Have you been discriminated against?

[melvonnar]

Most rest stops have a sign that says no RV overnight parking;
18 wheelers can stay as long as they like. I agree that they are on a job---but arn't that what truck stops are for?---whats fair is fair.
I was put out of a rest stop in North Carolina because the cop said RVs wern't allowed to stay overnight; when I told the cop that there were twenty 18 wheelers here when i pulled in and they were still here; he got very irate and threatened to give me a ticket if I didn't leave ---RIGHT NOW.
Got his name TR Jones; he is a realy hateful cop.
I have stayed in Florida rest stops and had no problems; but they do have a sign that says no overnight RV parking.

[Wayne M]

I have never seen a sign specifically stating "Nor RV Overnight parking," but I have seen many that say "No Overnight Parking."

So here is my question in either case. What constitutes "Overnight" parking? If I pull in to get two hours or a little more sleep, that is not overnight. So can I look at my watch, it's 8 p.m., and be gone out of their by Midnight? That is not overnight.

I'm really at a dumb point in this terminology. Of course, it must be whatever the law enforcement officer states it is, right?

Yes, I think it is a form of discrimination, but my questions still stand.

[Mr_D]

That is NOT "discrimination". The sign clearly stated "No RV Overnight Parking"

[wa8yxm]

Regarding TR Jones... I've seen officers who made up their own law more than once. I have seen them completly ignore the law and write an inappropriate ticket as well. I have gone to court and won against them twice.

I was chatting with a rest-stop attendant In Michigan and he said it was allowed (RV or Semi) However if there are a lot of Semi's in the lot and it's filling up from what others have suggested... You might wish to move on down the road.

THIS IS NOT LEGAL ADVICE,, Nor is the reason you want to move legal. But you might wish to move non the less.

[njs42]

By follow the instructions on the signs and being more apt to ask an officer a question than to tell them anything; I move through life generally unperturbed and as a result feeling free of descrimination---except to the extent people just do not like old overweight bearded men or their occasion commentary.

[baraff]

I avoid the whole rest stop game by overnighting at Cracker Barrels, they are so far very accommodating and we get a good meal too. And its not like there's a shortage of them......more CBs than rest stops, I bet.
And arguing with LEOs never works.

[GMRHost]

Probably the unsafest, most unsanitary stops are rest areas at night. None are well-lit to speak of, and there's a lot of drug and prostitute traffic in many of them. Michael Jordan's dad was killed in one even... but I know what it is like to be so tired that you have to stop somewhere that you normally might not. I also know what it's like to be kicked out of a parking area that you need to be in.
RVs get the bum's rush because that's how many of the pimps roll, these days. You expect to see people in and out of an RV, not so much the big trucks. But, the odds are the rules get put in place for one of the above considerations.
Generally, when an officer told me to "move along," I got with it. I didn't want to be the next sideshow for all to behold with my belongings and gear stripped out of my unit in some kind of search.
Kind of like flipping a U-Turn when you see a long line of cars ahead for a DUI checkpoint. (I know someone who did, lol)

[DennyD]

Quote:

Originally Posted by melvonnar Most rest stops have a sign that says no RV overnight parking; 18 wheelers can stay as long as they like. I agree that they are on a job---but arn't that what truck stops are for?---whats fair is fair.

You ain't gonna' win, either parking or spelling - - most highway patrol men know the FEDERAL law requiring truckers rest time. Suggest you just leave that one alone

[Mekanic]

Having been a police officer I'd make a formal complaint with who ever is over officer TR Jones.
That is IF you had a legal right to be there and the officer was wrong.

[melvonnar]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mekanic Having been a police officer I'd make a formal complaint with who ever is over officer TR Jones. That is IF you had a legal right to be there and the officer was wrong.

I did just that; (made a formal complaint); The commander wrote back and said they would investigate; a few weeks later I received a letter from him saying it was OK to park from dark till dawn. I never did find out what was said to T R Jones.
I keep a copy of that letter with me when I travel; my wife was so upset she won't let me even stop in North Carolina, to buy gas.

[slickest1]

Looking at it from someone who has been in a truck, Highway Patrol and DOT encourage truckers to stop and rest. It used to be and probably still is a problem with truckers trying to get to their destination and not sleeping and wind up in a crash. The last thing anyone needs is a half asleep trucker going down the road. Lot's of these guys probably drive twice the mileage every day that most RV's do. This is day after day. There are hrs. of service rules that they have to abide by and then they have to pull over because they are out of hrs. This is strictly enforced and that is probably the reason for the cop to do what he did. Yes Rv'ers get tired too and also need somewhere to rest but they have more time to seek out a suitable place. Personally I stay away from rest stops and truck stops because of things I have seen.

[melvonnar]

Florida has night security; I questioned an officer on duty about the sign and he said, it was for the time when, and if theres a problem they can put people out, staying one night was no problem if you didn't cause any problems.
When I stay in a Florida rest stop, I stay under a light close to where the officer is parked.

[beachboy27]

When you stay in a rest Stop, do you stay in the truck area or in the car park area?

[blackf3504dr]

If it makes you feel any better I've been woke up in rest areas in my truck and told I couldn't spend the night because there is a three hour limit. It didn't matter to the cop that I was out of hours and taking the mandatory ten hour break....