Why do so many truckers pack themselves into rest areas?

When I was OTR there were rest areas that we actually liked stopping at and planned our trips accordingly. Sometimes you might figure on going 600-700 miles but towards the end of the day/night that rest area sign might look pretty inviting and you can make it up on the next leg of the trip.....sometimes. But all in all, just because trucks are in the rest area does not mean they had a lack of a plan, it simply could be that is where they choose to be.

 

For example, whenever I run the I10/20/30 corridor, I park at the truck parking area near Cumby, TX on 30. Because its pretty much a given you wont find parking at any of the truckstops after 7pm and I usually roll in there around 9 or 10

 

always a parking spot, usually quiet and no one bothers you!!!

 

No kidding, and when you do, you have to deal with the short fat crackhead selling DVD's.

I personally like parking in rest areas. Easy to get in and out of in the morning, quieter, no bums, the parking lot doesn't smell like a urinal, and I don't have the temptation to get ripped off buying something from the TS.

The only time I go to a TS is if I need fuel, a shower, or coffee. I refuse to be over charged for their garbage food, and everything else they try to over charge.

 

BTW I managed to shutdown at the Minooka IL Pilot but made sure to arrive early near 4pm and got a spot. You could also drive up the road to the US Cold Storage there is a road there where trucks park at as they lack No Parking signs.

 

I dropped in Nogales the day before and stopped at the pilot to grab a burger and found no parking. ...at 12:30pm!

 

I like rest areas for the main reason that when I get up in the morning I dont have to fight my way back to the highway. They say that most accidents occur during your first hour and last hour of driving. So if I can part for the night without having to back up, and then pull straight onto the interstate, why wouldnt I? And some of them have free wifi, the best thing ever!