Gas station help - please!
I don’t often beg for input, but this is something important to me so please consider participating.
On our roadtrips, we rarely stop for fast food; we pack snacks or meals and make all our bathroom stops at gas stations.
Although money is a factor, we do this mostly for economy of time. Fast food restaurants rarely have enough stalls for our family to finish quickly, and we like to buy something if we use the restroom. At a nice gas station, the kids can bolt for the bathroom and run around outside for several minutes while Hubby puts $90 into the gas tank.
It already takes our family 18 hours to make a 13 hour trip; separate stops for gas & bathrooms would stretch it out far more.
So what’s the problem?
Vending machines.
Have you seen the obscene vending machines in many gas stations? I’m not talking about the ones that hawk feminine necessities at obscene profits. I mean the ones that I have to stand in front of while all my children of reading age wash their hands. There are nouns and adjectives on those machines that I do not want to explain to them. There are some words that need no explanation.
Here’s where I need your help. I searched the internet in vain. These machines seem to be randomly placed. Large stations and small, old and new. The porn on the magazine stands is no longer such a problem, but the problem is alive and well in the restrooms.
Does anyone know if there is a national chain that conscientiously maintains family-friendly restrooms? Maybe child-friendly restrooms would be a better term.
If nobody knows, can you all help identify the offenders? If you see one of these machines, leave a comment to describe the location with as much or as little detail as you like:
- name of the store (at least tell if it’s Shell, Chevron, BP, etc)
- city/state, location (is it on the interstate? in the city or middle of nowhere? mile marker & interstate name would be great!)
- basic description (big shiny truck stop? little old gas station?)
If you don’t want to provide all that info, just let me know in which chain you saw the offending machine.
If you all will help by telling me what you know, I’ll compile the info and see if there are any identifiable patterns. I would also like to go to the major chains and ask them to consider removing these machines. We spend nearly $500/month on gasoline, and would be delighted to patronize a chain that takes a stand against obscenity. How many of you would do the same?
Who’s with me on this?
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Filed under: Christian living
Absolutely!
Although I usually only fill our van and car 1 time every two weeks-and I try to go to the station alone- the fact remains that I would rather do business with a company that stands for morality rather than one that hawks obscene items like candy.
Plus, when you’re traveling, it’s nice to know what companies you can count on.
Great idea!
I know what you mean. Some of the gas stations in my country dealt with it by having a different bathroom for children which is clearly marked as such and has it’s own place outside grown up’s bathrooms
I am so naive and live in a bubble world that I would not even think this possible! That is sad, or I am sad for not even thinking that this is true life.
How about rest areas? Are they bad too?
You can tell we do not travel much, if any. But sure the day will come when we are confronted with this stuff before our young innocent children’s eyes.
Question off topic: being a modest family, do you go swimming in public places or swimming parks? How do you handle the women’s suits or lack of? Thanks.
Letisha
AMEN! I feel like everywhere I go, I have to say “look at the floor”. My son, aged 6, finally said, “What are we looking for on the floor?”
I make it a point to complain to management when I see something offensive or inappropriate. Sad to say, sometimes I get indifference to my input, but my grocery store did start to cover the magazine racks once I said something.
I haven’t noticed these as much as I used to. I’m wondering how bad the men’s rooms are, though, now that my young men are going to the bathroom without me and are able to drive around without me.
I have noticed the chain of Love’s has even put these machines in they used to not have them but in the last two years I have seen them more and more, and they are always right by the hand dryer!
You’re right, it’s awful. It’s only ONE of the reasons, though, that I don’t let my kids use gas station (even mini-mart type) restrooms. In addition to the risk of obscene vending machines, they’re usually much dirtier than I can handle, especially when I can’t go in with my boys to inspect the men’s restroom. When traveling with DH this is slightly easier, but no cleaner. So, unless it’s an absolute emergency we use only fast-food places. This is where we get a coffee refill or a soft drink if it’s not time for a meal.
But…I fully support your crusade and will be watching to see who responds!
I tend to use WAWA and have never seen these type of items there. Good for WAWA. I don’t know if they have WAWA’s in Texas but they do here in the North Eastern states.
Can you elaborate more on your own experiances…..where, who, ect.?
Wow, we travel but thankfully haven’t run into any such machines. I’d gladly fill my tnak up at a gas station that doesn’t patronize these vendors.
We’ve found “Flying J” truck stops to be the best so far. They usually have a child booster seat in the handicapped stall for our smallest one. Their reading “material” is usually behind the counter, and I have never seen one of those nasty machines there. We make the trip from TX to NC a lot and I always try to spot a Flying J! We’ve thought about renting an RV, just to see if that would make it faster…
Well, we leave at 0300 Sunday to drive to make the CO to OK trek yet again. I’ll see what we find and let ya’ll know. I know that we typically stop at “Flying J” like mamaj, but as it has been quite a few years since our family has taken a road trip, I can’t comment on the current state. I’m offended by the placement of these machines for myself personally and my siblings. I can’t imagine what it must be like from a mothers’ perspective.
(climbs on soapbox)
I also agree with Chrissy: When you as a customer/consumer make a forthright complaint from a moral/Biblical standpoint in a gracious way, the management team is usually more than willing to make a change. My mom actually got an entire shoe store CHAIN to remove the inappropriate posters in ALL of their stores NATIONWIDE by making a polite yet adamant complaint to a store manager and then making a simple phone call to their national headquarters. It just doesn’t take that long, and it makes a huge difference in the lives of the men who do their best to guard their hearts and eyes. We’ve also had success with our local grocery store ‘porn racks’ by the checkout stands, etc. It is well worth the time!
(climbs off soapbox)
I’ll let you know what we find out on our trip. Now that could be an interesting live-blog: ” 2 parents, 9 kids and 1 Labrador in a 15 passenger van for 13+ hours.”
Up Next: “The view from my pink-padded room.”
Breaking out the hymnals,
Jen
We usually choose to stop at a “Walmart” type store to use the facilities. It does take a little bit longer to go in and walk to the back of the store - but I feel that it is worth the extra effort and feel a bit more safe especially if I am traveling without the hubbie and with all the kids.
It is a sad world we live in.
I know there is different gas stations in different parts of the country, but i am guessing here what you are talking about. I have seen maybe one bathroom that i can think of that had something that was bad in the bathrooms, we usually go to Cococo for gas though or traveling if they do not have that then Super America or Flying J are very nice, but you know, it may be I never noticed what you are talking about as my children were not reading yet and did not ask me what they were, I don’t know! I was horrified to see my first real porn magazines for sale behind a gas station counter about 2 years ago, but in the county I grew up in, it was illegal to sell it, so I had never seen it before. I am 28, so if it took that long, and we traveled alot, then maybe bathrooms have gotten worse?
At least brown paper bags on them. It’s not like we don’t know what’s in them, or the people purchasing them need the descriptors. They are only there because they are too shy to purchase them at the counter. The company would lose zero money by removing the advertising…but yes, I’d be willing to frequent establishments that didn’t have them at all!
Hey, how about using the rest room first and then deciding whether to get the gas based on what you see in the potty? Then the “vendors” would lose 14 flushes of the toilet and gain zero dollars, or gain some money from gas accordingly. You could tiptoe in with a plastic bag before everyone goes potty and cover the machine.
Based on comparisons with Dh, the mens’ restrooms have more of the stuff you’re objecting to than the womens’. Let us know how things go!
Mrs. C.
Oh, heart at home I forgot to mention I thought you were a little naive writing that some places sold “obscene things like candy.” Then I read it again LOL! You didn’t mean that candy was obscene after all…
Good morning… I need to go get some coffee and wake up a little more…
Mrs. C.
I am completely with you…but I so very rarely use a gas station rest room that I really can’t help. This is just to say…I’m going to read the rest of your comments and start paying attemtion if I do find myself in one! :o)
First of all if you had done this post a week ago I would have had my friend keep her eyes open as she is driving from south Texas to Washington State, and I am sure she has stopped lots!
Bucee’s (pronounced Buck-E’s) is the answer that we choose. You can get gas, eat if you so choose, and there are lots of goodies for the kids to eye at! We LOVE it and even if we don’t have to go we stop (now if we had 8 we probably wouldn’t). The employees are always very kind and friendly. I know they aren’t in the west yet…but will be one day but if you are traveling in the southeast or the east you can find one. We also like Flying J. We do not stop at any gas stations, we look for State Rest Areas or a Target. I was raised by a single mother who drilled into me how dangerous they were, so when I got married and we made the trek for the first time together form Houston to west of Amarillo……I said no way jose and to this day we still don’t use gas stations….plus they are just DIRTY!!!!
I will keep my eyes open though around town and let you know.
Greetings in the Name of the Lord!
I know what you are talking about, but I haven’t thought of them in a long time, because we always use BP and they don’t have those machines. At least the ones I have used. We usually stop for potty breaks at fast food restaurants, though, if we can help it. Also, grocery stores are good, too. But, you already said that with your large family, that would be a problem. I wish the world wasn’t this way, but …
This post really got me thinking. (By the way, love your blog) I am not one that generally goes into gas station bathrooms as we don’t travel much but there is a chain up in WI, MN, &IA that always seemed like they just try harder, so I emailed them and asked if they have adult vending machines. This is the email I recieved back–
“You will not find any adult type vending machines in any of our restrooms, we don’t sell condoms, we don’t sell adult magazines and you won’t find anything offensive in our stores. It is our policy and one the family that owns Kwik Trip feels very strongly about.
I appreciate your email, we want everyone to feel comfortable shopping our stores.
Sincerely,
Greg Olson
Retail Operations Director”
So if you are ever in the area look for Kwik Trip gas stations and feel safe.
Blessings,
De
Thank you for all the input so far - keep it coming!
It sounds like Flying J is a good possibility on road trips. We see a lot of these. Now I need to find time to contact them and ask if they have a policy regarding adult materials.
De,
Thanks for the info. I knew there had to be chains like that! I hope Kwik Trip expands. We’ve never yet had reason to travel in IA, MN, or WI - but maybe other readers will be able to benefit from the info. Can you share the email addy so those who are motivated can send an encouraging message?
Hi, Mrs. C!
I haven’t stopped here for quite a while but since recently traveling from Kansas to Virginia and back I have a more recent recollection of gas station restrooms.
I really don’t recall seeing many (if any) of these types of machines. I think I saw maybe one at most and I couldn’t begin to remember where that was.
I did want to mention that if you are driving through Kansas or Missouri to use QuikTrip or “QT” filling stations. This is a different company from the one mentioned above. They have the cleanest, most professional establishments I have ever seen for a gas station. We always know we are nearing home when we spot the first QuikTrip on our return trip. I think the one furthest east is near St. Louis. I don’t recall ever seeing these obscene types of vending machines in their restrooms.
Another nice thing is that they have a great variety of inexpensive fountain drinks. You could buy 3 or 4 large cups of soda pop (64 oz.) for just a couple dollars. We do this sometimes as a weekend treat for our family.
Anyway, I thought I would share that for what it’s worth. If you are ever passing through Kansas or Missouri definitely use QuikTrip if there is one along your route.
Here is a link with all the locations in the US.
http://www.quiktrip.com/locations/
locations.asp
(the lower line above is part of the link also).
I was mistaken about the states. It appears they are located in nine different states including Iowa, Texas and Oklahoma.
Hope this is helpful for your future family travels.
Thanks for maintaining this great blog. I enjoy your writing.
~Lydia
Good Morning Mrs. Life in a Shoe,
First off, my wife and I enjoy your daily “adventures”. We currently have 2 boys (2 years and 20 weeks). We have adventures every day now.
I found two places which may assist you.
http://www.mizpee.com/web/index.html
and
http://www.thebathroomdiaries.com/usa/index.html
As more people are aware of these resources, the lists will continue to grow ofcourse.
Blessings to you.
http://havensc.wordpress.com
The website to Kwik Trip is http://www.kwiktrip.com/
and if you would like to email them it’s RetailOps@kwiktrip.com
Thanks for bringing the topic up!
Blessings,
De
Kim, after just returning home from a small family vacation of our own, and having to stop a handful of times (and having a large family though not as large as you!) I totally know what you mean. And the thing is, For us it wasn’t even just the vending machines, but my nine year old daughter kept reading the bathroom stalls. It was driving me nuts. “Mom, what does ____ mean?” UGH!