Safety & the truck stop

You can also just run the seat belt thru the door handle and it works the same as a ratchet strap and costs nothing.

 

Yeah, Sabine... I don't like the smaller truck stops ANYWHERE in California... especially SOUTHERN CALI!

TA West has improved greatly, though. I never had trouble there so far.

Memphis, TN... avoid it like the plague. I also hate the Pilot at exit 75 on the I 40 in Amarillo, TX. Never had trouble at the Flying J or the Petro that are both nearby.

My favorite truck stops are the TA in Las Vegas, where I am now. Quiet day and night and there is a chiropractor and a barber here.

I also like the Flying J near I80 (I forgot it's exact location) It's in Salt Lake City, UT and has a Blue Beacon truck wash across the street. That Flying J is super cool about letting me drop my trailer to wash my bobtail, so long as you register so they know not to tow your trailer. Good people and that particular blue beacon always does a really nice job without having to stand there and watch them work.

I also Like to stop at exit 268 on I-25 in Fort Collins, CO. It's a rest area, but it's very quiet and safe.

I don't like the truck stops in Denver, CO. Always getting bugged by moochers there.

The Town Pump truck stops on I-90 in Montana are super awesome. Their wi-fi is the fastest I ever tried and they are quiet and had a friendly staff.

Also.. the Love's in Lost Hills, CA and the Love's in Corning, CA both off the I-5 are decent. The Love's in Corning (across from the Petro) usually has at least one beggar standing at the corner of the building near the fuel island. I never even look their way. It's obviously a hot spot for begging and everyone always tells the same sob story about being out of gas... yeah, right... you SMELL OF BEER!

Seriously, though. I tried to post more of the places I like than the ones I don't like

 

My seatbelt straps don't reach far enough to do that... I tried. I hear that works great in other trucks, though. Good thought!

 

Not a big fan of things through the door handle making it harder for me to get out quickly if needed.

 

with the seat belts you only need to undo them as if you were wearing it and push the door. it works good andits cheap.good luck and Merry Christmas

 

I know you hear the horror stories of aggressive people. I'm a short fat guy and really never had any problems and I have slept in a so called truck stop that was just a wide dirt spot on the roadside in texas with no problems. use your head and pay attention you;ll do great!

 

Also be wary when someone tells you to park in a certain place. Years ago I was in Miami :smt068near the market with a reefer, checked with receiver, he told me to park in a certain place on a side street a block away,get some sleep, he would come get me when he was ready . I did so, and about the time I went to sleep:smt015, felt trailer rock.Looked in mirror, trailer door was open, fellas unloading produce from my trailer into a pickup. I started truck, drove off with rear doors still open, without confronting thieves. Stopped about 4 blocks away, walked back to see what had been stolen. I forget how many cases, possibly half a pallet. Went back to receiver, he just shrugged his shoulders, not his problem, but he would go ahead and unload me now. Of course count was short. As I was leaving, stopped a city cop and he said that was a scam by the receiver, happens several times a month with high dollar produce loads,and tired drivers. Seems he tells the driver where to park, calls his partners, they wait a few minutes for driver to doze off, then they quickly unload what they can until driver gets out, then they drive off quickly.Cop said I did the right thing not going back there, but just driving off quickly. He refused to write a report, saying if nobody was injured, no big deal.

 

Just out of curiosity, how much ( if any) security personnel do places like Pilot, Flying J, TA etc usually provide? I know rent a cops are generally not worth much but just curious.

 

I`ve found that the darker parking spots are safer-even the bad guys are afraid of the dark.In warmer weather i usually sleep with the windows down.Only a very few places I wasn`t comfortable sleeping,mostly in lowrent urban areas like on the street in Hunts point,in L.A.,or Philadelphia.Sometimes I`ve given one of the night people a tip in advance to watch my truck and wake me up-never give them all the money first,though.I`ve never had anybody try to get in my truck,yet...

 

Only issue I had was when I first started out someone swiped my pigtail out with there stretched out and damaged one. Other than that no issues anywhere. G/L.