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My daughter and I have slept in both a small car and a minivan, and being petite, we fit comfortably.
The mpg of a vehicle also depends on what you are carrying in the the vehicle. If we travel light, this will help. We won't have to carry tent equipment, and the heaviest item would be a small cooler for cold drinks, etc. We will just have to watch that we don't carry too many heavy cans, etc, so we don't hurt our gas mileage.
Determined Duck
DuckInTheLake,
It sounds like you have plenty of on the road experience.
One thing you did not mention is the quantity of stuff you plan to bring along. I have used minivans (Some of my best memories are from a 1980 road trip in a 1968 volkswagon van) and they are great but I currently use a hatchback and would recommend a small station wagon if you are not taking a lot of stuff.
I have been taking on and off road trips for over thirty years and the majority of the time I sleep in Interstate Rest Areas. This practice is not recommended on this forum for a number of good reasons. Although I can now afford to stay in motels/hotels, I still use rest areas because it is convenient and it is a tradition I don’t want to give up. I try to stay at campgrounds when it is practical. If car camping, you don't have to erect a tent of cook by campfire; just treat the campground space as a parking space. One of the benefits about campgrounds is the number of great people you will meet. I am not totally anti social but I will not generally start a conversation. Plenty of times the people in the nearby campground will notice that I am not setting up a tent or cooking (I am usually reading one of the travel guides I picked up, writing in a journal or filling out postcards) and come over to talk to me and offer to feed me.
You mentioned a few good ideas about privacy and security at rest areas. I use pieces of cardboard, painted black and cut out to fit the inside of the window as screens. Just like a tent, vehicles are very poor insulators against heat and cold. Research the equipment used by backpackers and look at closed-cell foam mattresses and sleeping bags rated for low temperature. Backpacking equipment is actually great for car camping as they are designed for light weight and space spacing.
I try not to stay at rest areas that are near cities, which is easy since most rest areas are not located near cities. I have only felt uncomfortable about three times and it was just a sixth sense feeling about another car/person in the rest area parking lot. In those cases, I recommend that you listen to your intuition and look for another place to stay. Most rest areas are paired with another stop across the Interstate for traffic going the opposite way. I would rather take the time to drive to the other rest stop then to tempt fate. You will encounter undeveloped rest areas along the highway. They might be as simple as a dirt pull out with a metal trash can or a paved area that is also a posted as scenic viewing area. I strongly recommend that you do not sleep at those types of rest areas.
Another option that is gaining popularity is couch surfing. There are internet sites where you can find people that will let you sleep on their couch and generally all they want is to hear tales of your adventure. I also suggest that you research internet and blog sites of bicyclists traveling cross country. They have lots interesting solutions to finding places to stay the night. One group was generally successful in small towns by asking around and getting permission to camp in churchyards and public parks.
Just to be clear, the reason is that we recommend strongly that people do not sleep in rest areas because there have been many cases of serious and violent crime against travelers.
Rest areas by their nature tend to be a long distance from populated areas and see relatively little patrol. On top of that, their locations right along the a freeway are an ideal target for criminals because it provides the perfect opportunity for a quick getaway. A sleeping traveler is just about a perfect target for a criminal, and putting up shades is practically an invitation that a defenseless victim is inside.
Florida now has armed guards patroling their rest area, because of the murder of several travelers a number of years ago, but almost nowhere else offers such security. There have been several other cases of robbery, rape, and arson throughout the country, and most of those cases are never solved.
I would never tempt fate just for tradition sake, especially since there are so many other options - like truck stops - where you can pull over to sleep, in a much safer environment.
Interesting. I would have thought that putting up shades would not only give you some privacy, but would also make a criminal think twice because they can't see inside to see if they will be dealing with the terminator or minnie mouse, and they might pass up the opportunity.
Do campgrounds have security? I would feel less safe in a tent than sleeping in my car.
Determined Duck
A criminal would know the value of surprise and a half asleep occupant of a vehicle. This will always give them the upperhand.Quote:
... dealing with the terminator or minnie mouse ...
Many campgrounds have security, especially the commercial ones. They often have gates with swipe cards or such.
But even when they don't have lockable gates, the very fact that they have the plate number of every vehicle on their register, and they ask for ID when you book in, is a measure of safety. And of course, you will rarely find a campground which does not have a manager onsite. That in it self gives me a feeling of security.
Besides, you get to know the people around you, when setting up a tent, cooking a meal, etc. The better you know the person(s) camped near you, chances are the safer you will feel. In the very remote chance that something could happen, you know they will hear and come to your assistance.
Funny part is, when I stay in a motel or hotel, I always make sure there is a safety chain on the door. Only then do I feel safe.
Lifey
In many states there are signs....prohibiting sleeping in State rest stops. New York is one state where you can almost be guaranteed that a state trooper will rap on your window and remind you that the rest stop is for resting only --Sleeping is not allowed.
Mark
I completely agree with Lifey, the very nature of a campground makes them much more safe.
First, many of them do have gates or 24 hour security, and nearly every developed campground will have a campground host that actually lives in the campground.
On top of that, a campground by its very nature means neighbors, many of whom are also sleeping outside and/or in a tent. A criminal looking for an easy opportunity, isn't going to target someone when a simple scream will likely be heard by a couple dozen other people.
And one other big difference between campgrounds and rest areas is location. While they both are typically far removed from cities, Rest areas offer the perfect opportunity to get back on a freeway and be miles away within minutes. Campgrounds on the other hand are typically located at least a bit of a drive away from the highway, meaning that it requires a rather significant effort to both get there and get away.
Its not to say that crime can't happen or never happens at a campground, but its much more rare, and requires much more effort by a would be criminals - and even dumb criminals usually know to look for the easiest possible victims, which won't be in a campground.
Much is said for the location choices of sleeping in the car, but not on how to sleep comfortably in the car. What if you want go to toilet in the middle of a freezing night? Or where to take shower? I am in CA and the rent is simply too high so I plan to buy a big SUV and just sleep in the car. Is this feasible? I have parking sticker in the university where safety is not a big issue.
Welcome to the forum, Bob!
I'm not sure I am completely following your plan, but if you are thinking of this as a long term living situation (aka choosing to be homeless), I'd very much consider it a last resort.
On the road, Truck Stops are a great place because you have restrooms, showers, etc available. I'm going to doubt that you'd have that available at a university unless you are living in a dorm. Additionally, while you may have a parking permit, I'd be a bit surprised if you didn't end up with a security guard waking you up in the middle of the night if they notice you sleeping there.
Finally, what will you do when you are not sleeping? Again, this is a case where if you are looking just to get off the road and sleep for a night, its not much of an issue, but it is something to think about if you're going to chose to make homelessness your lifestyle.
Thanks Midwest Michael, for your thoughts and information.
This is some sort of mid-term plan, I'd like to try it out for a couple of months. I can hold pee during the nights, and do it morning in the building, but shower would be a problem. I know some water-free hand washing stuff but not sure for body. In winter it'd be fine if not exercise much, but can't avoid in summer.
For security guard, I can put some nice curtains on all side and rear windows and sun-shade on windshield, or alternatively go to highway rest areas every night (which would be legal for 4 hours according to the lengthy discussion here?).
Regarding the rest of the time in a day, I simply stay in office.
You're right, this is more a matter of lifestyle choice, i.e., I find this idea appealing since I was college kid but never had a chance to practice. Now this forum gives a practical guide.