a book and then head out to rest -- they're also a great place to spend your day. The key here is to think of a story or situation where you wouldn't just be homeless.
- Truck stops are also a safe haven for your sleeping quarters - well lit, open all night with restrooms, park in the car park to avoid heavy trucks. Sometimes you will find people in the caravan doing the same.
Warning
- Security should be your priority, and here are the most important security measures: always make sure you will lock all your doors.
- The car cover will protect from the cold, and provide privacy. However, if it is hot outside, do not use a cover without proper ventilation. Never run the car while it is covered in something, because you can get carbon monoxide poisoning.
- Don't buy a cold air respirator. These things can make it difficult to sleep and cost you money. There's no easy way to sleep in sub-zero temperatures, but the warm water source of this respirator can cause you to wake up with a sore throat. Compromise (between fresh and warm air) and make a "tent" of heavy blankets around your face. If you have a warm hat that is long enough, you can also pull it over your face.
