Parking areas and 11 hours up!

I had a buddy that got caught in crazy traffic in LA went to park in Castaic, no parking. Parked in a radiator fill station on the Grapevine. CHP woke him up and told him to move or it was a $250 ticket. He told them that he was out of hours and had not been able to find a place to park. They told him that he could either take the $250 ticket or he could get back on the road and they would pull him over to check his log. So he took the $250 ticket. There was a night for me in Virginia I think I drove to 3 different truck stops and could not find a hole to shut down in. I ended up making my own parking spot at the last one because I was so over on hours.

 

That's a BS ticket if I ever did see one. Anything under 14 mins and 59 seconds shouldn't even count.

 

I picked up a load at a sheetrock place north of NYC and the guard said if I ever come back, I could park inside the gate along the road. I thought that was awful nice of her to offer, but I was thinking if I ever come back to the northeast, it'll be too soon. What a freaking hellhole the coasts are for truckers. What will it take for you guys to boycott those places and let them fend for themselves?

 

If it makes you feel better, the judge agreed as well and tossed it.

 

If given the choice between a ticket for illegal parking or driving in violation of HOS , it's a no brainer . A parking ticket is a nonmoving violation . Your log book could get it dismissed . The problem with this is it documents you interrupting your sleeper berth time . If you have been in your sleeper less than 8 hours you have to take 8 more . When the officer tells you to move on tell him you need it in writing for liability purposes. If he does this send a copies to FMCSA , PATT , and OOIDA .

 

This is where I love California. A parking ticket on a freeway is a moving violation. I have gotten one of these as well. They write on their failure to obey a regulatory sign. The same ticket you would get if you went the wrong way down a one way street. I got mine for pulling off in this big huge dirt shoulder to make a phone call. Our company would fire you if you got caught on the phone. Chp walked up said is it an emergency that you are here. I said no sir, I am making a Doctors appt. and he wrote me a ticket. I said well at least its not a moving violation and he said any ticket on a freeway is one. Thats when I got pissed.

 

I admit I've been lucky so far. even with planning, things can go awry. Always found a place before my hours ran out - even in New Jersey. Not tried SoCal yet, though. Is the limit posted in those California rest areas? Not seen any signs up north of the Bay...

Came close to burning my fingers in NV,though. Planned a stop with about 45 mins to go on my HOS - and missed the exit. Yer basic "DUH" moment. I figured I'd just hit the next exit and turn around - I could see there was room. Problem was, turns out that the next exit was a bit over 30 minutes away.

Sooo.. spent the night on the shoulder of the on-ramp

 

Alot of times on highways you might find a industrial park that is closed because it's so late...or you might find a abandon where house...and alot of times you'll find open areas that has maybe a dead end...backing down one of them shouldn't give you a problem...but depending on the company you work for...say you work a hazmat company that delivers to Home Depot...if you go to them and talk to the manager...he might let you park at a dock in the back...long as they don't expect a load and you'll be out in the morning...

 

The hubby and I spent a night in a church parking lot in the Dallas Ft Wayne area. Not too bad. Seemed safe & noone bugged us. I don't know if that would work every where, but it'd be worth a try.

 

I try to plan my day to end at about 4:00-4:30 that way I will always have a spot to park in most areas.

Some times I have ended at 7:30 pm and found that difficult to find a parking spot. I found one at about 8:30-9:00 one night because swifty had problems hitting the hole and left so I took the same spot and hit in with only a couple of pull ups It was hard and verry tight spot but I got it.