RIDEGURU
I have just started driving for Lyft recently and I drive in San Francisco but I live 1.5 hours outside of the city.
I try to drive for a full weekend (Thurs-Sun) so I need to sleep around the city somewhere.
I have been finding some Airbnbs for $40 but they are few and far between and don't have parking.
What do people do? Sleep in your car? I have back problems and I don't feel safe sleeping in my car usually.
Is there a way people sleep in their cars soundly and safely?
Comments
you don't necessary have to drive all the way home. Drive to Oakland or South SF where you can find larger parking at big retailers like Target. You have flexibility as a rideshare driver; drive all night and sleep during safe times during the day, say Friday and Saturday late AMs. Those are dead times anyway.
As for sleeping, try this.
https://www.amazon.com/WINOMO-Window-Sunshades-Curtains-Sunshade/dp/B075H5YJNY/
My Honda's backseat folds forward creating a flat opening into the trunk. So I stick my legs through and I can fully lie down. Sort of like this. A bit cold in the trunk but it works.
I love it how you describe like this is normal. LOL
That actually looks pretty comfy. A little bit of incline, felted surface, "dark cove" you can get away to.
I have a new business idea. Drive-in hotel. You have an empty lot, just like a drive-in movie theater, and you just pull in and sleep.
How's that different than a normal parking lot? I guess fences and security guide? Maybe a bathroom?
It reminds me of a trailer park or a campsite.
Where do the long distance truck drivers sleep?
They sleep in the “cab” in the back. Those semi trucks have a small room they can sleep in with bed, TV and all that.
Thank You DFosterG11! Thank you for the picture of the big rig cab but what I meant was where the truckers park their rigs to sleep. I was thinking that there may not be many 76 Truck Stops in San Francisco. Thank you though, I guess I’m old, their weren’t any sleepers like that back in 1980!😊
Oh of course! Sorry.
Yeah, they just stop at random Interstate rest areas, right? I don’t think that has ever changed. And that’s a good call. That’s where drivers spend the nights. At 24/7 rest areas. There’s bathroom, McDonalds, vending machines and all that. Makes total sense.
Thanks DFosterG11! No, need to be sorry, I saw exactly where you were going after reading my post! You are very kind! Thank You!👍
That’s incredible.
You have to do the math. IS $40 worth it? If you went home, that would be 3 hours round-trip to your home plus half tank of gas at $25. So that's $15 for 3 hours or $5/hour. Is that worth it to you?
Oh, then you have to take into account the wear on your car, tolls, and parking...
Did you know that a "AIr Mattress in a Car" is a thing? Check it out: There are lots of examples. Some are custom fit and some are just Walmart bought mattresses.
Usually for SUVs or Hatchbacks.
That really does look comfy.
Strange, I just posted this article the other day regarding someone in your area who drives 8 hours to pick upfares in SF! I thought that was nuts but here you are doing a 1.5 commute (of course much more understandable than 8!). I think the article said this guy sleeps in parking lots so probably not too much help. Hopefully you find somewhere safe!
https://ride.guru/lounge/p/some-uber-drivers-drive-up-to-8-hours-away-to-pick-up-fares
As expensive as it is to live and or even stay overnight in San Francisco, this is becoming a big problem for service providers and gig economy workers. The whole city has priced out people who do not make $100K and up.
I have heard that people do sleep in their cars. This is actually becoming a problem onto itself, where workers do not bother driving home and end up sleeping in their vehicles. This is being grouped together with the homeless problem in San Francisco. (That's the irony. People who aren't homeless are being treated like homeless .)
To other posters. Look at the question again. He is asking what you do in big cities.
In big cities you really shouldn't be sleeping on the side of the road. You can get ticketed or attacked. You also cannot afford the parking fees either.
No rest areas either.
You should read this article
Some Uber drivers drive up to 8 hours away to pick up fares