Booted on Hobby Lobby Parking Lot- Newnan, GA

There is/was, a place in Champaign, IL that ripped of drivers bad. It is a big shopping center that's closed. Beside it is a huge gravel lot. The "No Truck Parking" sign at the gravel lot is in tiny lettering and the sign is removable. The tow company man sits across the street in a Hummer and lays in wait. When a driver leaves the truck to walk to a restaurant, the tow guy jumps out of his Hummer and runs to the back of the business (gas station/restaurant maybe) and jumps in his tow truck to tow the truck. Cost a few thousand to get the truck back.

 

Thank ya sir.

 

If they booted your truck and charged you money to take the boot off, they broke Ga law. As I doubt is they are traffic enforcement or a legal recovery business. File a complaint with the Newnan police against them and hobby lobby. Then demand your money back.

 

Yes, But I'm mty at times also.. And I have taken the trl. with me to shop.. Most of the times, I drop the trl. to do my shopping...

 

Ultimately the store and the land it's on is their property. If they say out, you get out. Or get towed out or even trespassed or arrested etc.

I don't do stores at all. Never mind the parking problem. Ive been known to stop somewhere after 7 hours of ten left in driving when I get a good spot like 50 miles from the reciever next morning. Dispatchers get ulcers when I do that. Sorry boys and girls.

No more stores.

At one time you could park and sleep the full time in sleeper and not be disturbed. That changed fast around 9-11. Really faster when the pissbottles piled up at the lamp posts or gardening etc were destroyed along with curbing etc.

Really, no one to blame but the drivers ourselves for that crap.

What I do... by careful evaluation of a city, town or area... sometimes LITERALLY a dirt patch off a state route in NM in a valley somewhere, pull off 50 yards. Toss the lights on and go to bed they do not bother for any reason. Check for rattlers come morning. Some states are glorious like that. Many states however you need a resource such as a internet smart phone or a internet connected laptop for yourself to gain information from other truckers where to park and not get the big boot.

I once was knocked on and asked to move in Jersey by a man in his robe. Apparently by exhaust smoke was floating straight into his second floor window downwind 200 yards from my belching cabover snorting at idle which is really horrible smoke. I moved 10 miles for him and his very, very angry wife screeching at the window up there. Trust me.

Another time I spent a night inside the 76 just west of Ohio on the toll road, it's got a hotel etc one of the best. But that night a infantry divison on trucks cleared everyone out except us three sleeping come morning I had armed military security MP's saying beat it we own this lot now and trucks filled with troops and war fighting equiptment was pouring in off road march. Im gone never mind the logs and all of that, just punch the brakes off and get out.

IF I had unmarked trailer and truck with minimum information on it outside, I will try to pretend to be part of a bunch of other trucks or other trailers with lights out and engine off for the night. Sometimes it's hard to get away trying to be a chameleon because the local cops feel the heat off the tractor and knock on the door. Ugh. Most of the time they are decent humans and leave me be. Sometimes they threaten and kick me. Ouch.

But don't forget... you can always pull into a scale house and park there. I never do because come morning, DOT might wanna look me over. This is the safe haven program. So that's a ace card to draw for yourself.

There is so much parking thinking and potential trouble, especially on a non truckstop private property or store front or rear or whatever. Some places will trespass and arrest you. SO you are gone. that's that.

Be careful out there.

By the way crying about hours on your daily is no excuse, you are a professional and should be aware that you will need a place to park prior to end of your driving day.

Good luck

 

Lol if I was a newbie reading this I'd turn tail and run, it's really not all that bad out here lol

 

No it's not. Hence my handle preparing for the worst. It's something beaten into my foolish and airhead by instructors over the years. I was truly flat stupid for doing this whole trucking thing. Some of those instructors man... if I put em to a pot and cooked em I would be the product. Euch....

 

Please realize it isn't always the stores decision. A lot of them lease the building and its real estate company that owns and maintains the lot. So it there decision. I know the Walmart by my house leases it's building and the manager told me it was not up to him but the owners of building.

 

I think you were scammed. I'm pretty sure that only law enforcement can detain you, and they won't detain you on a trespassing charge. They'll just write you a ticket and send you on your way.

In fact, I'll bet that boot would have come off quickly if you told them you were going to call the cops to get things straightened out...