Community Forums

youngf · 04-26-2019, 08:53 PM

Pick up Flying J map that shows station locations. The first few times you pull into a station be very careful about where you go to get fuel. Usually with only a little observation it will be obvious where you can go to fill up your fuel tank and then be able to pull out again. Be careful you do not get too close to the pump(I try to leave at least 5 feet between the pump and the side of my camper) and try to look for a pump that will allow you to pull out and make the turn to get back out of the station without getting blocked in. And, even if you need to unhook it is not the end of the world. Just figure you will not make that same mistake again and think of it as a learning experience.

harleyjt · 04-26-2019, 10:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mike8253

I have the app. I also have a Pilot/Flying J gas card and so have an account and login. So what would happen to me is it would automatically log me in as if I was a professional driver. I have an Allegro (F53 gas chassis). Getting logged in like I was, I couldn't filter for RV station attributes. I finally figured out I had to enter the app as a Guest and then select RV as my vehicle. At that point I had full access to the RV related filters.

Bingo! That was exactly what was happening. I went in as a guest and am able to see the RV filters. I just wasn't smart enough to figure it out myself. Thanks!

jt

picker · 04-27-2019, 01:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by woodyxb7

It's not quite that simple. If you're pulling a trailer or toad you can't just make a quick U turn to find another station.

Driving motorhomes since '84, pulling toads behind, I only got stuck once, at a Taco Bell where I neglected to insure I could turn around. It was in a crazy town that taxed businesses by how many entry/exits there were to the place.

(won't say where, but it's in southern CO, and it's initials are CS)

So...........me and my 34ft, Damon, pulling my mini pickup.......went through the drive-thru. (they had to stretch to give me my Coke).

Ya look around........then decide.

It is not rocket science.

youngf · 04-27-2019, 08:35 AM

It may not be rocket science, but why why would you try to go thru a drive thru with a motorhome and tow vehicle? Why not just park and get a little exercise by walking into the store to make your purchase.

picker · 04-27-2019, 11:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by youngf

It may not be rocket science, but why why would you try to go thru a drive thru with a motorhome and tow vehicle? Why not just park and get a little exercise by walking into the store to make your purchase.

That was the intent.

But.......we still had to GET OUT OF THE LOT.

That was the point of the message......the only way out was the drive-thru

jubilee32 · 04-27-2019, 04:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by picker

What's the big deal ? Drive up.....look around.......if you get scared, go somewhere else.

I don't see the (perceived) problem.

“Scared”? Don’t think being scared was the issue. Unfamiliar seemed to be the issue. Maybe perception was the problem

EdInArk · 04-28-2019, 05:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jubilee32

“Scared”? Don’t think being scared was the issue. Unfamiliar seemed to be the issue. Maybe perception was the problem

I re-read the opening post and saw someone getting a larger gasoline rig and looking for advice in getting through gas stations. I didn't sense any fear either.

woodyxb7 · 04-28-2019, 08:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EdInArk

I re-read the opening post and saw someone getting a larger gasoline rig and looking for advice in getting through gas stations. I didn't sense any fear either.

My thoughts exactly. It's a matter of wanting to be prepared. As an example my rig along with the motorcycle trailer is just shy of 50 feet long. If I don't scope out potential gas stations beforehand, e.g. gas buddy, google street view, I can find myself in a difficult position of not only being unable to enter the gas station but then having to find an area to turn around as well.

dezolen · 04-28-2019, 09:28 AM

Been driving a 37 ft. Gasser towing a car for 5 years now and have yet to worry about fueling. If one station won’t work the next one will. Totally avoid any station where I’d need to back up. Usually wait for an outside pump to clear. Can drive 8 hours on a fill so this 1/2 tank between fills is silly.

Kahoona · 04-28-2019, 09:49 AM

I find that gas station roominess depends on population density and real estate value. Around LA you aren't going to find anything easy to get out of. Outside of Fernley NV there will be plenty of space. Look for your fuel along highways between cities. Fill early if you are going into a town. Big highway stops like Loves and Flying J's usually have tones of room. They are least expensive between cities. Just because they have an RV lane doesn't make it easy. Three RV's in line can take forever to fill and clear. It is the space between the pump and the store that will be your problem: Plan so you can turn left leaving the pump to take advantage of the back swing. The more lanes the road had the more room the station will have. Don't know why.

Alan_Hepburn · 04-28-2019, 10:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kahoona

Plan so you can turn left leaving the pump to take advantage of the back swing.

To make this more generalized: plan your entry so that if you have to turn on exiting you turn so that the rear of your coach swings AWAY from the pumps. If your filler is on the street side of the coach then you'll want to turn left on exiting; if the filler is on the curb side of the coach then you're better off turning right on exiting.

HighDesert · 04-29-2019, 08:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jubilee32

“Scared”? Don’t think being scared was the issue. Unfamiliar seemed to be the issue. Maybe perception was the problem

Interesting what people will read into a post asking a very basic question and end up with the result of the OP being "scared" to drive a MH into a gas station?? Wow - well, since I am the OP, let me affirm that "scared" is nowhere to be found here as there is not much I have not driven and was looking for general information regarding access in and out of stations with larger MH's. My last rig was a Sprinter towing a Jeep, so was just looking for advice on bigger units for fuel stops. Mostly good int here and I appreciate the information and views.

picker · 04-29-2019, 12:35 PM

I apologize for "scared". Probably should have said "apprehensive".

Yoday's climate re: words.......... is something that puzzles me.

Anyway.....be safe and comfy.

owendell · 05-08-2019, 06:31 AM

I had issues too with finding good spots to gas up. One time, we may have even (cough

) broken our back window out trying to maneuver out of a gas station that we were jack knifed out of and on an incline…

We’re in a longish rig with a gas truck. I started logging all the gas stations that were good for us, so we could visit them again and eventually made that log into a website. I added more I found via searching out google satellite view.

The website is rough, I know, I have no coding experience, so this is what I was able to cobble together. I’d love to have others involved, like a team effort to find all the best RV gas spots.

RVIslands.com

It’s not an app but you can get to it from your phone’s internet browser.