Sleeping in a Car - CoasterBuzz

I would only sleep in my car as a very last resort but then again I probably would not sleep at all! I would opt for a campground but I agree with Jeff that cheap Motel 6's are the way to go. If I had a minivan or a small RV I would be more likely to crash for the night at a rest stop. Rest stops are kind of scary anyway. Usually on road trips I stop at a fast food, usually a McDonald's to use the bathroom, even if somebody is with me. You can just call me a tad paranoid. :-)

-Tina

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Feel The Adrenaline....
www.intenserides.com
*** This post was edited by coasterqueenTRN 1/30/2003 11:24:23 PM ***

I'm with Jeff. If there is not a hotel inviolved, we ain't a going.

I would be EXTREMLY careful about rest areas, truck stops etc. I work in the trucking business and in talking with our drivers I hear a lot of bad stories of rest areas and truck stops, unfortunatly there is prostitution as well as drugs and theft going on A LOT, also muggings etc. A person would want to use a lot of caution of your going to sleep in the car in these or any area for that matter.

Dwane

I slept in my car on the way home from Indiana Beach at one of those car pool lots. I didnt have a problem... but the fog was so thick that night, i could barely see my windshield wipers...

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CBClub member #30 and #364 (renewal)

I've slept many times in my car, and have never had any problems. I don't recommend it if your planning your entire trip sleeping in the car though. You'll smell, you'll be dirty, and it's not the most comfortable way to sleep.

Whenever I've slept in my car, it's always been at a well-lit area (truckstops, hotel parking lots, some rest areas), and I'll always have my doors locked, windows slightly cracked for circulation, and my keys in the ignition (sometimes I just leave the car running...who cares about gas!).

You also should have atleast one more person with you, so you don't have to stop and sleep. Save time! When your driving, have someone else sleeping so you can switch drivers if you get tired.

Driving overnight is alot more difficult than you'd imagine, especially after you've been at a park all day. I'd also recommend stopping every hour or two to move around and keep awake. Just getting out and taking alittle walk for 5minutes really helps.

Hope this helps.
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Corey

rOLLocOAST makes a good point. I suppose I should have been a tad bit more specific. While driving through the night isn't that hard, it is extremely important that you don't try to drive farther than you really can. If you've been up all day, I wouldn't recomend driving for more than two hours, maximum (in one stretch). Because two hours on, two off isn't the best way to do things, it's much better if you have at least three drives. Still, it's possible with two.

Also, it's a good idea to know exactly where you're going to stop. Pick up the road map and find a rest stop or exit about two hours away. Knowing how much farther you have to go will help you stay focussed.

Above all else, do not push yourself. If you and your companion(s) simply can't go on, don't. Find a hotel or a capmground, or just camp out at a rest stop as a last resort. You'll probably end up behind whatever schedule you've set, but it's better than the alternatives.

(Oh, and just a bit of general car advice: While you can drive for longer periods when rested, I would generally stop to move around/use the bathroom about every two hours, anyway)

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I hear America screaming...

Actually RoLLoCoast makes a stupid point.

Sleeping with your car running, One slight hole in the trunk or floorboard could mean you don't wake up.

Chuck, who knows of three peeps who have died from Carbon Monoxide from cars

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Charles Nungester.
Confirmed, Lesourdsville Lake opening for 2003 details soon at Lesourdsville.com

See, my biggest problem is that when I worked for a big public corporation, they put me up in big nice rooms when I traveled. Now I can't stay in crappy hotels. Call me spoiled, but that's just the way it is now.

But that's not to say you don't score some good deals, when practical. Last year for our event at PKI we stayed at the tiny little Microtel on the other side of I-71. We got there late and were leaving early, so as long as the bed was comfortable, it was worth it (and it was).

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Jeff - Webmaster/Admin - CoasterBuzz.com - Sillynonsense.com
"The world rotates to The Ultra-Heavy Beat!" - KMFDM

Once I tried to make a day trip from Columbus to Kennywood. Driving back at about 1 a.m., we hadn't even made it to Washington, PA, when me and my two passengers were literally slapping ourselves to keep awake.

So we decided to pull over and nap at a rest area. But we had only been asleep for 30 minutes or so when a cop knocked on our window, questioned us and told us we had to leave.

Fortunately my buddy said he had gotten enough sleep to drive, and the next thing I knew, we were in Columbus. That is the most tired I have ever been.

Jeff - I am in your boat. I started staying in Westins and downtown hotels, and now I want to every time I go somewhere!

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A day is a drop of water in the ocean of eternity. A week is seven drops.

I've stayed in everything from the Ritz Carlton (Atlanta) to Red Roof Inn (PKI), but I dont forsee an instance where I will resort to sleeping in the car. Sure, I've done the switch drivers thing (Chi-DC, DC-Orlando, etc.) but I am NOT pulling over on the road while all of us are sleeping. If you're on the Interstate, it wont be too hard to find a Motel 6, Best Western, Holiday Inn, etc.

Sure, it may be a little more expensive, but IMO, if money is so tight that I need to cut corners like that, then *I* would feel that my travel plans were a bit too ambitious and would scale back the trip in some other manner (usually distance or duration).

And (SF)GA, I disagree with your "2 hour" rule. That isnt even a tank of gas's worth of driving. Even if I've worked all day, four hours of driving is well within my limit.
But I guess that's just how I grew up. If we didnt need gas, we didnt stop. You better pee at the gas station even if you didnt have too, 'cause who knows when we will stop again. For example, places like BGW, HersheyPark and SFGAdv from here in DC would require *no* stops. I'm pretty sure when I go to Kennywood that will be a non-stop trip too (though that is at the outer edge of my Avalon's range).
lata, jeremy
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"Sunshine, daisies, butter-mellow! Turn this stupid fat rat yellow!"

Thanks for some of the advice. Before I go I will probably plan it all out and try to use priceline or something to find some cheap hotels. I do like the idea of state parks though. That would work great if there are some that are not too far away. Does anyone know of any state parks near CP, SFWoA?

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Have you hugged a Beemer today?

I said, Punderson or Pundersun State park is like 15 miles from SWOA and only a hour and half from CP and 2-3 hrs from Kennywood.

It was like 7 bucks a night. and had retroom, laundry and shower facilities.

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Charles Nungester.
Confirmed, Lesourdsville Lake opening for 2003 details soon at Lesourdsville.com

Well it looks like I now have a place to stay while in Ohio(that part of the trip is taken care of). An hour and a half is not bad to CP and I will probably get an extra day with the money we will save.

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Have you hugged a Beemer today?

Brendan - also try looking for deals at these sites:

www.hotwire.com, www.smarterliving.com, www.orbitz.com, www.hotels.com

Good luck. Remember its not worth saving any amount of money if you aren't safe.

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Welcome to the New & Improved Coasterbuzz...now with 25% more tomfoolery and new pretty colors!

Moosh- I agree with you on that you can't put a price on saftey (Plus my parents wouldn't let me go if we weren't going to be safe).

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Have you hugged a Beemer today?

Punderson or Pundersun State park is Ranger patrolled, It is also a place that mainly families go to stay. I would suggest however you check with them before going, They said something about possibly needing reservations on weekends but no probs whatsoever about getting spots on weekdays.

Chuck
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Charles Nungester.
Confirmed, Lesourdsville Lake opening for 2003 details soon at Lesourdsville.com

Chuck - speaking of state parks near you, the all-time funniest name for a state park I've ever seen is on the interstate just south of Cincy: Big Bone Lick State Park!

We now take you back to your regularly scheduled thread.

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Welcome to the New & Improved Coasterbuzz...now with 25% more tomfoolery and new pretty colors!

I can't believe no one has mentiond this idea yet:

Thanks to this site, and other's like it. We each know people all over the world who live near amusement parks, and share our love of coasters. Make friends, and stay at peoples houses ! I've got a place to stay in every major city in the Midwest thanks to 10 years in the Rave scene (production, promotion, DJing, etc) & message boards like this.

Campgrounds / driving an RV is my 2nd choice.

Carpooling / shift driving is 3rd. Once drove from Milwaukee to Miami with 2 other people. 24 hour drive, straight through. Each of us driving 8 hour shifts while the others slept (Who-hoo for Geo Metros - $80 gas round trip !).

There are plenty of cheap hotels, $20-50 - go with friends and split the cost. Don't eat at the park and use the money you save to pay for the hotel.

I slept at a rest area on the way back from Cedar Point, but only because it's better than falling asleep and crashing. Long distance traveling is always better in groups.

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Current favorite coasters:
Wooden: 1) Beast 2) Raven 3) Son of Beast 4) The Boss 5) Timber Wolf
Steel: 1) Raging Bull 2) Millennium Force 3) V2 4) Wild Thing 5) Deja Vu / Mr. Freeze (tie)
Visit: http://www.dynamicgroove.com

Mamoosh said:
Chuck - speaking of state parks near you, the all-time funniest name for a state park I've ever seen is on the interstate just south of Cincy: Big Bone Lick State Park!

In Wisconsin, we have "Bong Recreational Area State Park".

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Current favorite coasters:
Wooden: 1) Beast 2) Raven 3) Son of Beast 4) The Boss 5) Timber Wolf
Steel: 1) Raging Bull 2) Millennium Force 3) V2 4) Wild Thing 5) Deja Vu / Mr. Freeze (tie)
Visit: http://www.dynamicgroove.com

Mamoosh said:
Chuck - speaking of state parks near you, the all-time funniest name for a state park I've ever seen is on the interstate just south of Cincy: Big Bone Lick State Park!
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Welcome to the New & Improved Coasterbuzz...now with 25% more tomfoolery and new pretty colors!

Thats because it's in Kentucky :)

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Charles Nungester.
Confirmed, Lesourdsville Lake opening for 2003 details soon at Lesourdsville.com