Gas challenged?

[jjjandrbaker]

Knowing that I'm going to get some snarky comments, I'm going to go ahead and ask my stupid question of the month. I am on a 19 day cross country road trip. I have tried to use gas stations that accommodate RVs. So far, I have not been able to figure out where I am supposed to get my gas. I have been to a Flying J, Love's, and TA. The regular pumps are hard to get into. The truck pumps, seem to only have diesel. I haven't seen any pumps designated for RVs. My trailer is a tiny 15 footer. I know you guys with bigger rigs aren't using the regular pumps. Where am I supposed to be going? Remember, I said it was a stupid question. Be gentle!

[TNGW1500SE]

PawPaw_n_Gram wrote:

RGar974417 wrote:
Flying J's also have some spaces for RV's to park when using their restaurants.

While we do use some Flying J's / Pilot's and park out front - most of the time, we go to the truck parking spots in the back.

I never hesitate to put my 60+ foot long rig into a big rig parking spot at FJ/Pilot/TA/Loves/Petro/etc when I want to use the restaurant, or a non-hurried bathroom break.

I'm certainly long enough to use those spots and have never received any negative comments from management or truckers. Actually many truckers are surprised when they realize that my rig is about the same length as theirs.

I get along better with truckers than people in cars. They understand what you have to deal with and let you merge. Cars,,, forget it!

[TNGW1500SE]

Most of the time I get fuel, it is not at an RV/Motorhome friendly station. There's really not much choice. I pick the best possible pump. If someone's using it, the wife gets out and "holds" it for me. I've had cars sneak in between me and the pump before. I let them know I'm bigger than they are and most of the time they back off. You'd think some stations on the interstate would be RV friendly but for the most part, you have to squeeze in where you can.

[4X4Dodger]

My pickup and trailer are a total of 53 feet long and I use the regular pumps at regular (non truck stop) stations. the truck stops are generally more expensive than others.

Just use the pump you need you will fit. Remember every gas station take deliveries from Fuel tankers and semi trailers (for the conv store)

[ddndoug]

If you have a smart phone and like Flying J, they have an app that tells you what ammenities their stations have such as RV lanes. You may give that a shot.

Doug

[Dandy_Dan]

We have a booklet called "Next Exit". Got it a CW. Tells you what is available at the exits (Interstate), big rig friendly, food, etc. We are on our second one and like it. Good Luck and Happy Camping

[PawPaw_n_Gram]

RGar974417 wrote:
Flying J's also have some spaces for RV's to park when using their restaurants.

While we do use some Flying J's / Pilot's and park out front - most of the time, we go to the truck parking spots in the back.

I never hesitate to put my 60+ foot long rig into a big rig parking spot at FJ/Pilot/TA/Loves/Petro/etc when I want to use the restaurant, or a non-hurried bathroom break.

I'm certainly long enough to use those spots and have never received any negative comments from management or truckers. Actually many truckers are surprised when they realize that my rig is about the same length as theirs.

[RGar974417]

Flying J/ Pilot has a website which lists their stations in each state. When we travel out of state, we plan our trip around Flying J's. I have only been at one Pilot where they had seperate RV pumps. Some of the older gas stations with pumps parralel to the highway work too. We try to record where we stop. I don't look for the best price, I look for the easiest access. Flying J's also have some spaces for RV's to park when using their restaurants.

[rockhillmanor]

31 ft and towing and I can pull in and pull out of just about any normal gas station. AND I can NOT back up with the toad on so looking ahead for the exit strategy is real important.

The KEY is to LOOK AHEAD before you pull in.

1.How do you go in and how does it exit.

2. Are there cars parked in front of the store close to the pumps that would prohibit you from turning to leave when you exit from the pump? Bottom line if there are 'parking spaces' I don't pull in because while you are pumping someone can pull in and park there.

3. As mentioned above I try to buy the outside pumps they usually are easy to get in and out of even if there is parking in front of the store.

In my travels I have found Loves to be the most RV friendly the pumps are WAY far away from the front of the building and ample empty lot on either side of the pumps. When possible I look for them to fuel up at. I refuse to even enter a Flying J for anything anymore. :W

[jjjandrbaker]

Today, I consciously studied every gas station I passed. If I saw one I liked, I got gas, even if I had to double back. I read all of your comments. I will apply a lot of it. That's why I like this forum. The answers are there. There is a lot of wisdom and experience among our members.

[Gdetrailer]

Gas stations can be a "challenge" so to speak.. But If you are selective it can be pretty easy with the right station layout.



The layout with the check mark is my preferred layout..

Traffic flow is parallel to the store.

The layout with the red X can be a real pain.

Traffic must flow towards the store and often the store has parking in front of it.. Makes for a lot of traffic with very little room to swing a trailer.

We tow a 26 ft TT with a pickup truck, and so far as of yet never used a "truck stop" station like Flying Js.. To me truck stops tend to have a lot of busy big rigs moving about.. Those drivers make money only when their wheels are turning.. If I slow them down they make less money..

[tpi]

jjjandrbaker wrote:
My trailer is a tiny 15 footer.

I'd just pull through standard gas station islands, as well as Flying J RV islands etc.

Look for larger, newer stations with good access. Shop for gas first thing in morning if you can before they get busy. It may be worth it to pay a few more cents per gallon to find a less busy more open station vs. a slammed station with lowest prices. If you happen to have trailer disconnected, now's the time to fill up!

With a 15' footer you'll have no problems.

[wa8yxm]

It can be challanging.. Most Flying-J stores have special dedicated RV pumps, Generally there are 3 "islands" perhaps only 2 pumps (The outiside "islands" re remotes for the center island pump.. I will leave it to others to explain if you can not figure it out)

I drive a 38' Class A and I find many J's it is hard to exit those islands. Easy to enter, but the exit is too tight for comfort (To date not too tight to exit, just too tight for COMFORT.

Most "Big Stations" (J's. Loves, Pilot, TA

These stations have very large AUTOMOTIVE islands.. PErhaps a dozen pumps or more

Pump #1, and Pump #N (Where N is the number of pumps) are on the OUTSIDE of the area. You can easily pull up to them and get out of there (in every case so far I've seen)

Smaller stations.. here you have to be selective.. Some are simple. Some not so. Example.. On Telegraph RD in Redford TWP, MI, is a Shell. there is not enough room to get to/from the pumps due to curb placement (They have made improvements from what I under stand) but at Grand River and 7 Mile in Detroit is another Shell.. I can (if the pump is free pull off Grand River into the station to the pump farthest from the station 1/2 turn off G.R. Gas up, then exit straight ahead onto 7 mile again making a partial turn to go east, Then I can return to Telegraph and go where I need to go.

(yes I'm from Detroit and useing these statiosn as an example.. GOOGLE maps will show you the stations if you wish The Station in Redford is on the west side of Telegraph SOUTH of the freeway. (I-96) not sure howe far.

The Marathon at Telegraph and 7.. Can be a witch with the Class A.

But Most Wal Mart (MURPHY USA) are not tribble at all.

Look for a station where you basically need not turn till you are FULLY clear of the pumps.

[down_home]

Don't have a gas motor home but find similar problems with diesel.
I know of only one Wall Mart that we can get our motor home in, Decatur Ind, when they don't put thee piles of fertilizer etc too close to the fuel station. We saved 35.00 last time over the rest of the stations in the area and on up into Michigan.
Costco sells diesel and propane and is set up to fuel a mh but they have strategically placed islands etc so it is not possible for our mh to get to it nor into the fuel lanes where on occasion they have reasonable diesel prices.
Kinda odd since RVers when we do stop there end up spending usually a few hundred dollars in groceries, supplies like tp, water softener, black tank and gray tank aids and assorted things for an RV and gottahaveits.They don't want our business.
We saw diesel for 2.23 in Southern Indiana near Clarksville, but they have now configured the station so only pickups and the like can get in. We had fueled up there many times before.
FJ has two lanes usually but at every one you have to pull close to the building to get in or out of the tight lanes with big bolsters with lots of scars from trying to maneuever. If you get too close at one in Ky you can't open the door to get out to fuel up. If there are cars and especially vans or pickups parked at the building with our toad at 68 ft we have to wait until they come out and leave meanwhile RVs are backed up into the road wanting to get into the pumps.
Some stations /truck stops do have gas at their truck islands but I don't have a list.
Next Exit provides a lot of info on what is at the next exit. Perhaps it list gas at truck islands and so on. I don't know.

[Sandia_Man]

You'll get the knack for when and where to fill and what type of layout makes it simpler to get in and out when rig is attached while refueling. We are about 55' and have managed to get into some very small convenience store type gas stations, we normally plan ahead and for the most part are able to refuel without issue or duress.