What to do when there are no proper length parking spots??

I laugh at this post every time i see it..

 

Yep. I only stop for fuel or an "emergency" rest room stop. Wife loves it!

 

While we do keep snacks within reach in the TV, sometimes stopping for a break is better than being a road warrior. We have found gas stations that have no place for us to park and use the restrooms. In some sections of the country, rest areas can be few and far between, so being able to use a restroom after refueling is handy. It has gotten even more interesting for us, since we have the 'fridge on LP on the road, and turn it off/on before and after fueling.
Some people need a break or a real meal of some sort, especially if they are the lone driver, have health issues, or have a kiddo with limited patience. We often drive 5-9 hours to camp (the TT has added about an hour to an 8-hour trip), so a real break for lunch is a plus. I still travel solo, can't do the long days I once did, and need to stop every now and again. Solo or not, it is much better to get out and stretch every couple of hours.
We've started to look for big box stores for stops, especially if we don't find a rest area close enough to a fueling spot. Most Walmarts, Targets, large grocery stores, etc. have huge parking lots so we can park far out from the building (gives us more of walk, too) and those lots tend to have good egress. We learned to survey any stops with our first pup, but have had to change the parameters to more space with both the second pup and our new TT.

 

A mans got to park, when a mans got to park. Start at the back of the lot and pull in to wherever you fit, however you need to. It's not the end of the world if you hang out a tad. "The people who matter don't mind, and the people who mind don't matter."

 

I'm a pool guy with 4wd and a lifted pup. I park wherever I please

 

I just pull over on the side of the road. Put the flashers on and do what you got you do. People understand a stranded camper.

 

I drive a Tractor Trailer just short of 70ft long for a living so running around with the PUP is fun. I am not afraid to park between the Big Rigs.

 

I would think just the opposite.

 

That does define the saying "Travel Light"

 

This weekend I almost screwed up when I made our first stop. I forgot I was hauling my HTT and was happily making a big U turn to get in the drive thru when DW said, "You thing you can fit in there?" HTT is over 10 feet high, the drive-thru height was 9 feet... Had to back out not before I had to direct traffic around me.

Watch the drive-thru height y'all!

 

We have found that sit down restaurants(Applebees, Red Robin, etc) tend to have larger areas at the rear for delivery trucks. If you just ask the manager they will generally understand and direct you where will be ok for your family to park if not expecting a delivery.

 

I usually look for bigger shopping centers with restaraunts near by. I park in the big lot and walk over to the restaraunt. I will try to pull into truck stops to gas up because they have more room to maneuver. around these parts, if there is a Walmart close, there is usually a Cracker Barrel near by. They will have RV parking. One time I drove through the drive through at Culvers . You should have seen the look on their faces. The drive through was big and easy to get through.

My main rule is I always think about how I will get out of a spot before pulling in. That's important. You can pull in some places and snarl the whole lot up with a truck and trailer. There are a lot of gas stations I would never pull in to.

 

Amen!

 

Hey man, I take a mini-fridge when we go for 3 nights or more. Its handy. I set it under the rear bunk. That way we have a meat fridge (the pup fridge), a dairy / produce fridge, and a cooler for drinks.

 

Yep saw a guy just a few short yrs ago pull out of a gas station Quick Trip and jam up against a gas pump, when trying to leave. the store manager would not let him back up. Guess he thought his only option was to go forward... he not only took out most of the pump but almost tore the back end of his travel trlr.. ouch...I think i would have called a tow truck and had them lift it the TT up and put dollies underneath the back end.. at least he could have moved it sideways and not tore half the back off...but that is just my opinion

 

Of all the options he took the worst one... A bit of reverse with the tires pointed in the right direction would have worked unless some extenuating circumstances forbid it. Jacking the TT off the TV and then relocating the TV perpendicular as possible would also worked, but straight forward got you stuck, it wont get you unstuck unless you rip something.......

 

I hate days like that!

 

How can the store manager prevent the guy from backing up? I'll take your word for it that the store manager somehow did so. If I were faced with that situation, I guess I'd stop, put out the awning, and set up camp for a while, preventing other customers from coming through until the store manager decided it was appropriate to let me leave. I might call the police, asking for help in getting my unlawfully detained trailer returned to my possession.

But I wouldn't pull forward until I could tell it was safe to do so.

 

I do not know why the manager would not let him back up.. I got there just after he pulled forward..the guy and gal in the RV were wrecks..at that point...and yes he said he had insurance..they had to shut that pump off anyway.. to much damage. guess they were pretty jammed into the pump.. If I have to stop at a gas station with the trailer on, I always have some one {wife} spot me if I have to swing to the right. She will even watch as I do the turn in our cul-de-sac. Mail boxes are a different story.....

 

I find a spot with 2 spaces next to one another, back the PUP into one spot as far back as possible, unhook and then park the truck caddy cornered next to it to partially block it from being moved.

Hook up only takes 2 or 3 minutes and I do not risk any damage to my TV form sticking out to far.