R.I.P.: Budget Woes Spell Doom for Roadside Rest Stops

things are getting bad out there like the truck association said theres no way for the local truck stops to handle the traffic, drivers are still struggling to find spots as it is.

 

Still, the push-back is giving some states pause. New Hampshire was set to shutter some of its rest areas but shelved the plan a few weeks ago amid local opposition. That's despite the fact that "you can drive through the state in an hour and a half," says Bill Boynton, a state transportation department spokesman.

What if your hours are up in 30 minutes? What if you are so tired that you are hallucinating, or nothing seems to make any sense? When you find yourself driving 45 in a 65, and big trucks scaring the hell out of you when they pass you, it is time to pull over. Not in 1.5 hours, now! I guess according to him, you should just keep on driving. Mr. Boynton will have room to talk when he has driven at least 11 hours straight, all through the night, on a regular basis.

 

I guess you're supposed to know well in advance when you are going to reach that point of fatigue and stop before you get there. I have reached that fatigue point 3 hours into a shift and needed to pull into a rest area to get a nap, and I have driven 11 hours straight without needing to stop at all. Sometimes, the best sight in the world is that blue sign that says "Rest Area 1 Mile". Texas' rest areas are really nice -- clean, lots of parking, well lit. I see lots of picnics there too -- seems like they're catching on with travelers. The least they could do is turn them into those 'Truck parking only' spots without facilities. All we need is a safe place to get off the road so we can sleep and keep ourselves and others on the road safe.