What to do with car overnight on long drives

NedRN · Aug 10, 2015

Personally, I sleep in my car. Not very helpful information I'm sure.

Argo · Aug 10, 2015

I have insurance and don't worry about it much

NedRN · Aug 10, 2015

Sorry about the earlier post, I meant to add more. Personally, I worry more about stuff in my hotel room than my car. Unless you stay at really skanky hotels, the parking lots are well lit, often have either a security person or cameras, and seldom are cars broken into. Most cars have alarms, unlike hotel rooms. Really, there is not much of value in cars these days. Dashboard GPS units (if you are not using your phone) are too cheap to bother with and built-ins not worth anything. I would not leave a phone or laptop in plain view.

lanoneus · Aug 11, 2015

Just make sure your car is in a well-lit hotel lot with security cameras. The only time my car was ever broken into at a hotel was when I parked in the adjacent restaurant's lot--there were no security cameras there. Also, keep your stuff in your trunk if you can so it's not highly visible.

Lnr567 · Aug 12, 2015

I solved my own problem. Found an Airbnb with a garage they agreed to let me use!

Yall are some brave folks!

bagladyrn, RN · Aug 12, 2015

In 18 years of traveling, staying at motels across the country I've never had my car broken into at a motel. I do ask for a room close to the office when possible.

The only two breakins I've experienced were in the hospital parking garage (in a small town) and in the parking lot of a gated apartment complex.

NedRN · Aug 12, 2015

You can never predict when some teenager will go on a rampage and break into a ton of cars for fun. I lost a bicycle out of my locked car (1979 Subaru, no alarm) in ultra safe Bangor ME in a good neighborhood of all places - never even locked the house door. Can happen anywhere, but it is like being in a plane crash - Very unlikely.

I'm sure you have other reasons for requesting rooms close to a motel office, but you realize that you can park your car close to the office no matter where your room is? Yes, parking a car (or as is often the case with me, a bicycle) in a high traffic area or one in front of a store or office means that the bad guys are less likely to consider it than those parked in dark remoter areas. Like Bangor ME!

bagladyrn, RN · Aug 14, 2015

You can never predict when some teenager will go on a rampage and break into a ton of cars for fun. I lost a bicycle out of my locked car (1979 Subaru, no alarm) in ultra safe Bangor ME in a good neighborhood of all places - never even locked the house door. Can happen anywhere, but it is like being in a plane crash - Very unlikely.
I'm sure you have other reasons for requesting rooms close to a motel office, but you realize that you can park your car close to the office no matter where your room is? Yes, parking a car (or as is often the case with me, a bicycle) in a high traffic area or one in front of a store or office means that the bad guys are less likely to consider it than those parked in dark remoter areas. Like Bangor ME!

Yes, that was the point - it's very unlikely, not enough of a risk to preclude driving to a contract. Besides, the one breakin resulted in one of my better travel stories: the local PD melted part of my car in the process of "investigating". Absolutely a hoot to see the young officer's face as he said "I really didn't know it would do THAT."! Obviously not an area of much high crime!

wanderlust99 · Aug 14, 2015

I was able to fit the majority of my belongings in my trunk. So most of my valuables would be in the trunk, out of view. I'd pack things that didn't look too interesting to steal in the backseats, like a pile of clothes in a hamper or a box of books. And I'd bring 2 big suitcases into the hotel overnight. One with whatever I needed and the other I'd put my laptop, jewelry, and some important paperwork/documents and I'd carry it in to stay w/me in the hotel.