Interstate rest area stops

I have done it in several states and even in Oregon they welcomed overnighters at their larger rest areas and I have stayed several days in large mostly empty rest areas with no problems and friendly waves from highway patrol and rest area employees. Even at night the lot was not full of resting truckers. This was several years ago so now and no I do not feel guilty about anything at all so

swimmer_spe wrote:
Is it legal to camp overnight at a rest area connected to an interstate? Most likely in Kentucky along I 75.

It depends on the state or province you are in.

Dutch_12078 wrote:

KD4UPL wrote:
Technically, in VA, it's not even legal to sleep in a rest area. (Go figure.) I've known State Troopers who have woken up truck drivers and made them leave the rest area.
It varies by state. I used to be a truck driver and I've heard that KY is one of the states that really doesn't mind trucker's (and RVers I guess) sleeping their.

I hope VA troopers aren't still ordering OTR truck drivers to violate the federal hours of service rules. Since the introduction of electronic logging, they have little choice on where they stop for the mandatory rest periods.

Are you suggesting truck drivers are too stupid to keep track of their hours and plan ahead? That's pretty offensive. I don't believe the average truck driver is that stupid.

It's not that hard to plan your route. If you get stuck for an extra 2 hours at pickup, you know right away, you should be looking for a site to stop 2 hours driving time sooner. Reminds me of the old saying, "A failure to plan on your end does not constitute an emergency on mine."

It's often tolerated but there is no special intention or rights for trucks to spend the night in rest areas.

To the OP: It's really not the intent of rest areas. They are intended as a place to stretch your legs and go to the bathroom. Maybe have a quick bite for lunch. 9 out of 10 times, no one will chase you off and you just as much right to use the rest areas as truckers do.

Here in Wisconsin they have electronic signs on the interstate telling truckers how many parking spots are available at the next rest area and also the next one up the road. Truckers spend their down time in these rest areas all the time. I have been told that as long as there are empty spots for the truckers, RVers can stop for the night also.

bgum wrote:
Help me understand. The refers can run all night but an RV shouldn't run a generator?

I don't think any reefers run all the time anymore. Auto-start/stop has been around a long time. I could be wrong, I only pulled 1 a few trips sense 1979.
I have spent some time in rest areas. Never thought was a good place to sleep.
Most interstates replaced, and run somewhat along a older highway. In the truck, I often used that to find a quieter place to sleep.

One thing I have seen a lot of RVers do, that I think is just plain rude. Mid-day, RV pulls in, past MT slots, park as close as can to restroom door. Yes, they have every right to do that. But then don't use the public facilities, but their private of the RV. Explain to me why, if you aren't going in, why not leave the spots close to door for people that need to?

Leave the parking spots for the truckers so they can sleep. Otherwise, KARMA will get you and some sleepy trucker will run you off the road.

Park in the area for cars (if room) so not to take spots away from the semis. Here along the NYS T-way, many RVers do just that, but some (mainly RV transporters) park in semi spots. As for Wal-Mart, need to check w/ each one as some don't allow overnight parking (even for RVers) as truckers used to do it, but left their personal trash right there along w/ "P" bomb bottles. So WM ended that.

Visited an uncle in New York State a few years ago and his neighbor was a Police Officer who came by to say hi. He asked me where I stayed at night when I was on the road, and I told him I pulled into Rest Areas for a few hours of sleep. He told me it was illegal to camp in New York Rest Areas and I told him I didn't have any beer in the camper and camping without beer was just sleeping outside. The next evening he stopped by with a couple of cold beers.

I want to thank the state of Iowa, I think they have the best rest stops along I-80. We have slept at them many of times.

What is the thought of law officers or rest stop employees of RVs using the car area rather than the truck and trailer area to rest. It makes no sense to have a full lot in one and a near empty lot in the other.