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Old 11-23-2013, 09:00 AM   #21
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Mhony, certainly some drivers use the parking lot as a urinal. Most professionals don't for the reasons you state here. The pervasive smell usually comes from hog or cattle haulers.
Does cow or pig urine not have a distinctive odor- sorta like cat pee or dog pee does?
The smell I am referencing is distinctly human-
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Old 11-23-2013, 11:21 AM   #22
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the hogs and cattle must go to walmart too!
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Old 11-23-2013, 11:26 AM   #23
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I think it is more likely that some drivers dump beverage bottles they use as urinals when driving (to avoid a stop) onto the pavement.

You see these same bottles by the side of the road on occasion.



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Old 11-23-2013, 11:31 AM   #24
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They may be emptying Gatorade bottles of pee, but I think they just stand between the trucks and let 'er rip! I have accidentally "caught" them on several occasions.
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Old 11-23-2013, 03:37 PM   #25
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I use Wal Mart, Cracker Barrel, Flying J, and Church parking areas.

Many Fraternities suck as the Elk and Moose have parking for members and many have electric.

Now as for Cracker Barrel years ago I asked the waitress about using them in Ohio. She did not answer but the manager stopped by a few minutes later and suggested I not stay at that Cracker barrel because the prostitutes used CBs to call the truckers off the Interstate and the police raided the lot several times a night. We moved on down the road to the next Cracker Barrel.

Once I dropped my trailer in a rest area in NC because I had to get some work on the truck before I could tow any further. The attendants let me pull up close to the building and plug into the receptacle behind the coke machine for the day to run the frig.
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Old 11-23-2013, 04:16 PM   #26
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I have to agree with JD's earlier post regarding earlier stops at campgrounds and enjoying a drink while grilling dinner. This has become our norm, ie, stopping late afternoon while still light and not pushing the mileage. Could be an age thing for me and staying within my comfort zone. We try to use KOA, but use many independents. Having hookups and a place to put out the lawn chair appeals to us. Have to admit, some places we've stayed we decided to skip the lawn chair and grill. But for the most part, we've had good luck and have been comfortable with the one nighters. We think rest stops, etc, have a higher risk factor than we're willing to accept unless we're in an emergency situation.
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Old 11-23-2013, 04:41 PM   #27
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In the past I've slept some at rest stops and at truck stops without a problem, but now I don't like to drive that late and I'm not in that big of a hurry. Also we're pretty spoiled because we like all the hookups, and cable TV. But, I understand many have to cover the miles, and conserve on the costs. Guess we're pretty fortunate we don't have to do that now.
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Old 11-23-2013, 05:03 PM   #28
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I've stayed over night at rest stops. Problem is cliental maybe a little on the seedy side. Just be cautious. Staying over night anywhere but a campground can be iffy.
I have pulled into to rest areas and slept for a few hours. I find when I wake up, it is hard to get back to sleep with the noise. Unless you are actually camping, no one will time your length of stay. You will be parked in the truck lane so trucks will come in and out at all hours. A refer will have the diesel refrigerator turn on and off. Your stay will be as noisy as a truck stop. There are only truckers at a truck stop, no possible axe murderers and you can park as long as you want.
State and county parks won't break the bank and often offer very pleasant surroundings. Casinos often offer free overnight parking and usually more pleasant surroundings. You are traveling to enjoy yourself and you won't in a rest area or truck stop so budget some camping into your trip.
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Old 11-23-2013, 05:05 PM   #29
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On certain trips we used to drive straight on through. Now we break them into 2-day drives . We are lucky that we have discovered some great campgrounds.
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Old 11-23-2013, 06:20 PM   #30
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Rest stop rules and corresponding signage vary from state to state. You can usually google the rest stop rules pretty easily. We use them on occasion and have a couple of favorites here and there. But they are generally bright and noisy. Likewise walmart.
We much prefer seeking out a state or county park with or without hookups. Depending on state, location and time of year they can be less than 20 bucks and the sleep we get is high quality. For catnaps or get out of the severe weather stops we've done church parking lots, abandoned gas stations and even hotel lots. Free sleep is ok but quality sleep is much preferred.
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Old 11-23-2013, 07:49 PM   #31
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FYI NJ prohibits idling in the rest areas. it was one of the quietest overnights other than campgrounds.
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Old 11-23-2013, 08:20 PM   #32
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Don't forget about courtesy parking here on Airforums. Some people have hook ups or will allow you to dump & take on fresh water.
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Old 11-23-2013, 09:35 PM   #33
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I travel from NJ to Chicago and beyond often. Rt 80 in Obio is great for overnight, they have an RV section with power, but u can get water and dump in Am, cost a little$$. I travel along, Si am female and feel safe there. Sometimes by early evening there is a little village of people tnere.
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Old 11-24-2013, 05:11 AM   #34
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Sbb...was just going to add same information...think there are 4 going East and 4 going West...we found their locations on the internet...not sure what we searched for but they were there...we actually pulled into one to see the setup...very nice...on opposite side of rest stop from the truckers...well lit...would stay in a heartbeat if I needed to...what surprised me about the trip along the toll road was the total cost from Chicago to PA and back...was shocked when I got my IPass bill and it was well over 80.00...made me rethink my travels and in the future when I'm retired and not in a hurry...we'll travel the roads less traveled and get off the toll roads and hit the secondary roads...cheaper...prettier...and you'll see more of the gold ole U.S.A...happy travels...JIM
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Old 11-24-2013, 09:34 AM   #35
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It is legal in Texas. I stopped once near Junction in a gaggle of semis, all idling. In the middle of the night, my propane detector went off from all of the exhaust fumes. Scared the dickens out of me and that was the end of my sleep for the night.
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Old 11-24-2013, 01:18 PM   #36
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It is legal in Texas. I stopped once near Junction in a gaggle of semis, all idling. In the middle of the night, my propane detector went off from all of the exhaust fumes. Scared the dickens out of me and that was the end of my sleep for the night.
Indeed! One of our favorite rest stops is at the LBJ ranch in Stonewall out in the Hill Country. Wifi too....and nicely situated between Fredericksburg and Johnson City. There is an awesome flea market just a few miles west the third weekend of each month. Route 290. Secondary roads are awesome in Texas.
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Old 11-24-2013, 01:44 PM   #37
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Rest Area Camping

We've never overnighted in a rest area but we have stopped and eaten lunch at rest areas and a few times have taken a nap on long drives. We also use rest areas to walk and stretch every couple of hours. I've never noticed the peculiar "odor" mentioned by others on this thread.

Once we stayed at a Cracker Barrel (La Grange, GA). We called about an hour before arriving and asked permission of the manager to park overnight. He encouraged us to come and patronize the restaurant for dinner and breakfast which we did. We were the only overnight guests and experienced no issues. We've never stayed overnight at a Walmart, church parking lot, or shopping center.

We have taken advantage of courtesy parking.

On our recent two month trip west we overnighted frequently at state and local parks within 20 miles of the routes we were traveling. State parks are low cost, safe, generally well maintained, and quiet plus usually have water and electrical hookups and a dump station. Some have full hookups.

If we were going to stay at a Wal-Mart parking lot, or a Cracker Barrel again, we would definitely call ahead and ask for permission to park. We understand from other campers the manager will tell you if there is a potential safety issue in the parking lot. Of course the manager will also tell you if there is a local ordinance against overnighting.

The Allstays APP is good for locating parks along your route as well as camper friendly Wal-Marts, Kmarts, Cabellas, Cracker Barrels.

I wouldn't hesitate to overnight in a rest area with trucks or other campers parked in the parking lot unless there was a sign indicating overnight parking is prohibited. I would be cautious about staying overnight in rest areas without much traffic as well as those near urban areas known to have crime problems. We happen to feel safer spending a few dollars to overnight in a state park so we take full advantage of them.
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Old 11-24-2013, 02:16 PM   #38
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A big negative aspect of rest areas and trucks stops is this-
Apparently most truckers are lazy and unsanitary-
The whole pavement reeks of urine- like they are too lazy to walk to the building and they just pee beside their trucks-
Anyway, the odor offends my nose and I dread having to stop at one of these places-
I hate for my shoe to touch the urine soaked pavement and then have to go in my trailer or pickup...
As a retired truck driver with close to 3,000,000 miles, I take offense at your remark. Sal
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Old 11-24-2013, 03:23 PM   #39
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... And I take offense to people peeing on the ground and having to walk in it or smell it...when the building is fairly close by...it is one of those things that should not be...it is one of those annoying things that no one should have to experience...and I still don't want to spend the night at a truck stop or rest area...besides the trucks coming and going, doors closing, headlights shining in...can't get any rest that way...
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Old 11-24-2013, 05:13 PM   #40
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m.hony - Obviously Sal was not one of these people so lets not lump them all together.

Thanks for the info everyone def a lot to consider
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