How do some of y'all get by with "creative parking" at truckstops? What do you do when the employee comes out and says you have to move?
Posted by onlyBotsdownvote-me@reddit | Truckers | View on Reddit | 81 comments
Socketz11@reddit
I cant stand creative parkers. Nothing worse than opening those curtains when you get up and staring at the back of someone's trailer. Then I have to go wake them up which I also hate doing (disturbing a truckers sleep) then I have to catch attitude because I woke them up. Just dont block people in, I dont understand what goes through somebody's brain that thinks its ok to block in 5 trucks so you can take your break.
ergofobe@reddit
I take great joy in waking up creative parkers that block me in.
Socketz11@reddit
You and me too
Outrageous-Computer3@reddit
Creative parking doesn't mean being a dick and blocking others in, although those go hand in hand. I've had two creat spots dozens of times and I've never blocked anyone in. Now I just avoid it by only parking at mom and pop shops and no worries most of the time.
brandmonkey@reddit
How do you find the mom and pop shops
Outrageous-Computer3@reddit
The trucker path app is great for that, plus I have friends in almost every state that give me heads up about little non truck stop places where you can park that will have food and restrooms nearby. In our profession there is nothing better you can do than build a nation wide network of friends and acquaintances.
Conscious-Emu-2912@reddit
I say bring back the cb radios in all trucks. That'll help with making a network of friends and acquaintances but I don't think everyone would keep them on
deezkeys098@reddit
You try to find parking between Nashville and Atlanta at 8pm-4am then come tell me how you had to creative park to get any sleep
Socketz11@reddit
Atlanta isnt even 8pm, its 24/7. The locals have monopolized almost every truck stop and parking space with their personal vehicles, cones, or just camping. Many of them have bought trucks, cant afford to fix them, or just take long breaks at home, dont have long term parking solutions and take up the spaces. Trip plan to roll past that entire area, or park at the receiver.
kali4niakid@reddit
I just ran that route lmao, ima new driver and I looked at the map and said yeah…this stretch of highway looks like a bitch, and I parked it around 3pm at the latest each day lmao.🤣
aczoz@reddit
It ain't creative parking if you're blocking someone from leaving. They're just a lazy a-hole. Bangin' on their sleeper 100% justified.
Socketz11@reddit
Well I was parked in a lined spot at a pilot, someone in their infinite wisdom decided to create their own new row, not leaving enough room for my row to even pull out 10 feet, then 6 other assholes decide to park next to him. I make sure, wherever I park no clown can ever park in front of me, because its impossible to do so without blocking everybody in, and these 6 assholes did it anyhow.
AsphaltPirate74@reddit
Fuck that, if they're blocking me in, I'll bang on that door. I've done creative parking and never blocked someone in, that's inconsiderate as shit. If they catch an attitude I'll get the store employees who'll threaten to tow them. If that doesn't work, pull their fifth wheel release and enjoy the show, but that'd leave you blocked in for longer, and you'd have to deal with that driver, so dealer's choice on that one lol
brandmonkey@reddit
I don't even like seeing people joke about pulling people's release pin. People can be killed. Don't give these crazy mfrs ideas that don't understand you are joking. Hopefully you are joking.
AsphaltPirate74@reddit
I wasn't joking. If that's too dangerous for you, you can always disconnect their glad hands and make them frustrated a little bit, no harm no foul.
brandmonkey@reddit
If they make it onto the highway and that trailer discconects, that's prison time, is it not?
AsphaltPirate74@reddit
Then what's your solution then? What's a peaceful resolution besides not confronting them? What if they won't move even with store employees threating to tow them?
yardbirdtex@reddit
Call the fucking cops and have them towed then?? Be a man, it’s people like you fucking up the industry.
AsphaltPirate74@reddit
Lmao I doubt you'd "be a man" in that scenario. Nobody who's actually a man says that type of shit.
How are people like me fucking up the industry? Lmao, you sound like a liberal soy boy who's got his head in the clouds and lives in la la land.
But calling the cops isn't a bad idea, beats getting in a fight over some stupid shit and catching a charge and losing my job.
AsphaltPirate74@reddit
Prison time how? Should I physically beat the shit out of them instead? People need to learn not to walk over people or be pieces of shits themselves. People like you are too scared to take action and do something about it. If you have a better solution besides letting the other driver fuck me over and block me in and not confront them, I'm all ears.
I've never had a trailer not uncouple when pulling the fifth wheel release and I've dropped and hooked plenty of trailers, even shitty rusted ones. But I'm sure this is a possibility.
This was in regards to a trucker telling me to fuck off after blocking me in and me first politely asking them to move and exhausting all other options first.
If I was blocked in and pulled their fifth wheel release, and the trailer did not come off at all, I would definitely notify that driver that I saw "someone else" mess with their truck before they headed for the highway because I don't advocate for killing or harming innocent people. I was trained to kill people in the Military, I don't harm innocents. I just have a strong sense of justice.
I still stand by what I said, and I don't care if that trailer damages their truck or trailer. I highly doubt it would kill someone else nor would I want someone else injured, that's not how I roll. But fuck that driver if I ever come across that. I seriously don't give a fuck, they can learn the consequences of their actions if they want to act like a "tough guy" and tell me to fuck off.
yardbirdtex@reddit
Dude, idc if you’re rightly mad or not. If I catch you doing that to someone’s truck (or mine) I’ll make sure it’s the last time you drive a truck.
AsphaltPirate74@reddit
Go cry about it
The-Shartist@reddit
Tie the airlines up in a knot, too.
AsphaltPirate74@reddit
Haha good one
COATHANGER_ABORTIONS@reddit
Yeah, I hate being the guy that has to knock, so if I'm letting another bobtail in the same spot I tell them they gotta go behind me. Someone's always awake in the truck so it's not like we're gonna block you in.
brandmonkey@reddit
That's part of the deal. I don't mind asking someone up, if they go to sleep blocking someone in they should be prepared to be woken up. I had to leave at 4am a while back and someone blocked me in so I woke them up and then they can have my spot. The only downside was it took him forever to move and it made me behind schedule. I was only 15 mins from my delivery spot so I slept in as long as I could. I didn't plan to have to wait on some foreign dude to take his sweet time getting out of my way.
Like why did you need to get dressed bud, just move the damn truck lol
The-Shartist@reddit
Yeah, shit I remember doing that in my underwear a couple of times.
Independent_Leg7358@reddit
It's not the creative parking that's the problem, it's the doing so and not being expected to move. You can block me in all you want. I'll give you a decent knock before I start my pre trip. 10 minutes later if you aren't moved, I'll very aggressively knock. At 15 minutes when my pretrip is done, I'm coming into the cab myself to move it.
ergofobe@reddit
I trip plan better so I don't have to creatively park. Just get up early so you can shut down early.
HashnaFennec@reddit
I’ll only do creative parking when I’m absolutely sure I’m not blocking someone in or generally in the way, and I’ll usually ask an employee if it’s something they allow / don’t enforce. You’d be surprised by how much you can get away with when you ask nicely. x3
baltbum@reddit
I drove for over 30 years. It didn't take long for me to ask myself, "Why in the hell do you think you have to park in a truck stop?" Then I started sleeping in industrial parks. After some years, I learned where there were good places to sleep where no one would bother you, and wrote them down for future reference.
Slyfer29@reddit
For some reason these days the truck stops aren't knocking on doors that aggressively anymore. Most of the time you can get away with creative parking as long as you're not inside of a city where most of the spots are reserved. Back in the days they used to make you move before nightfall if you weren't in a proper parking spot even if you're not blocking anything.
potodev@reddit
I've never done creative parking. If the truck stops and rest areas are full, I either park on a ramp or industrial area where other trucks park on the street.
On rare occasions, maybe a couple times a year I'll buy a spot, but that's usually because I want a shower at the end of my day more than a parking spot.
brandmonkey@reddit
I'm always too scared to park on a ramp. I'm afraid of getting a ticket and it also feels dangerous. You've never had an issue on a ramp? Do you only do it in certain states?
potodev@reddit
I don't park on ramps in places like Georgia, Virginia or Oklahoma. Also, I try to pick nice quiet rural ramps that are far out from cities. Ramps from state highways are generally more peaceful than the interstate ramps.
I've never gotten a ticket in the 7 years I've been driving, but I don't park on ramps very often. When I do I'm usually driving as soon as my 10hr break is up or sooner if I've done a split sleeper.
kukulkan2012@reddit
And on ramp is safer than an off ramp
Defiant-Medicine3014@reddit
I’ve never had to do it. I start looking for parking when I have around an hour left and pull into every spot along my route until I find one. I feel like ppl that always need to get creative just aren’t giving themselves enough time to find parking
brandmonkey@reddit
Not everyone can park before 5-6pm
Defiant-Medicine3014@reddit
I very rarely park around 5-6pm I park around 10-11pm unless I can head out around 3-4 am so that by the time my 11 is up it’s still pretty early
DaSaw@reddit
Do you work mostly in the West, or do you do much East Coast work?
GoBBleRoFDaCoK69@reddit
But everyone can monitor and make better use of their 11 hr clock to pre plan trucks stops for your break.
december151791@reddit
And that means jack shit when you need a shower and the only truck stop where you have shower credits is loves.
HorizonW1@reddit
For me I would call it less creative parking, and more like dog piling, at the end of the day we all gotta get in there and park that mudd. There are smart ways to do it, and there are dumb ways.
sam367537@reddit
Best advice I will give to you is to avoid large cities and small truck stops , always try to park at big truck stops , rest areas or in smaller cities . Don't do creative parking in truck stops with security or tight parking areas
Horus_Whistler@reddit
I've done creative parking once or twice out of necessity, but never in the way of anyone
CleanSeaPancake@reddit
On the rare occasion I did it, I would be sure I'm not in the way of anything nor in a spot marked "no parking" or "fire lane". I blocked someone in once but it was very desperate and I moved the second they knocked
GronGrinder@reddit
Dunno why but in the Northeast the Welcome centers always have guaranteed parking before 8pm. After 8pm things get uncertain. Thankfully I've never had to do anything too crazy because I always find parking before 8...
I also absolutely cannot fathom actual truck stops. Shit's depressing and costs money.
Except Kittery, ME circle K. Goated truck stop.
Heather_Val@reddit
That Circle K, it’s great. I got a few secret spots in the northeast.
RoamingNomadSoul@reddit
I’ve been on the road for 2 years and never did a creative park. If there’s no parking in the rest area and truck stops then it was my fault for not giving myself extra time to shut down. I always leave the last 1 hour to find parking some places like the east cost depending how late it is I might stop 2 hours early because truck stops are already full
SgtMacUSMC@reddit
I learned how to trip plan and not leave myself in that position..
BriskManeuver@reddit
Said the same thing but the mad improper trip planning gurus on here will downvote you
ohno-abear@reddit
I was once blocked in by a creatively parked truck at a Love's south of Louisville, so I went inside to ask the employees if they'd help me wake up the truck and get them out of the way. They told me that they won't wake up drivers anymore after one of them pulled a gun on them.
december151791@reddit
It's rare for anybody to bother you about your creative parking as long as you're not blocking anyone in the way of anything. Most truck stops have a few decent creative spots like that where you don't affect anyone.
And most of the time when they do get around to knocking on doors, it's late enough at night that some actual spots have opened up from the extra early risers getting started.
BB5er@reddit
I park at the shipper or receiver as often as possible. I also keep track of some of the same places and know what time they open. If they come in at 7, I can hit the dock the night before, doors closed. Then be gone by 6am. I’ve also parked by the gates at lumber yards, but be sharp. They may wake you up at 5:30 or 6 to unload. You don’t need a story. Just tell them you’re only napping for a couple hours before going to your shipper/receiver.
CryptoguyV2@reddit
Never had a truck stop employee say anything. As long as you aren't blocking anyone from anything they rarely care. They're just as overworked and underpaid as us.
Seebs9@reddit
Ive got a couple truck stops I deliver too where I basically have to move creative parkers every time to drop fuel. It is what it is, part of the risk of not parking in a spot.
The-Shartist@reddit
Find yourself some "secret spots". Walmarts, old malls, strip malls, industrial streets, shippers and receivers, restaurants and bars with truck parking. Don't tell everyone about them. Weigh stations usually have open spots, too. A lot of guys are too scared to park in them. If you run regular routes you should be able to find places where you can park anytime.
whiskey-1@reddit
This is like 60% of why I drive nights
ConstantAncient6212@reddit
Creative parking is fine except when people can't maneuver around you or you block someone who is already parked. I have never had to block someone in before but I did have to wake up drivers before. If I had to park somewhere where I knew I was blocking someone in I would expect the wake up call and move immediately.
warwgn@reddit
Honest question…. When someone creatively parks, which is the worst infraction?
Blocking someone from being able to leave? or blocking a spot that’s open, and preventing someone from being able to park?
A lot of places I park at have angled pull through spots. The creative parkers I encounter seem to know enough to not block others, so they park sideways behind trucks that have already parked. And that frustrates me too, because if one of the spots he parked behind opens up, he’s blocking that spot from someone who needs it.
The-Shartist@reddit
Yeah that shit happens at the rest areas. At that point those guys should just go park on a ramp
AsphaltPirate74@reddit
Whenever I've had to do "creative parking" it's because I kept driving past 6pm when truck stops start getting full. Stop before 6pm and typically you'll be fine.
Always ask before parking somewhere "creative" because if not, you might get told to move and possibly be screwed.
As soon as I wake up in the morning though, I creep my truck to an open parking spot and finish my 10 hour or start my morning depending on the situation I'm in.
I've only had to do this 3 times because I said fuck it I'll keep driving and find parking, which is bad trip planning.
Emergency-Bus-998@reddit
Instead of creeping., I unplug my eld in case i have to move in a hurry
AsphaltPirate74@reddit
Never even thought of that. I guess I could just sign out and shut it down lol
brandmonkey@reddit
A lot of systems still see the movement. Samsara does for sure.
onlyBotsdownvote-me@reddit (OP)
I use Samsara, as well. I can log out, but it still sees movement in the 1/10ths of a mile. Best thing is to just stay "Off-Duty", and creep around <5 mph.
onlyBotsdownvote-me@reddit (OP)
Later on, don't you have to account for the unassigned drive time? Or maybe not all ELDs work like mine.
Emergency-Bus-998@reddit
The purpose of unplufging is to avoid drive time. Just don't move too far.
RipIt1021@reddit
Some systems, like platform science, will still see that movement if it goes over 5mph, even with the tablet off and away from the truck. It does, however, give you the option to accept or reject the "unassigned drive time" when you hook everything back up.
brandmonkey@reddit
Yup, mine still sees the movement. I unplug mine when I get to the yard so that when the shop guys take my truck to service it doesn't mess with my clocks. But when I hook it back up the truck knows I've moved and asks if it was me or not
brandmonkey@reddit
Mine still sees the movement
keytiri@reddit
Mines hardwired in, but I’ve spoken to owner-ops who said they do is; some admitted to going quite a bit farther, but as long as they returned to starting place it seemed ok. I think they were mostly doing it in lieu of messing with PC, or they were old timers set in ways that had worked for them.
pingus3233@reddit
IME if you're not blocking anything important like the fire lane, the fuel truck spot, or the exit, etc. they usually leave you alone, especially if the weather is bad like snowstorms or whatnot.
If you absolutely have to block another driver just be sure to wake up quickly and move when they come banging on your door and try to be nice about it.
Federal-Service-4949@reddit
Yep. Start so 0400 and done by 1400 was my schedule whenever possible. Always plenty of parking in the early afternoon.
brandmonkey@reddit
I try not to do it, but if it's late and there's no spots, I try to find a place where I'm not blocking anything or anyone. As long as people can still get around you I've never had a problem. I also plan to leave by 6am at the latest, or, wake up and wiggle into a spot and go back to bed.
Never had an issue.
BriskManeuver@reddit
These are the people that dont trip plan
TruckerBiscuit@reddit
My preferred schedule is 0400-1300. I've had to make parking 3x in all my years driving.
Plan your trips. Creative parking isn't necessary generally speaking.
MajorHymen@reddit
The only time I’ve done creative parking is at mom and pop places that don’t really have lined spots to begin with. There’s also a pilot outside of Vegas maybe in mesquite that has permitter space to park along the edge of the property that doesn’t block people in that I’ve parked but they have trash cans along that edge so I think they expect people to park there anyway. I’d assume you’d just accept you’ll get a knock and hope once it comes maybe a spot has opened up you can take.
Desperate_Fee_808@reddit
My days usually start at 7am and I’m done at 4pm..that’s when I start looking for parking..Mondays I start earlier because parking is usually at its busiest..especially in the northeast region..I’ve made my own spot several times..just remember to never block anyone in..but to avoid all that just start your days early..when I was on my mentorship we always started around 5 6 or 7..that’s the best time
overcrispy@reddit
I only creatively park where I’m not in anyone’s way and nobody bothers me about it.
deezkeys098@reddit
The trick is to arrive after 10pm employees are scared to go out past that time to check if you paid for reserved parking or kick you out. Another trick is to wear earplugs and keep your pillow on the passenger side of the sleeper they don’t think to knock there