It used to be that it only happened in the “big” cities - New York, Los Angeles, Miami, etc. That is, finding a homeless person sleeping inside your car. Now, given the state of the American economy, more and more people are resorting to sleeping inside cars, and it’s not always their own car they’re sleeping in. What if it’s yours? What will you do if you stroll on up to your car only to find someone already occupying it? That could be a very explosive scene, if not properly handled.

Now, whether or not you locked your car door is unimportant. Locking is just not a good enough deterrent to prevent someone who really desperately needs a comfortable shelter for the night from getting inside your car, if he or she so desires. And then you’ll wind up with a window repair bill, as well.

The best way to deal with a situation such as this is to call the police or a security guard and have them roust the person from your car. That’s their job, and they’re prepared to handle any untoward outburst from the sleepy homeless person. If the police don’t respond, or you don’t have enough time to wait for them (because yours is probably not a priority call), you’ll just have to do it yourself. Don’t manhandle the person. Not everyone wakes up in a good mood. Some people are very grumpy, in fact. Loudly address the person in the car, and alert them to the fact that they’ve now got to get a move on, and time’s a wastin’. Not just for him, but for you, too. With any luck, it will only take a few minutes for them to pack their belongings and head out.

Now, it is very likely that your car will now need to be aired out a bit. You know how stuffy cars can be when they’re closed up like that and someone who has not had the benefit of a recent hot shower has been sleeping inside.

That time you have to wait while your car airs out will give you a few minutes to reflect on this most recent “event.” Its time to make a decision: Install an alarm system, park in a garage or sell your car. Life in the big city — never boring.