Truck stops

[2oldman]

I chatted with a couple truck drivers in a Freightliner service lounge yesterday. I asked if they got upset when RVs are parked in their overnight spots.

They both said no, as long as you're a larger rig - like a big trailer/5er. What they don't like is the little guys - perhaps truck campers - or sleeping in a car.

They also said to pull in head first to keep away from overnight idling engine noise, or noise from refer units.

[DiskDoctr]

Park by size. If you need the extra length or space, take it- that is why they are there.

An RV'er with his family along has every bit as much importance to be rested on the road as a truck driver- no matter what regulations may or may not apply.

Personally, I believe the more important issue is for RV'ers to be cognizant of the "order" of things, recognizing and respecting the flow in and out of the areas. Leaving lots of room for entering and exiting drivers, not parking on corners, etc.

Those who claim 'exclusive access' to given parking areas or facilities are not giving the same level of consideration they are expecting from others.

If you need to rest, rest. If you need to park, park. As for truck stops' benefit? It's far more likely for a family of 4 or more to be more financially beneficial than one driver in a truck.

Don't get me wrong. I have family and friends who drive truck and understand that point of view quite well. Truckers I know value their family above all else- that's WHY they are away from their families for extended periods to provide for them.

Professional drivers ABSOLUTELY understand the importance of family and will often bend over backwards to watch out for yours, too. Including being safe and rested on the roads.

Be safe out there and share the roads! 🙂

[RandACampin]

fulltimedaniel wrote:

pnichols wrote:
I'm the one who posted the photo of our 24 foot Itasca sandwiched in that some of you are bashing:

- The truck slots were empty around us when we arrived there late in the evening.

- I can't recall for sure, but knowing ourselves as considerate and polite folks ... we probably had asked inside the store where to park for an overnight.

- We've even overnighted at Walmarts and I recall being told by the store to park out back in their big rig delivery truck spots.

- I took the picture in the morning before we left ... notice that the truck slot on the far right never did get used.

- We've overnighted plenty of times at truck stops that never did fill during the night, including a Port of Entry lot for big rigs which stayed nearly empty all night.

- We've overnighted in parking lots that WERE NOT intended for big rigs and had them pull in around us to sleep overnight ... the most recent time while overnighting in a Cabellas lot when a big rig pulled in beside us just as one of their outside rear duals blew out ... we thought it was a bullet that had been fired into our rig because it actually vibrated from it and I jumped out to see what had happened.

I meant for the photo to be a comical tongue-in-cheek situation we had encountered in our wanderings.

I am sure you are nice and well meaning folks and I don't beleive anyone here is bashing you. I think that posters are trying to show you the other side of the coin and the importance of not taking up truck parking.

No matter what time you arrive at a truck stop this doesnt really matter as truckers hours can end at midnight or 2 am as easily as at 9PM. Just because a space is free when you arrive doesnt mean it wont be needed.

I think those of us who have experience in this are trying to share with you and others that RV's just don't belong in Truck Stops to overnight.

Remember that if a Trucker overdrives his allotted hours of Service for any reason even if it's because he didnt have a place to park and has a violation this is a FEDERAL violation that stays on his record for 36 months. It carries the same weight as a moving violation against the drivers safety record.

That is not trucker parking. It is parking for anyone, truckers are no more entitled to it than anyone else. If the establishment cared they would identify it as such.

[fulltimedaniel]

pnichols wrote:
I'm the one who posted the photo of our 24 foot Itasca sandwiched in that some of you are bashing:

- The truck slots were empty around us when we arrived there late in the evening.

- I can't recall for sure, but knowing ourselves as considerate and polite folks ... we probably had asked inside the store where to park for an overnight.

- We've even overnighted at Walmarts and I recall being told by the store to park out back in their big rig delivery truck spots.

- I took the picture in the morning before we left ... notice that the truck slot on the far right never did get used.

- We've overnighted plenty of times at truck stops that never did fill during the night, including a Port of Entry lot for big rigs which stayed nearly empty all night.

- We've overnighted in parking lots that WERE NOT intended for big rigs and had them pull in around us to sleep overnight ... the most recent time while overnighting in a Cabellas lot when a big rig pulled in beside us just as one of their outside rear duals blew out ... we thought it was a bullet that had been fired into our rig because it actually vibrated from it and I jumped out to see what had happened.

I meant for the photo to be a comical tongue-in-cheek situation we had encountered in our wanderings.

I am sure you are nice and well meaning folks and I don't beleive anyone here is bashing you. I think that posters are trying to show you the other side of the coin and the importance of not taking up truck parking.

No matter what time you arrive at a truck stop this doesnt really matter as truckers hours can end at midnight or 2 am as easily as at 9PM. Just because a space is free when you arrive doesnt mean it wont be needed.

I think those of us who have experience in this are trying to share with you and others that RV's just don't belong in Truck Stops to overnight.

Remember that if a Trucker overdrives his allotted hours of Service for any reason even if it's because he didnt have a place to park and has a violation this is a FEDERAL violation that stays on his record for 36 months. It carries the same weight as a moving violation against the drivers safety record.

[2oldman]

Terryallan wrote:
Sorry couldn't help it. Tried not too. But did anyway.:B

Tried not to.

[Terryallan]

Edd505 wrote:

2oldman wrote:

Edd505 wrote:
There is a reason they call it a truck stop and not n RV Park.

Be a b itch if a big rig tried backing in there at 2am and didn't see the 'little guy.'

Trucker will help travelers. I had on see me limping a M/C down the shoulder on MT Shasta. I had a slow leak in the front tire & he told me there was a rest area just ahead and he had air. (The on board compress for air breaks) He filled my tire and I was on my way ahead so if he saw me again he knew what I needed.

/Operator

Most drivers don't take air "breaks". But do use air brakes.

Sorry couldn't help it. Tried not too. But did anyway.:B

Also. All the big trucks have air compressors. But few have a air chuck to fill tires.

[pnichols]

I'm the one who posted the photo of our 24 foot Itasca sandwiched in that some of you are bashing:

- The truck slots were empty around us when we arrived there late in the evening.

- I can't recall for sure, but knowing ourselves as considerate and polite folks ... we probably had asked inside the store where to park for an overnight.

- We've even overnighted at Walmarts and I recall being told by the store to park out back in their big rig delivery truck spots.

- I took the picture in the morning before we left ... notice that the truck slot on the far right never did get used.

- We've overnighted plenty of times at truck stops that never did fill during the night, including a Port of Entry lot for big rigs which stayed nearly empty all night.

- We've overnighted in parking lots that WERE NOT intended for big rigs and had them pull in around us to sleep overnight ... the most recent time while overnighting in a Cabellas lot when a big rig pulled in beside us just as one of their outside rear duals blew out ... we thought it was a bullet that had been fired into our rig because it actually vibrated from it and I jumped out to see what had happened.

I meant for the photo to be a comical tongue-in-cheek situation we had encountered in our wanderings.

[NinerBikes]

Redwoodcamper wrote:
Small rv in huge space is kinda selfish, unless most of the parking lot is empty. my pet peeves is when gas rigs park in front of the only diesel pump, when there are other gas pumps available. People are so self centered they don't even consider how their actions affect others.

Ding, ding, ding! My pet peeve. Which is why I wish there were just separate diesel pump locations, period.

[Edd505]

You will find the majority of truckers fuel, pull forward out of the pumps with room for the next truck. Most truck stops are designed for this type turn over. They go inside pay get drinks or what ever and leave before the next trucks done fueling. Repeat all day & all night, time is money and they are working on the clock. RV'ers are on leisure time not on a clock.
But then that's a fueling issue, not RV parking.

[Tom_Barb]

This trucker vs camper thing has another side, WE pulled into the 76 truck/travel center just off I-15 north of Vegas and there must have been 50 trucks waiting for fuel in one of 10 lanes for trucks and 5 campers in the RV diesel lane.
But
there was a truck in the RV lane just setting there. we waited 30 minutes for the trucker to come out and move on.. camper #1 in line goes to see what's up with the trucker,they come back and report the trucker is in the shower...It ain't like there wasn't any room to park the truck.
Point is,, they can be just as unthoughtfull as we can be.

[2oldman]

Edd505 wrote:
Here is a small test, think one one thing you have that has not been on a truck multi times. I can name on Baby's.

My Rv? 🙂 Nowadays it's container ships.

[cbshoestring]

fulltimedaniel wrote:
I would just urge folks of the RV community to stay out of truck stop parking period. It is there for trucks. They need it, you don't. You have a choice, they don't.

Just respect that. And go to Walmart.

Technically.....most are labelled as travel plazas or service centers. As many have pointed out, Pilot and flyin hook cater to the RV travellers with perks and RV lanes.

I would just reiterate what the drivers said in the OP's comments. If you do NOT need that space, do NOT take it. I do object to an over-grown pick-up (or even a trucker bob-tailing) taking up 80' of space for a 20'-30' vehicle that could tuck itself into an out of the way space.

Would it be nice if I could find a spot when I reach my 11/14....YES. But I woud rather see a Class A, 5er, etc....parked in that spot, than see it going down the road weaving and bobbing because the driver is too tired to be rolling down the road.

I wonder :h How many RVers park in the paid truck lots (mostly east coast)?????? Or do you find a CG or Walmart to park in??????

I am going to put this in RED, because I read it on this forum:

An RVer complaining about how close a trucker's trailer was parked to their slideout.

ARE YOU KIDING ME....no slides...EVER....in a truck parking lot. If you need that space to get into your bed.....go to a CAMP GROUND.

[fulltimedaniel]

I would just urge folks of the RV community to stay out of truck stop parking period. It is there for trucks. They need it, you don't. You have a choice, they don't.

Just respect that. And go to Walmart.

[mgirardo]

I'm in the Truck Stops are for Tractor Trailers camp. We don't spend the night in Truck Stops, too bright and too noisy for us. If we did, we certainly wouldn't take a truck parking spot. Truckers are required by law to stop after so many hours or face some pretty steep fines. We use Walmart parking lots for overnight stays.

-Michael

[Edd505]

2oldman wrote:

Edd505 wrote:
There is a reason they call it a truck stop and not n RV Park.

Be a b itch if a big rig tried backing in there at 2am and didn't see the 'little guy.'

Trucker will help travelers. I had on see me limping a M/C down the shoulder on MT Shasta. I had a slow leak in the front tire & he told me there was a rest area just ahead and he had air. (The on board compress for air breaks) He filled my tire and I was on my way ahead so if he saw me again he knew what I needed.

That's far different than taking a parking spot that those under DOT hrs of operation need. They must park and get sleep, logged, some times by computer with GPS tracking. That truck does not have the option of the next KOA or Good Sams. There are places it is not legal to park on the street or at home. Give those drivers a break and let them have the truck parking.

Here is a small test, think one one thing you have that has not been on a truck multi times. I can name one Baby's.

past Owner/Operator

[2oldman]

Edd505 wrote:
There is a reason they call it a truck stop and not n RV Park.

Be a b itch if a big rig tried backing in there at 2am and didn't see the 'little guy.'