No Overnight Parking at Interstate Rest Areas

[Honeybee8888]

I know a number of states do not allow overnight parking at the state-run rest areas along the interstates. Has anyone been asked to leave one of these locations during the night? We've stayed in them a number of times, and we've never had anyone ask us to move. But maybe we've just been lucky? How about you?

[theoldwizard1]

rockhillmanor wrote:

Truckers do not have to have access to rest areas for overnight parking.

All rest stops that I have seen in MI have a separate area for trucks and trailer. If the area is full, I have seen trucks park on the shoulder of the rest stop entrance ramp back on to the interstate. This also gives them an easy "get away".

I know that there are "rest time" laws for commercial truckers. Why any state would not allow at LEAST that amount of time "off the road" in any rest stop is hard to believe.

[SidecarFlip]

MrWizard wrote:
I use rest stops frequently too get some sleep, or just some down time, even over night when traveling, it has never been a problem

i'll pull in day or night IF the weather gets bad, especially heavy wind

i'll stay thru the storm even 24 hrs IF necessary,

that said, i have also stayed running ahead of the storm, when it was behind me
unless i got to tired, then i found a safe place to pull into

resting is NOT camping, No slides, No barbecues, No chairs outside etc..
if I can't use the bed, with slides in, its No use too me, and I won't buy it

EXACTLY. It's not a campground, it's a rest area. Amy and I have used rest areas for years.
but no slides, no bbq and no generator.

[drsteve]

fj12ryder wrote:

wa8yxm wrote:
I only know the law/rules in one state.. Sadly not all law enforcement officers know the laws they enforce.

Both per the STATE police and DOT (Department of Transportation) Overnighting in a MICHIGAN rest stop... allowed.

An awake driver is ... Something we like. an asleep driver.. Bad sceen.

Per a different poster: "MI law prohibits overnighting in rest areas, but since DOT rules were changed to mandate that truckers get their sleep, enforcement has pretty much gone by the wayside."

Okay, which is it?

It's both. The law is still on the books AFAIK, but the rest areas are full of snoring truck drivers. The alternative is to have these guys parked on every on ramp in the state.

[BB_TX]

Texas has made, and continuing to make, major improvements to the rest areas, completely replacing the old ones with very nice much larger new ones. The new ones have very nice heated/cooled restrooms where many of the old ones simply had buildings with open air restrooms where the inside air temp was the same as the outside temp.

[Y-Guy]

I did find a State by State list, but we all know lists can be out dated fast, but it's a start. The guy that keeps the info seems to have vested (financial) interest in keeping it updated, but it's free to use the website.

Overnight Parking Rules

[MrWizard]

Calif the rest areas are pretty far apart, and not enough of them ...IMO

And when one is closed, it can be 70 miles to the next one

[JaxDad]

rockhillmanor wrote:

fj12ryder wrote:

wa8yxm wrote:
I only know the law/rules in one state.. Sadly not all law enforcement officers know the laws they enforce.

Both per the STATE police and DOT (Department of Transportation) Overnighting in a MICHIGAN rest stop... allowed.

An awake driver is ... Something we like. an asleep driver.. Bad sceen.

Per a different poster: "MI law prohibits overnighting in rest areas, but since DOT rules were changed to mandate that truckers get their sleep, enforcement has pretty much gone by the wayside."

Okay, which is it?

Truckers do not have to have access to rest areas for overnight parking.

That is what "Truck Stops" are for. Which btw are more plentiful on the interstate than rest stops anyway.

Strange, if you go to the MI Drive website it has a function that not only lists the areas with truck parking, but it actually shows you in real time how many spaces are still available.

[theoldwizard1]

It still amazes me how many states have NO rest areas along the major interstates ! MI seems to have more rest stops per mile than any other state that I have traveled through.

[rockhillmanor]

fj12ryder wrote:

wa8yxm wrote:
I only know the law/rules in one state.. Sadly not all law enforcement officers know the laws they enforce.

Both per the STATE police and DOT (Department of Transportation) Overnighting in a MICHIGAN rest stop... allowed.

An awake driver is ... Something we like. an asleep driver.. Bad sceen.

Per a different poster: "MI law prohibits overnighting in rest areas, but since DOT rules were changed to mandate that truckers get their sleep, enforcement has pretty much gone by the wayside."

Okay, which is it?

Truckers do not have to have access to rest areas for overnight parking.

That is what "Truck Stops" are for. Which btw are more plentiful on the interstate than rest stops anyway.

[rockhillmanor]

When I hit the road full time I was shocked how many of my favorite rest stops along my route where either completely closed, dump station closed, and/or no parking over night signs on them. This was the Midwest area.

On my way down to Florida I pulled into a rest area during the late afternoon to get something to eat and rest a bit.

A state trouper came up to my MH and reminded me of the posted no parking overnight.

AND then went on to tell me that these rest areas where closed to overnight parking because they had become very dangerous after dark especially for travelers in RV's.

He said that the state troupers can not patrol the rest areas all night and pretty much begged me not to stay overnight for my safety.

I thanked him for his concern.

[fj12ryder]

wa8yxm wrote:
I only know the law/rules in one state.. Sadly not all law enforcement officers know the laws they enforce.

Both per the STATE police and DOT (Department of Transportation) Overnighting in a MICHIGAN rest stop... allowed.

An awake driver is ... Something we like. an asleep driver.. Bad sceen.

Per a different poster: "MI law prohibits overnighting in rest areas, but since DOT rules were changed to mandate that truckers get their sleep, enforcement has pretty much gone by the wayside."

Okay, which is it?

[drsteve]

MI law prohibits overnighting in rest areas, but since DOT rules were changed to mandate that truckers get their sleep, enforcement has pretty much gone by the wayside.

[JaxDad]

Honeybee8888 wrote:
I know a number of states do not allow overnight parking at the state-run rest areas along the interstates. Has anyone been asked to leave one of these locations during the night? We've stayed in them a number of times, and we've never had anyone ask us to move. But maybe we've just been lucky? How about you?

I’ve been sleeping, usually from about 11pm to 6am, in rest areas all over North America for decades. I’ve neither been asked to leave, nor had any issues at all. In fact, on many occasions I’ve been asked by the security folks to park in a certain areas where it’s easier for them to keep an eye on me.

I’ve been told many, many times the “no overnight parking” signs are nothing but a tool to toss undesirables or those that try to abuse the privilege.

The same is true of a lot of private facilities too. I frequently Wally-dock while visiting relatives who live just a few steps away. When the recession hit the city passed a citywide ‘no overnight parking’ ordinance, there was a LEO in the lot when I arrived and quickly approached me. I thought I was going to get tossed, instead he directed me to certain part of the lot that was more discrete and told me he’d note it in the night shifts notes and each patrol car would swing by to make sure I was ok.

[wa8yxm]

I only know the law/rules in one state.. Sadly not all law enforcement officers know the laws they enforce.

Both per the STATE police and DOT (Department of Transportation) Overnighting in a MICHIGAN rest stop... allowed.

An awake driver is ... Something we like. an asleep driver.. Bad sceen.

[JaxDad]

jplante4 wrote:
I understand that some people feel they need to push a road trip to get an RV vacation into a couple of weeks, but it would be better for all if we RVers could make it to a campground for an overnight.

You might be surprised at how many business travelers use an RV a a rolling motel, your truly included. It’s my office, motel room, my tool crib, and since aircraft are relatively very light, it makes a dandy transporter too.

I suppose I could just tell everybody it’s going to take longer and cost more because I have to stop in campgrounds but I doubt they’d like that very much.

Of course traveling from November to April might be tough when all the campgrounds in the north are closed.........