Carjackings in the news

[Notorious E.O.C.]

What? Interstate rest stops in the Southeast (and nationwide) have been known as being great places to become a victim of crime since I was a child.

The very first IDPA stage I ever shot required me to start with my hands in the "sink" (bucket of water), turn to the "towel dispenser," and then draw and fire as the cardboard demanded my wallet. That's been in my mind at every interstate rest stop I've ever walked into after that match.

[BN]

The very first IDPA stage I ever shot required me to start with my hands in the "sink" (bucket of water), turn to the "towel dispenser," and then draw and fire as the cardboard demanded my wallet. That's been in my mind at every interstate rest stop I've ever walked into after that match.

That wasn't in West Virginia was it. I made the "towel dispenser" out of an upside down pan.

[Totem Polar]

+1 on interstate rest areas. Just pulling into one mandates condition orange.

[RJ]

I guess experiences vary. I'll defer to anyone else's view in terms of interstate rest stops being a hot bed of criminal activity, in terms of how they view risk. And that's fine.

I traveled upwards of 50,000 miles across the US and Canada for almost two years extended travel; Florida to California, Washington state to Ontario CA, and many places in between. Interstates are generally restricted access highways, so dude has to get there by car, typically. Plus dude has to be there for "a while" looking over the potential victims as they come and go. From my experience, it's fairly easy to spot unusual activity, since I'd guess 99% of people stopping are there to have a pee or a smoke. Dude tends to stand out. Yes I'm paying attention, same as I am everywhere.

YMMV I guess, but I would not put rest stops up there with say, the local WalMart, or local gas stations, situated close to the exits. Of all the times I've felt uncomfortable, it's been in one of those kinds of situations. Generally if I'm pocket carrying my hand is on my gun while looking outward from where I am parked. Some examples that spring to mind:

- Large uh extended family in a mini-van, eating a bucket of chicken, parked at a service station at an exit, exhibiting more than passing interest in my truck. Filled up and left.
- Sedan pulls in close to my rig when I am parked in the outer rim at a Publix. This is just off the interstate. Observed the vehicle the whole time, got in, left.
- Making a short detour off the perimeter in the South part of Atlanta, crossing over the bridge that connects E to W 285. I was clearly in the wrong part of town, with a shiny truck and brand new Airstream trailer. I never actually stopped moving, even at the red light. (As a side note, it turns out you can make a U turn with a 55' long articulated truck+RV combination in a surprisingly short amount of space if you are motivated. ).
- Somewhere in Texas at a WalMart (San Antonio?) dude accosts me and my wife after we locked the truck in the middle of the lot. Just did my "sorry sir can't help you" and got out of the lot and into the store.
- Truck stop dump station, just off I4 in Tampa. Two dudes having an animated conversation in Spanish across the parking lot. No clue what they were saying. One ended up walking past my rig, which I thought was odd. I completed my task and gtfo.

I can't recall anything like this happening at an Interstate Rest Stop.

In the article quoted, the couple that got the Bear Spray "cut through the fence" and walked in. This is what I meant by access. I'd guess the rest stop in question was close by a local area. So in terms of an en route journey, out West say, dude is not going to be able to just walk there from town that easily. I'd guess Wal Mart is a better place to scout for victims, or a gas station close to town. Now, if ya'll are talking about rest stops, that ARE near town, or within walking distance, sure, I can see that.

So that's my experience. I'm sure bad things happen at rest stops, but I've not seen any reason to be more on the alert at one than I normally am, and I am typically pretty alert.

[Beast17]

Nevermind...

[Trooper224]

I guess experiences vary. I'll defer to anyone else's view in terms of interstate rest stops being a hot bed of criminal activity, in terms of how they view risk. And that's fine.

I traveled upwards of 50,000 miles across the US and Canada for almost two years extended travel; Florida to California, Washington state to Ontario CA, and many places in between. Interstates are generally restricted access highways, so dude has to get there by car, typically. Plus dude has to be there for "a while" looking over the potential victims as they come and go. From my experience, it's fairly easy to spot unusual activity, since I'd guess 99% of people stopping are there to have a pee or a smoke. Dude tends to stand out. Yes I'm paying attention, same as I am everywhere.

YMMV I guess, but I would not put rest stops up there with say, the local WalMart, or local gas stations, situated close to the exits. Of all the times I've felt uncomfortable, it's been in one of those kinds of situations. Generally if I'm pocket carrying my hand is on my gun while looking outward from where I am parked. Some examples that spring to mind:

- Large uh extended family in a mini-van, eating a bucket of chicken, parked at a service station at an exit, exhibiting more than passing interest in my truck. Filled up and left.
- Sedan pulls in close to my rig when I am parked in the outer rim at a Publix. This is just off the interstate. Observed the vehicle the whole time, got in, left.
- Making a short detour off the perimeter in the South part of Atlanta, crossing over the bridge that connects E to W 285. I was clearly in the wrong part of town, with a shiny truck and brand new Airstream trailer. I never actually stopped moving, even at the red light. (As a side note, it turns out you can make a U turn with a 55' long articulated truck+RV combination in a surprisingly short amount of space if you are motivated. ).
- Somewhere in Texas at a WalMart (San Antonio?) dude accosts me and my wife after we locked the truck in the middle of the lot. Just did my "sorry sir can't help you" and got out of the lot and into the store.
- Truck stop dump station, just off I4 in Tampa. Two dudes having an animated conversation in Spanish across the parking lot. No clue what they were saying. One ended up walking past my rig, which I thought was odd. I completed my task and gtfo.

I can't recall anything like this happening at an Interstate Rest Stop.

In the article quoted, the couple that got the Bear Spray "cut through the fence" and walked in. This is what I meant by access. I'd guess the rest stop in question was close by a local area. So in terms of an en route journey, out West say, dude is not going to be able to just walk there from town that easily. I'd guess Wal Mart is a better place to scout for victims, or a gas station close to town. Now, if ya'll are talking about rest stops, that ARE near town, or within walking distance, sure, I can see that.

So that's my experience. I'm sure bad things happen at rest stops, but I've not seen any reason to be more on the alert at one than I normally am, and I am typically pretty alert.

As someone who spent fifteen years working rural highways and their rest areas, then another fifteen working a major interstate artery, with travel plazas every 30/40 miles, I can state unequivocally that you are incorrect in the gravest of extremes.

[Borderland]

That's pretty cool he had his bear spray to hand...I am surprised he could use it effectively under that amount of stress. You'd think Interstate rest stops would be a pretty benign location, but you never know I guess.

Some rest stops are pretty sketchy here on the west coast. They've closed some to RV's due to overstay campers near me. Also some became homeless camps (drug deals) before they closed them to that crowd. CA I-5 rest stops were not my first choice on the road with an RV. I used Walmart lots and state camp grounds when available. Walmart was usualy RV's and truckers after 9 am. Rest stops are known for drug deals close to any metro area. I slept peacefully on road with a large dog and a pistol. Never had to shoot anyone.

[RJ]

Some rest stops are pretty sketchy here on the west coast. They've closed some to RV's due to overstay campers near me. Also some became homeless camps (drug deals) before they closed them to that crowd. CA I-5 rest stops were not my first choice on the road with an RV. I used Walmart lots and state camp grounds when available. Walmart was usualy RV's and truckers after 9 am. Rest stops are known for drug deals close to any metro area. I slept peacefully on road with a large dog and a pistol. Never had to shoot anyone.

Very true! And I can't imagine it getting better the last few years since we were traveling up and down I-5. We've used WalMarts and Cracker Barrels for overnights. Although it seemed as we went fewer and fewer WalMarts were allowing overnight stays. For the ones that were, you'd see all the RVs out in the edge of the lot, in circle the wagons format.

[whomever]

As someone who spent fifteen years working rural highways and their rest areas, then another fifteen working a major interstate artery, with travel plazas every 30/40 miles, I can state unequivocally that you are incorrect in the gravest of extremes.

Trooper224, if you are feeling literary I would be interested in a paragraph or two on rest area crime, as in types (gun in face in restroom? Come out to find your car prowled/stolen? Urban or rural? Night/day? etc, etc). I'm of an age when passing rest areas isn't much of an option, so welcome any rest-area specific info that different from the usual SA one tries to maintain.

[Wake27]

Trooper224, if you are feeling literary I would be interested in a paragraph or two on rest area crime, as in types (gun in face in restroom? Come out to find your car prowled/stolen? Urban or rural? Night/day? etc, etc). I'm of an age when passing rest areas isn't much of an option, so welcome any rest-area specific info that different from the usual SA one tries to maintain.

Yeah I would too. I've always heard generalities about rest stops being super high threat, I think tied back to human trafficking but nothing recent nor specific and from a credible source. I don't travel for work but moving from VA to CO, CO to NC, and now NC to KS with a little girl, wife, and two big dogs, we have to stop several times along the way. Rest stops feel safe because there are lots of people, but we all know that most to all of them are worthless. We typically try to stop at Chick fil As or Bass Pros. We don't like leaving the dogs in the car by themselves so usually I go in first, scope it, then go back to the car and my wife takes my daughter in. But she's fairly opposed to carrying anything more than pepper spray and it makes me very uncomfortable that we're separated for a lot of that time.