Please give advice for the RV community

Hi All,
thank you for giving me the opportunity to post here and ask you this question. This is Robin with the website and YouTube channel Creativity RV. I have been focusing on a series of videos for new RV Nomads and I'm doing a story on RV/Semi/OTR etiquette. In the past I've done stories about the do's and don'ts of parking at truck stops, and I want you all to know that I am a proponent of RVERS not taking your spaces either there or at rest areas. This week I'm doing a new story on RV etiquette at truck stops and also RV etiquette on the road with semis. Here's my question: what advice would you give to RVets who need to park overnight at a truck stop or rest area so that they understand your requirements and still can safely Park Overnight. And, I was hoping one of you could explain the etiquette of driving on the highway with rows of semis in the right lane. I've heard that there is a system of flashing headlights to ask the RV get over one lane to the left so you can pass on the right, but I think most RV years do not know this so if you can help enlighten us it would be super helpful! As I've mentioned before I am Pro-Trucker AND Pro-RV life so I am hoping that I can start a respectful conversation where are our two communities can help each other coexist and TRAVEL SAFELY. Please feel free to post any comment that you think might help this discussion, but know that I may use your comment for instructional purposes in my video or blog. Thank you so much! Robin

 

You should never park in our spots,it's hard enough to park as it is. That's what RV parks are for. I'm almost thinking you're a troll. Flash our lights at you so you can move over and we can pass on the right??You gotta be kidding. Travel in the right lane,pass on the left. THAT is what was once common practice,now it's make a half mile line in the left lane and no one moves out of the way.Light Flashing is done to signal a vehicle in front of you they can change lanes or to thank you for the courtesy. By the way it's turning lights on and off,not using high and low beams.Mainly it's same as every other vehicle. Stay to the right if not passing.Follow the "Golden Rule"

 

RVs are a lifestyle and a means of vacation. We are working and providing for our families. When you park in our truck-stops you make our jobs even harder. We don’t have many choices on where to park and shut down.

 

RVs are welcome at Walmart parking lots whereas the big trucks aren't. You guys are self contained within kitchen and toilet facilities. Why would you be spending the night at a truck stop in the first place? Those places are for the big trucks who are earning a living, not tooling around on vacation.

 

Help for RVers looking to stop for the night...

Camping, Campgrounds & Campsites | Camping Reservations | KOA

 

try and find a gas station, over say a truck stop for your gas or diesel. there will be MORE eateries and MORE parking for the RV crowd over an already crowded truck stop, where WE NEED to stop for our mandatory rest break. we NEED those parking spaces that are already sparse, given the time of night when we pull in.

we are tired, weary, beat for the day, we do not want to aimlessly go around in circles looking for a parking spot, after we see that an RV is taking up VALUABLE time from us.

RV'ers do not need to stop and take a DOT mandated break, you can go onto a rest area, or even a shopping mall.

Since an RV has a means of a toilet built in, you will not be disposing of your waste all over a parking lot. so you would be easier to accommodate at a shopping mall (walmart for example) over us.

we are out here working, while an RV'er is out there playing.

please respect that we have to work, and NEED our rest, and do not park at truck stops. besides, fuel is MORE expensive as well as the food, but we are tethered to those places, over an RV'er, who can go elsewhere for cheaper fuel and food prices.

 

We used to use the lights and thank you with them in the past, in my time decades ago. We do not do that so much because of additional liability and confusing or deliberate predatory behavior from 4 wheelers who think it's for them.

The reason for the rows you refer to in the right lane is because of two problems. One and most is that it's a two lane one way per side interstate. Second and bigger problem is companies govern trucks say 59, 60, 61, 62, 63 and 65 but rarely faster than that. Then tell us to get across the USA in time to make our delivery appt. Most people cannot make it to the doctor appt time very well across town. Here I am dealing with slow trucks in my own trying to make my own appt like everyone else and have 8 minutes to the good and 1400 miles to go. Once we clear this state and get into a 3 laner interstate we can really get around them.

The state responds with no trucks left lane and so on. It's a never ending circle of sewage created by the insurance industry and motor carriers trying to save a buck on premiums.

In the old days of the 70's and 80's we sorted by load weight total and horsepower. Fast ones to the front, empties to the front Heavies in the caboose. And the rest in the rocking chair. It don't take much at all to sort everyone and we get on down the road. Those days are over.

I run into two kinds of RV people. Old truckers who know how to run with us and do so. Not worrying about these.

The other is a whole range from families, politicians on down to older people enjoying life. Even private coaches with celebs and so on (Those are special...) And they bring with them a range of driving or lack of. We deal with them on a case by case basis, one at a time.

Parking. Sometimes at a rest area or truckstop I'll leave a spot that looks like it will fit a big long RV to someone who does not understand that if they fill the whole thing, none of us in that row can get out. So what I will do is park sloppy take over a portion of that end space and most of mine. So no one can park there and ruin it for the whole row. It's too difficult to explain without a diagram or two. A person who does not know trucking might look at me and say ugh what a sloppy. But I gaurantee you I put the wheels coldly cacluated to the inch. And other truckers with half a brain can see why it's like that. (Not always, and sometimes THEY try to park there.. ugh.)

One example might be a oversize next to me who needs room to make the swing to get out of his spot in the row on my right. He has the room.

Parking is the one thing that is simply not availible along say I-81 between Scranton and Knoxville some nights for love or money. There are periods each day and night there is absolutely ZERO parking and thousands of trucks and everyone else. Well... we'll make it work somehow. But it's not the kind of parking where we wont be knocked on halfway in our federally mandated rest time and told MOVE IT. With today's ELD computers that incur a violation which opens a can of worms.

RV's have nothing at all regulating them like the laws that regulate truckers. If they are where they are and no one cares, then all is well. But it don't take long to learn what and what not to do with a big RV.

The ones that seem to get in the way create more problems. A underpowered blown winniebago trying to negotiate the NJ Turnpike against a herd of 100 plus trucks determined to make NYC or bust by 3 am... that's not the time to be coming out with a less than decent RV. It's not a problem. The Rush starts at 4:30 roughly and If Im lucky Im through NYC before it starts.

 

Well, friend, I'm NOT a troll, and if you check out my blog and channel you'll see I am constantly preaching RVs should not take truckers spots- I'm on your side so relax. I'm trying to getting advice out there that will help you guys!
I only propose rvs park in RV slots and never take a truck spot.
I saw on another truck forum that if a truck is in the right lane behind an RV, the RV should get over to the left to let the truck pass. I didn't just come up with this-- another trucker wrote that. Like you, I thought everyone passed on the left, but again, I'm trying to get good info out there RVers need.

 

IDK, I have a different take on it. That truck stop is for everyone, and I think they prefer to be called "travel centers" now.That spot doesn't have a truckers name on it, and it's 1st come, 1st serve. Always has been. Besides, not all Walmarts are compliant for rigs of any size,(mostly because some truckers are pigs, and ruined it for everyone) and someone traveling in a motorhome pulling something or pickup/trailer configuration, is in the same boat as us, trouble is, many truck drivers won't see it that way, and may get belligerent about it. I wouldn't let them give you that bull they "deserve" that spot. You, as traveler's have just as much right to that spot as they do. Parking, thanks to our rule makers, is a total nightmare for truck drivers today, but to blame RV'ers for the lack of parking is just silly..

 

Yes, I am a proponent of RVs NEVER taking a truck spot. I preach this all the time. Any other advice you'd like to give? Also, I live in my RV full time and work in it full time; it's not a vacation. Most of us spend 98./. Of our time in campgrounds. There is little Desire to stay in truck stops or rest areas, but WHEN WE DO I want to make sure my community respects your community and to do this I need to give them the tools to do so. Thus, my question! ☺️