Parking city ordinances

[UTTransplant]

Originally Posted by mel s

IMO anyone who attempts to overnight in a parking lot where "Overnight Parking Prohibited" signs are posted deserves to get whatever they get.
Mel
'96 Safari

I so agree with you! I just don't get why the subject even comes up. Do we park on the street in "no parking" zones in our cars? Do we violate "handicapped only" parking spots? Why even think about violating an ordinance unless there is truly an emergency? It is sooooo much less trouble to just follow the rules.

[goldwingman]

Our experience in "touristy" areas, you know, the ones we all want to go to, is that over night parking in wally type lots is more acceptable in low season than high season. Maybe competition, maybe chamber of commerce. lol
Have had no problems during "low season" nights.
FWIW, I've been allowed to "stay" at Cracker Barrel. Breakfast is so-o-o good, too. Certainly happy to eat breakfast there. Gravy good.

[JohnH12]

Don't mean to hijack the thread regarding store parking lots but my question is about interstate rest areas posted with no overnight stays.
Commercial drivers have a mandatory 10 hour break and the rest areas are full of them every night.
How can anyone force them to violate federal law?
Fwiw I think the posted areas are there to stop long term stays or homeless populations from setting up permanent camps.
Thoughts?

[Mike and Cha]

Originally Posted by JohnH12

Fwiw I think the posted areas are there to stop long term stays or homeless populations from setting up permanent camps.
Thoughts?

That is really what it is all about. Law Enforcement needs a tool, as do the property owners, to get rid of people who want to set up home in a parking lot. Not that I'm insensitive to the homeless problem but there are a lot of them who take advantage and ruin it for everyone else. That's from over 30 years experience of having to deal with those issues.

[TooTallTom]

John,

I have had the same thoughts. We stayed in our first rest area this past October. We had no issues and there was one other camper there as well. I did not see a sign about no camping but I have always wondered what that meant.

A trucker can park and sleep because he has to. Someone driving in their car can stop and sleep if they are too tired. But somehow in an RV we can't "camp"? My wife has been trying to convince me to challenge that thought. And truely the only times we have considered stopping in rest areas in when we are driving late and just need to sleep. Usually pull in around 10pm or later and hit the road at 6 or 7 in the morning. So by no means am I looking to setup "camp" but I just need to sleep as everyone else does.

The only other concern I have read about overnighting it in rest areas are the truckers. Not that they are mean but I have read that most truckers don't like RV's taking up space in rest areas. As you eluded to they "have" to stop, we don't. Plus we "RVers" can go and park in many more places then they can, or so it is said.

Over the years I have driven through Nebraska and even Texas where the rest areas are packed full of truckers and some who want\need to stop can't since there is no parking. That is when I get a bit nervous taking up a parking spot in my RV when a trucker needs it as well.

Tom

[RV Vagabond]

Unless it says NO RV PARKING or TRUCK PARKING ONLY then I don't think truckers have exclusive rights. But if a trucker was bold enough to ask if I would move since all slots are taken, I would move out at least to avoid any retaliation.

[Mr_D]

Originally Posted by UTTransplant

I so agree with you! I just don't get why the subject even comes up. Do we park on the street in "no parking" zones in our cars? Do we violate "handicapped only" parking spots? Why even think about violating an ordinance unless there is truly an emergency? It is sooooo much less trouble to just follow the rules.

I'm deputized to write tickets for illegal parking in handicapped spots and you'd be surprised at how many people do it thinking they're just going to be there a "minute". Around here that "minute" can cost $450. But the ones I love are the ones using a departed friends placard! I've even found delivery drivers in them, they claimed their dispatcher said it was OK. They found out differently.

[JohnH12]

Some added thoughts:
I recently talked with a security guard at one of the rest areas that was posted as "no overnight parking". I asked him what the time limit was at that particular rest area. He said there was no limit that he knew of and also recommended a good place to park for the night that was close to a street light and in view of the security cameras.
FWIW I also drove OTR as a commercial truck driver some years ago. Just like any field there are a few jerks who think everyone else should make way for them. The majority are just trying to do a job and get home safely.
For those who would put conditions on how to park overnight by saying no slides, jacks, or generators I'll raise the following point/s.
The refer trucks have no choice about their generator and compressor. Most don't want to park next to one but sometimes you just have to deal with it. If it's hot I run the generator so I can use the A/C.
Slides - I cannot access my rear bath without climbing over the bed unless I extend at least the bedroom slide. I try to not have it overhanging another spot but sometimes it can't be avoided. I'm less concerned about the slight trespass into the spot than about someone pulling in short and causing damage. If you want some entertainment just watch what goes on in a truck stop parking lot when the not so skilled drivers try to park. It's better than any movie. Just because they managed to get a class A license doesn't mean they can actually drive that rig.
Some rest areas like the one on I-10 in the Louisiana Atchfalaya area have seperate areas for rv's and commercial rigs although it's not strictly enforced.
My bottom line is to treat all as I want to be treated. That doesn't mean head of the line priviledge. Realize that they pulled in because they're just as tired as you or the feds mandate they stop for their 10 hours. Most folks get a little cranky when they get tired so spread the honey to get a better result.
One other point about rest area stopping. Try to avoid the entrance road for parking if the lot looks full. Use the exit road if you must. I would rather get hit by someone accellerating from 25MPH than by a tired driver not quite slowing enough from 70MPH when getting off the interstate.
Sorry 'bout the rant if it's taken that way.

[wahoonc]

Good points John.

I think the overall reason for not using slides, jacks and generators during parking lot stays has to do with courtesy. I do realize that truck reefer units will run. We used to live in a neighborhood where we had a less than ideal "neighbor" that would bring a reefer home on the weekends, drop it, leave the unit running then leave for the weekend. There weren't any ordinances about it, so it was not well liked by anyone that lived nearby. One holiday weekend someone got tired of it and turned the reefer off, didn't see another reefer parked at that house the rest of the time I lived there.

As far as using jacks, they can and will damage parking lots, the asphalt in parking lots is pretty thin and quite often installed over marginal soil conditions. Someone that abuses a privilege will soon ruin it for everyone. I don't have a problem with someone that needs to put out a slide to be able to use the camper overnight. The problem comes in when someone pulls into a parking lot, supposedly to grab a few hours sleep and turns it into a 2 day camping trip. That is not why this privilege was granted, that type of behavior ruins if for everyone.

Generators can be obnoxious if used in the wrong place at the wrong time. Truck stops and rest areas I don't see them being a problem, in a WM parking lot adjacent to a residential area is more of a problem.

Just my 2 cents worth.

Aaron

[firedoc]

Originally Posted by Mr_D

I'm deputized to write tickets for illegal parking in handicapped spots and you'd be surprised at how many people do it thinking they're just going to be there a "minute". Around here that "minute" can cost $450. But the ones I love are the ones using a departed friends placard! I've even found delivery drivers in them, they claimed their dispatcher said it was OK. They found out differently.

What state or community do you live in. I would love to be deputized to write tickets for handicapped zones. One of my pet peeves.

[Mike and Cha]

Originally Posted by firedoc

What state or community do you live in. I would love to be deputized to write tickets for handicapped zones. One of my pet peeves.

Most Local PD's now have Senior Volunteer groups that are trained in writing tickets for parking issues. They are also trained to do patrols City wide, and report anything suspicious to dispatch. At our Agency, we had about 60 Volunteers by the time I retired. Their most favorite ticket to write was the Handicap Parking Violations. Unfortunately there are a lot of people who think the rules are for everyone but them, or there only going to be there for a few minutes, so no big deal. I had to handle a lot of complaints from people getting those tickets, their excuses held no water, and then they complained about the cost, which first time I think was around $250, to which I told them they needed to complain to the Courts and see how that works for them. The amount of Illegal Handicap parking went down considerably, but there is always a new batch of Ignorant people to come around and violate the Handicap parking spaces. Check with your local PD Sheriff's Office they are always looking for new Volunteers.

[RV Vagabond]

Mike, other than for handicap spaces, how can a policeman write a ticket for parking on private property, especially when the property owner has not complained

[Mr_D]

Originally Posted by firedoc

What state or community do you live in. I would love to be deputized to write tickets for handicapped zones. One of my pet peeves.

Clark County, Washington.
Had to pass the same background and stress test as the deputies. Then was sworn in but only to write the tickets.

[Mike and Cha]

Originally Posted by RV Vagabond

Mike, other than for handicap spaces, how can a policeman write a ticket for parking on private property, especially when the property owner has not complained

It depends on the Jurisdiction and the Municipal codes in place, and what the code they are writing for is. If it is a violation of a State Vehicle Code for example, parking in a marked fire zone, the Officer can issue a citation without a request. Some violations need to be a result of the private property owner/responsible party requesting action based on a Municipal Code that is in place, and the property is properly posted for that violation. In some cases the property owner has a signed request to Cite/Tow vehicles violating the Municipal Code in advance on file with the PD so the Officers can use their discretion when needed. There are a lot of times these Municipal Codes may be in place in the event there is a need to exercise them for example "No Overnight Parking". The property owner may not care, and for the most part Officers may not enforce the Code, but when it gets out of control or people try to set up home in a parking lot, LE needs a tool to work with to stop it. Hope this makes sense, I'm speaking to California Law and working in a World Destination Resort City. Small towns with few problems are probably a lot different. Either way the last thing most Officers want to do is write parking tickets in Parking Lots, and in most cases have been called by the property owner, who will most likely tell the person who received the ticket that they did not call the PD to avoid a confrontation.