Do you park your rig on the on/off ramps to sleep or do you try to avoid and make it to a truck stop or rest area?
Must be nice to always find space in a truck stop. I won't park on a ramp, but I have created a space on a wide spot of the highway.
10-4. I have parked on the on ramps as I stated before. Never on an off ramp. Sometimes you can't find a hole in a truckstop. I was at Wilkes Barre PA one night. There were two truckstops and it was raining like crazy. I got tired of making hot laps hoping someone would pull out. Parked on the ramp. Woke up with wall to wall trucks behind me, guess they could not find a hole either.
I don't care where I have to park, I prefer parking at certain truckstops, However, it can be really peaceful parking on an on-ramp. But, like Notarps said (from the 'where do u like to park thread')parking on a get-on ramp is illegal (and enforced) in some states, and parking on a get-off ramp is dangerous. Sometimes that can't be helped, and if it comes down to it, you have to stop wherever you can (I love those big dirt shoulders along the PA turnpike, as long as its not snowing).:smt047
This topic seems to always result in a catch 22. The government has the HOS so screwed up now that it is hard to make a living without running your butt off every day. They say off duty after 14 hours on duty or 11 hours driving or get a nice ticket. Well, as most of you have probably noticed, if you don't get into a truckstop or rest area by 5 or 6 o'clock, you can forget about finding a parking space. So, if you park on an on or off ramp, you get a ticket. It's a lose-lose situation. There are 10 times as many trucks on the road than there is parking spaces. If they are so interested in safety and truck drivers getting the required rest, they need to have somewhere for us to park.
In Europe we say those who look allways will find. I am working for moving company,driving/loading/unloading all day(usually no loading/unloading when its dark-cant see sticker numbers on boxes and furniture).So when do I get chance to go to sleep?Usually after 10PM.By the way I drive New York City-Miami(I-95 mostly).But 90% of the time i manage to find parking on a first truckstop I choose.I plan my parking usually in the morning or day before.I use computer,truckstop directory book,'next exit' book. First choice(and usually last) Flying J.I check how many spaces they have before i go there.Pilot/Petro/Restareas come after that. In the worst case Wally store/Home Depot/Malls. Plan ahead(especially if the area is not familiar to You).I drive OTR only 5 month(2-3 trips/month+local New York P/D). I never park on the shoulder!I dont think I would go to sleep there thinking about ticket,somebody hit me.. And i agree we need more descent truckstops!!!
What I hate about trying to park on an on ramp is when you take the exit but they made it next to impossible to get back on the on ramp or even worse, there is no on ramp lol.
