Rest area overnight stops.
Is it allowed to spend the night at a rest area? Hope this isn't a dumb question to ask.
Forum Discussion
So let me throw a kink in the works. Somebody has already mentioned that they believe rest areas are safer than the big box stores. Having been a cop for over 28 years I can tell you that hasn't been my experience. Rest areas tend to attract a lot of crime and criminals. All you have to do is Google search for rest area crimes and you'll find everything from serial killers targeting people in rest areas to prostitution to drug dealing to everything in between. Remember Michael Jordon's father was murdered while sleeping in a rest area.
A few years ago we travelled cross country in the motorhome. One of the nights I pulled into a very remote rest area in Utah that looked just fine. With my experience in rest area crime I normally would never stay in one, but this one looked fine. I pulled into a parking space and less than 5 minutes after shutting the engine off there was a knock at the door. Two male subjects were outside and asking for a ride. I told them no and they asked if I could loan them some money. I told them no again and let them know I was a law enforcement officer and told them I would call the highway patrol for them if they needed help. Of course they scuttled off after that, but I think they had less than honorable intentions. We started up the motorhome and drove to the next town and found a Walmart.
I'm not saying Walmart parking lots are safer, just saying a lot of things happen at rest stops and a lot of criminals specifically target rest stops.
A few years ago we travelled cross country in the motorhome. One of the nights I pulled into a very remote rest area in Utah that looked just fine. With my experience in rest area crime I normally would never stay in one, but this one looked fine. I pulled into a parking space and less than 5 minutes after shutting the engine off there was a knock at the door. Two male subjects were outside and asking for a ride. I told them no and they asked if I could loan them some money. I told them no again and let them know I was a law enforcement officer and told them I would call the highway patrol for them if they needed help. Of course they scuttled off after that, but I think they had less than honorable intentions. We started up the motorhome and drove to the next town and found a Walmart.
I'm not saying Walmart parking lots are safer, just saying a lot of things happen at rest stops and a lot of criminals specifically target rest stops.
