When I drive long distances, I will occasionally stop and sleep in my car. What is the best strategy to avoid being interrogated by the police when sleeping?

Pull completely off the freeway. Perhaps into the parking lot of a truck stop/restaurant.

Is there a law against sleeping in your car?

park in a hotel parking lot, ive done it many times not by choice though

I believe that pulling into a rest stop… or…. like mentioned into a parking lot of a restaurant etc is best .

You won’t be bothered . I used to do that when I traveled back and forth from Ohio to Florida etc… several times a year .

Stop dressing in drag. That might help.

@Vunessuh But I look so good in drag, don’t you think, wink.

@UScitizen You do indeed. Okay so then lay off the makeup. That’s enough eyeliner already. The police are mistakening you for a raccoon.

Officers of the law shouldn’t find reasonable suspicion in a person sleeping in their car. Therefore, they have no reason to bother you.

I’ve driven coast-to-coast in the US six times and many more times on trips of somewhat shorter (but still multi-day) duration. I’ve never been questioned or harassed for sleeping at a designated rest area off an Interstate (plus they’re somewhat more heavily traveled, lit and policed in the first place), but the one time I tried to park in a gas station parking lot (when the place was closed for the night) I was awakened by local police a couple of hours later because they were afraid I had gone to sleep with the engine running and that I might be overcome by CO fumes in the closed car—a valid concern.

I would recommend that you:
1. Fully exit the highway or roadway and park completely off-road somewhere;
2. Put a sign in your windshield that states clearly that you did not leave the engine running (so they’ll know you’re really sleeping, and not dead or unconscious);
3. Include a note about when you stopped and when you plan to resume travel, and
4. Lock the doors.

The police aren’t trying to hassle you, I think, as much as to ascertain that you’re NOT dead, unconscious or drunk.

As long as you are parked in an area designated as such, the police have no business “interrogating” you. Any cop who does that is exceeding his authority and you are under no obligation to respond, The magic phrase is “What is your probable cause for bothering me?”. He’ll growl a bit but he’ll go away. Remember that police cannot do whatever they feel like. Outside of the proper scope of his duties he has no more rights or privileges than anyone else, Unless he can immediately state a probable cause to suspect some crime is being commited he has no business bothering you.It is essential that people not allow rogue or bullying police to get away with such behavior,

@Fred931 Your answer is perfectly accurate. Unfortunately, the standard of reasonable suspicion seems to vary by the officer. I have been awakened many times by the officer on a fishing trip, just hoping to find a drunk, or some other violation. My last experience in a Flying J truckstop, the officer ran his dog around several cars, just fishing. And, of course, just waking me from much needed sleep.

@CyanoticWasp T.Y. nice ideas. I’ll put a sharpie and some paper in the car for the next trip, and write an I’m just sleeping note next time. Profoundly good idea.

@stranger_in_a_strange_land You’ve never been stopped in Georgia ! LOL….

I was resting in a georgia rest area one evning ..was awaken by two “Deputies” in a squad car wearing bib overalls and plaid shirts .
They made me get OUT and one held a shotgun on me ; while the other searched my car for “Counterband” and ran my info…. when they found out I was a Federal Officer; they couldn’t apologize enough and get me on my way ..

Funny thing is ; I wonder how many just regular citizens get harassed like they were doing me… and can do nothing about it ?

Who knows what would have happened if my ID had not came back as it did ?

I have caught a few Zs in designated rest areas and never had a problem.

However, if you just pull over at a random spot on teh side of the highway then you should expect to get woken up, and you better hope it’s by someone with a badge.

@Fred931 @stranger_in_a_strange_land @UScitizen—You’re all missing the point of the “safety officer” aspect of policing. As it was very reasonably explained to me the one time this happened, they knew I was no threat when they woke me up. What they didn’t know was: 1) was I drunk and sleeping if off in the car? 2) was I unconscious or dead from carbon monoxide fumes if I had left the car running? or 3) was there something else wrong?

It’s not the job of the cop to judge what is right or wrong about you sleeping in your car, but if you were dying of carbon monoxide fumes and no one even checked, they’d look bad the next morning when they said, “Oh, yeah, we saw him there all night and just let him go.”

@stranger_in_a_strange_land The guys who rousted me were polite and friendly, and didn’t even show their weapons. Their honest concern was that I was likely dead or dying.

@stranger_in_a_strange_land I’m one of those regular citizens that the same two good ole boys have tried to shake down.

Depending on which state you’re driving through a wish and a prayer. In AZ every vehicle is suspicious if it parked ANYWHERE and there are people that appear to just be sitting you will asked to show your L,R,& I then what you are doing. In most states though I would imagine that parking at a rest stop should be sufficient to deter nosy cops.

Put your clothes back on! :)

@lucillelucillelucille Why? I’m much more fun without them.

@HighShaman I’m just a citizen who knows my rights and is willing to go to court to stand up for them. A bullying cop is no more than a bully. I refuse to be intimidated by such. I see it as a duty to stand up to them because others don’t have the economic resources to do it. If some jerk in a uniform wants to make an issue out if it, fine. I’ll have his badge if it’s the last thing I and a team of lawyers do. They are public servants, not public masters and the few bad ones need to be reminded of that. The law firm I have on retainer eagerly awaits such a confrontation.

this varies with state law, some prohibit sleeping in rest areas unless posted signs allow it – I normally find a truck stop & sleep in the parking lot, did have a security guard check up on me once but was very nice about it

@stranger_in_a_strange_land Maybe ? But; if you get caught up in a backwoods Georgia town ; you just MIGHT NOT make it back to your team of lawyers…

Also; glad that YOU have the $$$$ to stand up to the BS that some law enforcement officers try to dish out .. MOST of us cannot afford it .

easy, just put a “Do Not Disturb” sign on your door

put a sign in your windshield stating you have pulled over to nap so you won’t fall asleep while driving from ______ to ______.

Prop a sex doll up next to you so that they’ll think you’ve just stopped for a quickie.

@HighShaman

“when they found out I was a Federal Officer….”
.
May I ask for what agency?

There have been several strings of unsolved murders in OH and Indiana in the past 10 years. I would imagine that they are either 1) checking to see if you’re alive, or 2) checking to make sure you don’t have a body in the trunk, or 3) aren’t rendezvousing as part of a drug transport.

“What is the best strategy to avoid being interrogated by the police when sleeping?”

Don’t they wake you up first before interrogating you?

Remember what happened to Michael Jordan’s father and make sure you are parked where there are others around you who would hear you if you needed help.

Did you know that most WalMarts allow camping in their parking lots? The security guard will even patrol to make sure the sleepers are not disturbed. To find out which WalMarts allow overnight parking/sleeping, check this out.

Most Wal-Marts have a policy allowing RVs to park overnight. You should be able to do the same with your car. Just be nice and buy some Little Debbie Oatmeal Cookies, and eat one for me.