Overnight in a service plaza

[John R]

On the way back to northern Michigan from a great trip through New England. we decided to overnight at the Blue Heron service plaza. Got there early and parked and hooked up in the parking lot next to the exist road. There weren't any other RV's in the lot but it was early. At about 130am my DW wife woke me saying that there were two pick-up parked in front of us and people talking and had been doing since 100 am. I looked out and there were two pick--ups one running. They were a 1 ton dually and a standard one ton both had aux thanks and whip ant. Three men were outside the trucks looking at my camper talking and laughing. These trucks were on the road in front of us blocking the road. There was a third truck park at the far end of the lot. The DW didn't want This when on for a good hour. The DW didn't want me to talk to them. So call the Troopers. When he came and talked to them they said they were just taking a break. He advised them they couldn't be in the lot so they left. During all this one of the trucks was running. When they left all three trucks took off including the one the one in the far lot. I know this is long winded but needed to put it out there. I retired with 24 years of Law Enforcement my gut said they were up to no good. FYI

[sourdough]

Thanks John, I am sure there are many members who will appreciate the heads up. I figure your gut instinct was right; it's sure not the world it used to be. Be safe out there.

[notanlines]

That is just one of the many duties of the State Troopers/Highway Patrol. I'm not much buying into the old Broderick Crawford rendition of life in the Patrol....
You called and now Momma's happy. They probably were just wandering around your rig, BS'ing like we're all wont to do, but you never know.

[Ken / Claudia]

I was a cop in a big crime ridden city 39 years. I would have been pissed if they did that. But really they would not have been loud and hanging out for hours before attacking you or stealing your stuff, if that's what you think they were up to.
My guess is they are rude people who don't care about your sleep or peace. The vehicle descriptions sounds like guys who transport RVs for a living.

[gearhead]

There are lots of folks that don't know, and don't care, how their actions affect others.
Yes it does sound like they could have been RV transporters, or escorts for oversized loads.
What's a service plaza?

[John R]

The two trucks parked in front of my Trailer didn't look like haulers as there aux. tanks had pumps also with a almost empty parking lot why park in front of my trailer why was the other truck parked so far away. The trucks showed no logos either. I can't say what they were doing but, it would not have been to my benefit. My rig was a Gmc denali hd and a 2021 Reflection 303rsl. Maybe they just wanted to borrow it.

[Javi]

As someone who made extra money repossessing autos in his younger years, you would not have heard me until the motor fired ��

[flybouy]

Back in 1989 my inlaws were booked on UA FL 232 out of Denver, the one that crashed in Souix City. They decided to stay another week but my FIL refused to fly back. DW and I had a conversion van and drove out to visit and bring them home.

That's how we ended up at a rest stop at 10 p.m. just outside on Indy. Me, DW, our daughters (3 and 7 at the time) and ILs were walking back to the van when beside the building some guy starts following us. My wife an mother in law noticed when I turned to face him and he turned around. DW said let's play a game and se who can get back to the van first! The females took off running.My FIL was lumbering along oblivious. I turned around and continued toward the van and he he turned and began closing the distance, now about 15' away.

I stopped, raised my shirt to reveal my inside the waistband holstered S&W "Chiefs Special" and held my had above the butt. He turned around and walked away as I stood and watched him round the corner of the building. I didn't ask him his intentions and didn’t feel that I needed to. I won't sleep in rest stops and my DW would never consider it if I were foolish enough to suggest it. Same thing applies for WalMart parking lots. If I can't afford to get a hotel room or a campsite then I'm (we're) staying home.

Just my prefrence, you can do whatever you please.

[Ken / Claudia]

Just my observation many people including friends who have fuel tanks added in the beds have pumps on them.
Not sure how that makes them crooks going to harm you. Some transporters have magnet signs on the doors while most have them printed. I see them daily on I-84 or in truck stops.
What you described just does not fit a MO of criminal's. Your asking why they parked there, you had the chance to find out, not me. The trooper said they were taking a break. Is that possible? As a cop if I got that call and yes I got many suspicious persons calls. I would have of course Id'ed them, their vehicles and asked what they were doing to take a break from. I bet he learned or knew. He did not arrest any so they were not wanted. Calling police to check them out was a good call.
Myself, I am still way to confrontational and likely would have told them to get out of my way and left or moved to another spot.
No matter what or why they were there, good news nothing happened except them being rude.

[sourdough]

Originally Posted by Ken / Claudia

Just my observation many people including friends who have fuel tanks added in the beds have pumps on them.
Not sure how that makes them crooks going to harm you.
Maybe they were waiting until day light to do their criminal activity?
What you described just does not fit a MO of criminal's. Your asking why they parked there, you had the chance to find out, not me.

Ken I think you're probably right about the assumptions BUT;

In a commercial campground where I'm paying for a location I have zero tolerance for anyone "gathering" around my RV in the middle of the night and have addressed that in several instances. Generally they are drunk, illiterate or just inconsiderate and they are staying there. In a place like was mentioned by the OP; #1 I would never be there, #2 I would have addressed it with them but I always have "something" in my hand/on my waist and #3 those folks that did that were totally inconsiderate and out of bounds. Middle of the night intrusions are not acceptable IMO. We all now live in a world of folks that will take advantage of you if possible....take the needed precautions.

[notanlines]

"We all now live in a world of folks that will take advantage of you if possible....take the needed precautions."
Let's take that a step back for a minute: People have ALWAYS been willing to take advantage, with the media available we simply hear more about it.
Now taking a step in the OTHER direction, if you don't believe that the world is going to hell in a handbasket, you have to do no more than look at the selection of movies available at your local theatre. We saw the movie "Old" regretfully. Sucked right out loud. However, I will recommend Jungle Cruise, although not enthusiastically. We have $5.00 Tuesday with free popcorn so we don't have much invested.
Yes, I'm rambling....

[JRTJH]

Well, I'll get on my soapbox for a moment ...

We live in a country that was founded on the principle that people are innocent until proven guilty...

We have 3 or 4 "admittedly inconsiderate A-holes" loitering in front of someone's RV in a public parking lot in the wee hours of the morning"...

The police were called, and as stated, without a doubt, verified their identity, and since they were released with instructions to leave the area, apparently did not have any outstanding warrants against them. I'd suspect that if any of them would have had a criminal record, the responding LEO would have taken appropriate measures (and he may have, we just don't know about it from this conversation). They left the area and no further interactions were reported.

Now, "MY OPINION"..... Sure, they were "inconsiderate A-holes" and the OP and his DW were concerned for their safety... I'm concerned for my safety every time I travel in a strange area in any crowded city.... There are some cities (in today's environment) where I simply will not go, because of my concern for my safety... Sure, the OP and his DW were concerned.. That doesn't make those who were inconsiderate guilty of any "CRIME" and it doesn't make them "CRIMINALS to be prosecuted"...

These men who gathered are, by our legal system, innocent until proven guilty. Since nothing happened to the OP, his DW or their property, in our country, those men are not guilty of anything other than being "inconsiderate and waking up the OP".... That's not a criminal offense.

While it might have been "unsettling to the OP" it's not an indication that those men were "out for nefarious reasons"....

We do still live in a country where we're not guilty of a crime because someone "thinks it might happen".....

OK, I'll get off my soapbox (for now).....

[sourdough]

^^^^I think the media has gone above and beyond to basically terrorize the US population by continually focusing on misdeeds by others; daily, nightly, constantly. You would think that it would de-sensitive folks but it seems it has put everyone on "high alert" assuming the worst from any situation whereas in the past that same situation would have been ignored because we weren't conditioned to look for, and expect, the worst from a human being in any encounter. I'm as guilty as the next guy but as John pointed out, there are places I just will not go because I won't knowingly put myself in a situation/place where the odds say I will have an encounter I need to critically assess - roadside parks being one of them.

I think the entire situation with our current media is sad.....and wrong. Instead of trying to carry stereotypes of folks in my head I try to carry a smile on my face when I see someone that makes me uneasy....along with the "peace offering" I carry on my hip.....

[Ken / Claudia]

I key off behavior as the first poster was was doing. It's easy for anyone to key off stereotypes for many reasons.
We came from the greater Portland Oregon area and seen homeless, dirty, crazy, drugged out or violent people at many places.
True examples of my wife stereotyping. Shortly after we purchased a vacation beach house. As we were passing the cities harbor which is full of fishing boats and ships. She sees a dirty guy wearing orange rubber rain pants walking away from the harbor and comments she is mad they have homeless here too. I told her no that's an fisherman. Maybe walking home from a day of being in the ocean.
Fast forward a few years and we were outside of Boise looking at rural properties. We stopped at a small market and a dirty guy walks past our vehicle. She says the same thing, is that a homeless guy way out here?
No dear, that's a old farmer. Maybe been up before the sun working a field and came here to get some lunch.

[wiredgeorge]

Originally Posted by sourdough

^^^^I think the media has gone above and beyond to basically terrorize the US population by continually focusing on misdeeds by others; daily, nightly, constantly. You would think that it would de-sensitive folks but it seems it has put everyone on "high alert" assuming the worst from any situation whereas in the past that same situation would have been ignored because we weren't conditioned to look for, and expect, the worst from a human being in any encounter. I'm as guilty as the next guy but as John pointed out, there are places I just will not go because I won't knowingly put myself in a situation/place where the odds say I will have an encounter I need to critically assess - roadside parks being one of them.

I think the entire situation with our current media is sad.....and wrong. Instead of trying to carry stereotypes of folks in my head I try to carry a smile on my face when I see someone that makes me uneasy....along with the "peace offering" I carry on my hip.....

I bet you look just like Gary Cooper walking down Main Street in High Noon!

[sourdough]

Originally Posted by wiredgeorge

I bet you look just like Gary Cooper walking down Main Street in High Noon!

Ha! I wish, old Gary had a lot more Charisma than I do. The old Peacemaker stays put away.

[jasin1]

I hate to say it but some people are just clueless.. they have no idea about social norms and proper etiquette …there was probably background noise of trucks passing or highway noise and some people really don’t get that sound travels..they didn’t have the capacity to put two and two together and figure that people were actually sleeping inside…they just saw the camper and were commenting on it and shooting the breeze..I had a guy that worked for me that would show up at someone’s house with me and while I was knocking on the door he would wander into the backyard looking around…I had to explain to him that you can’t do that…you could get shot doing that and I’d be pissed if I saw a stranger poking around in my yard …..he was clueless….thought I was making a big deal about nothing…he doesn’t work for me anymore..

And these days you never really know what to expect from strangers …I might have hit my truck key fob lock to let them know ….that I know they are there

[Meyers-Gaw]

An additional point to add to OP. The blue Heron plaza referenced has RV lot which he was in and paid for. That’s a service of the Ohio Turnpike. So the ‘socially inept guys ‘ in PUs were somewhere they weren’t supposed to be and were deliberately messing with RVers price of mind.

[gearhead]

Originally Posted by Meyers-Gaw

An additional point to add to OP. The blue Heron plaza referenced has RV lot which he was in and paid for. That’s a service of the Ohio Turnpike. So the ‘socially inept guys ‘ in PUs were somewhere they weren’t supposed to be and were deliberately messing with RVers price of mind.

So a Blue Heron Service Plaza is a government owned truck stop with a RV park ??

[notanlines]

All you need to know (and then some)
https://turnpikeinfo.com/view-exit.p...key=77_wb_plaz