Sleeping in vehicle

tadau68 · Veteran Member

Sleeping in vehicle

Eaglemax · Guru

I stand to be corrected by if fatigued you can sleep in your vehicle. But next morning if you roll out the awning, set up the chairs and put a pork roast on I think it then becomes a camping situation. I dont think it's in the interest of road safery for police to move you on if fatigued.

brickies · Guru

There Two side to camping at places where it say no camping , A Police Officer is very unlikely to move you on if you tell them you have stopped because you were Fatigued , But a council Ranger would just give you a ticket and tell you to move on .

Tony Bev · Guru

tadau68 wrote:
Hi all. As you may well know. Sometimes you arrive late and reception closed at all campsites you ring. We have just arrived at the entrance and this has happened. We do free camp now and again. But here there are signs everywhere. Where does the "LAW" stand with sleeping in your vehicle? Wishing you all a happy Christmas and New Year Troy and kim

If this happened to me, I would just stay as close as I could to the entrance of the campsite, and when/if chatted, I would politely explain that I was waiting for the reception to open

If I went a few kilometres away, and tried to hide around the corner, I would take it as fair cop, if a council ranger did not believe I was waiting for a campsite to open, and booked me

As I am self contained, I can, and sometimes do, park up just off the highway, but never in or near a built up area

Desert Dweller · Guru

Technically in your current situation you are classed as vagrants. Try to arrive earlier next time.

Fatigue is a pretty lame excuse. Try pleading insanity that may have the desired effect.

Kebbin · Guru

Desert Dweller wrote:
Technically in your current situation you are classed as vagrants. Try to arrive earlier next time.

Fatigue is a pretty lame excuse. Try pleading insanity that may have the desired effect.

Do you enjoy being insulting DD or is it just your nature, just to clarify a Vagrant is a penniless beggar, did the OP deserve such abuse? As to the question unfortunately I believe it is up to the discretion of the Policeman/Ranger, having said that I agree with Tony who said stay as close to the CG or CP and do not set up camp or awning and also don't sleep in pj's or use dressing gown, some officials are rather shortsighted.

rockylizard · Guru

Gday...

I gotta agree that DD is renowned for his bluntness and thoughtless directness in his replies. Life's too short DD. hmm

However, actually -

vagrant n.

One who wanders from place to place without a permanent home or a means of livelihood. A wanderer; a rover.
One who lives on the streets or constitutes a public nuisance.

Cheers - John

Dunmowin · Guru

rockylizard wrote:
Gday...
I gotta agree that DD is renowned for his bluntness and thoughtless directness in his replies. Life's too short DD.
However, actually -
vagrant n.
One who wanders from place to place without a permanent home or a means of livelihood. A wanderer; a rover.
One who lives on the streets or constitutes a public nuisance.
Cheers - John

That refers to a lot of us here on this forum! biggrin biggrin biggrin Including the Dunmowins. (take out the words Means of livelihood)

Aus-Kiwi · Guru

If you move or sit in vehicle before say ?? 7.0 AM youâll be pretty much fine . Chances are the locals have rang the council so be aware of where you stop .. Try to keep vehicle clean so you donât look like no hoppers !!! As much as we donât like it . We do pidgeon hole people . Donât give them an excuse !! We free camp . Same situation .. Reminds me when we first came to Aust . (West Island from the North Island ) we slept in a 200B Nissan . I cant really say it was a good sleep !! Would nearly kill me now !!! Lol

-- Edited by Aus-Kiwi on Tuesday 12th of December 2017 11:04:42 AM

Peter_n_Margaret · Guru

We have very narrow minds in this country.
In many countries in Europe, if you can legally park somewhere, it matters not if you sleep in the vehicle, or not, and why should it matter?
In Germany, Norway and Poland for instance, we used car parks in towns that charged for parking between 8am and 5pm. After those hours they were free and there was no restriction to staying all night.
The one in Germany actually had a dump point and drinking water tap in one corner and 6 larger parking spots especially for motorhomes. The one in Poland was a commercial one, right in the city. We arrived before 5pm and paid the attendent for 30 minutes parking at the going rate, then left by 8am. We were directed to the one in Norway by the information centre. It was right on the water on the wharf in the middle of town.
We felt very welcome in those places.

Cheers,
Peter

Cupie · Guru

Kebbin wrote:
Desert Dweller wrote:
Technically in your current situation you are classed as vagrants. Try to arrive earlier next time.

Fatigue is a pretty lame excuse. Try pleading insanity that may have the desired effect.

Do you enjoy being insulting DD or is it just your nature, just to clarify a Vagrant is a penniless beggar, did the OP deserve such abuse? As to the question unfortunately I believe it is up to the discretion of the Policeman/Ranger, having said that I agree with Tony who said stay as close to the CG or CP and do not set up camp or awning and also don't sleep in pj's or use dressing gown, some officials are rather shortsighted.

On this occasion, DDs reply gave me a good chuckle, particularly the last sentence. A bit unkind though, I suppose.

Dick0 · Guru

Desert Dweller wrote:
Technically in your current situation you are classed as vagrants. Try to arrive earlier next time.

Fatigue is a pretty lame excuse. Try pleading insanity that may have the desired effect.

Lol...

You hit sensitive nerves again DD...couldn't help but see the humour in it.

I thought it was funny.

Aus-Kiwi · Guru

Sheesh better be careful of our grannny / Poppy naps !! Lol

moamajohn · Guru

Frankly we all have mobile phones and sometime during the day you should have service so if you are going to be late you can ring forward ,however in this day and age why should any body ever be late if you are touring and enjoying oneself, breakdowns being the exception. We find most nomads tend to pull the pin prior to 4pm ish. One should be settled and comfy and looking forward to happy hour !!Cheers

brickies · Guru

Some free camps you need to arrive by 1 PM if you want a spot , I agree why would a Grey Nomad be that late getting to a caravan park , Most park would give you a number to ring when you get there if you had booked ahead .

tadau68 · Veteran Member

Hi. Thank for all off your replies. Have a good day

Eaglemax · Guru

Why would you be late? People are going to be scared to post here. What if they had a flat tyre, took a wrong turn, misjudged the travel time?. Humans are imperfect except some that post here. ..

Eaglemax · Guru

The OP asked what the LAW was. Relevant fair question. They didnt asked to be judged in a critical sense. Grumpy old men!!!!

sirbasil · Member

If it is such a worry why don't you organize your schedule so you don't arrive late, I am amazed the number of people who turn up in the dark and then set up there rigs annoying the crap out of other who have done the right thing:

toglhot · Senior Member

Fatigue is a pretty lame excuse! Really?

'If it is such a worry why don't you organize your schedule so you don't arrive late, I am amazed the number of people who turn up in the dark and then set up there rigs annoying the crap out of other who have done the right thing:'

Being as you don't know the reason they arrived late, probably a pretty ignorant comment. You also have to consider that not everyone lives by your rules or your clock. That probably sounds ridiculous to you, but that's not surprising! Many people prefer to live and travel by a different clock to yours, it's called 'free choice'! I've seen many pack up and move on late in the afternoon. Not something I'd do, but again, free choice.

The arrogance and ignorance shown by some on this forum is astounding.

I have arrived late a few times, I simply set up in a site that is free, head to the office first thing in the morning and then move the van. Many CPs have signs up telling travellers to do just that.

Aus-Kiwi · Guru

Like I know when Iâm going to get sleepy and tired ? If your tired PULL OVER AND REST !! Plenty of road signs saying so . Mind you donât make a nuisance of yourself where you park etc !!

KJB · Guru

Some people would be alot happier if they just stayed at home.

brickies · Guru

Plenty of rest area before before you reach the town you are heading for and it is late so why kept driving onto a town knowing you wont have somewhere to camp .

Cupie · Guru

Eaglemax wrote:
The OP asked what the LAW was. Relevant fair question. They didnt asked to be judged in a critical sense. Grumpy old men!!!!

Fair comment Eaglemax.

I agree that there are a lot of grumpy old farts around.

Not me of course, despite what SWMBO says.

brickies · Guru

Maybe we all know the law but some just want to push the boundaries .

Aus-Kiwi · Guru

Yea itâs ok . Just not outside my place !! Lol

Desert Dweller · Guru

The old ''I'm fatigued'' or ''I've just taken medication'' excuse has been around for years.

Surely ''law breakers'' can come up with something more original than that these days.

It makes the rest of us wrinklies look bad.

Ron-D · Guru

Iam fatigued is often true when your at the end of your tether and it's a good excuse ...

Enal Niloc · Newbie

Hi guys I am an ex park ranger who patrolled the Great Ocean Road between Lorne and Port Campbell and here us what the law states: That you cannot lawfully camp on Crown Land (A coastal reserve in this situation) and even if you used an "excuse" as many of you have admitted (that it is an excuse) you can be moved along or suffer a summary penalty which was $110 in my day - If you have to sleep in a vehicle or in your van for that matter what I would expect people to do is to get off the coastal strip (esplanade) as every morning there would 10 to 20 people camped on the forseshore - I would wake them up around 6am and ask them to move along but would only issue a fine if they became aggressive or rude - in my 10 years I never issued a fine as most people realised how common this problem was on such a beautiful stretch of coast - just remember its your attitude and how you communicate that determines the outcomes you experience and as I said we would talk to 10 to 20 people most weekends - so we have heard every excuse there is - if you must stop and prop have the forethought to get off the main road and look for a quiet place tucked away out off the the coastal strip - problem solved. -good luck ! ps I thought DD's coments weren't disrespectful or rude just calling it how it is !

moamajohn · Guru

Enal, let me be the first to express my feelings that clearly you are very thoughtful and furthermore very practical in your logic and your personal opinion with regard to our topic.Welcome to this forum and I hope you will give a professional opine in the future when we digress from the parameters of common sense . Cheers.