Overnighting in interstate rest areas

[kwbush]

Been propositioned at a few of them too.

Ummmmmmmm, Tom, just wonderin', 50 or more years ago?  :

Keith  :-[

 

[SeilerBird]

Ummmmmmmm, Tom, just wonderin', 50 or more years ago?  :

Keith  :-[

Hookers don't care what you look like, just care about your wallet. ;D

 

[kwbush]

I see...  :-[

Keith

 

[lone_star_dsl]

As a former truck driver and the son of a former truck driver, it's nice to show a courtesy to the professional drivers on the road that are mandated by federal law to stop and take breaks or sleep. Taking up spaces at a rest area is depriving a trucker of a much needed place to park.

I've had to pass many rest areas because they were full of RV'ers. Parking a truck on a highway on ramp with two steep angles makes it very difficult to get a good nights sleep.

Many of us traveling for recreation are not on a tight timeline like truckers are. Do yourself a favor and find a Walmart. They are open 24 hrs and are typically patrolled by a security officer. Not to mention the fact that you can put your slides out and won't have to listen to idling engines or APU's all night.

 

[markbarendt]

As a former truck driver and the son of a former truck driver, it's nice to show a courtesy to the professional drivers on the road that are mandated by federal law to stop and take breaks or sleep. Taking up spaces at a rest area is depriving a trucker of a much needed place to park.

I've had to pass many rest areas because they were full of RV'ers. Parking a truck on a highway on ramp with two steep angles makes it very difficult to get a good nights sleep.

Many of us traveling for recreation are not on a tight timeline like truckers are. Do yourself a favor and find a Walmart. They are open 24 hrs and are typically patrolled by a security officer. Not to mention the fact that you can put your slides out and won't have to listen to idling engines or APU's all night.

With respect, IMO that's horse pucky.

Truckers have the same opportunity to use Walmart as RVers. Truckers also have truck stops.

 

[lone_star_dsl]

With respect, IMO that's horse pucky.

Truckers have the same opportunity to use Walmart as RVers. Truckers also have truck stops.

Truckers don't always have the luxury of a Walmart parking lot. I've been kicked out of a couple because local ordinances don't allow truck parking. If you've never been a truck driver, you most likely will never understand the hardships and nuances that come with the job.

 

[kwbush]

lone_star_dsl...

I respect a drivers need to stop and rest or make up required downtime, but and maybe I'm outa my league here...
those rest areas are paid for out of ordinary taxpayers pockets and not exclusively by trucking companies or truck drivers, sooooo if I need a place to pull over to rest my tired arse... guess where I'm going?

just sayin'

Keith

 

[markbarendt]

Truckers don't always have the luxury of a Walmart parking lot. I've been kicked out of a couple because local ordinances don't allow truck parking. If you've never been a truck driver, you most likely will never understand the hardships and nuances that come with the job.

My last pass through CA I tried to stop at a rest area that was clogged with trucks, I moved on and pulled off at the next truck stop (15 minutes down the road) and there was lots of room, bought 50 gallons and parked for 6 hours.

Next night did Walmart in Oregon parked next to 2 trucks and 5 RV's.

I also did 8-years tramp mining dragging an RV and parking in rest stops for a few Zs on the way to the next job. Truckers aren't the only working men stopping in rest areas, nor are they the only ones paying for that privilege.

 

[RedandSilver]

I know trucker's have a hard job sometimes and are required to take breaks every so often.

However Rest Areas ARE Pubic areas and any driver and especially in a MH needs rest too even if it's not mandated.
Driving a MH while too tired is just about equal to drunk driving so please don't fault us for taking a spot in a rest area.

Not wanting to arrive at a campground in the dark (and pay for a 6 hr stay) I will use a rest area OR a Walmart if possible.
The thing about rest areas is they are right off the highways whereas a Walmart might be a few miles off the exit.
In either place there could be low-lifes waiting to pounce but I would think maybe a little less at a rest stop depending on
what side of town a Walmart is in.

The thing about truck stops is MOST OFTEN it's just trucker's there at a Flying J or Loves truck stop and very
few if any MH's that I have seen.  But I know they get filled up too.

 

[supermanotorious]

Found this list that may help.  http://beamalarm.com/Documents/state-rest_stop_policies.html

I pulled into a Florida rest stop late the Friday after Thanksgiving and was greeted almost immediately by a uniformed person letting me know that 3 hours was my limit.

It was a surprise to this westerner, and it would have been nice to stay longer, but getting the info before getting a ticket was appreciated.

going back to FL any time soon? if not, you couldve just stayed there and "taken" the ticket home with you, in the form of finding the nearest trash can

 

[SeilerBird]

going back to FL any time soon? if not, you couldve just stayed there and "taken" the ticket home with you, in the form of finding the nearest trash can

If he did that he would not be able to renew his driver's license the next time he went to renew. The states all talk to one another now.

 

[Bill N]

If he did that he would not be able to renew his driver's license the next time he went to renew. The states all talk to one another now.

I worked as a drivers license examiner for 10 years and you are correct - your driving transgressions do follow you via the national computer system.  I think it was labeled PDPS at the time and when you went in to renew the first thing done was enter your info into the national check system and see if the record was clear.  99.9 percent were.  I myself had a problem caused by a chap in Ohio with the same name who had a very bad record but, luckily, I could prove myself not to be the culprit.

Bill

 

[SeilerBird]

I worked as a drivers license examiner for 10 years and you are correct - your driving transgressions do follow you via the national computer system.  I think it was labeled PDPS at the time and when you went in to renew the first thing done was enter your info into the national check system and see if the record was clear.  99.9 percent were.  I myself had a problem caused by a chap in Ohio with the same name who had a very bad record but, luckily, I could prove myself not to be the culprit.

Bill

When I moved to Nevada fifteen years ago I could not get a drivers license until I paid a fine I did not know had been levied on me in Utah.

 

[markbarendt]

going back to FL any time soon? if not, you couldve just stayed there and "taken" the ticket home with you, in the form of finding the nearest trash can

I like to be courteous to the locals as I travel.

I don't view rest areas, Walmarts, or truck stops as a destination. For me they are places to rest just long enough to get refreshed and move on.

 

[Dragginourbedaround]

When I moved to Nevada fifteen years ago I could not get a drivers license until I paid a fine I did not know had been levied on me in Utah.

Had the same problem when I went to renew my VA drivers license in 2000. They told me I couldn't renew until I paid a MA ticket from 1995! I called MA DMV and told them I paid the ticket. They wanted to see a canceled check from 1995. Today checks are on line (if you still use them), but not back then, and I didn't have the paper cancelled check from 15 years earlier. I had a letter from the state saying the ticket had been paid and my license had been reinstated. Not good enough, only a cancelled check would do. VA wouldn't do anything until it got the release from MA, so I paid it AGAIN! UGH! There is a legal term for what they did to me, but I can't remember what it is. Oh ya it's called extortion!

 

[Peggyy]

Is it safe to sleep overnight in a Walmart parking lot?    I know lots of people do it but it just sounds so unsafe to me?

 

[gwcowgill]

Is it safe to sleep overnight in a Walmart parking lot?    I know lots of people do it but it just sounds so unsafe to me?

A Walmart parking lot can be as safe or unsafe as the area it is located in. In all my RV time I believe I have spent maybe 10 nights in Walmart or Big Box store parking lots. Once we were broke down and the rest of the time we were in areas where there was not a campground nearby. Today we plan to be in a campground before dark and not be on the road until after 8am but then again we are retired and in no hurry.

 

[markbarendt]

I have felt safe whenever I've stayed in a Walmart parking lot. I'm sure that there are exceptions where I would worry but I've yet to get there.

 

[SeilerBird]

Is it safe to sleep overnight in a Walmart parking lot?    I know lots of people do it but it just sounds so unsafe to me?

I have spent hundreds of nights in Walmart parking lots and never for a minute did I feel unsafe. They have security cameras covering the entire lot. They have security people patrolling the lot. There is a lot of traffic. No reason to feel unsafe.