Rest areas?

"To a rancher that is the smell of $$$$$$$$$"

I've heard my father say that a hundred times, Huntindog.

cekkk wrote:
MM49, Omaha and Chicago cattle traffic varied daily, and one or the other would have the most on a given day. Big lots are pretty much a thing of the past I think.

As far as insults, my wife probably never saw a cow as a kid and has a little fit every time we pass a feed lot these days. I actually don't mind the smell at all. Admittedly, back then it did get a little rank on hot, humid summer nights.

To a rancher that is the smell of $$$$$$$$$

MM49, Omaha and Chicago cattle traffic varied daily, and one or the other would have the most on a given day. Big lots are pretty much a thing of the past I think.

As far as insults, my wife probably never saw a cow as a kid and has a little fit every time we pass a feed lot these days. I actually don't mind the smell at all. Admittedly, back then it did get a little rank on hot, humid summer nights.

MM49 wrote:
The many truck drivers would exit their trucks and urinate on the ground.

Isn't that lovely? They also pee in bottles and toss them out at various off ramps.

No insult meant towards the stockyard
MM49

cekkk wrote:

MM49 wrote:
I stopped in a truck stop in Colorado late at night. I noticed it smelled like a stockyard. I though, welcome to the west. When I left in the morning, I found the source of the odor. The many truck drivers would exit their trucks and urinate on the ground. This was the practice in most commercial truck stops, F=pigs.
MM49

Having grown up near one of the world's largest stockyards, I think i can say with some degree of reliability, that ain't what smells. :B

MM49 wrote:
I stopped in a truck stop in Colorado late at night. I noticed it smelled like a stockyard. I though, welcome to the west. When I left in the morning, I found the source of the odor. The many truck drivers would exit their trucks and urinate on the ground. This was the practice in most commercial truck stops, F=pigs.
MM49

Having grown up near one of the world's largest stockyards, I think i can say with some degree of reliability, that ain't what smells. :B

I stopped in a truck stop in Colorado late at night. I noticed it smelled like a stockyard. I though, welcome to the west. When I left in the morning, I found the source of the odor. The many truck drivers would exit their trucks and urinate on the ground. This was the practice in most commercial truck stops, F=pigs.
MM49

We have been hassled by pan handlers more and more in rest stops. One time in a rain storm, when we were trying to eat lunch. Most are harmless, but it just doesn't feel comfortable. Yes, the dog does keep most of them away. Therefore, we use rest stops only during daylight hours and frequent large truck stops more and more. Pilot, Love's, Petro and TA seem to be the ones we use most. Have found the people in and around truck stops, friendly, helpful and comfortable to be around. You pull in, check out the surroundings as you refuel and you can tell if its a good place. Look for other RV's and families and you'll know when it feels right. 15 to 20 thousand miles a year and seldom feel uncomfortable.

Texan - Since you asked I'll provide some of the laws that do apply in California. I can't speak to every state but I would imagine most have a similar way of handling their rest areas. Technically you are correct, California does not prohibit overnight parking. They do have a limit on the time. Whether or not an officer chooses to enforce it will vary. Much of that may well be determined by the attitude of the offender. Now in my experience as long you are conducting yourself in a civilized manner and not flagrantly camping then they don't tend to bother you. Actually from the sounds of it California's 8 hour limit is pretty reasonable. I personally have slept in rest areas both in my car and in my trailer without a problem. I have even been in a couple that had enough open space to partially extend my slide and not cause an issue.

This is taken from the California DOT website covering Rest Area Usage Policy

Rest Area Usage Policy

The Department of Transportation's Rest Areas are a stopping place for your relaxation. Please help us keep them pleasant by using them as they are intended and by being considerate of others.

Remember, by staying too long, you will be in the way of someone else who needs to stop. Thank you for your cooperation.

You May:

Park in any designatd parking place
Stay up to 8 hours in any 24 hour period.
Walk your pet, as long as it is on a leash.
Place your litter only in trash receptacles.
Dump sanitary wastes from RV holding tanks and portable devices at designated dump stations.
Use small stoves and heaters (except on wood tables) if you do it safely.
Engage in some nonprofit activities, with The Department of Transportation's permission. (The Department's permission does not indicate sponsorship).

You May Not:

Block vehicular or pedestrian traffic.
Camp or pitch a tent.
Park, to do something away from the rest area such as hike, camp or hunt.
Use a megaphone, loudspeaker or other sound amplifying device.
Use The Department of Transportation's water, electricity or gas for unauthorized use.
Sell or publicize your private goods or services.
Put anything on walls or plants.

Violators of these rules will be cited by a California Peace Officer.

Some of the exerpts from the California Streets and Highway Codes that would apply (these do carry the color of law):

225. (a) The department may enact rules and regulations governing
the time and manner of use of safety roadside rests, and all state
laws and rules and regulations of the department shall be
administered and enforced within the safety roadside rests by all
employees of the state authorized by the department to do so and by
all peace officers.
(b) No person shall engage in any activity within a safety
roadside rest area or vista point prohibited by rules and regulations
adopted pursuant to this section.
(c) A violation of subdivision (b) is an infraction. A second or
subsequent conviction of a violation of subdivision (b) is a
misdemeanor.

This one opens up a whole bunch of ways for a Law Enforcement Officer to cite if they so desire:


226. Areas comprising such safety roadside rests shall be deemed a
part of the state highway right-of-way for all purposes, including
those set forth in Section 731.

The Texan wrote:
Please post one state that has a "LAW" prohibiting overnight resting in a designated rest area. I do not mean State DOT rules or regulations, which do NOT have the color of law. The last state that actually had such a "law" was CT and the feds withheld highway funds for their imposing such a law on commercial drivers, that they repealed the law. Just ONE state is all I ask to see.....Even CA with it's wild laws does NOT have such a law, only CALDOT rules.

Hmmmm, when there is a speed limit sign that says 55 there is a law behind it that says you must do 55.........

I have been thru 6 states in the past year that had POSTED SIGNS at the majority of the rest areas that said NO OVERNIGHT PARKING.

These all did not have those signs just 2 years ago. In MY travels I find more and more that have posted No Overnight parking. And the rest of them have barricades across the entrance on the ones that they have closed.

AND

Half of the ones I have pulled into to exercise the dogs with in 2 minutes the cop pulls up to remind me there is not overnight parking.

Just a note those of us who full time see far more rest areas than the average weekend RV'er that only travels a few hundred miles from home. While your rest area in your own town may be open, we see a trend across the country of no overnight and closed rest areas becoming the more of the norm, compared to years ago.