RV FEATURE
CAR-ONLY REST AREAS
We’ ve all used car-only rest areas during the day. They are a fantastic resource for motorists, especially caravanners who are at the wheel for hours at a time.
But as Rod Hannifey pointed out, truckies can’ t use these car-only rest areas or the toilet facilities they usually contain. Further, many motorists opt not to use caronly rest areas during the night. Without other motorists around, they feel isolated and vulnerable.
“ So all of the money that’ s spent on these car rest areas is underutilised. A lot of times trucks aren’ t even allowed in them or can’ t fit in them. The result is, these motorists use truck rest areas or general-use rest areas instead, because they know truckies will come and go, they know someone will be there to keep an eye on them.
“ So if you are a caravanner and decide to pull up early, consider that later that night there could be a dozen or more trucks coming in. Picture being out in western Queensland where we have triple road trains that are 53.5m long. The driver is tired, looking for somewhere to go to sleep, he pulls into a rest area to find all of these vehicles parked higgledy-piggledy – he would be lucky to get through, let alone pull up and go to bed.
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