Is it illegal to park on a (residential) street ... and then sleep in your car all night ... not making any noise of being a threat to anyone ...

Can the police (*spits*) come along and force to you move on !?

I doubt it's illegal, but it certainly won't be comfortable.

I remember driving down to newquay with a mate when I was 21, we ended up on a residential street in torquay (road signs can be confusing at night).

Anyway, we decided to get some kip for the night, and after about 30 mins, a cop car pulls up behind us (on a very quite residential street). And basically they said you can't stay here, move on.

Did they have any legal right to do so !!?

Looking back, I imagine one of the residents called them, probably didn't like the look of the car or something. We really were no trouble though, and we were soooo quite and considerate (no noise at all).

Obviously the police are just scum lap dogs of the rich property owning people amongst us, and they just exist to do their bidding.

I completely distrust the police and believe that they don't have my best interests at heart at all. I guess it's up to me to know my own rights and know what I can do to force their hand.

two things to note about sleeping in a car.

1) don't do it if you have been drinking. If you finish up being discovered by a copper, like Jamie above, you might get breathalysed, and loose your license. Even though you weren't driving. This once happened to a mate of mine in broomhill, when he was waiting in the back of a jeep fror his friend to come back and let him in the house.

2) sleeping in cars is very very cold if you do it in the winter. The heat in a car dissappears immediately, as they don't have any insulation, they're designed to loose heat. Not keep warm.

3) the windows steam up and it can get quite sweaty.

Good points muddy, although we hadn't actually been drinking.

It does get cold very fast, I wouldn't recommend it at all.

The main point of this thread however is what legal right did the police have to force us to move on?

What's the legallity of this?

Originally posted by muddycoffee
3) the windows steam up and it can get quite sweaty.

Obviously ... this depends on who else is in the car with you !!

;)

I once had the mad-cap idea of driving from Sheffield to Oxford and taking my time over it, as a result I drove along loads of very minor roads and saw places that I'll probably never see again. I'd got a tent but on two nights slept on the back seat of the car. I was awoken in the morning by a police officer who had spotted my car at the back of a lay-by. He advised me not to ever park on a road and try and sleep as it could be dangerous for me if another vehicle ran into my car, he had no problems with me and I queried him on this if I got the car off the road and parked in a car park or similar. I suppose it's a bit like the idea that if you break down on the hard shoulder you don't sit in your car, a safety issue basically.
It took me five days by the way!!

Sheffield to Oxford - I would be pee'd off it it took more than a couple of hours let alone 5 days - Jeez :)

I had a camper some time back and I remember being told it was illegal to park and sleep on the queens highway, what ever that means.:loopy:

Originally posted by Jamie

Obviously the police are just scum lap dogs of the rich property owning people amongst us, and they just exist to do their bidding.

I completely distrust the police and believe that they don't have my best interests at heart at all. I guess it's up to me to know my own rights and know what I can do to force their hand.

I have known more about the highway code a few times with the police, but there is always something they can do to cause you time and trouble if they want too.

On the occasions that I recall they did.

My understanding is that you can be charged with vagrancy as if you were a homeless person under the Vagrancy Act 1824.

I also understand that the police seem to be stricter in coastal / tourist areas as the local councils don't want the B and Bs losing custom to people sleeping in motorhomes on the roadside for free!

K x

Originally posted by Kristian
My understanding is that you can be charged with vagrancy as if you were a homeless person under the Vagrancy Act 1824.

Being homeless is not a criminal offence.


Originally posted by Kristian
I also understand that the police seem to be stricter in coastal / tourist areas as the local councils don't want the B and Bs losing custom to people sleeping in motorhomes on the roadside for free!

K x


Don't know about this.

I was sleeping in my car a few years ago in Skegness (friends living down there), on a side street.

Only once during the weeks (nearly 3) that I was sleeping in the car was I awakened by a PO. All he did is check my documents, do a PNC check on me, then just told me to be careful and to choose my parking/sleeping spot carfully.


No mention of arresting me......