So I’ve only been in Seattle for a year, give or take, and I admit there are things I still need to learn.
The biggest question I have right now is this: what’s up with people hanging out in their cars on Capitol Hill (and no, I don’t mean in Volunteer Park). On any given day, on any given side street, I’ll see people eating, talking, sleeping, reading books even–in their cars. Sometimes for hours.
But why?
Won’t someone please help me understand why?
My friend Paul will love this post. Every morning leaving his house on his way to work, Paul walked by a woman who sat in her Bronco while chatting on her phone. Every morning. The woman did not live on his street, he was sure. Now Paul has moved to El Cerrito and he doesn’t see her any more. He can’t answer your questions, either.
I live in Ballard and there is a woman who does this in her minivan a few blocks from my place. I’m pretty sure her reason is because she isn’t allowed to smoke in her house/apartment, though, so she does it in her car while reading.
I sometimes do it after drinking … I’ll sit and work on my laptop until I’m sober enough to drive home.
I also sometimes do it for privacy. I had family visiting recently and they were driving me crazy. I needed a private place.
My old housemate used to smoke pot in his car. He’d bring a magazine to look like he had something else to do.
I live over on 10th and there’s a man who sleeps in his truck almost every day – I used to think he was living in there but then realized that he works multiple shifts at a local restaurant and takes naps between them and on breaks…I don’t know if he lives in the area though…
I’ve had several occasions in the last 6 months to take a nap or eat lunch in my car. My house is being remodeled and it’s just been too noisy and cold to stay there. Sometimes you just want to get away but can’t–either don’t have the time to go somewhere or are sick of spending $$ on coffee in order to hang out. I’m sure the folks you see in their cars have their reasons.
I do this all the time too- I don’t eat in my car usually, sometimes just go out there to read or study—small apartment, need a neutral space (that’s the best/only explanation I can give). I also really like sitting in there during a downpour. But I’ll admit to finding it weird when other people do this.
That helps–for one thing it’s nice to know I’m not the only one seeing this. It does make more sense to me now that I’ve read these comments, but I especially like the way Carmen’s comment ends.