Is it legal to sleep in car during the night in some safe place?

serenity79

Hi there,

I would like to look for further information on the legal possibility of sleeping in car during the night in some safe place. Should I contact Garda for advice? In fact, it is said that many places are illegal to sleep in car during the night. However, some places are acceptable to sleep in car during the night.

Any advice or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you.

BrianD

Don't consume any alcohol! Otherwise you could be committing an offense.

slimjimmc

BrianD wrote: »

Don't consume any alcohol! Otherwise you could be committing an offense.

You can get as drunk as you like and sleep in the car so long as you're not parked in a public place. However you do need to be careful to ensure where you're parked is definitely not a public place, and there aren't many of those.

Delancey

OP - note that ' Public Place ' is defined as any place to which the public have access therefore a Supermarket car park for example is a public place - regardless of whether the land is privately owned then it becomes a public place if the public can physically access it.
As already said , very few private places you can park up and sleep it off in.

Fenian Army

What if you don't have the keys for the car, but sleep in it, does that count as being drunk in charge of a car?

Once I slept in a mates car on the side of the road after a party cause all the beds/couches inside were taken. He took the keys.

kippy

What about sleeping in a car in general? No alcohol involved.

Our man in Havana

kippy wrote: »

What about sleeping in a car in general? No alcohol involved.

Completely legal.

Our man in Havana

Fenian Army wrote: »

What if you don't have the keys for the car, but sleep in it, does that count as being drunk in charge of a car?

Once I slept in a mates car on the side of the road after a party cause all the beds/couches inside were taken. He took the keys.

Without a means to start the car, i.e. keys there is no offence.

mcgarrett

I presume you own the car or have the permission of the owner.

krd

serenity79 wrote: »

Hi there,

I would like to look for further information on the legal possibility of sleeping in car during the night in some safe place.

Two things. If you find yourself in a position where you have to sleep in your car, be very careful in your dealings with the Garda. Some are incredibly right-wing, and may see you as a social outcast they have an obligation to harass and punish. If they wake you up in the middle of the night, with a rap of their truncheon on the window. Try to talk in a culchie accent, and tell them you're on your way back from some ploughing jamboree - that you were just having a nap, before heading back down the country to your daddy's big farm. Some Fine Gael stickers on your car would be a help too.

And secondly. And this I'm serious about.

The safest place to sleep in your car is in the driveway of a graveyard.

Irish yahoos, if they see someone sleeping in their car, they think it's odd - so they think that it gives them a right to attack the person. I'm giving this advice based on a friend's experience. She had to live in her car for a few weeks. The garda kept moving her on - and ignorant potato head paddy whacks kept attacking her car while she slept. She discovered the safety of sleeping in the driveway of graveyards by accident. The garda wouldn't hassle her, and the yahoos were scared away.

The other thing she noticed - and the first time she saw it, it scared the life out of her - she thought she was seeing ghosts. Homeless people sleep in the graveyards. Because it's safe - they're not going to be attacked by a bunch of lads, just having a laugh, while they sleep.

mrjoneill

slimjimmc wrote: »

You can get as drunk as you like and sleep in the car so long as you're not parked in a public place. However you do need to be careful to ensure where you're parked is definitely not a public place, and there aren't many of those.

Provided you don’t have the keys in your possession, hide them under a rock away from the car ...........that covers that:P.

Procrastastudy

Along the lines of what KRD said (no really bear with me!)

The Gardai / passer by may also be concerned for your safety. Its fairly unusual for someone to be sleeping in a car so the temptation is to check on you. I assume this is a one off because you are doing something an can't afford accommodation. Maybe a little sign in your car window. Something along the lines off - On long trip taking nap for safety reasons.

If its something more long term please seek some help OP.

krd

GCDLawstudent wrote: »

The Gardai / passer by may also be concerned for your safety. Its fairly unusual for someone to be sleeping in a car so the temptation is to check on you. I assume this is a one off because you are doing something an can't afford accommodation.

Joking aside - My friend's experience was very real - including the bit about the graveyards. There are a lot of places where it's just not safe to sleep in your car. Her car was attacked a few times - she showed me the damage. She woke up a few nights with Yahoos trying to kick the windows in. I have a vague idea how the brain of a Yahoo works - if they see anything unusual it's an invitation.

There are virtually no places I would recommend as safe to sleep in your car around Dublin city. Some of the small towns around Dublin you'd also be asking for trouble.

What my friend did. She found some small village outside of Dublin that was very quite. Eventually, an old couple in the village befriended her and gave her a place to stay for a few weeks.

Maybe a little sign in your car window. Something along the lines off - On long trip taking nap for safety reasons.

That could look like an invitation.