Is it safe...need lots of opinions

[Calway]

Kind of embarrassed to ask, but we are traveling from MI to the Fort with a stop in TN for two nights. We are hoping (not sure we can do without) to refrain from our usual coffee but we both have to have frequent potty breaks as older women.
We are pulling a 5th wheel and are wondering is it safe to just pull off onto the shoulder (traveling on 75) run into trailer to do our business and head back onto the road or should we find an exit for that?
Please don't suggest decaf or depends
Eventually it will be ideal to own a motorhome.

 

[clkelley]

Quite honestly, I would find an exit. I too, have an "older" bladder and have to stop more often. Rest stops have large parking areas for the big rigs and campers. Very easy in, and very easy out. Of course, you also will need to stop for gas.

I find stopping for gas and stopping at rest stops keeps me comfortable the entire trip.

 

[freshlybarked]

I would also not recommend stopping on the side of the interstate. There should be plenty of rest areas to use and you can use their facilities. Exits with truck stops would be roomy enough to pull into.

 

[Disneefun]

I'd pull of at an exit, but still use the TT bathroom. On 75 you'll find many exits w/truck stops/rest areas that will be easy in/easy out for you. Park and do your business. Pulling onto the shoulder is risky. Too many people veer off onto the shoulder and you don't want to get hit.

I hate using rest area/truck stop bathrooms, esp. with so many flu germs and all floating around, the less I'm exposed to public facilities, the better. So get off at the exit, but do your biz in the TT. That's my opinion.

 

[ftwildernessguy]

I'll go along with the crowd. I don't believe it would be safe to pull off to the side of the interstate - find a rest stop.

 

[ElementCamper]

Ditto on the above replies:

I would strongly suggest NEVER pulling over on the side of the interstate! It is illegal in most states which state 'Emergency Stopping Only.' Although I consider a potty break to be an emergency, the law may not!

It is far to easy for someone to veer off the road and hit you. Find a safe exit to pull off if you have not seen a rest area, preferably a well lit and traveled parking lot and use your own facilities. Just use good judement and you will be fine. Have a great trip!

 

[I'mDownWithDisney]

Pull off at an exit, cross over the the intersection, and pull off on the side of the entrance ramp.

Never stop on the side of the interstate. My buddy is an AL state trooper, and he was hit while stopped on the shoulder (with the lights on) by a guy doing about 75 mph. It destroyed his cruiser.

 

[Tri-circle-D]

Calway: All joking aside, do you have experience driving a truck and towing the 5th wheel? I certainly hope so. Towing a trailer is a dangerous proposition, and I urge you not to take on more than you are able to handle. Towing a big trailer does not leave any margin for error, and there aren't any small accidents on the interstates.

Please be careful! And don't do this unless you have experience and know what you are doing.

Truthfully, I am concerned that you even asked your original question.

TCD

 

[polkadotsuitcase]

My vote is for pulling off on an exit/rest stop, too. It doesn't take that long, and it's worth the safety.

Slight thread drift and potentially Goofy question: If you use the TT, how do you flush? Do you pour water in with a jug? We've always just gone in the gas station/rest area, and I've never considered using the TT!

 

[ftwildernessguy]

Fill the freshwater tank before you leave, turn on the pump at the rest stop and flush.

 

[BradyBz12]

Agree with PP - the side of the interstate is definitely NOT safe. I'd always recommend finding a rest stop or pulling off the highway to the nearest parking lot.

We usually end up stopping for gas every 2-3 hours and use that opportunity for bathroom breaks at the same time. We still use our own nice, clean bathroom in the TT, and switch off while one person is pumping gas. Gets us back on the road quickly and is safe.

On one trip we blew a trailer tire coming through Orlando on I4 - and of course it was on the driver's side. No possible way to make it to the next exit and we had to change it right there - in the middle of the day. We pulled as far off as we safely could (can't trust the shoulders to be solid!) and I stood behind DH watching traffic (in my tie dyed shirt!) waving at oncoming traffic to make sure they could see us, and yelling at him to scoot his butt in and hurry up!

Talk about terrifying

Definitely play it safe and get off the road.

 

[BradyBz12]

If you use the TT, how do you flush? Do you pour water in with a jug? We've always just gone in the gas station/rest area, and I've never considered using the TT!

We try and keep the load as light as possible, so we don't fill our tanks. I just bring a jug of water and we pour a cup full in to flush.

 

[polkadotsuitcase]

Ah, okay. Makes sense; thanks!

 

[Calway]

Thanks for all the advice. I guess it is better to be safe than sorry.
We were going to carry a bit of water in the tank, but I think I like the water in the jug better...less weight and no messing with the pump.

 

[ftwildernessguy]

So 30 gallons of water weighs maybe 200lbs. What's a fiver weigh - 10,000lbs? Maybe more? Come on, you're gonna save weight by not filling the freshwater tank and that's gonna make a difference? You guys must work for the airlines! And messing with the pump consists of flipping the switch on the wall.

 

[BradyBz12]

Yeah Jim has a point.

In our case we're pulling a 20' hybrid with an SUV. We're still well under our towing capacity, but we don't like to push our luck so we watch any extra weight.

If weight weren't a big concern, I'd be putting at least a little water in the tank for the trip.

 

[Memph1s]

One more reason to not pull off side of the road is there are tons of things along the side of the road you don't want to be driving over. Glass, nails screws, small rocks you can later fling off into your own trailer or someone else's car. You will either have to wait forever for the road to be clear enough to get back on a driving lane or drive a long way down the side lane to get up to speed to get back on and I promise you, you will be throwing rocks all over everybody.

 

[clkelley]

Yeah Jim has a point.

In our case we're pulling a 20' hybrid with an SUV. We're still well under our towing capacity, but we don't like to push our luck so we watch any extra weight.

If weight weren't a big concern, I'd be putting at least a little water in the tank for the trip.

Same here!! It's not my tow vehicle capacity though, its my trailer's gross capacity. My CCC is insanely low at like 160 lbs, so I tend not to travel with water either. If I were to fill up my water jug (5 gallons) and my portapotty (3 gallons), that's half of my CCC right there. I weighed my trailer fully loaded with my stuff and without water, and was right at my gross capacity, (maybe even over a pound or two, I forget).

 

[ftwildernessguy]

Same here!! It's not my tow vehicle capacity though, its my trailer's gross capacity. My CCC is insanely low at like 160 lbs, so I tend not to travel with water either. If I were to fill up my water jug (5 gallons) and my portapotty (3 gallons), that's half of my CCC right there. I weighed my trailer fully loaded with my stuff and without water, and was right at my gross capacity, (maybe even over a pound or two, I forget).

I wasn't covering everybody's TT, I was talking about the OP's 5er. Even filling the tank isn't going to contribute that much weight when you consider the weight of the 5er alone. If they are that close to the GVWR for their TV that they have to worry about carrying water, then they have other issues.

 

[photo_chick]

It's illegal in some states to stop on the side of the highway when it is not an emergency situation.