It doesnt really bother me parking on ind estates and in lay bys, theres some really good spots that are completely free. From time to time i’ll pay out of my own pocket to a max of £15 but thats my choice and this only happens once every couple of months tops.
billybigrig:
Truckulent:
Surely the issue is not who should pay, but 'why are MSAs/some truckstops so [zb] expensive? And yet they are generally awful…Crap facilities, questionable security, filthy showers and awful food and 20 quid plus a night per truck?!!!
I have stayed in B&Bs costing not much more with a decent breakie thrown in…
To be fair not all of them are. Some of the MSA’s do a decent trough for a fair price these days. The main reason though is the fact that the giant gobs that give it large in the cafe about “who they told what to etc” don’t say naff all when some grumpy mare serves sub standard grub. They’ll come on here and other sites all gobby and disgruntled about the state of the food, shower, parking etc but do they go and tell anyone at the time ■■? I do and have received in all but one case a positive outcome. Ranging from an apology, to vouchers. The one that dismissed me with sneering contempt called to apologise after a strongly worded email to the head office. If everyone that wasn’t happy said so the message would soon get across.
This site and social media in general is a great tool for solving customer service issues these days
I did the very same thing, when one early morning I went into Maidstone services for a 45. The toilets were either (sorry if you’re eating) either full of human excrement, or out of paper, the shower cubicle smelt like a sewer farm.
There are only about a dozen cubicles there. Those that still had paper were the ones full of “you know what” , so it was a case of go to cubicle with paper, hold nose, take paper then go do your stuff in one that wasn’t already full of $ it and forget about the shower.
After, I went to a member of staff, who got the duty manager, I complained and he told me that the cleaner hadn’t arrived yet, it was around 6am. He apologised, took my details and said that the manager would get in touch.
Credit where it’s due I did get a call, a sincere apology, and an assurance that it would be sorted. ( No free vouchers 
though ) and that it wasn’t the norm , yeah right, who was he trying to kid. It’s been like that for ages, as I told him.
This was about 6 months ago, have been in since, and they do still smell like a sewer farm, but it seems like they get cleaned quite rugularly, but and a big BUT, anybody visiting there, don’t use the shower room. It’s still like a sewer farm
billybigrig:
Some of the MSA’s do a decent trough for a fair price these days.
I fear this may be the reason behind you needing such close proximity to toilets. 
Would a drivers seat with in toilet help.
Or thinking about it they should design a passenger seat with a built in bog.
Don’t want you truckers getting arrested for pooing in a public place.
Could have ■■■ ■■■ bags,bit like doggy bags
Thinking about it for the last time.
Truck driving has got to be one of the last bastions of employment where 50 percent if its employers still ■■■■ in a bush…
to the average person that is pretty gross.
Can anyone tell me, what the hell is cost 20 Pounds on parking■■? And why can I park in european countries for free■■?
jarvo:
if i can find a decent free place thats safe im the 1st one to grab the spot,obviosly depending on what my load is.
however if there is nowhere i think is sutiable or if i dont have time to drive around finding a place i would fully exspect myn employer to reinburse the money i paid to park his/her truck. apart from maybe the meal voucher, but defo the parking, i do try and avoid msa at all costs to be fair as i find them a complete rip off.the way i see it is a company wouldnt exspect the sales guy or a company rep to sleep in a layby or pay for there hotel so why should the driver? think you just gotta use some common sence sometimes and try and save money where poss.
Well basically I’d just sooner not park somewhere that stinks of ■■■■, has trucks coming in and out all night and where I’m far more likely to get my curtain slashed.
If that place happens to be free rather than costing £25, then that’s just a bonus. 
Ross v stobart:
Thinking about it for the last time.
Truck driving has got to be one of the last bastions of employment where 50 percent if its employers still [zb] in a bush…
to the average person that is pretty gross.
And something you would unfamiliar with.
You don’t do HGV do you…
Ross v stobart:
Thinking about it for the last time.
Truck driving has got to be one of the last bastions of employment where 50 percent if its employers still [zb] in a bush…
to the average person that is pretty gross.
It’s natural, humans are animals at the end of the day, our purpose is to live off the earth and spread our seed.
I would rather do a ■■■ in the woods taking in my peaceful surroundings than put my cheeks on a dirty germ disease ridden toilet seat in crappy motorway services.
It’s a two way thing though. Over here in Canada and the USA the standard of truckstop is better although to many only offer fast food. Free parking and you get a loyalty card which you build up showers on with each fill and points which you can use in the shop etc. but at the same time the parking lot don’t stink of ■■■■ or isn’t strewn with bottles of truckers tizer and KFC boxes nor are the showers vandalized and mindless graffiti on the big walls.
FarnboroughBoy11:
Ross v stobart:
Thinking about it for the last time.
Truck driving has got to be one of the last bastions of employment where 50 percent if its employers still [zb] in a bush…
to the average person that is pretty gross.It’s natural, humans are animals at the end of the day, our purpose is to live off the earth and spread our seed.
I would rather do a ■■■ in the woods taking in my peaceful surroundings than put my cheeks on a dirty germ disease ridden toilet seat in crappy motorway services.
You’re a dancing bear of course you ■■■ in the woods.
Ebay, bog in a bag, Nuff said. Mind I did get a funny look off a dog walker early one morning 
have not paid for parking in three years, it’s common sense at times and no derv ever lost either. Park Smart peps.
kr79:
It’s a two way thing though. Over here in Canada and the USA the standard of truckstop is better although to many only offer fast food. Free parking and you get a loyalty card which you build up showers on with each fill and points which you can use in the shop etc. but at the same time the parking lot don’t stink of ■■■■ or isn’t strewn with bottles of truckers tizer and KFC boxes nor are the showers vandalized and mindless graffiti on the big walls.
Just wait until you’ve been here a little while longer. I’ve seen plenty of drivers in the US get out of their cabs and take a ■■■■ down the side of their truck when the door to the building is less than 10 or 15 seconds walk away and most truckstops in the heat of summer hum to high heaven of urine as you walk across the tarmac yard. I’ve been to some truckstops that provide huge bins and skips for rubbish and yet people throw carrier bags of crap and leave bottles or urine under their trucks and drive off in the morning. Showers generally dont get vandalised and are of excellent condition and quality but there is also plenty of grafiti in the public toilets, usually relating to God, how Obama is a muslim or the Ku Klux Klan etc!
I must be stopping in the quality parts of town lol. Although I do try and avoid loves truckstops I went in one that made clicker lane look good lol.
I also tend to avoid Loves, and any Pilot’s in the eastern US as they’re usually crappy little hell holes where you need a IBC of vasaline and a crowbar to get your truck into a spot and out again. I parked in a Loves last Friday night but that was the first time in ages.
whilst industrial estates dont stink of ■■■■ like services one still wonders …dont tell me you all ■■■■ in a bottle cos i dont believe that happens…
Harry Monk:
Well, it’s like this, if a driver insists on giving Moto £100 per week then where else can that come from other than his wages?IMHO, best thing to do is to do what I’m doing tonight, what I do every night, park on an industrial estate which is saturated by CCTV, there’s no way a diddycoy would dare to pull alongside with a Ford Transit and a 45 gallon drum at 2 a.m. and it’s free.
it has been known that they will still have it from you even with the CCTV pointing at your truck because they don’t care at all.
As an agency driver, if I am offered a run which involves a night out, I stipulate that I only overnight at motorway services or proper truckstops. I also say that I must be re-imbursed for the total cost inclusive or any meal content whether I eat it or not. Nobody seems to quibble.
Bog in bag and potable stool.
18.90 and you get five refill bags.
Maybe you use any supermarket bag.
Maybe employers could provide them , not specific to truckers,as they’re meant for camper :?: s