Motorway Service areas

[Wombat48]

These have always been a favourite location for witnessing desperate guys. Anyone got any good sightings they want to share??

[Brian]

Not a great one, but a few years ago I was visiting family members in the UK, stopped at a service area on the M1 in Nottinghamshire, and saw the following while I was sitting inside having something to eat. A guy in a shirt and tie and dark suit trousers, travelling salesman perhaps, probably around 30, came very smartly into the building and made a beeline for the toilets with a really awkward gait, sort of bent over. Obviously so desperate he couldn't walk properly.

I bet you've seen plenty of better ones, Wombat.

[Fred]

One that immediately comes to mind is standing at a urinal in the men's room of an Interstate service area, and a stocky young fellow came barging in unzipping as he approached the urinal next to me. He immediately released a very noisy gusher, then sighed and mumbled, "Jesus..." I looked at him and he said, "I didn't think I could make it."

I wish now that I had pursued the potential conversation!

[Wombat48]

Haha maybe? Although that one floats my boat

[Sam70]

I have never visited in the UK. Writers here refer to coming to “services.” I am assuming these services are on the double carriageways that have limited access either to:enter or leave the carriageway.

Here in the US, these type of roadways usually have an interstate number. Each state has it’s own highway department and some regulations do vary from state to state. Interstates in the US have state funded rest stops that usually have toilets. There may be picnic tables as well. In my state there are no vendors selling drinks, etc. In most states that I am aware, rest stops may be 80.miles apart. Or more closer together if there is lots of traffic.

Highways that do not have the distinction “interstate highway” rarely have rest stops along most smaller highways. I have never depended on state owned rest stops for toilet breaks. If I did, I would be wearing Pee soaked pants quite often. The sign rest stop closed for whatever reason can be a wet disaster for some drivers.

;What does the term “services” mean in the UK?

We have exits off the interstates as well as entrances off the interstates. At a majority of exits there are connivence stores and gas stations. Theses are privately owned. These privately owned businesses ofton put signs that meet federal standards ahead of most exits.

Sometimes an exit does not have any businesses immediately after taking a specific exit.
It
Here in the US, connivence stores have public toilets available for everyone to use. Sometimes, a smaller store will require a person to make a purchase to use their toilets. In my experience, this is very rare for stores and gas stations that are right off the interstate to do.

I
How are services in tbe UK different than in the US.

[Wombat48]

Service stations refer specifically to what are on Motorways which are broadly equivalent to Interstate highways I think. The service areas are usually built either side of the 6 lane road, so that motorists don't have to come off at an exit, but sometimes are on junctions so one building serves both directions. They usually just have shops, fast food and toilets. Although usually only 30 miles apart, in many areas of the country motorways are prone to hold ups and delays

[googlism2008]

I believe this Wikipedia article covers it: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rest_area

The service areas are usually built either side of the 6 lane road

I think this description is pretty accurate, and describes rest stops of highways in other countries as well.

One observation is that in tolled highways, such rest stops are built so that drivers can take a break while staying within the tolled region.

[Fred]

Along some Interstates in the US, the service areas with gas stations, fast food and toilets may be 50 or 60 miles apart, perhaps even further apart in less populated areas. So even without traffic slowdowns you might have to wait another hour if you miss that exit. Frequently there is renovation or construction at a service area, so it can be entirely closed, or they may have set up a few portapotties. I remember stopping at one where the men's room was closed for repair and the ladies' had a hastily-partitioned section with two toilets and a sink for the men.

[Brian]

From many years ago, when I grew up in the UK in the 1970s, I remember the following situation. There was a service area, "Michael Wood" services on the M5 in Gloucestershire, which had a car park which was too small to cope with the crowds on busy bank holidays. The queue to get into the car park would stretch back (illegally) onto the motorway. I remember thinking that those drivers who joined that queue rather than carrying on to the next services must have really urgently needed that stop. Or other guys in the cars must have panicked when their driver announced that they couldn't stop there after all.

[briefs]

There's a story somewhere (maybe on here) about a group of military guys who visited a service station at Exeter, and there was a queue for the toilets.
Some of them were pretty desperate in the queue.
Whoever wrote it.....brilliant account, with great descriptions.