After speaking to a few truck drivers, and from my own experience, these parking bays are NOT for caravans and motor homes overnight parking.
These areas have been developed for the truck drivers to take scheduled rests as part of their fatigue management obligations.
Oversize vehicles can only move in daylight hours, so they need to park up at the nearest, safe, parking bay before dark.
Keith19837 said
06:56 AM Jun 14, 2012
A valid point Criusing Granny. Also not a good idea in case you get 'hemmed in' by those truckies with a better sense of humour than those who usurp (there's a good word! I wonder what it means?) the truck stops.
Gerty Dancer said
05:43 PM Jun 14, 2012
Thanks Granny. We've stopped in truck bays for morning tea sometimes, but always park toward the front hopefully out of the way. Only do that when there just doesnt seem to be anywhere else, but would never dare stay overnight! Wouldnt want to anyway, they're always right beside the road/noise, and theres nothing there but an overflowing rubbish bin!
jimricho said
02:26 AM Jun 15, 2012
It would serve a camper right if they pulled up for the night in a truck bay and had a refrigeration truck or a load of cattle pull in beside them!
dogbox said
02:40 AM Jun 15, 2012
seeing as trucks are not fitted with toilets and most truck bays do not have facilities why would any want to stop in one if you didn't have to (think about it)
mottleemob said
03:53 AM Jun 15, 2012
Yep nothing worse than needing to stop and the parking bay is full of cars and vans. Some get offended when you say something or block themin. They just don't read the sign saying truck parking only or are they just plain ignorant or arrogant.
Yes i drive a truck and get annoyed at this regularly
Hadmy bitchfor the day
cheers phil
Cruising Granny said
04:28 AM Jun 15, 2012
As the accompanying pilot I get to camp in the vicinity of the truck I'm escorting. The toilet fact is really evident in the morning air. I sleep under an awning attached to the side of my car, and then in a cot tent. It's cosy but not sound proof. So I try to park on the inside of the truck the furtherest away from the road. If I can get 2 trucks between me and the road it's even better. One bay just north or Roma has a toilet and a shelter, but the toilet was the most disgusting polluted facility I've ever seen. So I found a better spot. It's not easy on the side of the road, but we manage. Stopping for a cuppa is quite acceptable as you're not likely to be bothered by a snoozing driver. In fact if one pulled in you might offer him/her a cuppa too.
brickies said
02:00 PM Jun 15, 2012
Truck drivers can be fined if they don't have their required breaks and must have a place to rest , I for one would not use a truck stop at any time
Scotty01 said
03:34 PM Jun 15, 2012
stop in a Truck Parking bay you deserve everything you get. Those guys do a lot of Hrs and have over done laws to comply with and NEED those bays so stay out of them, end of story
Beth54 said
04:09 PM Jun 15, 2012
Two years ago we stopped at a very basic roadside stop in outback Qld.
It was in Camps 6...I don't have it on hand to tell you the number...no facilities at all, just a dirt stretch really and a lot of rubbish. We could tell it was a frequent stop for trucks, but it was getting late and I was tired. Naturally, I'd normally prefer to stop in a nicer spot.
Anyway, we parked right back away from the road, leaving plenty of room for trucks. A truck pulled in in the early evening and went around checking tyres etc, and chatted to my friends hubby for awhile before heading off again.
Then sometime in the middle of the night a cattle truck stopped and we were entertained by 'tap dancing' cattle all night.
As stated by others, they are out there trying to earn a living, so I wouldn't get in their way intentionally.
Yuglamron said
06:08 PM Jun 15, 2012
I don't want to start a controversy here but the Qld Govt has made the law that if you are using an 'A' frame to tow a car,4x4 you must use a truck bay if out of town and have to stop.In town only an hour unless in a specified bay for caravans etc.
This law is supposed to be the same nationally so I might just check other RTA's to see what they say.
Happywanderer said
01:50 AM Jun 16, 2012
There must be two different types of truck stops as there are numerous ones marked in the Camps Aus wide book that are recommended for us Nomads to use also. One I have stayed at was the Bundure just north of Jerilderie which had truck and us also. Plenty of room for both. Another is the one south of Goondiwindi, huge area and room for both. ??? Star, just can't remember the name now. I did pass quite a few others that were for both. Obviously these are ot the type you are talking about.
AmandaJayne said
06:07 AM Jun 16, 2012
There are some marked over night stay for caravans and trucks and some for just truckies, we stopped in one for 'both' and there were smaller parking areas at the back behind a large flat area which was obviously for the trucks... a truck stopped the night with us, we heard it but never actually saw it.. was a very large area.. but we'd never stop in the ones for only trucks ..... and if we're unsure, we go on to find another spot... Camps 6 seems to be the one we follow most :)
spice said
09:59 AM Jun 16, 2012
Happywanderer wrote:
Another is the one south of Goondiwindi, huge area and room for both. ??? Star, just can't remember the name now.
Hi HW the name of the site is North Star Road Rest Area, Camps 6 No891,Rod
-- Edited by spice on Saturday 16th of June 2012 10:00:06 AM
Happywanderer said
05:02 PM Jun 16, 2012
Thats the one Rod, I've stayed there twice so should remember it.
spice said
05:08 PM Jun 16, 2012
Called in there a couple of months ago for a short break, good looking area with plenty of parking space and some shade, Rod
After speaking to a few truck drivers, and from my own experience, these parking bays are NOT for caravans and motor homes overnight parking.
These areas have been developed for the truck drivers to take scheduled rests as part of their fatigue management obligations.
Oversize vehicles can only move in daylight hours, so they need to park up at the nearest, safe, parking bay before dark.
A valid point Criusing Granny. Also not a good idea in case you get 'hemmed in' by those truckies with a better sense of humour than those who usurp (there's a good word! I wonder what it means?) the truck stops.
Yep nothing worse than needing to stop and the parking bay is full of cars and vans. Some get offended when you say something or block themin. They just don't read the sign saying truck parking only or are they just plain ignorant or arrogant.
Yes i drive a truck and get annoyed at this regularly
Hadmy bitchfor the day
cheers phil
I sleep under an awning attached to the side of my car, and then in a cot tent. It's cosy but not sound proof.
So I try to park on the inside of the truck the furtherest away from the road. If I can get 2 trucks between me and the road it's even better.
One bay just north or Roma has a toilet and a shelter, but the toilet was the most disgusting polluted facility I've ever seen. So I found a better spot. It's not easy on the side of the road, but we manage.
Stopping for a cuppa is quite acceptable as you're not likely to be bothered by a snoozing driver. In fact if one pulled in you might offer him/her a cuppa too.
stop in a Truck Parking bay you deserve everything you get. Those guys do a lot of Hrs and have over done laws to comply with and NEED those bays so stay out of them, end of story
Two years ago we stopped at a very basic roadside stop in outback Qld.
It was in Camps 6...I don't have it on hand to tell you the number...no facilities at all, just a dirt stretch really and a lot of rubbish. We could tell it was a frequent stop for trucks, but it was getting late and I was tired. Naturally, I'd normally prefer to stop in a nicer spot.
Anyway, we parked right back away from the road, leaving plenty of room for trucks. A truck pulled in in the early evening and went around checking tyres etc, and chatted to my friends hubby for awhile before heading off again.
Then sometime in the middle of the night a cattle truck stopped and we were entertained by 'tap dancing' cattle all night.
As stated by others, they are out there trying to earn a living, so I wouldn't get in their way intentionally.
I don't want to start a controversy here but the Qld Govt has made the law that if you are using an 'A' frame to tow a car,4x4 you must use a truck bay if out of town and have to stop.In town only an hour unless in a specified bay for caravans etc.
This law is supposed to be the same nationally so I might just check other RTA's to see what they say.
One I have stayed at was the Bundure just north of Jerilderie which had truck and us also. Plenty of room for both.
Another is the one south of Goondiwindi, huge area and room for both. ??? Star, just can't remember the name now.
I did pass quite a few others that were for both.
Obviously these are ot the type you are talking about.
Hi HW the name of the site is North Star Road Rest Area, Camps 6 No891,Rod
-- Edited by spice on Saturday 16th of June 2012 10:00:06 AM
Called in there a couple of months ago for a short break, good looking area with plenty of parking space and some shade, Rod