# How illegal is sex in a car? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [January 3, 2013, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-illegal-is-sex-in-a-car/645957 "2013-01-03T15:57:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Sicks\_Ate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/258eb7/32.png) [@Sicks\_Ate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sicks_Ate)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2013, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-illegal-is-sex-in-a-car/645957/21 "2013-01-03T19:36:11Z")
Sometimes the cop can be cool about it. When I was dispatching, I had an officer arrive onscene of what was presumed to be an accident…car out in the country off the road, in a field. A minute later, he called on the radio and said “No accident here, (dispatch). Just a little romantic interlude. I’m 10-8 (back in service).” On the other hand, not too long ago a couple got arrested for shagging in a car. In the middle of the day. On the shoulder of a 4-lane highway. Because their legs and bare asses were hanging out of the rear passenger side door. ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2013, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-illegal-is-sex-in-a-car/645957/22 "2013-01-03T19:43:21Z")
> [@Leaffan](#): > > I have no idea why I found this incredibly funny, but I did. I’m sure it wasn’t funny at the time! > > Anyway, if this is illegal then I probably broke the law about 200 times as a teenager. Well, I can see how it would be funny _now_. 🙂 It still hasn’t gotten to the funny stage for me, alas. ---
**Author:** ![Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de053/32.png) [@Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackknifed_Juggernaut)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2013, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-illegal-is-sex-in-a-car/645957/23 "2013-01-03T19:52:32Z")
> [@markdash](#): > > I’d rather just spend $40 once or twice during the holidays to rent a cheap hotel room to take care of business. Who cares if you only use it for an hour or two, it beats getting arrested, and you certainly would have more room to operate. The first time, it was purely spontaneous. The next couple times it was for the thrill of it, which a motel room can’t help with. Now, three weeks later (and 5-6 incidents later), I’m afraid it might it might be an addiction for her. And since I’m the male and the driver, I suspect I’d be the one the cops would target. ---
**Author:** ![drastic\_quench](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e36b37/32.png) [@drastic\_quench](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drastic_quench)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2013, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-illegal-is-sex-in-a-car/645957/24 "2013-01-03T19:57:27Z")
> [@Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](#): > > The first time, it was purely spontaneous. The next couple times it was for the thrill of it, which a motel room can’t help with. Now, three weeks later (and 5-6 incidents later), I’m afraid it might it might be an addiction for her. And since I’m the male and the driver, I suspect I’d be the one the cops would target. I should have such “problems.” ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2013, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-illegal-is-sex-in-a-car/645957/25 "2013-01-03T20:02:17Z")
> [@Anaamika](#): > > I got caught once too…when a cop banged on the window. He made both of us get out of the car, without any pants… And why wasn’t the cop wearing any pants? Such kidders, those cops! I hope you told him to get dressed before arresting you. ---
**Author:** ![muldoonthief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muldoonthief/32/3188_2.png) [@muldoonthief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muldoonthief)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2013, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-illegal-is-sex-in-a-car/645957/26 "2013-01-03T20:03:46Z")
> [@Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](#): > > The first time, it was purely spontaneous. The next couple times it was for the thrill of it, which a motel room can’t help with. Now, three weeks later (and 5-6 incidents later), I’m afraid it might it might be an addiction for her. And since I’m the male **and the driver** , I suspect I’d be the one the cops would target. Dude, if you’re doing it while you’re driving, getting arrested is the least of your worries. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2013, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-illegal-is-sex-in-a-car/645957/27 "2013-01-03T20:05:58Z")
> [@Musicat](#): > > And why wasn’t the cop wearing any pants? Such kidders, those cops! I hope you told him to get dressed before arresting you. Yeah, and it wasn’t just his participle that was dangling. ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2013, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-illegal-is-sex-in-a-car/645957/28 "2013-01-03T20:07:05Z")
> [@Musicat](#): > > And why wasn’t the cop wearing any pants? Such kidders, those cops! I hope you told him to get dressed before arresting you. Thanks, you actually made me laugh about this old incident. I appreciate it. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![corkboard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e9bcb4/32.png) [@corkboard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/corkboard)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2013, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-illegal-is-sex-in-a-car/645957/29 "2013-01-03T21:04:27Z")
We weren’t caught, but my wife and I were in NYC for our anniversary dinner and the warm weather, margaritas before dinner, wine with dinner, minimal clothing on my wife, and the fact that the kids were back at the house in NJ with a sitter all combined to get us too horny to make it back to the house. Plus, the 90 minute drive, interaction with the babysitter, etc would have quelled things a bit. We hadn’t planned to stay the night (and there are no $40 hotel rooms in the city, I can assure you), so we took advantage of the fact that the car was in a parking garage. We managed to find a position that worked for us, my wife pulled off her sundress, and we went at it like bunnies. Of course, we didn’t realize that where we were parked, every car that exited the garage swept their headlights across our windows, where they were all treated to the sight of two sweaty, 40-something adults acting like a couple of horny teenagers. Didn’t matter. There was no stopping us by that point. ---
**Author:** ![Malthus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/85f322/32.png) [@Malthus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malthus)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2013, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-illegal-is-sex-in-a-car/645957/30 "2013-01-03T21:07:16Z")
> [@muldoonthief](#): > > Dude, if you’re doing it while you’re driving, getting arrested is the least of your worries. It would certainly be likely to make his user name most appropriate. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2013, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-illegal-is-sex-in-a-car/645957/31 "2013-01-03T21:27:07Z")
> [@muldoonthief](#): > > Dude, if you’re doing it while you’re driving, getting arrested is the least of your worries. “A man that claims that he can drive safely while kissing a pretty girl is not paying enough attention to the kissing.” -Albert Einstein ---
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2013, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-illegal-is-sex-in-a-car/645957/32 "2013-01-03T21:39:13Z")
> [@tdn](#): > > It has windows. Doesn’t that make it public? > > Is it illegal to have sex in a windowless van? If the van’s a-rockin’, don’t bother knockin’! ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2013, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-illegal-is-sex-in-a-car/645957/33 "2013-01-03T21:50:47Z")
> [@Shoeless](#): > > If the van’s a-rockin’, don’t bother knockin’! Best bumper sticker EVAR. ---
**Author:** ![ralph124c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8797f3/32.png) [@ralph124c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralph124c)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2013, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-illegal-is-sex-in-a-car/645957/34 "2013-01-03T22:21:29Z")
I got caught with a GF when I was 21…unfortunately, we both were naked…the spot was at a beach at a deserted lake. We decided to take a swim when the cops pulled up…it was embarrassing. ---
**Author:** ![ducati](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/cc9497/32.png) [@ducati](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ducati)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2013, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-illegal-is-sex-in-a-car/645957/35 "2013-01-03T22:55:27Z")
Got caught by the cops a couple of times as a teen. Way the hell deep in a state park, not in a Wendy’s parking lot or somewhere “public”. We were scolded properly and sent on our way. As late as maybe 8-10 years ago, my wife and I dropped the kids with my sister in South Carolina, and headed back to Georgia. Somewhere along the way, desire overwhelmed us, and we found a side road off a side road and got busy. Would have been dreadful for a 40yo married couple to get arrested for that! And some time before that, we found a side road off I-75 coming back from Florida. We thought we were good and hidden, did our deeds on the hood of the car, then continued on home. The next time we went by the place, we could see from the highway that it was quite visible, even obvious! We grin at each other every time we go by there.😃 ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2013, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-illegal-is-sex-in-a-car/645957/36 "2013-01-03T23:05:11Z")
Sex in a car is OK, unless it is moving. ---
**Author:** ![Mister\_Rik](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mister_rik/32/491_2.png) [@Mister\_Rik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mister_Rik)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2013, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-illegal-is-sex-in-a-car/645957/37 "2013-01-03T23:21:06Z")
I was 20, she was 19. I drove us way the hell down a backroad in the hills, found a spot to pull over, and we got down to it. We were only as far as pants off and foreplay when there were suddenly headlights shining through the back window. We got ourselves presentable mighty fast! The friendly police officer saw what was going on, suggested there were more appropriate places, and sent us on our way. Kinda killed the mood, though ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Inigo\_Montoya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inigo_montoya/32/124_2.png) [@Inigo\_Montoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inigo_Montoya)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2013, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-illegal-is-sex-in-a-car/645957/38 "2013-01-03T23:23:33Z")
So…not to be a buzzkill or anything because this is all very riveting but…just how illegal _is_ it for consenting adults to have sex in a car that is not parked discreetly at a private residence? (so many qualifiers!) ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2013, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-illegal-is-sex-in-a-car/645957/39 "2013-01-03T23:47:05Z")
> [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](#): > > Sex in a car is OK, unless it is moving. No problem, as long as you’re not the driver. The motion adds to the sensation. ---
**Author:** ![ZPG\_Zealot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/e47c2d/32.png) [@ZPG\_Zealot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZPG_Zealot)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2013, 2:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-illegal-is-sex-in-a-car/645957/40 "2013-01-04T02:03:59Z")
> [@Inigo\_Montoya](#): > > So…not to be a buzzkill or anything because this is all very riveting but…just how illegal _is_ it for consenting adults to have sex in a car that is not parked discreetly at a private residence? (so many qualifiers!) Out of morbid curiousity (that’s my story and I am sticking to it) I asked some carny friends about this issue. After all their trucks or cars are usually the most private places available when on the road. It was their experience that getting arrested usually hinged on the matter of “public indecency.” If the police could see naked flesh, particularly bare bottoms bobbing in a window, seemed to bring out their wrath, they were likely to make an arrest and the charges would stick. However what can’t be seen or easily heard, was usually ignored. They would block the windshields and back windows with cardboard and put towels over the windows and a little discretion went a long way. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-illegal-is-sex-in-a-car/645957.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-illegal-is-sex-in-a-car/645957.md?page=3)