The day to day of driving-A few questions?

I think we are kind of getting away from what he asked orginally. Being in the trucking industry and trying to eat at applebes or outback on a regular basis can be trying. I can appreciate your wanting to get away from the humdrum of all the food at every Petro is the same. I think time and experience will dictate where you can go. There is a mall on I-70 in ohio near wva that has huge parking a movie theater and different restuarants that easy to get to. A little try an error and paying attention to limitations on parking should get you to where you want to go. I believe there is a section in here on truckstop eating so might want to look there for possible places to stop.

 

Did you meet my good friend the Ontario DOT?


Don't worry. After he hits my place, his ticket book is worn thin and he's just plumb tuckered out

 

Don't count on Walmart Super Centers either. A lot of them are putting up no truck bars. I needed to stop for treats and a new dress for Miss Minnie tried 4 Walmarts before finding one that did not have the truck bars so that I could get in the lot. Like we truckers don't need to shop too!

 

Even Walamrts that have these 8 foot high bar barriers need supply trucks. Simply go to the truck entrance and park behind the store then go shopping.

Walmarts have had too many complaints from customers about truckers leaving trash, urine bottles, and in 1 case a trucker dumping used oil into a storm drain on Walmart's property (after he changed his oil apparently).

Of course there are also the heavy trucks that damage the car parking area prematurely (car parking lots have a thinner layer of blacktop and tend to sink under the weight of heavy trucks especially in the hot summer).

Then there are the inattentive drivers that have accidentally knocked down light poles in the parking lots, ran over flower beds and broken the curbing on the little Islands throughout the parking area, not to mention the occassions when a driver bumps a customers car.

As you can see there are many legitimate reasons for restricting trucks from the car parking area.

 

there are many legitimate reasons for restricting trucks

I concede, you are entirely right! I admit I did not think of using their truck delivery entrance, and I am sure there are truckers who will do things like you just mentioned. We have never done any of those things. Remember there are also 4 wheeler customers that will shoplift, fight, ect but not every 4 wheeler customer is punished for it.

 

I don't know where most of you live, but just about ANY state route leading to or from just about any-sized city has a mall, a strip mall or shopping center on it. I can't even think of a place I've been that I can't pull into and get food and drink. And more than a few #####-tonk places WILL let you park overnight even if it's for a small fee.

Of course I'm not saying you can go EVERYWHERE but I've found that when I get off at just about any freeway exit that has a "Town 5 Miles" sign and head towards town, I find a place that'll accomodate me and my rig. It might be tricky and... but I'm sure regular and dedicated route drivers know where these places are...
In my home town near Boston there's a rig parked almost every morning in the shopping center near my house. They come and go... I guess the cops don't mind it here...

Again, I'm not saying that every exit has a place close to it but if you can "Legally" get there and park, options abound!

And for the OP that contemplated renting a car to get in and out of a major city, Zipcar.com rents cars by the hour... and cheap!

 

Many, many, thanks. This is precisely the type of information I was asking for a few days ago. I knew there a few drivers who have figured out how to eat and play in certain places without having to rent a car for a day.