Be it you happen to want to take a nap in your car on your lunch break or are crashing in your car on a road trip, privacy is something of a concern to us all. Fact is sometimes you just need to be able to recharge your battery and get away for that moment of silence and since we only seem to think kids need naps and do not accommodate for adults wanting to nap sometimes we have to be a bit more resourceful.
Recently I was traveling and needed a roadside pull off, my fear was that people would be able to see me taking my quiet little roadside nap and so I had to think of where I could pull off and be less noticed which made for a very tiring process.
I have also had the issue of those power naps at work, where to do them without being obvious or even being to hot.
So like all people who have encountered this issue, I decided to grab a window cover for my car. Sure this helps a little with being less obvious to those quickly passing by, however it still does not allow for security when people pass the sides of your car.
Solo traveling I decided that giving myself a bit more added security would be nice so I looked into just how to do that, especially when needing to use my car on the road for a nap or worse a break from conditions such as extreme heat or cold.
After seeing several people who cruse the nation in their rv units, buses and vans the common suggestion was actually quite simple. Use more than one window shade! Specifically however, creating custom cut shades for each of your side panel windows to enclose your space for full stealth. Of course window shades typically are silver so doing this would require an additional bit or work to black them instead of leaving them looking like tin foil on your windows and thus calling more attention to yourself.
Painting or wrapping a single side in black would provide the needed stealth for the on the road naps while also blocking out additional light which could hinder comfort of sleep.
On hot days the silver side could still be turned outward to reflect sun on the front windshield however keeping the silver side facing inside would also keep the heat in for a cold day.
This method has been used by many motorists which not only need those roadside naps but inhabit their road vehicle year round so for my own needs it is a tried and true method for which I can follow suit in using.
I found that at the end of the summer season in Texas items such as window shades tend to go on sale and drop in price by over 50% at many stores. I cleaned up on the auto isle at my local Walmart finding the thin window covers for only $1 each.
Taking them home and with a little help I cut each to fit the windows needing only a tape measure to figure out how much needed to be trimmed from each. Help was needed in holding each to the window itself to make final adjustments to the fit.
I then decided that painting would not be smart as it would carry that spray scent with it into the car and possibly asphyxiate me over time. So instead I decided to purchase black plastic bags to attach to the outer skin of each of the window covers when needed in more urban areas. In camping areas the silver side would be ok to use without cover as it is an acceptable place to be napping or sleeping.
Much like the window coverings boast when used to deter sunlight, keeping the heat inside of the car can change the overall temperature inside up to 40 degrees. As I do not plan on using the car for a zone to sleep and instead will only be using it for a cold or rainy condition alternative this will make a huge difference. In cold weather your body temperature drops dramatically and though I camp with layers and heat sources being in the elements can sometimes be a little overwhelming still having the alternative as an option brings a little security to my upcoming trip to the mountains in such late fall.
Napping now can be done in privacy when traveling and I encourage everyone to look into this stealthy method for getting a little peace in quiet in the loud and rowdy world on their lunch breaks as well… Who says adults can’t have nap time…. NOT ME!
Or for those not wanting to have to go through the hassle of custom cutting each shade...
this is.a a precut set available on Amazon which will cater to most motorists! I would have gone with one of these but I couldn't get them in quick enough to meet my needs for this trip so making my own was a must!
If you purchase these through this link, it benefits the Bunny Blog so I thank you in advance!!