Is it Legal to Sleep in your Car or Motor Caravan?
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- Опубликовано: 4 окт 2022
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I used to sleep in my car all the time. My wife and kids would always wake me before I hit anything.
That's lovely for you😂😂😂😂😂
That's like the old joke, "I want to die like grand dad in his sleep, not screaming like his passengers."
LOL!
😂😂
😂😂😂
I've just come back from a long drive in France/Germany and there are places to stop and sleep probably every 30 miles. In the UK it's all based on screwing the motorist one way or another.
Absolutely 💯
We campers are treated like lepers in UK 🤬🤬🤬
Good point made , well said
In france they are called 'Rest Places'
@@davidcole5803 I thought they were called "fermée" as that's the sign I usually see on the ones I drive past ;o)
So when I see a sign saying tiredness kills and stop and have a nap. I'd look the judge straight in the eyes and say next time I carry on driving....should he find me guilty.
What kills every time I have to go to the UK are those ridiculous signs; Feeling Tired - Take a Break !! WHERE?
In a layby? 🙄
I was arrested and charged with 'drunk in charge' in London years ago. Three solicitors, over the phone, said I was guilty and should plead guilty or get the book thrown at me.
When I went to court I pled guilty but the Clerk to the Court 'reminded' the judge that there wasn't a drunk in charge offence, it was actually drunk in charge with intent to drive.
The judge wouldn't accept my guilty plea and entered not guilty.
It took two more court appearances but the last judge found me not guilty and explained the law in simple terms. If you can prove you had no intent to drive you aren't guilty.
Thank you for sharing. So there is some common sense in the British legal system. Thank goodness.
I always thought this rule was too harshly applied. I don't like drunks and have never been in a vehicle over the limit myself but even so I would much rather drunks sleep in their cars in pub car parks than attempt to drive. The result of the Police rigorously enforcing the drunk in charge rules is everyone knows you would be done if you sleep in a pub car park and therefore the drunks drive home. ( or to the hospital or cemetery as the case with drunks often is )
@@jonathanwebb8307 Fully agree. I would rather keep them safely off the road. They showed some common sense, so I would hope the police would too (common sense should prevail in such situations). The intent should be *not driving under the influence*.
You'd think the onus would be on the police and/or courts to prove you had intent to drive, rather than you having to prove your innocence. This country is such a shit show.
Every solicitor I have had any dealings with has winged it. I found if I needed them to get things done I had to tell them the laws they needed to quote. The mal administration you described appears to be endemic. I always check the documents to see if they are completed properly. I saw one judge deliberately lie on his court order, but it went in my favour so i left it. Generally, a judge has to go by the book, and a magistrate by an assesment of 'the reality of the situation'. In reality you will get a magistrate appointed by the local aldermen. They will often be relatives, or associates of whatever provincial lodge, or rotary club, which are part of the social circle of MP's and such. The magistrates are usually bimbos who will become confused if you present them with proof and present laws. The 'law' as far as common law goes, is in those big fat brown books you see in parliament, but in one case, when i copied some pages from it and sent them to a court in reply to a legal matter, they returned my case documents with those removed from it. Just don't trust anyone in those situations.
Here in Australia we are encouraged to sleep in our cars on long drives.
Common sense applies 😊
We don’t have those distances. Nothing is far away.
@@karenc1733 I don't know where you live Karen but there are plenty of journeys in the UK long enough to require a rest break.
Many Aussies are usually asleep at the wheel. 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
Absolutely common sense applies .. 100%
That's the same everywhere to be honest. Here, as he explains, it's down to the circumstance. Generally, he's asked this when the person knows that they're over the legal alcohol limit.
I'm a self employed sole trader and my job takes me all over the place and i always have a made bed in the back of my workvan (window less) and i regularly sleep in the back. If i'm 3 or 4 or more hours drive from home it's more economical for me to sleep in the van rather than drive home, get home late only to get up at 4 or 5am to drive back again. Where to park? A busyish street where you won't draw attention, never a car park, and in 25 years never been bothered. Back of the van is really cosy plus i get away form the Mrs and kids. Nice!
Had a similar set up in the 70's - but it was most definitely not work related. It did have "Bangmobile Ltd" painted down the side, though.
@@cyberwomble7524 'Bangmobile' what was that, a mobile panel beating service!
@@tilerman It was supposed to be "Banger Mobile" but my mate couldn't spell - a common affliction for signwriters the world over!
Urban stealth camper. Cool.
Same thing. It's enlightening how often people wake me up by poking about and trying the doors.
It is ridiculous to think that somebody can tell me where I can and can't sleep, if I'm not causing any issues or bothering anybody. Just wild. Absolute madness.
With more of us losing our homes to the cost of living crisis and becoming van lifers (or simply preferring to give up those unnecessary costs and go for it), these sorts of issues will continue to become more of a "make the poor" suffer issue, than anything else :-(
Welcome to England 2022
In the USA, inceasing numbers of people are living out of their cars. You can even watch videos about this right here on RUclips.
Did you watch the video? If you're drunk, in an unsafe place or a place that will charge you for overstaying; then it's a problem, otherwise it's fine to sleep in your vehicle.
It's fine to sleep in your vehicle until someone feel entitled to call the police and make up a story.
And if the police officer isn't necessarily the nice kind, you know how that will turn out.
Did you even listen to what he said. You are perfectly entitled to sleep in your vehicle provided it is parked legally and in a safe place and you are not drunk (or impaired for other reasons such as drugs). He didnt say it but, if you are on private land with the land-owners permission, you should also be safe.
Some years ago me and a couple of mates used to tour round looking for some of the more "out of the way" village pubs with one of us taking our turn to drive.
We came across a truly lovely little pub (sadly now closed) in a village on the outskirts of Tadcaster, which basically became our local.
After a little while we started driving there separately in our own cars and bringing a sleeping bag.
At the end of the evening the landlady (Nina) would follow us out to the car park and once we were in our cars she would take our car keys with her back into the pub with her, the reasoning being that even though we were parked on private land, the fact that we were no longer in possession of the car keys meant that we could not be regarded as being in charge of the vehicle.
The following morning (usually Sunday) she would come back out with a cup of coffee, a bacon sandwich and the car keys.
Oh happy days....
but would that have been legal?
interesting, well it becomes very difficult to prove you are in charge of the car, when the keys are not in the car and there is no way that car can suddenly start driving without the keys
Surely having a van parked on the driveway and having some drinks in it is the same scenario and can't see how that's illegal.
As I understand it from the 1960's caravan act, a non caravan site business & domestic households (yes your driveway) can only host 1 sleeper vehicle for the equivalent of 30 days per year ??
@@andypender charge of a vehicle in no way implies a vehicle in motion. Ask yourself, who opened the vehicle. Who is the vehicles registered keeper? Is it you?
**hand cuffs**
@@andypender what if parked on a slope, and in your drunken stupor, you accidentally release the handbrake? Car in motion without keys needed 🤔
Homelessness is a good reason. I work full time but have no fixed address, I live in my caravan because rents and rates are pretty horrendous.
What address does it say on your licence along with Insurance etc ?
O aye. You are absolutely correct there.
@@G4RY1159 you don't need a driving license or insurance to own a caravan :)
@@walesaudit2771 Soz my mistake, thot I read campervan or the likes.
I hope things pick up as a caravan isn't ideal during the winter.
✌
What if you haven’t had a drink and live in your car? is this legal?
Wow that took a long time to explain a simple topic. Now I understand why lawyers are paid by the hour!
They make it complicate so you have to pay for longer. The law only benefits 2 groups, the government or the lawyers. The plebs always lose.
Yes, I felt burdened by opinions and fearful thinking.
Yeah, go through a divorce and you'll find out how much.😡😡
First let's kill all the lawyers as written by the Bard.
@@rangerwhite5165 you might even get to sleep in your car full time too!
Sneak into a Police Car Park and sleep in one of their vehicles as they seldom move.
Actually, they move when someone says something naughty on Twitter.
Only when there is 15 diverse ethnically ambiguous girl boss officers.
I used to regularly do a long drive and break it in the middle with a sleep in the middle. This was to help prevent an accident due to fatigue.
This is actively encouraged in Australia, due to such a high number of deaths from fatigue on the roads (long distances to drive and people don‘t like stopping)
I often travelled back and forth from Texas to Arizona and pulled over to sleep for the night at a gas station drive way out in the desert that was closed. The gas station owner got used to waking me up when he arrived in the morning to open up for the day. I always thanked him by getting a fill up and breakfast before getting back on the road. Otherwise, I was never disturbed.
I find the stay limit in motorway services in the UK outrageous. They exist to provide services, one of which is a place to rest, for road safety reasons. In France, there are plenty of rest areas in between service areas, completely free of charge, for this purpose.
They are not government sites they are private they have no obligation to give free unlimited parking
@@liljasere The government forces 2 hours free parking so they can force 24 hours parking but they won't. Rip off Britain, the tax money that goes into making these services available comes straight out of our pockets
A friend of mine slept in a motorway service station, as you talked about. He was travelling in the middle of the night and stopped to rest for a few hours as he was sleepy. A few weeks later, he received a fine. I guess they'd rather he'd driven and crashed.
I certainly do.....think of all the paperwork it would have saved, and one less dickhead in society....win win situation
This is where two different sets of rules apply. The motorway is unsafe to sleep on when your worst case of wake up alarm is forty tons of truck ploughing into you. The service stations are private property and use parking management companies to ensure that they have spaces for customers to use their facilities because they have to make enough money to pay enormous franchise fees to the government (one, but only one, of the reasons why everything is more expensive in motorway service areas). To make the money they need, they limit the amount of time you stay. The parking management companies make money by grabbing cash from anyone who breaks the rules you agree to when you park on property they manage so they are incentivised to do this whenever opportunities arise and the government benefits by getting money from the franchise while dosavowing any liability for the parking fine you receive, making it one less thing for people to be able to blame them for.
Your friends fault for not reading the signs in the carpark you usually get 2 hours free then you need to pay in motorway services
No doubt there’s more to this story. Probably multiple signs that weren’t read.
Nope, all you do is say you were sleeping as to not crash. I’ve gotten away with this multiple times as I was legitimately asleep. Then you get off, they can’t do anything
Sleeping in a motor carravan? No-one buys a motor caravan and books a Travelodge. 🤦🏻♀️ Perfect example of why people don't like the police or lawyers.
It's an absurd law that needs reworking. People should be perfectly entitled to sleep in a safely parked up vehicle no matter what state they're in.
All contract law is absurd. Learn to unlearn everything you've ever been taught and become a Sovereign man or woman.
@@austinbux Friend of mine many years ago lost his licence after working his shift at McD and went out with the staff.. Fast asleep on the back seat in the early hours and police banged on the window and eventually did him for DIC - far safer than driving home and he was parked in a car park not on the road. It is a very silly situation that needs a copper with a braincell not an agenda!
@@juliaw7533 million percent its about time we stopped following stupid laws because stupid laws create stupid people..
Safe to say we are a country run by morons and the nanny nation that we have become is due to these stupid rules..
Time to take back our sovreignty
I agree, it’s British Laws looking for fault or blame, not not what is fair or just. British Law has replaced Religion in keeping the peasants under control. ‘Abide with me or endure purgatory.’
If you do have to sleep in the car avoid any walkways around routes where people (especially drunks) may pass.
Go to a residensial area when people are not moving about and park in an area neutral to any houses opposite.
If your in a car try and sleep on the back seat putting a dark blanket over yourself.
Lock the doors and open a window by a couple of milimeters to stop moisture buildup.
Don't park in the same place 2 nights in a row.
Don't park up any farm tracks.
Here in Australia, pretty much everyone sleeps in the car. It may take more than 24hrs to drive from places to places. Rooftop tents, camping bed in the cabin of the cars, caravans, camper trailers, all sorts of goodies, allow us to sleep during those long distance driving. And service station does not have a 3hr limit, we can stay there as long as you want. There are also lots of parkable spots along the highway to pull over for a sleep
I’m gonna sleep in my car if I want to and no one’s gonna stop me!
As a retired lorry driver I often stopped in motorway service arrears to sleep overnight, most if not all have a system to pay for a extended stay, could be by going to the retail shop or paying over the internet, but what ever they charge it is cheaper than paying for a parking ticket.
They ussually offer a voucher for fast food. I know that very well, I can see it every time I look myshelf in the mirror (120kg).
I think this all revolves around 'being in charge of a vehicle'. You could be cited as being in charge of a vehicle whilst you are tucked up in bed close to where your vehicle is. If that is not the case, how close do you have to be to be 'in charge'? Are you in charge of a vehicle if camped in a tent beside your vehicle etc etc etc..... For me, being in charge of a vehicle means being in the driving seat and having the ability to move the vehicle under its own power. If you don't have to be in the driving seat to be in charge then what if the driving seat is occupied by someone else, who is capable of driving? With the advent of keyless entry and starting someone in the back seat can have the key fob and someone else can start the vehicle remotely and therefore having the key is no guarantee that that that person is in charge. If one of the tests is that you are capable of driving the vehicle but don't do it then it is purely speculation that you will. To me this issue is a complete bugger's muddle.
That's why I don't really like these kinds of laws where it relies on some discretion. So if you're camping, or have a caravan, camper etc, you're risking your licence if you have a drink. But now I'm wondering how hard, or marketable it'd be to make a breathalyser activated lockbox. Put your keys in there, can't (unless you're a Lockpicking Lawyer) get them out until you blow clear. Technically I guess you'd still be in charge of the vehicle, so might still be risky.
@@brolohalflemming7042 Possibly 'in charge of' could include taking the handbrake off whilst on a hill, which you could do without any keys?
If you are pushing the car and steering through the window, you are in charge of the vehicle - you don't have to be in the front seat or have the engine running.
The question is more about the reasonable expectation that you will drive the vehicle and in the case of when sleeping it off, whether you are likely to drive whilst intoxicated.
@@EvilGav Its not that you can sit in the front drivers seat but that it gives you access to all the controls and that is what is objected to.- to be in control is the operative point. You can't be in control if you are in the back seat.
There are many instances where there is a reasonable expectation that you might do something but until you do it is pure speculation. This sort of thinking causes pre-emptive strikes, starting wars. Reasonable expectation is not fact.
It's another of those catch all situations police often use without discretion. Even if you're tucked up in bed with absolutely no intent to drive, as long as you have access to the keys (I know a lot of newer vehicles don't have keys, but they still need human interaction to start them) they can always pull the DIC out of the bag.
People are living in cars, the poor buggers are homeless!
..Drop the poor it's stigmatising, and just adds to the dumb rich setup class war
@@neilmcdougall4927"poor" is not just used as an indication of wealth. It's used to imply sympathy, very often when something unlucky happens
I slept in my car during Covid. I continued working (exempt) and there were no hotels open. Once hotel's reopened they were so full of chemical sprays I continued to sleep in the car.
Got a great bed, well off the road and sleep wonderfully. I've always cooked and eaten in my car for 25+ years so will continue to do so. I'm a sole trader and frankly margins are too small to allow me to do much else. Besides, I prefer my own company and prefer good food anyway.
Life's great and I enjoy my food, family and sleep wherever I am.
In most motorway services you get up to 2 hours free parking but if you are likely to be there longer you can go into the shop and pay for up to 24 hours parking ( or pay using your phone). I think it is about £15 or £20 so a lot less than it will cost if you get a fine.
That sounds like a very sensible provision by motorway services, especially if they provide an area for this longer term parking.
Some car parks in towns and cities provide areas for overnight stays for haulage drivers though I'm not sure if it is extended to cars and motorhomes. I understand Europe has haulage car parks that also provide toilet and shower facilities as well as shops and cafes.
@@mosspiglet8766 Yes, that is the case in EU.
In my experience as an HGV driver, all MSA's and many service area not on the motorway network have a way of paying for parking over the free period.
There are still a few transport cafe's left where you can park, but would normally have to pay or at very least pay for a meal. Not many town and city centre car parks allow overnight truck parking now, but there are truckstops in the UK (not enough though) where you can park the truck have access to toilets, showers, cafe, shop, often a bar, sometimes washing machines, and a gym, they are normally similar prices to the MSA's.
Or if you accidentally overstay, cover the number plates before leaving so that the ANPR can't record you leaving
Yes. I used to pay £10 at Smiths at a motorway service station. I slept comfortably without fear of being fined a horrendous sum (which in the past I had incurred). Cheaper than any B&B and it was only for 22:00-04:30. Don't do it in a tube station car park as either some curtain twitcher will report you or Security will send you on your way. I once was negotiating tiny lanes at night in fog through high Derbyshire and passed Derbyshire Police 'moving on' small campers that had just pulled over for the night quite safely (I thought)...how mean-spirited!
Went to a club next to a railway station once. My mate parked in the car park, paid for the night then went clubbing.
Come out and there's also a taxi office pretty much next door. Ordered a cab, it's busy, going to be an hour. Got in the car to stay a bit warmer whilst we waited and my mate gets done for drunk in charge. The police even checked if a cab was ordered and looked at his pay and display ticket yet they still done him.
Lost a lot of respect that day!
It never ceases to amaze me how the nation that gave the world the Magna Carta has allowed their police force to get away with this sort of draconian bullshit! Drunk driving means being behind the wheel of a moving vehicle whilst over the limit - nothing more and nothing less! You guys really need to reign plod in before you end up in a total police state...
Dan Hitchcock+ Yea same thing happened to me, except I slept on the roof because my mates took the car-keys from me (Mega Drunk), I told them drop the key too me later, but Police came at 2am and got done with DUI- Because I was mega drunk lost my license for 12months (I fought 2 of my best friends that night because they took my keys) I was concussed/confused and laid on the roof and fell asleep, fined $4000 My stubborn-ness cost me all my friends my car(Couldn't pay Impound fees) Lost my Job (Needed License) 2month later and destitute, off 1 drunken night ......... I can't pay the $4000 fine and pretty done with life (It was going so well hence a few drinks)
@@LtHarkness187 Jesus christ.
@@LtHarkness187 how could they say you were in charge of the vehicle if you were on the roof ? If I were you I would walk into a solicitors and ask them. Many do free half hour sessions. This doesn't sound legal to me.
@@leighwalton8190 More to the point - how could they say you are in charge of the vehicle if you don't have the keys!
I slept in my car many times when hillwalking in Scotland usually on quiet country roads. Cheaper and more convenient than hotels/b&bs/campsites. Usually parked on a spot close to the foot of the mountains I wanted to climb.
In the olden days {1983} I was pissed with 4 mates in my car so I decided to sleep in the car in the lane I parked in when I was sober. About an hour later the cops knocked on my window and asked what we were doing, so I told him the story and he said I could sleep there if he took my keys and I could pick them up in the morning. The car had no MOT for 9 months but he didn't check. That wouldn't happen nowadays lol.
Yep. I overstayed at a service station once. Driving home from a tough work week in Scotland I felt really ill and needed to have 1/2hour asleep. I set my alarm but set it for the wrong 6Oclock and woke up at 6am, 12hrs later. Being young and inexperienced I had no idea you needed to pay for staying over 2hrs.
I’ve got one for you… I had a migraine and my vision begins to fade out with migraine aura. I keep migraine pills with me (sumatriptan) that works after about an hour with my eyes closed or sleeping. A cop knocked on my window and couldn’t look at him and I explained why… and lucked out in the fact that the cop suffered with migraine aura too. He told me to have a nice sleep lol. Migraines suck.
Your magnesium deficient , take magnesium supplements and change your life !
What does "lucked out" mean?
@@davidwalker6763 lucked out means you were very lucky.
@@janetharrod2750 I always thought that 'lucked out' meant you didn't have any luck that time.
@@serenityinside1 How would you know that? You have no empirical evidence.
I often sleep overnight in my Land Rover Defender. I agree, two rules apply; i must be legal and safe. So my Landy is fully compliant with the legalities of using the road, there are no parking restrictions, i don’t drink, i don’t cause a risk or inconvenience to anyone or an obstruction. I also want to stay safe from the possibility of a shunt, being disturbed or at risk of a break in. Simple really. Good night, sleep tight!
I have slept outside and in a car for a variety of reasons. Tiredness when traveling,economics of reducing my excessive taxation,emotional safety and to escape a potential abuse situation, or just because i enjoy it. Also at times when there is no accommodation at my destination and finally personal safety of something solid as opposed to a tent between myself and a potential threat. Which i have to say is increasing with the number of GULLABLES ILLEGALLY ENTERING THE COUNTRY. THEY HAVE TO PAY THEIR TRAVEL COSTS BACK TO CRIMINALS! WHICH = NO JOB = NO PAY=STEAL!
I too kip in my defender on a regular basis. I don’t do it if I’ve had a drink, if I do have a drink, I don’t take my car. I have a shelter that pulls out from the side of the truck and I can kip under that or I can tie a brasher off the roof rack, so I don’t need to be in the vehicle. Obviously I need to be away from the road to do this, somewhere safe and away from other traffic, a campsite for example. Ive toured Europe a couple of times and often kip in the truck at an eire in France, never had a problem, crack the windows a bit and lock the doors.
Probably more comfortable to sleep in than travel in.
I couldn’t think of a worse car to sleep in.
Good to hear from NAS Man. I have toured around the UK, and Western Europe - the Western Front, the Normandy beaches, Belgium, The Netherlands, etc and never had a problem sleeping overnight in my Defender. It has always been such a pleasure to turn up late afternoon, find a secluded, safe pitch for my standard looking 90 (often in a town), sleep soundly then leave fairly early to visit the next site, museum or beach without leaving a trace. I’m often the first arrival at the next site having the place to myself before the hoards arrive. Proper stealth! Best wishes for your continued outings!
I think this raises some interesting questions relating to sleeping in roof top tents outside but on top of the vehicle, camping nearby and sleeping in tent awnings attached to the vehicle.
Yeah as then you might be able to avoid the drunk in charge.
Or take with you a foam matt and a sleeping bag...although if you reek of booze might defeat the object.
Bottom line not worth the hassle find a b and b.
From my experience on the roads this week, most people choose to sleep in their car whilst driving along never mind on hard shoulders or in lay-bys!
The way to contact the DVLA is to phone, let the automated message go throu twice, DO NOT press any buttons. You then get put in a queue. Normally your call gets answered within 15 mins
Drunk in charge is a bummer! As a soldier in Germany circa 1985 I drove home to the UK. I'd not seen my family for nearly a year. I'd driven across Germany and as I got off the ferry at Dover I felt too tired to drive so I pulled into a quiet car park near a pub. Excellent I thought, I'll just have a few beers then get my head down, tomorrow I'll get going again. At 3am, PC Plod-Jobsworth woke me up, took me down the station and charged me with being drunk in charge. I was over the limit by a gnats cock. 1 year ban, 10 points afterwards and a £400 fine. Plus, as a young 22 year old squaddy it made me virtually uninsurable so I had to sell my gleaming pride and joy - Golf GTI and I was also in the shit with the Army. Not impressed.
That really was a bad cop and discredit to the police, it's likely he was scouting the car park near a pub for easy arrests like that, when a bit of friendly information and warning would have been more than sufficient.
what a terrible experience for you :(
The only animal with a c**t halfway up its back? A police horse.
While living in Germany one of the guys had a few drinks so couldn't drive home. He called a German taxi but they were busy, he said he would wait.
Because it was cold he decided to sit in his car, he sat in the passenger seat. One of the snowdrops arrested him, he was charged. They knew he was waiting for a taxi.
Welcome to Nazi England, where officers home in on drivers that are not causing anyone any harm, whilst Bob the burglar is left undisturbed.
I am at home now with the car keys in my pocket and drunk. The car is a few footsteps away just the other side of the front door. Am I in charge of the vehicle therefore breaking the law? Why would I need to be in the vehicle to be in charge? Where does the boundary occur?
If your car is on private land it shouldn’t matter
Btw. Some services have provision for overnight stay. They also have showers. You have to pay at reception or one of the tills But it’s very handy sometimes particularly if you are on a long journey in a camper van. Check the signs or ask at reception or shop tills.
In a motorway services, you can normally pay up front for an overnight stop. It is a lot less than a Parking charge notice. Have done this often with motorhome.
I was going to say this, we've paid to park overnight at Gordano Services, near Bristol before, when we had a caravan.
yes from around £15 to £20 from what I have seen.
I wouldn't stop at motorway services , get off the motorway and find a lay by .
Here in Michigan (USA) we have rest stops. They are buildings with restrooms and vending machines. They have grills you can cook on and picnic tables to sit. They are well lit and typically relatively busy. We have napped at those. There’s a separate parking area for semis and trailers.
Sounds ideal.
Similar to Australia minus the vending machines. In fact there used to be a thing that at many country long distance roads where the stops were called "Driver reviver" the drive could get free Kit Cat chocolates and coffee, LOL everyone wanted to be the driver!
They exist all over Europe, everywhere except the UK where we have these motorway service stations with limits on how long you can park, and there aren't many of them, unlike the rest stops in continental Europe which are every 10 miles or so. There are separate parking areas for trucks. Smaller roads have ''laybys'' but these aren't really separated from the road as such.
Your banned and fined everywhere in the UK. It's all about money and not safety. Discusting. 🇬🇧
I had to work away from home on a 3 on 3 off shift.
On my shift I would sleep in my car for 2 nights.
Sometimes I’m a residential area and sometimes locked inside the yard. ..... in SE London.
The things we do to save money and provide for the family.
If you sleep in your car and you want extra security, thread each of the seat-belts through the door handle and secure it in it's buckle. It won't stop a thief trying to open the door but it will hinder them. Remember they are looking for an easy target... so make it harder.
Park in a better place which could be near other public or park in a housing estate near lighting & don't forget to hide your valuables too.
Park next to a police station, should get better protection there.
I stopped off and slept in my car near a garage during a long drive through the night. I was woken by a couple of police tapping on my window. But when I explained it was because of tiredness they accepted it and didn't cause me any bother. I think they may have been checking to make sure I was actually alive!
👍 better you sleep safely than fall asleep driving. I’ve nearby done that a couple of times after being awake for almost 48 hours because of work. It’s a horrible feeling.
Wellbeing check, police couldn't care less where you sleep
More likely they were checking that you were not drunk.
@@ukbiker1631hey do like their revenue collection if they can find an excuse to do so. Where has no harm, no injury or loss gone? Corporate companies using equity and our constable's are no more, they use enforcement policies and the colour of law, not actual law. IMHO 😂
I always use common sense, I only sleep in my car when I’m using cruise control. 👍🤣
LOL
I hope you're using lane assist and auto distance at the same time otherwise it could be dangerous !😱
@@stesrad 😂
🤣🤣
😂
UK law being way too strict and frankly, ridiculous. If you're not running the vehicle and not on the hard shoulder, you're not endangering anyone else.
Still easy prey tho
I used to sleep in the back of my car to save myself a long commute, I had a small bed set up in the back with blackout curtains. Saved myself thousands of miles driving.
Quite comfortable once you got used to it but could be very cold at times.
I also used to pull into motorway service stations for a nap on the way home after a 12 hour night shift on the tracks.
My wife and I slept in our van last week whilst traveling through France heading back to calais, there were a lot of others doing this as well, plus, no charge!! can only do this for 2hrs before having to move on or pay a charge in the UK.
I sleep in my car a lot over the summer due to working with bats (during dusk and dawn) around the country. Never had any problems in the 9 years I've been doing it. I've only been woken up once and that was my fault as I parked on a private road and their private security found me, he was cool about it tho. Just find somewhere quiet and preferably dark and avoid private roads, don't block entrances etc. Cul-de-sacs are normally a good bet as they generally have on street parking and not much pedestrian or car through traffic Also a good idea not to park under oak trees, acorns banging on the roof give me mini heart attacks lol.
Ha this made me laugh because my bungalow has 3 oaks hanging over it, day 5 now of acorns falling on roof day a night, and believe me they are big this year..😂
@@phina8392 Sounds bloody loud from inside!
Love sleeping in my car, if you saw my wife, you most certainly would too in my situation. Thank you for informing of the laws.
Sounds like a soviet type ex wife😅
''Tiredness kills'' take breaks when required. I remember that slogan.
Some motorway services charge a fee if you want to stay longer than the ‘free’ period. This is used by truck drivers. You used to get a voucher for shower and breakfast included so it was actually quite good value.
I knew someone years back who got done for changing his tyre when drunk, so i think the rule is stay away from things with wheels if you've had a drink
Guess it depends where he was changing the tyre...if it was in the middle lane of a motorway for instance? 😂
@@DirkGently1972 Lol! No it was parked at the side of the road on the edge of town, his argument was he changed it because being drunk meant he didn't care about the cold, but knew he would the following morning. The copper unfortunatly explaiend back that changing the tyre whilst drunk gave reasonable grounds to assume he intended to drive away once the repair was complete.
I knew a man that slept in his car for months on end, never ever got into trouble with it.The thing is remove your device which stops the vehicle running,I used a timer & set it to how long to have a nap,I think the highway code says if you feel sleepy find a good place to stop.It's alwasys best to have cool fresh air circulating in your vehicle and the heater turned down & have outside breaks.
Yes, even in a laybye. Ideally one separated from the carriageway by a verge etc.
I pulled into motorway services for a nap, hadn't been in England for a while and didn't notice the new 2 hr limit, cameras everywhere thing. My motorhome was parked in lorry area. When I woke, there was a lorry parked in front of me, one behind me and one beside me. One of them pulled away as I woke so I was able to pull out. It was only a I was leaving I noticed the signs about the regs and had been there 5 hrs, but the worries had blocked view of me by cameras. I never got a ticket!👍
What about truck/lorry drivers with sleeper cabs? These long distance drivers do need, and are probably required by law, to stop driving and rest. Are they only allowed to stop for sleep in designated areas?
The: yes, you can't park an 18 wheeler on the side of the road ANYWHERE - have you ever seen one? The exception is for delivery/onloading outside shops etc., but a lot of retail units now have designated unloading bays (usually at the rear). Long journey stops are at service areas, they can't pull into a parking space on a residential street. They CAN (and do) pull into a (usually) large lay-by on A-roads - you know the ones that are behind hedges and there is often a Drink and food van to serve them.
There are lots of laybys around the UK where lorrys and trailers park up overnight
I always slept in car when working and I was on 24 hrs call as an engineer. Could not get home so the layby was my bedroom. I did this for 30 years on and off. Was a
Way of life.
Ive gone to weddings and parked my 2018 ford transit connect crew cab folded down the rear seats rolled the bulkhead cage forward to be able to put a mattress in the rear and blacked out the side windows and front with blinds, find a nice quiet parking spot on the hotel grounds save at least 300euro on accomadation and just wandered in to the hotel in morning and bought breakfast as most hotels offer room only rates its easy to just pay for it as a walk in customer
It's not always to do with drink. There's lots of single people that go out for day trips that don't want to spend money renting somewhere for a night and choose to sleep in their car. I used to go metal detecting at weekends at locations out in the country and used to sleep in my car.
Your only reply is so rude. But your weekend trips sound fun
Based on your reply there “IS” a chance that you could drive whilst drunk at any time if you have access to both a car and its keys. So even if you have walked to a pub and got drunk. Potentially you “COULD” walk back home and then decide to drive the car to get food or for any other number of reasons. The polices power of prosecution based on potential future uncommitted crimes is why fewer and fewer people trust the police or the judicial system. AS IMO it is impossible to prove guilt for a crime that has not actually been comitted it really makes a laughing stock of the premise of “innocent until proven guilty”.
The premise is "innocent *unless* proven guilty". Putting the word "until" in the sentence implies that you are guilty of something, they just haven't caught you yet.
As for the prosecution of potential drunk drivers, circumstance is everything - the police have to have reasonable suspicion that you are likely to drive under the influence. Passing on to the CPS "he walked home drunk and we thought he'd probably nip out for a kebab" is going to get nowhere, whereas "was sleeping in the back of the car, 20 miles from home" will - not least because of how long it takes for alcohol to leave your system (around 1 unit per hour), at Christmas huge amounts of drunk drivers are stopped the morning after, not coming home from the party.
Minority report
robin dowse.
I never drink and drive until I've finished drinking - then I drive.
Spot on! This whole "assume" for reason of guilt is presumptuous rubbish and open to abuse by the police that should work on facts. Not guess work.
@@EvilGavmissing the whole fecking point!
Some time ago, before the lockdowns, there was talk about making sleeping in a camper van in areas that are not specifically marked or licenced for for camping (parking lots, side of the road, etc...) illegal. This was for the (alleged) goal of cracking down on littering. I never heard what came of that plan.
As long as it can create revenue they make it up as they go along. I totally ignored the lockdown as it was unlawful to do so. 1984 medical act states you can only isolate those ill, not the whole country or in point the whole world. I was never hassled by police staying in my camper
I am a recently retired cop and i spoke with a camper owner parked on the sea front at Felixstowe whilst serving. He was cooking his lunch and stated he was going to stop for the evening, i saw that he had four cans of beer on his table with one being slowly consumed. We were having a friendly chat so i explained that if he is going to stop on the public road in a parking space he considered to be in charge of the vehicle/camper and would be liable to an alcohol test while having the keys. I explained he should go to a recognised camp site or stop after this one can, he thanked me explaining he never knew this thinking being in a vehicle with accommodation was ok.
I was 'moved on' in the small hours by a Policeman after pulling off the motorway (blinky tired) and finding a layby off of a country B road to stop in.
It was later suggested to me that it might have been pretty of a anti-dogging operation. So, I guess I was fortunate/unfortunate it was only s policeman tapping on my window.
I used to work with a fella who lost his licence for sleeping in his car after getting drunk. The car was parked in the pub's car park - which had a locked barrier, stopping cars from entering and leaving. Still lost his licence and got fined.
On private land with public access blocked? Something sounds dodgy.
@@loftyintentions1985yeah, the system is, very very dodgy.
@@Ricardofromage it has been for many decades. Slowly decaying. And then the tories happened again.
He likely didn't mount a proper defence, if you don't defend yourself properly in court you will get found guilty but default. The police don't care about the law or facts only if they think they can get a conviction. They will lie to you about your situation and the law so you always need to get qualified legal advice when in a situation like this. Being drunk in charge on private land is not an offence and if there is no intent to drive it is not an offence anywhere. In court it is balance of probabilities so if it looks like you have taken reasonable steps to indicate you have no intent to drive the vehicle you are ok.
Absolutely wrong
I pulled over to sleep because I was exhausted. It was in a lay-by in a national park. About an hour later the police woke me, usual questions and stuff and asked to move on. I pointed out I stopped because was very tired. No excuse, move on. Was this correct as I had made them aware of my state and felt unsafe to drive without taking a break?
Thank you for clarifying this.
majority of motorhomers and campervanners know the sleep rules well. do some searching on youtube they have put plenty videos out there with all relevant info on the laws and new laws out there now
Brilliant answer and I also should have been a lawyer because I don't give direct answers to questions. I now live in a motorhome full time so I get to sleep in that quite often and after 11 years on the road have not been moved on by the police yet. However, for many years I travelled extensively and slept in my car. The only time a policeman said anything to me about sleeping in the vehicle was in Germany where the police officer said to me that it was not safe to leave the window open as much as I did. (One needs to crack a window if not the whole inside gets very wet.) When I slept in the vehicle in winter I always was in my military sleeping bag and covered my head with something too so I was not visible
One best advise is stop in a safe place like motorway services and the go for a walk timing yourself for around 20-30mins.Other things drivers do which shouldn't do is drive with your window(s) shut if you can place your fingers through the gap then that would be enough to have a breeze of fresh air, also to help is turn down your vehicle heater too.The warm & lack of fresh air makes you sleepy?
I've been to Gt. Yarmouth several times with my collie and slept in my car at the top of the promenade where the private hire taxis park. No prohibitive signs and no trouble. Never had a drink. Just saving a few pennies and I can still hear the sounds of the sea until I leave next morning after a refreshing early walk.
Aye, I lived in a car for just over ten years. I now live in a van (for 6 years). I wrote a book about the first 8 years of living in a car called, Backseat Bedroom.
I had to research lots of topics including drunk in charge and I asked a load of police departments all over the UK as well as various legal services and a couple of lawyers. It was very difficult to get a definitive answer, but the general consensus was 'don't take the risk'.
At the time of my inquiries a couple of responses from the police were that you would be done for drunk in charge, however if you took it to court the prosecutors would have to prove intent. I don't ever want to find out if that's true or not. I'm a musician and travel all the time (one reason I live in a van). The drink driving laws are a lot tighter in Scotland (and there is a zero tolerance in certain EU countries)
The very first thing I did when I made the decision to live in a car was to check with the police (Bedfordshire police) that it was legal. Since then I've slept all over the UK and Europe (check the laws before settling down, but most countries are fine with it).
Motorway services are a complete rip off, so as a wee tip, come off at a juction after, head along the road a wee bit and you will nearly always find a laybye. Check for signs containing bylaws (some places near Cambridge don't allow overnight stays). Be mindful of lorries as sometimes that's the only place they can stay.
Always have two big bottles of water. One full (of drinking water) and one empty. What do you do with the empty one when it's full? Ask a barrister if it's legal first!
What sort of van would you suggest to get
Great article as always BBB!
Here's a thought, what if the driver was intoxicated but the only keys were secured in a container with a time-lock set for 10 hours?
There would be little to 'no prospect' of Driver starting up the vehicle, surely there must exist proof that the means of starting the vehicle are present for a charge to be applied?
*A simple drop-in container, that detects when a key is deposited, triggering a time lock... there's a business opportunity for someone..??
There are always "what ifs". You would have to convince the plod at the time and, failing that, a judge in court. If successful on either count, you get away with it.
I checked this in regards to sleeping in a panel Sprinter
The insurance folks are aware people are likely to use their vans for sleeping, so they cover this if you are insured for haulage
without looking at the vid, OF COURSE IT'S LEGAL.
In fact it is mandatory, or SHOULD be if not, you pull over whenever safe to park up and have a quick nap if you are feeling sleepiness coming on.
I have done so MANY times, and will continue to do so.
Citroen C4 Space Tourer: Fold down the back seats and a single mattress fits perfectly!!! 😃😃😃 Cheaper than an £80 B&B.
Mercedes estate , as big as a double bed in the back .
And better than listening to someone snoring in your youth hostel. Yes I’ve done that in my C4 Spacetourer before. I actually got curtains made for it after that.
I have a Tentbox, so sleep on top of my car all the time.
Skoda yeti remove the seats at the back stick in a mattress. Lots of space.
I slept in my car once. Driving along the coast and the fog came in. It was so thick I could not see the front of my car let alone the road I was on. I pulled off and sat waiting for fog to clear and fell asleep. Police woke me several hours later and I found myself blocking the entrance to an information building... It was dangerous to stop when I didn't know where I was but more dangerous to continue on the road
I hope the police were OK about it in the situation?
My wife and I have a small Camper van. We both have keys and so would it not be difficult for the police to actually identify who is in charge of the vehicle. Here in Scotland we have the right to wild camp which includes at the side of the road (some exclusions do apply, i.e. Loch Lomond) so it is likely that alcohol may be consumed in the vehicle whilst parked up overnight or a number of nights.
Vans are exempt from the Loch Lomond restrictions. Rock up on a bike and use a tent and they will do you.
At most UK Motorway Service Stations there is an option to pay for additional parking time before you overstay (for example on arrival) that is normally considerably less than the more punitive rate you would incur if you overstay their limit without prepayment. This may be worth considering if stopping for a rest / sleep.
What about using a time delayed safe in the case of being in a motorhome, safely parked and have a drink but not having access to the keys which are in the time delayed safe in the vehicle? Would that count as being "in charge"?
And on that line of thinking, would leaving your keys behind the bar while you slept be ok?
Keep window covers in the car and put them up to sleep, then you are in stealth mode and it's less likely that anyone knows you are in there, drunk or otherwise.
Transit van with a matters in he back. With no Windows and plumber or builder firm logos on the side or unmarked as long as it dosn't look like a camper van.
@@bobbyrayofthefamilysmith24 then you will just be woken up at 3am by crims hoping to find some nice expensive tradesman's tools to steal from the back ;-)
@@subatomic2012 Except you have no tools left in van signs or the van can be plain. As long as it didn't look like a camper is the important bit.
@@subatomic2012 And then he can put those tools to good use
You are doing a fantastic job of explaining law to the person in the street 👍🏻
Top man thanks for taking the trouble to explain these things I love your videos 🙂
Just a shame some people dont seem to listen to what is said before going off on a rant with lots of what they seem to think are clever loopholes (but generally are not).
If you want to stay in a motorway service station for more than the maximum parking time they display, you can usually arrange to pay a fee to stay for longer. Ask one of the staff, I have done this a few times and they were happy to help.
I always remember a story that I read a few years ago. A man had a few drinks. His car was parked in a car park. When he returned he entered his car boot to sleep. He was found some time later dead. He had probably lost sight of his keys and suffocated. There was damage to the inside of the boot where he had tried to smash his way out.
Yes poor sod so frightened of draconian laws cost him his life, some free country we live in
A driver could have been baked alive in the boot of his car in the heatwave as he slept off a hangover.
His body was found in the trunk of a Ford Orion left in a pub car park for five days when temperatures soared into the 80s.
The partly decomposed body of the man in his 30s was found by his father who used spare keys to open the boot.
A post-mortem examination was inconclusive but police do not think the death was suspicious.
One regular at the pub said: "He might have been drunk and wanted to sleep off a hangover but was afraid he could be arrested for being drunk in charge of a car.
"A man came in saying he was looking for his son and showed a picture. He said his car was in the car park but no one knew the chap he was looking for.
"He came back with spare keys and discovered his son's body."
It is feared the dead man, who has not been named, was trapped when the lid fell shut at the Robin Hood pub, Stretford, Greater Manchester.
Police are baffled as to why he was in the boot.
Detective Constable Vanessa Firth said: "He did not appear to have any injuries and there was no sign of a struggle."
Forensic scientists will examine the man's remains in a bid to find the cause of death.
This happened in 1997
@@truth.speaker The boot of a Ford Orion would have been somewhat cramped for anyone but a midget .
@sadtranz Or more sadly, his over ingestion of alcohol led to a different bad decision than driving drunk. Or was it his plan to sleep in the boot from when he was sober? It was his decision to drive to the pub after all. If I remember Manchester in 1997, there were still enough pubs around to make driving unnecessary wherever you lived. There were also minicab firms. There's also no evidence that he slept in the boot because because he was afraid of being "drunk in charge" other than the supposition of one pub regular. There is also no cause of death listed - it may be totally unrelated to alcohol or his position in the car.
@@sadtranz4451 And what planet are you from? I can almost guess the country of origin of your car and that you are often DUI.
I can't find it now, but I remember a story of a Police officer (who obviously had a bee in his bonnet over something) issuing tickets to a load of HGV drivers outside a truckstop for being 'drunk in charge', but in the end he lost in court - I've a feeling it was The Red Lion but not 100% sure..
I met some travellers once and they put their motor home keys in a locked box before having a drink, partially for security and so they didn’t lose them but also partially because of laws like this, although they still weren’t sure if it’d be a defence
Anything is illegal if it happens to suit the law at that point, because thats the culture we live in now.
Everything is illegal except the junta polishing off 250million people and attacking 180 countries!
I think it shows how stupid the law is.
If you are drunk and in your vehicle, engine turned off, gear stick in neutral, keys not in the ignition, handbrake is on, then that is a perfectly safe situation. That vehicle is not going to move and cannot cause injury to another person.
The counter argument to this is, although this is a safe situation, moments later the driver could put the keys into the ignition and start the car up. This then leading to a potentially dangerous situation.
But what should the law be based on? Should you be guilty of an offence when it hasn't happened yet, aka the film Minority Report?
The law effectively assumes that whilst the car is in a safe situation, that the driver *will* at a short period of time later, and whilst they still have alcohol in their blood above the legal drive limit, will put their keys into the ignition and start the engine. There is no certainty of this at all.
So the law assumes they will commit an offence later and finds them guilty of an offence now when the car is in an entirely safe situation.
How is that fair?
I think you under-estimate how long it takes alcohol to leave your system. It's roughly 1 unit per hour, but that can slow if you are drinking heavily and/or constantly.
@@EvilGav I am not making any assumption about the rate at which alcohol is excreted from the body. Indeed, I have not even mentioned that.
So I am at a loss to understand why you have brought that into the discussion.
If your keys are lodged at the desk of the office or somewhere you can't get to them, it would be perfectly leagle for a drunk driver to sleep in thier car. Keys in your boot are easy to get to so yes, you could get charged. But not if you cant get to them.
This is a perfect point to discuss, what is the real reason to prosecute you about sleeping in cars.❤
This is informative. If you park your camper van in a camp site, put up the roof, make the bed, and have a few bevvies, you could lose your licence if you meet PC Bastard. It would be worse if you pulled up by a road and not a camp site. Best sleep in the field!
Actually, a camp site that has some form of 'entry control' (a gate, a bar, a booth with a guard - whatever it is), is not a "public place", therefore the "drunk in charge" does not apply. In addition, if you have demonstrably no intention to drive while drunk (roof up, bed made), no offence is being committed. See RTA 1988.
@@dlevi67 Thanks.
I did once hear of a case where a motorist was feeling tired, found a safe lay by on a quiet road and settled down for a snooze.
The police questioned him and since he said he was feeling tired so stopped for a kip, they charged him with driving while impaired by tiredness.
And they wonder why people hate the police
Despite all the signs you see on the motorway, that “tiredness can kill, take a break”?
I think there might be more to that story. If the driver was asleep / parked, how did the police prove the "driving". ??? and what was the court outcome
@@hubby-tubadventures01 Yeah, that smacks of not being told the full story. My first question is - did someone report their driving?
@@hubby-tubadventures01 he probably gave them the evidence they needed by saying he was extremely tired driving so had to stop.
obviously he should have stated he is stopping to have a planned rest so he doesn't become tired while driving ...
Many years ago, while spectating The RAC Rally, I would sleep for two hours at Services, then continue to another Services or the next Stage. I've never been fined while doing that but was fined while sleeping Sober in Newquay, as far as I am aware, there were no signs saying it wasn't legal but Dozens of vehicles were Done at the same time.
If you stop in a service station and over sleep it's usually 2 hours free simply go into the services and pay for 24 hours its usually under £20 for a car. Still a bloody liberty but cheaper than the £100 penalty
Motorway services were supposed to be a safe place, but now with 2hr restrictions is not anymore. In Winter motorists with vehicle problems were often dropped off by recovery agents to await onwards recovery.
Yes, I remember years ago being advised to stop at motorway services if I needed to rest on a long drive but these days with the short time limits and hiked up costs in all the shops, they are passed except for bladder stops.
For as long as I can remember, you've supposed to pay to park at an MSA after the free period expired, although they didn't always bother too much, now with ANPR they know when you arrive and when you leave, the computer does the rest and sends out the penalty notice if you didn't pay.
I used to sleep in all sorts of places many years ago, including my car, my work place (sneaking in after hours) and also public toilets (disabled is biggest). I did this because I had no where else to sleep - my job was in city A and it was a 5 hour drive to where my boss told me I had to work from. I was low paid and renting a house in city A so couldn’t afford to rent a second house, hotel fees, etc.
I've done similar, I think my 'best' was on the phone book shelf of an old red phone box - yes, I was rather drunk that night..
Toilets not very good if tiled floor as they drain the heat from you, as one speaking from experience. Prefer hedges myself
Sleeping in disabled toilets is a scummy selfish thing To do.
@@Talentedtadpole - thanks for your valuable feedback. I just hope that you are never in the dire situation that requires such action.
@@EdOeuna have been. Sleep in the non disabled looks. Disabled people are treated like rubbish.
Interesting video topic. I’m a car camper, in that I enjoy camping but sleep in my car. Although always on camp sites, I don’t advocate breaking laws and rules.
Side note: moto service stations only charge £15 per night to sleep in their car park. This of course gives access to showers, toilets, some have facilities for laundry, and of course access to a limited selection of shops, restraints, fast food. They are heavily policed with CCTV and security guards and often the police too. This whilst busy, actually cheaper than many campsites, and an awful lot more secure. So if your in a pinch and on a long haul journey it’s worth the £15.
Fifteen: Hope you did not use those "restraints" on your partner 😂😂😂
Motorway services in the UK all allow you to stay longer than their 'free parking' time limit, if you pay a parking fee, usually about £20 a night. If you don't pay the parking fee, and stay over the 'free parking' time limit the 'cameras' will catch you and you will get a penalty notice for about £100.
I do this regularly with my car and caravan.
Stopping in a lay-by is a cheaper option 'free', and if you keep the caravan attached to the car the whole unit is classed as a vehicle. Remember though that nobody is allowed to be in a caravan when it is in motion, you can only use it when it is stationary.
Thousands of lorry drivers sleep in their cabs in lay-bys every night.
A policeman once told me if you really must sleep in your car because you've had too much to drink and there really is no better or safer option, then the best thing to do is hide the keys outside the car. Under hedge or behind a bin, somewhere you'll remember but a decent distance away from the car. If the police do come knocking you tell them you don't have the keys, they are not on you or in the vehicle, don't mention anything else in relation to the location of the keys. If they can't find the keys there's no easy option for them to prove you were drunk and in charge of the vehicle.
even in doing the right thing they will still find a way to do you for it, one begins to wonder if these laws are really in the interest of the people or a justifiable means to make money and stay relevant
@@andypender Unfortunately it has got to the point it seems the police can do what they want and make anything up. Even if you can prove yourself innocent later in court, that doesn't take back the disturbance to your life, strip searches, a night or 2 in the cells and whatever other abuse the police decide to give you at the time. There are zero consequences for them and they know it too, so they just do what they want and what they want is often not good because they are not good people.
@@andypender if you’re only just beginning to wondering that…you’ve got a huge rabbit hole to go down. 😂
Question: what if I was sleeping it off (drink) in my car but the keys are held by another person (not in the car) perhaps sleeping in my car parked outside an friends house (on highway) and the keys are inside the house? is that still in charge of a car?
What are the issues then? If you're staying at a private campsite there should be no legal problem with having a drink or two with dinner and then settling down for a restful night's sleep. However, if you're parked in a layby, next to a highway or even a pub car park then things get far greyer.
Although I haven’t checked the latest systems, it was always the case in any motorway service station that for a small fee (usually larger for HGV drivers), you could stay a lot longer than the standard 3 hours and park up for the night if you wish.. still cheaper than the fines by a long way..
How far away from your vehicle do you have to be before you are classed as “not in charge of said vehicle”? If I’m in my house, drunk, with my car keys in hand and my car is on the road just outside am I “in charge” of that car?