I am writing a piece for Truck & Driver about the (lack of) quality of showers for drivers at MSAs and truck stops. What do you think of them? Over-priced, dirty and too few, or fit for purpose? Where’s good, and where’s bad?
Please let me know your thoughts. And as ever, please also note that they may be used in the article.
Thanks
Chris
Would not wash my dog in them.
the truckstop at risby near bury st edmnds they have tip top showers all been refurbed they are allways clean and hot cant fault them 
Im lucky enough to be home every 2nd day so dont have to have a shower as I have 1 before I leave and 1when I get home. A quick scoot of deodorant and baby wipe does the trick (Not a sweaty person). But when I did use them wearing flip flops was the norm (Black fluff in showers isn’t a good sight and otehr sightings have been noted also 
) nor is the thought of catching verrucaes (Spl) appealing to me. Also I used to try and spy the cleaners cupboard and grab the mop and squeegie to give it a quick rinse and dry up before I actually went into it. Its the same with everything in life, some people care and some people dont, some will tidy up after themselves some wont, those who dont make the next persons life a little harder, which in some sick way makes them feel better about themselve.
Showers at the cabbage patch,long queus,they would call out your number while waiting you could start a meal at the BP.Bordeaux.Washed out after every driver,spick and span.
Whats your thoughts on them truckwriter ? you must have an opinion since your writing an article.
What has inspired the article ? is it personal exp ?
Have recently given up sleeping in layby to sleep in favour of a hot meal and shower at the MSA mainly on the M6 southbound…have found most of the showers to run cold more often than hot as they seem to be tied into the hot taps in the toilet area which get used every 2 seconds…also quite a few smell musty and damp…and I have also noticed the lack of a dedicated cold water tap in the shower area so u can clean your teeth…have had to go and buy a bottle of water from the rip off newsagents in order to give them a good clean…anyone else noticed this■■?
Having said that though they do provide this service free of charge in the cases I have used so its better than a strip wash with a basin of hot water in the cab in the back of beyond and a bowl of soup for dinner or beans on toast. 
the best ones i have found so far are in rugby truckstop. there were spotless (whether they had just been cleaned or not i dont know) like they usually are at 4 in the mornning and they were very warm which was very welcome as it was freezing outside, plus it was a powerful shower.
apart from that i dont use any others as they are normally skanking and its not worth paying the money to find a squalid ■■■■ hole.
now if im not anywhere near rugby i will just use the showers at theatres or go without. i would rather not shower for 2-3 days and use baby wipes than risk catching something off the walls floors that will change my life forever.
some of the worst i have seen are at south mimms, 3 quid for all the slime you can scrape off the wallls and a shower that looks like the famous toilet scene in trainspotting was modelled on it. no thanks!
Taunton MSA on the M5 both directions,in the gents loos,the water taps have the caps or tops missing,allowing dirt/bacteria and black scum to form,how anyone has not become ill while washing is a miracle,they should be named and shamed.Are the sink plugs still being stolen,years ago all over the Uk,the sinks at MSA`s at no plugs.?
In my experience
BEST; Wetherby services & Annandale water (the one in the dip on the M74 if I’m correct)
Good M6 toll services, any MOTO
WORST Toddington
I like the small truckstop off the M74 - Ecclefechan it’s called? Decent, clean showers when I was overnighting there (but it was only once) and always spotless clean toilet when I stopped there.
Bailen, best showers in world!
Big ■■■■:
the truckstop at risby near bury st edmnds they have tip top showers all been refurbed they are allways clean and hot cant fault them
Spent 2 nights at Risby’s the other week, showers were spotlessly clean and hot, very pleasantly surprised
I then had the misfortune of spending the night at Titan truckstop in Grays where the showers were more like a prisoner of war camp. Stinking dirty and either freezing cold or scalding hot 
Absolute [zb] 
WONT USE MSA at all apart from the shop for odd carry out coffee ,as for o/nights etc def not, ripping off merchants
There are the odd showers around that are good. Risby are 1st class, closely followed by Orwell. Jacks hill were pretty good last time i was there. Rugby t.stop have always been adequate and there is now a questionaire on the door for complaints. Norton canes msa. The rest are usually rank. Red lion at Northampton arent pleasent. Thurrock are just plain ugly. As for cost? £3 is excessive, but usually means that its kept the pigs out.
i was having a ■■■■ at lymm the other day day and thought these showers are disgusting
Before anyone starts about the European facilities, even some of those leave something to be desired, especially in Belgium where they have spyholes drilled everywhere or in France where many have that musty smell that only France can have. There are hundred if not thousands of warehouses, factories and distribution centres with free clean hygienic washrooms.
If the RDC here are not going to get their fingers out and tip drivers then they need to be offering decent showers, even some of these mobile units they use on motorsport and music events could be utilised. That way when you are parked in a layby on overnight security watch with a cup,o,soup and a Ryvita, at least you will not smell so bad.
If you want an accurate view on them there’s only one way to do it, go & try a few for yourself, after all a good journo doesn’t rely on hearsay 
i quite like the ones at moto exeter,more like a power shower always clean when ever i have used them and hot, could stay in there for hours lol
Heston MSA on M4 are by far the worst…yeak…like one said before…wouldnt wash my dog in there