Always keep a trash can with extra bags. Had a receiver with no restrooms. I was headed to my next pick up, but didn't make it out of the lot before my dinner needed to make an emergency exit. Draw the curtains, squat over the trash can.... double bag, baby wipes, and LOTS of air freshener. (Hey, **** happens)
As far as fluid waste goes, of course I used the truck stops and rest areas, but have a gallon windshield fluid bottle that I use. It gets emptied behind my trailer on the grass, whileI do my pretrip. NEVER EVER on the cement where it will cook into the asphalt, and everyone can smell it.
Reading this thread makes me happy and grateful that I'm local now. What a barbaric lifestyle that I used to live, eh?
There is something better than baby wipes you can find at Walmart in the elderly aisle next to the Depends...they are called Assurance wipes. They are much bigger and thicker than baby wipes and made to clean bed ridden people.
Also, I have a self made "porta potty". A Rubbermaid container lined with febreeze trash bags, filled with natural pine kitty litter. Its much cheaper than the costly real pots and holds in odor with a sealed lid.
I have friends who bought the $100 flushable pots, but you have to clean them, and put water in them. If they spill...eewww. Others have cartridges that cost a lot of money.
Some women have a " She Wee" which is a female urinal that can shoot into a bottle or jug. Not my style.
Trip planning is one thing, but sit in NJ traffic for hours only to find out a car accident just shut down the roads and you are stuck there a total of six hours...and things need to be handled. Or get stuck at a meat plant for 20 hours in the middle of nowhere
Or get to a customer with overnight parking only to find out you are out of hours and no restroom.
Seriously...would any of you used the portal pots at Tyson or Cargill?
As far as going in front of the trainer...never had that happen. When someone always had hours, it is a lot less likely. A solo driver need to fight that 14 hour clock sometimes I shut down in places i would rather not, but it is what it is.
Prepare for emergencies... Better to be prepared and not need it than not have a plan.
Yes, in a perfect world there's truck stops and rest areas wherever you need them, but in reality when the urge comes, Murphy tells us that the restrooms in the rest area or truck stop will be down, have a huge line, or the whole place will be down for maintenance. You could say the same thing for 'be prepared by eating healthy' too, but even if that's the goal, all it takes is that restaurant you trip planned for being shut down and the only food available being a cold case egg salad sandwich for you to find yourself getting plenty creative unless you happen to be parked five feet from the door to a restroom.
As the old saying goes, **** happens. Better to prepare and never have the need to use it than have never even given it a thought and be forced to wing it when nature is not just calling, but screaming her bloody head off.
Driving While Intoxicated
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Not lazy just was early in my day and didn't see the sense in taking up time. If I've been driving for a few or several hours then yeah I get out so I can appreciate a stretch and a walk. Sometimes the coffee goes straight thru in 30 minutes. Seems efficient to me. OK so I should have said many of us use a bottle. And why would I get on your truck? I've got one. Yea I shower about once every 2 weeks. Just kidding. For your info I even wipe up if I sprinkle and put the seat down when I'm done. Urinals, no, but regular toilets, yes. And I make the bed everyday.