Parking on the On-Off Ramps

I have slept on many an on-ramp before, mostly when I was first starting out because my trip planning skills weren't all that good! I have even had to sleep on an off-ramp, but I try and do less of that since it is dangerous. But when it's time to take a nap, whaddya gonna do?
And I have gone over hours before looking for a 'safe' place to sleep. THankfully there are still states (like VA and OH) that don't bug sleeping drivers (YET!), and turnouts (like on the PA turnpike) where you can get a few winks when you need to.

(BTW, there is another thread about this in the 'truck stops here' listing)

 

PLEASE find a safe spot to park the ramps are not the best

 

Well honor roll, as was mentioned, sometimes the ramps are all that is left. We all agree that there is a huge shortage of parking; instead of driving safely if you can rest on a ramp then it's better than the alternative.

 

Is it the driver who would be responsible for paying such a ticket or will the company chip in?

 

Most companies don't want to even "chip in" on break downs of their own equip. much less a ticket of ANY kind.If you park it there then I'll guarantee you'll pay it.As you should.

 

I gotta second Muleskinner, most tickets are the driver's responsibility.

 

People do it all the time in Florida. I kid you not, even when there is a rest stop with plenty of open spaces right by the on ramp . I laughed at that one.

Kinghunter

 

Maybe they slept that way so long their heads are on crooked and they can't sleep no other way but on tilt.

 

Are you kidding me? When you are over hours looking for a place to stop only to find that you can not stop because the truck stop is over-crowded and you are so tired from driving 11 hours, sometimes you have no choice. Would you rather truck drivers drive exhausted and fall asleep at the wheel?? I get that is is not the safest choice and should not be done 'just because', but it is much safer than driving exhausted. If the driver is pulled over far enough, has his four ways on and pulled over because he felt he was too tired to drive I think that is actually responsible of him. Maybe the drunk and/or drowsy driver that you speak of should take a lesson from the truck driver and NOT DRIVE WHEN IT IS UNSAFE!!!! Just in case you forgot it IS illegal to drive drunk and when you are drowsy you become reckless which is also ILLEGAL!! Have you ever heard of a driver who is paying attention and following the rules of the road drive into the back of a parked truck that is off the road? People do not give truck drivers enough credit. They are pushed to make deadlines in a certain number of hours. If they go over, the get in big trouble. It is illegal to drive over your hours, but when you can not find a place and stop somewhere that is ideal and out of the way of the 'drunk and drowsy' people out there, then that is wrong too. There are not truck stops on every corner and not all rest areas are large enough to accomodate trucks. I am not even a truck driver and this makes me mad!! No one truely understands how much a truck driver actually goes through. You do not just get in a drive. I am not going to get into the myriad of problems truck drivers face....that is a whole other post.

 

I'am a truck driver, It's a choice. Are you kidding me, no. Parking on on ramps and off ramps is dangerous to the driver and the public, and illegal in alot of case's. A large amount of the time the trucks are not even over the fog line but parked sticking out into the traffic lane.

I have used off/on ramps on a few occasions but I do not recommend them and they were in rural area like the middle of the desert, on or very low traffic.

There are alot of place a truck can park, they are not limited to truckstop and off ramps.

As far as what driver go thru, you as a wife have no idea, and Oh by the way its a voluntary occupation, so don't expect us to fall for the poor tired driver story, he is suppose to be a professional and should be smart enough to know what his limits are, and park it while still safe to do so. I'm parked illegally because I ran out of hours and I got stuck here will only work on a wife, not on cops and certainly not on other drivers, were not buying that kind of crap.

Yes alot is expected out of a driver, but so is the cost of the freedom afford to an eperineced driver, it's part of the job, picnic noway, but thats why most of us like it, it's simply not for everyone.