Interstate rest area stops

[swimmer_spe]

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

[JRscooby]

lane hog wrote:

hornet28 wrote:
Not very thoughtful taking up 2 spaces in a rest area

Who said anything about taking up two spaces?

The average width of a truck parking spot in a rest area is 12-15 ft wide, which is far more than my trailer is with a slide out.

You are right about the width of spaces, but twice I have had flags knocked off of loads less than 10 feet wide. Bell, once had driver of a class A wake me up to complain about damage the dozer blade did to his RV.

[lane_hog]

hornet28 wrote:
Not very thoughtful taking up 2 spaces in a rest area

Who said anything about taking up two spaces?

The average width of a truck parking spot in a rest area is 12-15 ft wide, which is far more than my trailer is with a slide out.

[hornet28]

Not very thoughtful taking up 2 spaces in a rest area

[lane_hog]

Good practice, but that won't highlight the protruding slide from someone turning the corner to park next to me... 😉

[rlw999]

lane hog wrote:

We've got a traffic cone that gets set out at the back of the trailer when ours is out.

I rarely overnight in a rest area, but when I do, I leave the parking lights on (as do most of the trucks there) to help prevent a sleepy driver not seeing me in the dark (especially if it's raining). My coach batteries charge from the lithium house batteries and most of my parking lights are low power LED's, so I'm not worried about draining the batteries.

[lane_hog]

I've spent more nights in rest areas than I have in overnight campgrounds...

With some trailers and motorhomes being unusable without having a slide partially out, it's not uncommon to see them at rest areas, but if you're in that situation, try to make sure you're on an end or overhanging a curb.

We've got a traffic cone that gets set out at the back of the trailer when ours is out.

[JaxDad]

rlw999 wrote:

JaxDad wrote:


No, not really, or at least not in my case.

I’m currently based out of the Toronto area but travel at least once a month in one of my M/H’s for sort of business (paid hobby / passion truth be known) and so for probably half the year I’m travelling several days before I get to an area where there are C/G’s open even IF I wanted to stay there.

I say “if” because I couldn’t bring myself to bother a bunch of people on vacation and trying to enjoy themselves and relax pulling in at near midnight and pulling back out at zero-dark-thirty in the morning. I also don’t see much reason to pay for a bunch of amenities or services I’ll never use.


OP, I just spent a night at the Sudbury Rest Area just east of Nairn Center on my home from the Soo last week and did so because Jeremy’s was jammed full of trucks.

Do you not see the contradiction in your statements? You said that truck drivers (who usually have little control over when/where they are routed, and have legal requirements for when they need to take breaks) should have no need to sleep in a rest area, but because of when you drive for your hobby, you have no choice but to stop at a rest area since the truck stop was already "jammed full of trucks".

There was NO contradiction, I planned on where I was going to stop, in an area BTW where there are only a handful of options for a few hours drive in either direction, and went to my alternate destination. It was however my alternate because unlike it Jeremy‘s there is no gas station convenience store or restaurant with public washrooms.

[bucky]

There are many commercial only rest stops along the southeast interstate highways. They are usually close to a regular rest area and have no services.
When the clock runs out on a CDL driver they have to stop.

[rlw999]

Durb wrote:
I volunteered to work the free coffee kiosk at a rest stop on Interstate 5 in Washington state. There is a whole community of people that live in their cars and spend every night in the rest stops. They are known by the authorities and by each other. I believe the law is six hours per stay. If chased out, they move to the rest stop on the other side of the freeway. Usually, they are left alone.

Some Washington state I-5 rest areas have had some problems leading to closures of the entire rest area:

The rest areas are useful for people who need to take a break from the highway. However, in recent months, there have been numerous issues with some visitors who are not using the facilities for their intended purpose. This includes those who extend their stay beyond the posted limits, illegal disposal of trash and waste, vandalizing the buildings, verbally abusing and even threatening WSDOT employees.

[Durb]

I volunteered to work the free coffee kiosk at a rest stop on Interstate 5 in Washington state. There is a whole community of people that live in their cars and spend every night in the rest stops. They are known by the authorities and by each other. I believe the law is six hours per stay. If chased out, they move to the rest stop on the other side of the freeway. Usually, they are left alone.

My rig doesn't have bed access with the slides in, so I generally tear off a couple hours in the truck seat and move on. I actually really like truck stop naps. I find the background noise soothing. I watch the hustle and bustle of everyone and relax knowing I'm not pressed for time.

[Thermoguy]

I am in WA State, we have a few newly expanded rest areas where they have built additional large parking lots further from the freeway and outside of the normal truck, car, parking areas. These are for RV's or trucks that plan to stay longer. It is intentional and designed not for camping, but for people that need to overnight. Better to give people a place to sleep vs have them park anywhere or try to drive when they shouldn't. Hopefully other states will start doing this. I prefer to find a boondock site near a river or something to make a night out of it, but I did do one night in a Wal-Mart parking lot a couple years ago. Much quieter than the freeway off ramp.

[valhalla360]

pianotuna wrote:

valhalla360 wrote:


You are more likely to get a ticket parking in the wrong area.

Do you know of anyone who has stayed past the regulated number of hours or has gotten a ticket from being in the wrong area?

I've seen people with trailers chased out of the passenger car parking area during the day. I don't know if they got a ticket.

We've never tried to spend the night at a rest area.

[pianotuna]

valhalla360 wrote:


You are more likely to get a ticket parking in the wrong area.

Do you know of anyone who has stayed past the regulated number of hours or has gotten a ticket from being in the wrong area?

[valhalla360]

bgum wrote:
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.

You are more likely to get a ticket parking in the wrong area.

I've yet to see a rest area that states "parking for commercial semi-trucks" (or similar).

You qualify and have every right to use the truck/trailer parking area. You are not second class because you are non-commercial. In fact, commercial trucks under pay in taxes relative to the damage they do to our road system, so if anything, you have more right to use those spots.