Bobtail parking

Discussion in 'Questions From New Drivers' started by Sixela918, Feb 5, 2023.

  1. Sixela918

    Sixela918 Light Load Member

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    What do you guys think of guys that park bobtails (or box trucks or whatever) in a full length space, but all the way to the back?
     
  2. Judge

    Judge Road Train Member

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    Need to leave their lights on.
    Or pull forward.
    I can understand some truck stops won’t allow them to park upfront.
    But if there’s bobtail parking I’d rather them get a center spot or edge, so they can park end to end in one spot.
     
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  3. Sixela918

    Sixela918 Light Load Member

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    Really irritates me to pull in to a truck stop and see a spot, only to find it's occupied by some dumb ### who is hiding all the way back - now I've gotta try to turn around in this tiny space or back the whole way back out just to find another spot - nope! That one's got a box truck hiding and so on.
     
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  4. SoulScream84

    SoulScream84 Road Train Member

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    I'll continue to park farther back on those rare occasions. Most of the idiots out here today are lousy at backing, so the further back I am the less likely they take off my hood.
     
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  5. ducnut

    ducnut Road Train Member

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    Bobtail: I’ve always parked up front and never had any problems. I think, what has caused truckstops to take issue is the locations where the idiots are using the place as their weekend parking facility.

    Holiday week, I stopped at a T/A that was so full of bobtails it looked like a used truck dealership. No free parking spots, of course. I ended up going to my pickup, after seeing their place had parking, on Google Earth.
     
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  6. Concorde

    Concorde Road Train Member

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    It’s surly a letdown when you think that you found a spot and there’s a bobtail tucked way back. However I got more important crap to worry about than lose sleep over it.

    If they didn’t utilize bobtail available parking then they are just ignorant. If there wasn’t any other option then they’re entitled to the spot to get their break.

    When I have to do it I’m mindful of taking a full spot if it isn’t necessary to waste it with my bobtail.

    I will set back some just to give others extra space to back their trailers in next to me.. I look at it as a courtesy. It’s also a little insurance that my hood won’t get taken off.

    If I back completely to the rear of the spot it’s because of a reefer, apu or a air dryer popping off constantly..
     
  7. Lostmykey

    Lostmykey Medium Load Member

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    Meh, I sometimes pretend there’s a bobtail in a spot and keep going… especially when the pickings are slim and the spots are tight. And just continue on to the next truck stop; whatever keeps log audit happy and let’s me feel safe is a win in my book.
     
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  8. TruckerPete1990

    TruckerPete1990 Road Train Member

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    I do power only and I park in full spots a lot. Most truck stops won't allow us to park up front and don't have bobtail spots. The loves in Rochelle finally made bobtail spots for about 20 now but trucks with trailers keep blocking it which forces us to park in normal spots.
     
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  9. Allow Me.

    Allow Me. Trucker Forum STAFF Staff Member

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    I have been guilty of that. A Loves in Houston comes to mind. Bobtails all congregated around a lamp-post area idling their fool heads off. All night long of course. OR, parking in a full length spot to the rear where it's more private and quiet. It falls into the catagory of "everyman for themselves". RV parkers using a truck stop, U-Haul straight trucks parking wherever, rest stops with 4 wheelers in truck spots.........
     
  10. bryan21384

    bryan21384 Road Train Member

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    It irks my nerve. A bobtail can create a space anywhere at the truck stop without taking too much space. Instead you have trucks connected to trailers creating a parking spot. If I'm bobtailing I don't park in a spot because it's unfair to drivers pulling a truck. Shoot a bobtail could park at a store or something.
     
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