Are Rest Areas Obsolete?

[Max Rockatansky]

I've never once stopped in a gas station to use the bathroom and had anyone make me feel obligated to buy something. They're not watching you when you're pumping gas, so how would they know if you've already purchased something (or will purchase something, if you decide to use the facilities first)?

If you feel obligated, that's on you.

The problem I've found is in urban areas is that a lot gas stations don't let people use restrooms.  Most gas stations I frequent don't allow public access to restrooms as a means of preventing the homeless from getting in them or lingering around.  This is less of a problem in rural areas or at big service chains.

I went into a CO gas station once when I was about to burst, which had a "paying customers only" type of sign on the door. I got in and out without buying anything, but when I told some friends about this I was told what I did was wrong and I shouldn't have left without making some kind of purchase. So I just don't want to bother with those kinds of things.

Rest areas in urban areas are rare, and why are you telling your friends you went into a store to pee?

Hence why I say that the side of the road is often sufficient in rural areas.  You don't have to deal with weird exchanges with a shop owner over having to pee.

[HighwayStar]

I've never once stopped in a gas station to use the bathroom and had anyone make me feel obligated to buy something. They're not watching you when you're pumping gas, so how would they know if you've already purchased something (or will purchase something, if you decide to use the facilities first)?

If you feel obligated, that's on you.

The problem I've found is in urban areas is that a lot gas stations don't let people use restrooms.  Most gas stations I frequent don't allow public access to restrooms as a means of preventing the homeless from getting in them or lingering around.  This is less of a problem in rural areas or at big service chains.

I went into a CO gas station once when I was about to burst, which had a "paying customers only" type of sign on the door. I got in and out without buying anything, but when I told some friends about this I was told what I did was wrong and I shouldn't have left without making some kind of purchase. So I just don't want to bother with those kinds of things.

Rest areas in urban areas are rare, and why are you telling your friends you went into a store to pee?

Hence why I say that the side of the road is often sufficient in rural areas.  You don't have to deal with weird exchanges with a shop owner over having to pee.

You can be charged with indecent exposure and forced to register as a sex offender if someone should happen to see and make an issue of it. And while I suspect the demographic of this forum is heavily male, many women have different ideas about the suitability of the side of the road.

[Max Rockatansky]

I've never once stopped in a gas station to use the bathroom and had anyone make me feel obligated to buy something. They're not watching you when you're pumping gas, so how would they know if you've already purchased something (or will purchase something, if you decide to use the facilities first)?

If you feel obligated, that's on you.

The problem I've found is in urban areas is that a lot gas stations don't let people use restrooms.  Most gas stations I frequent don't allow public access to restrooms as a means of preventing the homeless from getting in them or lingering around.  This is less of a problem in rural areas or at big service chains.

I went into a CO gas station once when I was about to burst, which had a "paying customers only" type of sign on the door. I got in and out without buying anything, but when I told some friends about this I was told what I did was wrong and I shouldn't have left without making some kind of purchase. So I just don't want to bother with those kinds of things.

Rest areas in urban areas are rare, and why are you telling your friends you went into a store to pee?

Hence why I say that the side of the road is often sufficient in rural areas.  You don't have to deal with weird exchanges with a shop owner over having to pee.

You can be charged with indecent exposure and forced to register as a sex offender if someone should happen to see and make an issue of it. And while I suspect the demographic of this forum is heavily male, many women have different ideas about the suitability of the side of the road.

I'm not talking about NYC or just whipping it out in plain view on the side of the road (I use cover like a tree or ditch).  I had something more along the lines of US 160 in mind given the context of the conversation was rural Colorado. 

And FWIW my wife does try to find a restroom first but if push comes to shove will utilize the side of the road method.  South of the border in Mexico it's a normal thing pretty much everywhere to use the side of the road.  There you don't have really any rest areas and accommodating roadside businesses are less of a thing.

[HighwayStar]

I could care less about Mexico, different jurisdiction.
And even in "rural" parts of the US you run the risk of someone coming along, frankly it is not worth the risk, and I would much rather have the government provide me some rest areas for that purpose.

[Max Rockatansky]

I could care less about Mexico, different jurisdiction.
And even in "rural" parts of the US you run the risk of someone coming along, frankly it is not worth the risk, and I would much rather have the government provide me some rest areas for that purpose.

Between your commends in the Route 66 thread and here it doesn't sound like you actually travel much.  Or at minimum you seem to think that most police officers and other people care at all what you're doing on the side of a road. 

[Rothman]

I could care less about Mexico, different jurisdiction.
And even in "rural" parts of the US you run the risk of someone coming along, frankly it is not worth the risk, and I would much rather have the government provide me some rest areas for that purpose.

Pfft.  The chances of getting complained about and an officer responding in time are very, very close to nil.

[sprjus4]

I could care less about Mexico, different jurisdiction.
And even in "rural" parts of the US you run the risk of someone coming along, frankly it is not worth the risk, and I would much rather have the government provide me some rest areas for that purpose.

Pfft.  The chances of getting complained about and an officer responding in time are very, very close to nil.

Let alone an officer caring enough to initiate a stop if they saw it firsthand.

[HighwayStar]

I could care less about Mexico, different jurisdiction.
And even in "rural" parts of the US you run the risk of someone coming along, frankly it is not worth the risk, and I would much rather have the government provide me some rest areas for that purpose.

Between your commends in the Route 66 thread and here it doesn't sound like you actually travel much.  Or at minimum you seem to think that most police officers and other people care at all what you're doing on the side of a road.

Actually I travel a great deal, and have for years. And I have heard of more than one person that got the indecent exposure charge doing that. It happens.

[Max Rockatansky]

I could care less about Mexico, different jurisdiction.
And even in "rural" parts of the US you run the risk of someone coming along, frankly it is not worth the risk, and I would much rather have the government provide me some rest areas for that purpose.

Between your commends in the Route 66 thread and here it doesn't sound like you actually travel much.  Or at minimum you seem to think that most police officers and other people care at all what you're doing on the side of a road.

Actually I travel a great deal, and have for years. And I have heard of more than one person that got the indecent exposure charge doing that. It happens.

Got a citation for those criminal charges and the jurisdictions involved?

[HighwayStar]

I could care less about Mexico, different jurisdiction.
And even in "rural" parts of the US you run the risk of someone coming along, frankly it is not worth the risk, and I would much rather have the government provide me some rest areas for that purpose.

Between your commends in the Route 66 thread and here it doesn't sound like you actually travel much.  Or at minimum you seem to think that most police officers and other people care at all what you're doing on the side of a road.

Actually I travel a great deal, and have for years. And I have heard of more than one person that got the indecent exposure charge doing that. It happens.

Got a citation for those criminal charges and the jurisdictions involved?

Obviously not, I'm not writing a damn book. One was discussed by some guy on a talk show, another was one of those small town things I once heard of.
At the end of the day though it does not mater, the statute, which is what you can be charged with, does not contain any defense to the effect of "I was on a rural highway and did not think anyone was around" if you want to run the risk, I could care less. I am not inclined to do so, and the argument that we don't need rest areas because of that is even more absurd, which is what we were originally discussing. If you don't believe it can happen that is fine, I know it can and that is plenty for me.

[Max Rockatansky]

I could care less about Mexico, different jurisdiction.
And even in "rural" parts of the US you run the risk of someone coming along, frankly it is not worth the risk, and I would much rather have the government provide me some rest areas for that purpose.

Between your commends in the Route 66 thread and here it doesn't sound like you actually travel much.  Or at minimum you seem to think that most police officers and other people care at all what you're doing on the side of a road.

Actually I travel a great deal, and have for years. And I have heard of more than one person that got the indecent exposure charge doing that. It happens.

Got a citation for those criminal charges and the jurisdictions involved?

Obviously not, I'm not writing a damn book. One was discussed by some guy on a talk show, another was one of those small town things I once heard of.
At the end of the day though it does not mater, the statute, which is what you can be charged with, does not contain any defense to the effect of "I was on a rural highway and did not think anyone was around" if you want to run the risk, I could care less. I am not inclined to do so, and the argument that we don't need rest areas because of that is even more absurd, which is what we were originally discussing. If you don't believe it can happen that is fine, I know it can and that is plenty for me.

More likely it is because isn't true and you just got caught making something up to prove your point. 

What is your purpose on this forum anyways?  It seems like all you have to contribute is stereotypical angry east coast road guy hot takes.

[bwana39]

Texas has closed the small ones and have built much larger ones. Ones that hold 100+ TT Combos.  While yes, they are closing some, in Texas, at least, they are opening new larger ones.

[roadman65]

NJ on I-80, not counting the truck only ones, has one in the Delaware Water Gap still in operation, but signed as the Appalachian Trailhead parking.

So it's obsolete by signage, and from the EB it is obsolete since NJDOT made the WB diamond off ramp at the U Turn Diamond one way. As before EB traffic was allowed to use the unnamed ramp with the Dover-New York gore sign to cross under the freeway to use the once two way ramp up to the trailhead parking.

Though not designed as a rest area, you can still park there to rest and picnic.

[Roadgeekteen]

I could care less about Mexico, different jurisdiction.
And even in "rural" parts of the US you run the risk of someone coming along, frankly it is not worth the risk, and I would much rather have the government provide me some rest areas for that purpose.

Between your commends in the Route 66 thread and here it doesn't sound like you actually travel much.  Or at minimum you seem to think that most police officers and other people care at all what you're doing on the side of a road.

Actually I travel a great deal, and have for years. And I have heard of more than one person that got the indecent exposure charge doing that. It happens.

Got a citation for those criminal charges and the jurisdictions involved?

Obviously not, I'm not writing a damn book. One was discussed by some guy on a talk show, another was one of those small town things I once heard of.
At the end of the day though it does not mater, the statute, which is what you can be charged with, does not contain any defense to the effect of "I was on a rural highway and did not think anyone was around" if you want to run the risk, I could care less. I am not inclined to do so, and the argument that we don't need rest areas because of that is even more absurd, which is what we were originally discussing. If you don't believe it can happen that is fine, I know it can and that is plenty for me.

More likely it is because isn't true and you just got caught making something up to prove your point. 

What is your purpose on this forum anyways?  It seems like all you have to contribute is stereotypical angry east coast road guy hot takes.

He's on here to complain. He also might have ocd.

[In_Correct]

Rest Areas are supposed to be obsolete. There are many people that want to demolish roads since roads are no longer stylish. They also want to demolish Rest Areas be cause it is not very patriotic to drive on roads. It is so much better to continue to fund the Burdens To Grandchildren Air Lines, as well as Amazon, and Jest Bozos.

On some nights there are multiple semis parked along the ramps, often including both sides of the off-ramp.

This is a perfect example of the need for Rest Areas. There are simply not enough of them. And it does not cost much money at all to build and maintain a Rest Area especially if it is only a parking lot with possibly dumpsters. But many do not have any lighting. Commercial Drivers use them even if there is no more space to park.

I've never once stopped in a gas station to use the bathroom and had anyone make me feel obligated to buy something. They're not watching you when you're pumping gas, so how would they know if you've already purchased something (or will purchase something, if you decide to use the facilities first)?

If you feel obligated, that's on you.

I all ways buy gas. That is a sufficient purchase.

No, it is not, TRESPASSER.

If I find that they require a Secret Code to enter a restroom, I shall boycott the facility entirely.

Tell us about the time that you did not buy gas! Please! Tell Us!

I was at Hotel and was going to buy a new tire the next day. The plugs on the old tire failed that morning. I had a Tire Pump with me, but did not plug it in. I drove across the street using a Green Traffic Light to the nearest Gas Station.

It is not a large property. It is quite similar to the descriptions on the other posts on this topic.  Fortunately it did have an Air Machine. Some places have Free Air, and some also includes Free Water. This machine was so old, and was only Coin Operated. I went inside to make change. I also asked if the machine works. She was very understanding as I placed dimes and nickels on the counter. She said that the machine works, but also said later that if the machine did give me problems to come back inside and let her know.

The ancient air machine provided plenty of time to put air in the tire. Since it had no gauge on it, I checked the air with my tire pump. I drove to Walmart to buy a new tire.

Suspicious Gas Stations

I exited in Missouri to get gas. They were having a Garage Sale in the gas station's garage. I immediately drove away and got back on The Interstate.

Suspicious Rest Areas

I have encountered some guy in Oklahoma that parked way too close to me, looking at me with a Troll Face. Fortunately I was able to reverse.

Another time in a Missouri Welcome Center there was a panhandler that approached every body claiming that she was out of gas and lost all of her cards down the drain.

So now I have No Trespassing signs, but still use Parking Lots, Rest Areas, and Welcome Centers.

So Called Indecent Exposure

Unfortunately there are Creatures that get angry. They are Karens. Even if there are trees and / or rocks. Even if it is foggy and / or raining, they pull over to cause trouble.

Fortunately I travel in Motor Homes.

Yes, they do are still building Parking Lots, Rest Areas, and Welcome Centers. How ever, not fast enough.

[Rothman]

I'm finding that there are people on here that greatly underestimate the cost of building and maintaining rest areas. The cost of maintaining rest areas has been a consistent problem in New York for as long as I've worked at NYSDOT.

[roadman65]

Rest Areas are supposed to be obsolete. There are many people that want to demolish roads since roads are no longer stylish. They also want to demolish Rest Areas be cause it is not very patriotic to drive on roads. It is so much better to continue to fund the Burdens To Grandchildren Air Lines, as well as Amazon, and Jest Bozos.

On some nights there are multiple semis parked along the ramps, often including both sides of the off-ramp.

This is a perfect example of the need for Rest Areas. There are simply not enough of them. And it does not cost much money at all to build and maintain a Rest Area especially if it is only a parking lot with possibly dumpsters. But many do not have any lighting. Commercial Drivers use them even if there is no more space to park.

I've never once stopped in a gas station to use the bathroom and had anyone make me feel obligated to buy something. They're not watching you when you're pumping gas, so how would they know if you've already purchased something (or will purchase something, if you decide to use the facilities first)?

If you feel obligated, that's on you.

I all ways buy gas. That is a sufficient purchase.

No, it is not, TRESPASSER.

If I find that they require a Secret Code to enter a restroom, I shall boycott the facility entirely.

Tell us about the time that you did not buy gas! Please! Tell Us!

I was at Hotel and was going to buy a new tire the next day. The plugs on the old tire failed that morning. I had a Tire Pump with me, but did not plug it in. I drove across the street using a Green Traffic Light to the nearest Gas Station.

It is not a large property. It is quite similar to the descriptions on the other posts on this topic.  Fortunately it did have an Air Machine. Some places have Free Air, and some also includes Free Water. This machine was so old, and was only Coin Operated. I went inside to make change. I also asked if the machine works. She was very understanding as I placed dimes and nickels on the counter. She said that the machine works, but also said later that if the machine did give me problems to come back inside and let her know.

The ancient air machine provided plenty of time to put air in the tire. Since it had no gauge on it, I checked the air with my tire pump. I drove to Walmart to buy a new tire.

Suspicious Gas Stations

I exited in Missouri to get gas. They were having a Garage Sale in the gas station's garage. I immediately drove away and got back on The Interstate.

Suspicious Rest Areas

I have encountered some guy in Oklahoma that parked way too close to me, looking at me with a Troll Face. Fortunately I was able to reverse.

Another time in a Missouri Welcome Center there was a panhandler that approached every body claiming that she was out of gas and lost all of her cards down the drain.

So now I have No Trespassing signs, but still use Parking Lots, Rest Areas, and Welcome Centers.

So Called Indecent Exposure

Unfortunately there are Creatures that get angry. They are Karens. Even if there are trees and / or rocks. Even if it is foggy and / or raining, they pull over to cause trouble.

Fortunately I travel in Motor Homes.

Yes, they do are still building Parking Lots, Rest Areas, and Welcome Centers. How ever, not fast enough.

I worked at IHOP and you be a bit surprised how many would come into per and not sit down and dine.

Plus I will see many people come in to Panera to use the Free WiFi and not purchase anything.   Only immigrant owned small franchises put up a squawk I have found to stop you from allow Mother Nature to take its course like in the Ho Jo in Rockaway, NJ where I thought a hotel like that has public lobbies that the desk clerk was hired help and seeinfpg guests enter and leave the lobby all day long, to not notice me as being unordinary. However the desk clerk here was the owner as he runs it solo with his family and lives in a room in the back with no restroom facilities at all along with no banquet hall even. So he made his lobby only to be a place of payment and not for his guests to use for the same that big hotels have.

[Edited to fix quote. -S.]

[dvferyance]

A youtuber called Geography King did a good vedio about this topic. I would check it out. And I agree with him the answer is no not at all. What I like about Rest Areas is teh convince you jsut pull off the highway and pull back on. If I am looking for a truck stop or anything else at on exit once I get off the exit ramp I have to figure out which way do I go. Then I have to figure out is it on the left or the right. And then if it on the right then that means I have to make a left turn when I pull out and given it may be a busy road wit ha lot of traffic that could be tough. The fact is once I got off the interstate I am on unfamiliar roads and that can be very stressful. I remember the time growing up as a kid my dad got of teh interstate for a gas station and while pulling out almost went the wrong way down a one way street. Not at first realizing the road we were once on was one way.

[HighwayStar]

I'm finding that there are people on here that greatly underestimate the cost of building and maintaining rest areas. The cost of maintaining rest areas has been a consistent problem in New York for as long as I've worked at NYSDOT.

I find that argument uncompelling. All of them were built and maintained at one point without issue, somewhere along the line something changed, but if we had always been this hard up for funds they never would have been built in the first place.
NY is notoriously mismanaged, as well as being a rustbelt state so I can't really say its a good benchmark for what they should cost.

[hbelkins]

I'm finding that there are people on here that greatly underestimate the cost of building and maintaining rest areas. The cost of maintaining rest areas has been a consistent problem in New York for as long as I've worked at NYSDOT.

I find that argument uncompelling. All of them were built and maintained at one point without issue, somewhere along the line something changed, but if we had always been this hard up for funds they never would have been built in the first place.
NY is notoriously mismanaged, as well as being a rustbelt state so I can't really say its a good benchmark for what they should cost.

One thing I've found is that many of these rest areas are built like palaces and not places to use the restroom. I saw a picture over the weekend of the new Kentucky welcome center on I-75 in Whitley County. That thing looks like a mansion. Functionality seems to be a secondary consideration in the way some of these facilities are built. Put up a plain block building and keep it clean and the plumbing working, and it's just fine.

[Rothman]

I'm finding that there are people on here that greatly underestimate the cost of building and maintaining rest areas. The cost of maintaining rest areas has been a consistent problem in New York for as long as I've worked at NYSDOT.

I find that argument uncompelling. All of them were built and maintained at one point without issue, somewhere along the line something changed, but if we had always been this hard up for funds they never would have been built in the first place.
NY is notoriously mismanaged, as well as being a rustbelt state so I can't really say its a good benchmark for what they should cost.

One thing I've found is that many of these rest areas are built like palaces and not places to use the restroom. I saw a picture over the weekend of the new Kentucky welcome center on I-75 in Whitley County. That thing looks like a mansion. Functionality seems to be a secondary consideration in the way some of these facilities are built. Put up a plain block building and keep it clean and the plumbing working, and it's just fine.

One NYSDOT Region in particular has trouble with the cost of maintaining cinder block rest areas into their capital program given other needs.

HighwayStar is simply ignorant about how capital programs are put together.

[westerninterloper]

I'm finding that there are people on here that greatly underestimate the cost of building and maintaining rest areas. The cost of maintaining rest areas has been a consistent problem in New York for as long as I've worked at NYSDOT.

I heard it explained that rest areas are expensive because they are usually far from utilities, being away from cities and interchanges, and often have to build their own water and sewage systems just for the rest stop.

I've heard that argument as a reason why Indiana reduced the number of rest stops; several years ago two between Ft Wayne and Indianapolis were consolidated into new one at the halfway point. As others have mentioned, Ohio seems to have maintained most of their rest stops; the Turnpike consolidated their rest areas about a decade ago, and they are among the best in the country imo.

[LilianaUwU]

I don't think rest areas are completely obsolete, but they've lost a lot of their utility as more and more services (gas stations, restaurants, etc.) were built up at almost every exit.

I could sum up my opinion on rest areas with this picture:

[In_Correct]

I'm finding that there are people on here that greatly underestimate the cost of building and maintaining rest areas. The cost of maintaining rest areas has been a consistent problem in New York for as long as I've worked at NYSDOT.

I find that argument uncompelling. All of them were built and maintained at one point without issue, somewhere along the line something changed, but if we had always been this hard up for funds they never would have been built in the first place.
NY is notoriously mismanaged, as well as being a rustbelt state so I can't really say its a good benchmark for what they should cost.

One thing I've found is that many of these rest areas are built like palaces and not places to use the restroom. I saw a picture over the weekend of the new Kentucky welcome center on I-75 in Whitley County. That thing looks like a mansion. Functionality seems to be a secondary consideration in the way some of these facilities are built. Put up a plain block building and keep it clean and the plumbing working, and it's just fine.

And why shouldn't they be Neat? Or even Palaces?? The Airports are Palaces. Also Jest Bozos has several Palaces.

An argument could be made that Automobiles do not require frequent stops any more. Tires and Radiators can last farther and longer.

How ever, Commercial Drivers continue to Use them and Love them, especially Iowa 80.

[1995hoo]

I'm finding that there are people on here that greatly underestimate the cost of building and maintaining rest areas. The cost of maintaining rest areas has been a consistent problem in New York for as long as I've worked at NYSDOT.

I heard it explained that rest areas are expensive because they are usually far from utilities, being away from cities and interchanges, and often have to build their own water and sewage systems just for the rest stop.

....

A friend of mine who works for the Nevada state government confirms this. They're having a problem with locating an EV charger on one particular portion of I-80 and a gas station owner on one side of the highway refuses to host it. I asked my friend why they can't put it at the rest area on the opposite side of the highway there, recognizing that the rest area is less developed than I'm used to on the East Coast, and he said it had to do with the prohibitive cost because the rest area doesn't have the necessary electricity to allow for a charger.

Edited to add: I had posted about this in another thread and here's the link; one of my posts contains his response explaining why the rest area isn't an option.