RVs?

this is my historic first post on my new computer!!!!! I don't have a problem with r.v's in truck stops. Any one seen the prices those places charge? They have to get rest as much as we do. I've very seldom seen more than one or two a nite. I'd rather see them parked with us than driving tired, we all know that is not a good thing. time for all of us to learn to share. After all, they are all TRAVEL PLAZA's right?

 

Here's the problem that I have with it....Grandad can go park his RV pretty much ANYWHERE, even on a side street. What's the chance that WE could do that and come away without a ticket?
And if an RVer has to drive on down the road to find somewhere to park, what's the chance that they'll get a ticket/shutdown by DOT for an HOS violation, along with the complimentary level 1 inspection?
What's more, how much quality rest is a truck driver gonna get if he's parked beside a family of RVers laughing/playing/arguing/partying etc. Not that they'd do that on purpsoe, but it happens.

 

Only problem with that is several trucks may have came and went thru the nite. If you wrote a plate down, but did not see the truck leave you might be phoning in on a truck that had nothing to do with your damaged truck. I know myself before I go to bed I like to have a truck on each side of me. That way I don't lay there wondering if some fool will back into me. Then one of them pulls out and I think what if a swifty tries to blind side in here, or straightline back for that matter.......

 

I also have to agree. RV's, Bob tail's, dropped trailer's, truck's taking up two spot's because they are to lazy to straighten up. Even with truck stop's that have sign's saying no car's or RV's beyond this point, big truck's only. Big truck entrance only 18 wheeler parking only but you still find straight truck's (uhaul, pensky), RV's, pickup truck's pulling tailer's. Do they think they are a big truck? Parking is getting harder for truck's as it is easy for anyone in an RV, straight truck etc to find a place to park. Also, fuel islands.... Most place's these day's have a place for smaller truck's and RV to fuel so stay out of the fuel island for the big trucks.

 

Another VERY good point.

 

Those are all great points, but the most RV's I have ever seen in a T/S are 3-4, and those were at the Iowa 80 (so no worries about limited parking). Usually if there are any, it's usually just one here or there; more often parking is limited by rude drivers: in a bobtail taking a full spot, or a driver leaving their rig crooked,taking up two spots.

 

I'm quite familiar with this issue as I'm also an RV'r. The only times I ever stop for sleep other than at a campground, is when I have a long way to go and a short time to get there. And almost always, those stops are at Wal-Mart.
One night last summer, I did suggest to a man and woman that they re-locate their RV in the I-81 Shellsville, PA rest area. They were in a 22' class B motorhome in the truck parking area, and there is a large parking area for cars up above at that stop. Following a friendly chat, they decided to move, which freed up the spot for another truck. As others have noted, RV'rs have options that truckers don't. They should not take a parking space of a tractor trailer....

 

Interesting thought, if you just have the tractor and a sleeper (and I guess some ARI Legacy sleepers have holding tanks, sort of an RV bolted to the back of the truck) CAN you go to a KOA, plug into shore power/empty holding tanks and get fresh water? at that point your just an RV with a really big engine.......I would think you could? even with just a dry sleeper.....?
Dan

 

I think there are weight limits at many of these camp grounds but perhaps one of our other members can chime in with "actual first hand knowledge" as to what guidelines KOA and others have in regard to size and weights.