Question for gasoline-powered RVers
- Thread starter CityGuy
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This is why you carry a cell phone and a laptop. Use the phone to make a hot spot so you can bring up Google Earth on the laptop. Find the place you are planning to fuel and then go to "Street View" and asses your chances of getting the rig in there. We've been doing this for years because at one time we dragged a racing sloop (sailboat with a keel) and a 34' mast laid on top and it needed 10'6" vertical and 9' of beam (width) to clear.
Matt
Matt
NY_Dutch
Well-known member
No problem for us with our 34' gasser towing a toad. Certainly I select known accessible stations in familiar areas, but I also research new areas to pre-select potential fuel stops using Google's satellite/street views, etc.. My basic rule for any fuel stop is to make sure before pulling in that I know how to exit. I never let the fuel gauge get below a quarter before refueling. That leaves me a margin if I reject the first station or two.
What model sloop? I never raced (other than "how can you tell if two sailboats are racing? If they're in sight of each other."), but I sure loved to sail.
Pretty much what we did. Guess I'm just the nervous type. Definitely a congenital pessimist and have proven to be Murphy's favorite lab rat.
DutchmenSport
Well-known member
I have a 41 foot fifth wheel and a 23 foot long dually pick up truck. Combined (hitched), I am just shy of 60 feet. I have never had problems getting diesel at normal (gas station) service centers. I do NOT do truck stops. They are dirty, grimy, oil spills in the fuel bays, and the price of diesel in every state is something different, especially Indiana that has "exempt" and "non-exempt" diesel. When pulling up to a truck stop diesel pump, it's too darn confusing.
For all these reason, I stop at only normal gas stations that advertise and sell "auto diesel". Being 60 feet long, I've not had any problems getting in and out.
BUT! I also select my fuel stations carefully too. Some are just impossible to get into, even with a bicycle!
The secret to the success is to fill the tank when it is only half full/empty. Start looking for a fuel station at about 1/2 a tank. Do not even THINK of getting fuel in a city or larger town where turns are tight and bay areas are short. Avoid filling up in suburban areas.
Use Gas Buddy on your phone. It shows a map of your current location and where the closest fuel stations are located, based on your selection (gas or diesel) along with the last known price per gallon at that station.
If traveling, we'll give the most logical one a shot. However, if when actually getting there we find out the lot is just too tight, we have no qualms about moving on. There will be another station up the road a little farther.
We've never, ever come close to running empty doing it this way. So, selectively choosing the stations is what makes it successful to fuel up .... gas or diesel.... a motorcycle or a 60 foot rig.
Also, having good control of your rig, knowing how to back up, knowing how tight of a turn, and knowing how to maneuver through tight spots makes using the more "tight" stations very manageable too. It just takes a little patients and a little tolerance for other inconsiderate drivers to successfully navigate some of the tighter service centers.
What does irk me is when a "normal" gas station has only 1 pump for diesel. I'm sitting there with my 60 foot train waiting for someone else using the "gas" side of the same pump, when there are 10 other pumps sitting empty. So, I wait patiently, and in a position so as to not block traffic any more than necessary. After the person gets done, goes into the store and spends 10 minutes and walks out with a coke and a bag of chips, talking on his cell phone, he FINALLY pulls away. I now begin move forward and before I can get up there to the pump, someone other soccer mom driving in her little grocery getter SUV whips up the same pump, jumps out and runs in the store and doesn't even get gas. So, now I am sitting in a position where I'm blocking traffic. And now I'm really irritated. So, my best retalliation at this point is to simply move forward with my 60 foot rig and block everyone. When Soccer Mom comes out of the store, she's now pissed because she has to back up to get out of there, and she doesn't even get gas, but give me the nastiest, dirtiest, more horrific look on her face as if to say, .... "If I only had a knife, I'd stab your eyes out!"
That's the one thing I do not like about the smaller service centers.
For all these reason, I stop at only normal gas stations that advertise and sell "auto diesel". Being 60 feet long, I've not had any problems getting in and out.
BUT! I also select my fuel stations carefully too. Some are just impossible to get into, even with a bicycle!
The secret to the success is to fill the tank when it is only half full/empty. Start looking for a fuel station at about 1/2 a tank. Do not even THINK of getting fuel in a city or larger town where turns are tight and bay areas are short. Avoid filling up in suburban areas.
Use Gas Buddy on your phone. It shows a map of your current location and where the closest fuel stations are located, based on your selection (gas or diesel) along with the last known price per gallon at that station.
If traveling, we'll give the most logical one a shot. However, if when actually getting there we find out the lot is just too tight, we have no qualms about moving on. There will be another station up the road a little farther.
We've never, ever come close to running empty doing it this way. So, selectively choosing the stations is what makes it successful to fuel up .... gas or diesel.... a motorcycle or a 60 foot rig.
Also, having good control of your rig, knowing how to back up, knowing how tight of a turn, and knowing how to maneuver through tight spots makes using the more "tight" stations very manageable too. It just takes a little patients and a little tolerance for other inconsiderate drivers to successfully navigate some of the tighter service centers.
What does irk me is when a "normal" gas station has only 1 pump for diesel. I'm sitting there with my 60 foot train waiting for someone else using the "gas" side of the same pump, when there are 10 other pumps sitting empty. So, I wait patiently, and in a position so as to not block traffic any more than necessary. After the person gets done, goes into the store and spends 10 minutes and walks out with a coke and a bag of chips, talking on his cell phone, he FINALLY pulls away. I now begin move forward and before I can get up there to the pump, someone other soccer mom driving in her little grocery getter SUV whips up the same pump, jumps out and runs in the store and doesn't even get gas. So, now I am sitting in a position where I'm blocking traffic. And now I'm really irritated. So, my best retalliation at this point is to simply move forward with my 60 foot rig and block everyone. When Soccer Mom comes out of the store, she's now pissed because she has to back up to get out of there, and she doesn't even get gas, but give me the nastiest, dirtiest, more horrific look on her face as if to say, .... "If I only had a knife, I'd stab your eyes out!"
That's the one thing I do not like about the smaller service centers.
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Gary RV_Wizard
Site Team
Sometimes. I learned to quickly spot the clues to accessibility and after awhile figured out that I should not pull in unless I had identified how I was going to get thru & out. If I couldn't do that as I approached, I passed it up and waited for the next one. My wife helped spot.
Some of the clues & suggestions:
Some of the clues & suggestions:
- If the pump rows were perpendicular to the buildings, you will likely get trapped. Look for pump rows that are parallel to the building.
- Crowded & busy stations are a risk - some yo-yo is going to block your exit path and go inside for a lengthy visit
- Look for a pump that has a straight shot toward the exit
- Some stations have a drive-around behind the buildings that will let you avoid the jam out front
- Fuel stations on the outskirts of smaller town have more room than inner city sites. Look for fuel before you get to larger towns & cities.
- And don't wait until the gauge says "E" and you have to stop at the nearest station.
Mark_K5LXP
Well-known member
At this point I have never scouted my gas stops. I have a pretty simple setup though, just the 30 footer, no toad (yet). But it's not rocket surgery - you're bopping along and are at a point you want to fuel, whether by gauge or by schedule. You might pass a few based on congestion or obstacles, but at some point within say the next 25 miles you'll see a good candidate, take care of business and check the box. I've been in a few where it took some maneuvering to avoid/get around cars or get close to the pump. Whatever, I'm not in a hurry and if a 30' turd in the lane isn't enough warning for others to stay away, then I guess that's implied consent. As many times as I've had to wait for someone blocking a pump so they could go inside for coffee or whatever I don't feel bad for hogging a row of pumps actually pumping gas for 10 minutes.
Mark B.
Albuquerque, NM
Mark B.
Albuquerque, NM
Kirk
Well-known member
We were fulltime in a gasoline powered class A of 36' with car on a tow-bar behind. We were fulltime for 12 years and owned the rig for 14 years. In that time I did sometimes have to be a bit cautious on which pump to use and once or twice we dropped the towed to allow me to back out but once I got used to maneuvering the rig and learned what I could do it was never a problem. If the gas lanes were toward the station I always waited to get a pump that was on the end and usually with us pointed away from the building. At times I did have to wait to get the location I wanted, but that was not a big deal.
Boat Bum
Well-known member
None whatsoever but I am not widely traveled quite yet. I do scope before pulling in and have a predetermined enter/exit strategy.
Gary RV_Wizard
Site Team
I think the toughest fuel stop decisions come when traveling interstates or other limited access highways. You have to pick an exit and hope there will be an accessible station near it, but you usually can't see it in advance. And it's human nature to NOT want to get back on the interstate and try another blind exit, so you are sorely tempted to attempt what's there. Again, it's best to try at more rural areas where space is more available and traffic lighter. Your odds of success are much higher.
I applaud those who research fuel stops in advance and adjust their route to use a low-anxiety location, but I've never been inclined to that level of travel planning. I typically only have a general idea of where I will want to re-fuel, so my "plan" is to allow for a lengthy stretch of highway to find one.
I applaud those who research fuel stops in advance and adjust their route to use a low-anxiety location, but I've never been inclined to that level of travel planning. I typically only have a general idea of where I will want to re-fuel, so my "plan" is to allow for a lengthy stretch of highway to find one.
Boat Bum
Well-known member
I may have misunderstood the questions. By accessible do you mean the availability of "gas" stations or the size restriction of your vehicle?
NY_Dutch
Well-known member
Given the level of planning I do to manage 6, 9, 11, and 13 month state and national park reservation windows these days, researching a few potential fuel stops seems easy...
Deb&RickTX
Well-known member
Our experience is limited to our one trip bringing our gasser home from IN. We found the gas side of truck stops to be a good option. The RVParky app has reviews that give you a good idea how accessible each is.
Dan_Frisbie
Well-known member
34 ft Class A with a 16ft box trailer. I never let myself get to a critically low fuel state, so when I need fuel, I just look at a station as I get close and it’s either a ”go” or “no-go” and I pull in or move on. I’ve never been in a situation where I was nervous at all.
Not with my 5er either.
All it takes is a little common sense.
Not with my 5er either.
All it takes is a little common sense.
NY_Dutch
Well-known member
The designated RV lanes at most Flying J's are a favorite with us.
phil-t
Well-known member
Matt_C has my technique. Works very well.
LarsMac
Well-known member
I use the tools like google maps and street view, but, we also "wing it" a lot.
Some places that looked great on our search and even with street view and maps views, but, when you get there, it's not so good, or some delivery truck or other vehicle is parked so to interfere with us negotiating safely. So, we rely on the drive-by view before committing ourselves to a fuel stop.
We are not bothered by truckstops. We will often use truck lanes where they have gasoline pumps.
Flying J has almost never let us down, except for the one at I-40 and Airport road in Amarillo. They have a nice RV lane set up but their overall parking lot area is a tight squeeze when leaving.
I once pulled in to a place that looked great from the street view, but they had done a remodel since that view was published, and after we fueled up, I ended up having to unhook the toad to get out of the fueling area.
So, street view can get you into trouble.
Some places that looked great on our search and even with street view and maps views, but, when you get there, it's not so good, or some delivery truck or other vehicle is parked so to interfere with us negotiating safely. So, we rely on the drive-by view before committing ourselves to a fuel stop.
We are not bothered by truckstops. We will often use truck lanes where they have gasoline pumps.
Flying J has almost never let us down, except for the one at I-40 and Airport road in Amarillo. They have a nice RV lane set up but their overall parking lot area is a tight squeeze when leaving.
I once pulled in to a place that looked great from the street view, but they had done a remodel since that view was published, and after we fueled up, I ended up having to unhook the toad to get out of the fueling area.
So, street view can get you into trouble.
Ray-IN
Well-known member
I agree with the majority of replies, do not wait until your tank is so low passing up a station is not an option.
I learned driving to AK to never let the tank drop below ½ mark.
PFJ company stores have RV lanes with diesel and gas pumps; franchise stores usually do not have RV-specific lanes, or if they do they are small and hard to access.
I learned driving to AK to never let the tank drop below ½ mark.
PFJ company stores have RV lanes with diesel and gas pumps; franchise stores usually do not have RV-specific lanes, or if they do they are small and hard to access.
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