# Masturbating while driving – Legal? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 20, 2001, 4:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/masturbating-while-driving-legal/94346 "2001-11-20T04:38:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Beadalin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3be4f8/32.png) [@Beadalin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beadalin)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2001, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/masturbating-while-driving-legal/94346/21 "2001-11-20T15:47:41Z")
Shouldn’t indecent exposure factor in, at least in some cases? Just this very weekend, some friends of mine were walking across the street when a Ford Explorer cut them off. The man driving had his window down, and was completely naked and masturbating. My friends called the cops on him, but I have no idea whether the police found him or not. Ew. ---
**Author:** ![handy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5a626/32.png) [@handy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handy)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2001, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/masturbating-while-driving-legal/94346/22 "2001-11-20T16:10:54Z")
I’m not a lawyer but Im pretty sure its covered under indecent exposure rules. They talk about it in ‘Sexual Addition’ books as one of the most stupid things to do because all someone has to do to report the person is take their license number down. cynic, in order to see that sort of thing, you must be HIGHER than their car, are you driving a semi? ---
**Author:** ![Podkayne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/edb3f5/32.png) [@Podkayne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Podkayne)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2001, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/masturbating-while-driving-legal/94346/23 "2001-11-20T18:16:38Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by yojimboguy \* > A girlfriend once gave me a blowjob on the highway. Everything was great till we hit the toll booth. Um, literally? ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2001, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/masturbating-while-driving-legal/94346/24 "2001-11-20T19:16:41Z")
I do software support. A user just came by with a question and I pulled up a window on my screen and showed him, over the course of 5 minutes, how to solve a problem. The window I pulled up and we were looking at was right next to my Netscape SDMB window. You know… the one with \*\*Masturbating while driving - Legal? \*\*plastered in large font across the top. Who needs help now? ---
**Author:** ![H8\_2\_W8](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c77e96/32.png) [@H8\_2\_W8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/H8_2_W8)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2001, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/masturbating-while-driving-legal/94346/25 "2001-11-20T19:51:29Z")
Similar to the OP. My story: I had borrowed my brother-in-law’s Ford Expedition (one big high-up ride) and was rolling down the divided state highway when a Jeep Cherokee ahead of me was swerving around a bit. It was this summer and at dusk. I figured the guy was a little drunk, maybe had too many drinks at happy hour. The jeep slows down a bit and drifts over to the left lane, so I go to the right lane to pass over on that side (and to look to see if the guy had a beer in his hand or what). What I saw was a girl, young twenties maybe, kind of cute, wearing a skirt, with her left leg hiked up and her right hand in her panties rubbing away! After about 4-5 seconds she realized someone was in the next lane, looked over and was startled to see that I was up higher and could see her in action. She quickly pulled her hand from her panties and floored it, leaving me behind. I turned off the next county road and figured she got back to business on down the road. So, she wasn’t trying to show off and she wasn’t nude or really unclothed. Was a law broken? (I certainly wasn’t offended; I’d buy an Expedition if only more women did it.) ---
**Author:** ![plnnr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ea924/32.png) [@plnnr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/plnnr)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2001, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/masturbating-while-driving-legal/94346/26 "2001-11-20T20:08:45Z")
From the Code of Virginia: Section 18.2-387 - Every person who intentionally makes an obscene display or exposure of his person, or the private parts thereof, in any public place, or in any place where others are present,…shall be guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor. Breatfeeding women are specifically excluded from this prohibition. I am not an attorney, but I believe that I could make a case that masturbating while driving is indecent expsoure, and probably reckless driving as well. ---
**Author:** ![bup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6bbea6/32.png) [@bup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bup)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2001, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/masturbating-while-driving-legal/94346/27 "2001-11-20T21:10:07Z")
So if you keep covered, and you’re not the driver - then what? Wank away? ---
**Author:** ![AwSnappity](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a3d4f5/32.png) [@AwSnappity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AwSnappity)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2001, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/masturbating-while-driving-legal/94346/28 "2001-11-20T21:51:19Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Keeve \* > \*\*Do you people drive trucks, or what? I’ve heard of this kind of stuff, but how do you see someone’s lap from another car? > > I see shoulders easily, elbows very rarely. But laps? Really? \*\* > [@](#): > > _Originally posted by handy_ > **cynic, in order to see that sort of thing, you must be HIGHER than their car, are you driving a semi?** I saw a guy doing it while I was riding in a schoolbus. ---
**Author:** ![handy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5a626/32.png) [@handy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handy)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2001, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/masturbating-while-driving-legal/94346/29 "2001-11-21T00:08:46Z")
cynic, you see, when you ask a law question you have to at least narrow it down to a city for us. Otherwise we have to consider that your question might be about anywhere in the world…& then becomes unanswerable, right? ---
**Author:** ![ThisYearsGirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/73ab20/32.png) [@ThisYearsGirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThisYearsGirl)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2001, 12:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/masturbating-while-driving-legal/94346/30 "2001-11-21T00:16:57Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Badtz Maru \* > \*\*I used to do that fairly regularly on my ride home from work. I don’t anymore, though, since it’s a much shorter drive and I’m driving home during daylight hours. \*\* Hahaha–I swear to God, I read this without looking at the poster name, and thought, “That’s gotta be Badtz.” ---
**Author:** ![Badtz\_Maru](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e36b37/32.png) [@Badtz\_Maru](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Badtz_Maru)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2001, 4:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/masturbating-while-driving-legal/94346/31 "2001-11-21T04:14:05Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by ThisYearsGirl \* > \*\* > > > [@](#): > > > > \*Originally posted by Badtz Maru \* > > \*\*I used to do that fairly regularly on my ride home from work. I don’t anymore, though, since it’s a much shorter drive and I’m driving home during daylight hours. \*\* > > Hahaha–I swear to God, I read this without looking at the poster name, and thought, “That’s gotta be Badtz.” \*\* Umm…thanks? Re: People Riding in Trucks, I always tried to stop and cover up when I saw the headlights of a truck in the rear-view. I usually wear really large shirts (XXXL if I can find them) that come down far enough when I’m in a seated position. ---
**Author:** ![H8\_2\_W8](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c77e96/32.png) [@H8\_2\_W8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/H8_2_W8)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2001, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/masturbating-while-driving-legal/94346/32 "2001-11-21T14:17:01Z")
the link is from CNN-Sports Illustrated - [http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/features/1999/swimsuit/heidi/heidi10/heidi10l.html](http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/features/1999/swimsuit/heidi/heidi10/heidi10l.html) The lovely Ms. Klum has a painted-on swimsuit. If she wore that on a public beach (or anywhere for that matter) would it be I.E.? Her skin is covered but she’s not wearing clothes. ---
**Author:** ![Dilbert](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/58f4c7/32.png) [@Dilbert](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dilbert)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2001, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/masturbating-while-driving-legal/94346/33 "2001-11-21T14:47:19Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by plnnr \* > \*\*From the Code of Virginia: > > Section 18.2-387 - Every person who intentionally makes an obscene display or exposure of his person, or the private parts thereof, in any public place, or in any place where others are present,…shall be guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor. > > Breatfeeding women are specifically excluded from this prohibition. > \*\* If someone considers a breastfeeding woman obscene, I think they have some issues to deal with. ---
**Author:** ![Redhawke.the.bard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/779978/32.png) [@Redhawke.the.bard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Redhawke.the.bard)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2001, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/masturbating-while-driving-legal/94346/34 "2001-11-21T20:51:06Z")
In California, it’s Lewd Conduct in Public, or Public Lewdness (Cal. Penal Code Sec. 647(a)). It covers all acts of a lewd nature, whether any skin is exposed to the public or not. And yes, I’m afraid in your car (if the CAR is in public) is public. I’d be willing to guess that all states somehow incorporate this loophole in their Public Indecency laws. ---
**Author:** ![ski](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bbe5ce/32.png) [@ski](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ski)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2001, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/masturbating-while-driving-legal/94346/35 "2001-11-22T16:37:30Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by H8\_2\_W8 \* > \*\*the link is from CNN-Sports Illustrated - > > [http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/features/1999/swimsuit/heidi/heidi10/heidi10l.html](http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/features/1999/swimsuit/heidi/heidi10/heidi10l.html) > > The lovely Ms. Klum has a painted-on swimsuit. If she wore that on a public beach (or anywhere for that matter) would it be I.E.? Her skin is covered but she’s not wearing clothes. \*\* Man, I hope not. That’s beautiful. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/masturbating-while-driving-legal/94346.md?page=1)