Vans and camper trailers in truck rest areas

I see merit in the suggestion. However recently in QLD lane filtering is allowed for motorcycles(legally allowed to move between stopped traffic at lights) to help keep traffic flow up. Still many people unaware and has been road rage because of it. I believe TV adverts brief and to the point highlighting any new road laws should be common place.

They are not reading the signs or choosing to ignore them, so they will treat the flyers the same way.

I suspect this is a more complex issue than appears at face value.

Drivers of large vehicles are required by law to have specific rest stops and these are mandated in law, and clearly there needs to be provision for them to do this by way of having suitable roadside truck stops where it can be done safely.

An issue arises due to recreational vehicles and caravans using the truck stops, thus reducing the amount of space available for large vehicles to stop.

A question that comes to mind is whether recreational vehicle drivers should be allowed to use these truck stops to rest? Clearly, it is incumbent on all drivers to ensure they drive in a safe way, and that means not driving when fatigued. Almost all major highways have signage to this effect, highlighting that driver fatigue is a killer on our roads.

I acknowledge there will be those who will push the limits by “setting up camp” contrary to the intended use of a truck stop and no amount of form ticking at registration time will stop these people from doing it. But is it unreasonable to allow genuinely fatigued drivers, whatever they are driving, to stop and rest? After all some of these recreational vehicles towing vans are large and have limited ability to pull up just anywhere also.

Perhaps one way to manage the issue where it arises regularly is to place a "boom-gate” at the truck stop with a time-stamped ticket issued on arrival. In this way authorities can police those abusing the intended use of the facility and overstaying what would be a reasonable time to rest and move on. It would send an appropriate message on the intended use of the facility.

Without doubt though, a problem in need of a solution…

Cheers, Baz – The Landy

It would be the ignorant and arrogant ones along with the "doesnt apply to me brigade" who would offend the most so trying to educate idiots is doomed to fail.

The article complained about people using heavy vehicle rest areas as camping grounds.

I don't know about other states, but in Wait Awhile that is not allowed. Unless the stopping area is way way out of town, the Council ranger will come out and book you for camping illegally.

Is rest area usage/signs different in other states to WA? In WA the signs I've seen arent specific to one type of vehicle over another, it just says here is a 24hr rest area. Plus most of the rest areas I have seen are huge and others are clearly suited to caravan access only. Like the Murchison River crossing and at De Grey river. Although I guess you could park a road train in there in the area away from the river. Would be a bit dicey getting out tho.

It appears than in New South Wales Highway rest areas are either "Heavy and Light Vehicle Rest Areas", "Light Vehicle Rest Areas" or "Load Checking Areas". There are no exclusively Heavy Vehicle rest areas. See RMS Rest Areas.

We would never get agreement between state departments to streamline any plan or methods :O.

Who reads brochures included with the rego renewal?
Who would be likely to tick a box anyway?
In any case, those parking unreasonably don't give a 'rats'.
Who would fund policing?

Boom gates?...... Cost $millions. Policing? more $millions.
Besides, without electric power available, add cost of solar power.

If a rest area is allocated to 'trucks only' then an entry sign should state "Trucks Only -- Penalties Apply". Casual policing covered by the fines.

I have spoken with a truckie about this. He says the big problem is car/caravans parking widely spread-out along the parking bay leaving no space between for a B-double. He says if they were to park close together from the end there would be less problem for all.
He said he has been tempted to park in the exit lane and let the caravans try to do u-turns to go out the entrance lane "but the bar****s would only sit on their horns!"

I never use truck parking areas, just too noisy. Trouble is, normal rest also get noisy sometimes, usually from truck drivers who don't seem to be able to read.

I was in New Zealand a couple of months ago and found that in most towns the trucks tended to congregate either in shopping center car parks on along the side of the road as you enter town. They were gone in the morning. Another point I noticed is that campers can use certain parking areas such as boat ramp parks marinas Woolies car parks for over night stays
While there were numerous rest areas I can't recall seeing many truck parking areas.
I think that if the authorities would allow parking in car parks in town this would alleviate some of the parking problems.
Mike

We stopped on the way over, at moondini? Bluff in WA on the way to Perth.. Heaps of rubbish scattered around.. But not really room for trucks, but plenty of space for a little privacy.. We thought, how could people be so ignorant with their rubbish, as bins are provided... On the way home we stopped the night there again, the truckies must have been getting some back, seeing all the campers, early in the morning, they were on the air horns, as they went past... All good in fun n games.. But what was a big surprise, was we watched crows, pulling rubbish through the mesh lids on the bins, and spreading it every where, this was later in the morning, as we were the last to leave the area.. We thought it was just people being lazy, but no, it was the crows making all the mess. I have never seen more rubbish spread around a "rest" area, than there.. Just goes to show, it's not always humans who are responsible for a messy rest stop.. Sorry if I've gone a bit of topic... As said above, why would you want to stop in a truck stop, usually a big open dirt patch, rather be away from the road, behind the shrubs, and basically out of site of the road.. They need the space, just let them have it... Most are great blokes, and gals. It's their lively hood, appreciate what they do... And try and make their lives a little nicer.. Give them the room they NEED... A bit of courtesy goes a long way, common sense really.. Cheers Odog

My brother drives a B-double interstate & says its not only the room taken up by the tourists its also when Mum,Dad & the three kids pull along side while the driver is sleeping during the day.They run around the trucks playing & he is quite regularily woken by balls being bounced off the sleeper cab. Unfortunately there is less Truck parking areas than their once was. Not sure what the solution is but there is a lot of inconsiderate people out there that just don't consider others.

Slow,

From my experience, these happy campers have acquired some parking bay etiquette by the time they reach the Longreach-Winton area.

There are no dedicated truck only bays, so everyone shares. Of course this is not always a happy outcome when 30 decks rock up just before midnight, and the drivers all start their Icepaks, and the ones in "cattle class" insist on doing a "steel deck tango", ALL BLOODY NIGHT!!!

When I was driving full time, I had a favourite bay, about 90 clicks west of Winton, to grab my mandatory 1/2 hour rest, where I'd usually try for 20 minutes sleep. On many nights, as I turned into the bay there would be a gauntlet of 'vans, campers, cars and even the odd tent. It was often difficult to keep left enough, to provide access for another possible heavy camper, as some campers would park at right angles, with their A frame jutting out into the bay. Often needed some precision driving, not to spoil someone's, and my evening.

Would have my break, engine off(do have some compassion for my fellow travellers :-)) then crank up, do the The Book, and head off, Longreach being about 3 'n bit hours away. Didn't really worry about waking everyone up as I left, because If I'd been there at daylight, and trying to sleep, they'd be banging doors, talking and packing up. And they can always sleep in, if I've kept them awake all night.

Barkly Highway in NT is good, as truck have their own bays, and rarely see any indiscretions from either side, in someone else's space.

As for the rubbish, it's just not the crows. There are really some horrible people out there that don't give a stuff about it, 'cause they're moving on in the morning. Paper, wrappers, soft drink cans, and even turds, right in the middle of bitumen bays. Ugh, takes some washing off your boots, I can tell you!!!

Bob