Rest area

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A rest area (or service area (RSA), service station) is a public facility located next to a motorway at which drivers and passengers can rest, eat, or refuel without exiting on to secondary roads. It can be a great place for hitchhiking: you can ask for a ride when drivers re-fill or wander around the area, or you can stand by its exit (that leads to a motorway) and hitchhike there.

Facilities of the rest area may include park-like areas, fuel stations, toilets, and restaurants. Rest areas are common in the United States, Canada, Australia and parts of Europe (France: Aire de service, Germany: Raststätte, Italy: Area Servizio, United Kingdom: Motorway services, Austria: Autobahnstation, Denmark: Serviceanlaeg, Hungary: Pihenohely, Netherlands: verzorgingsplaats, Slovenia: Počivališča) and Asia.

Not all rest areas include petrol stations - this means that the traffic on such rest areas will, in general, be much lower, and one can expect more difficulties when looking for a ride there. For service areas with gas stations see information here.

Get out of a rest area

It might be necessary to get out of a rest station because it's empty and you think it will be easier to try to hitch on the local roads, because you are really close to your destination, you are on the wrong way or you want to camp (see bellow). Many rest areas are fenced but it is usually possible to get out even in those cases. Many times there is breaks in the fence, you can also try to see if there is a possibility to get out from the entrance or the exit, and of course see if it's possible to jump over the fence. You can even ask to the people of the station to open you the door, keeping in mind that in this case you will not be able to re-enter in the station.

Sleeping

It is possible in most of the cases to camp in or close to a rest area, always having in mind that you have to keep low profile because it might be something that the employees of the station will not appreciate. The surrounding of the station are usually back country or industrial areas. Find a spot to sleep shouldn't be that difficult. Kimdime also managed to camp in rest areas where there was trees and/or places reasonably hidden. Be aware that in some rest areas there is some criminality, some traffics taking place. Try to avoid to camp right where the take place. Another thing is that there is unfortunately a lot of trash close to the station. Have special care, specially when it's dark.

United States

In most states of the United States there are no petrol stations on rest areas. In these states the rest areas are a relatively good option for hitchhiking. In some of them (Ohio?) you will even find free wireless internet. In New Hampshire you can try to hitchhike at the state liquor stores that are very popular because of the state's low (non-existing?) tax on alcohol.


wikipedia:Rest_area