Whether it's to refuel, relax with a coffee and stretch your legs, or in the event of a physiological emergency: stops during a long journey are not only unavoidable, but also highly recommended in terms of road safety. However, no one likes it when these stops delay them unnecessarily and delay the estimated time of arrival at the destination. That's why when driving on the motorway we usually prefer rest stops that are located directly on the road. But how do you know if the next one will have quick access and reintegration? How can we make sure it's not on the outskirts of a town several kilometers from the highway?
The experts of Alquiber, the leading company in the sector rent Flexible, they have the answer: To know whether the gas station is within the influence of the motorway, you just have to look closely at the signs that announce the diversions to these rest areas.
The most common tricks, such as looking at the advertising monolith of the gas station, are not always unreliable, since the perspective can confuse us and make us perceive the monopoly of a gas station located in the opposite direction as close. However, the signs on motorways and non-toll motorways – on toll roads, according to the law, must always be posted on the side of the road – do not lie.
The advance signal signs, in which the symbol of a small gas pump appears and the distance at which the exit is located, are one of the clearest indications: if the meters indicated for the diversion are 1,000 or 500, the gas station is next to the highway; If these signs announce the exit at 750 or 250 meters, the rest stop is on a side road.
Additionally, these signs are typically blue and only the last one in line changes color, indicating the immediate exit – green or white if accessing lower-ranking routes. If this field is also blue, the gas station is next to the track; if it is green, the gas station is nearby but not on the highway; and when it is white, it forces us to follow a conventional path in which one never knows how far away the pump, the coffee maker and the toilet may be.
In any case, and if short-term emergencies and unforeseen events allow, the navigation system and mobile applications provide all this information as well as the possibility of planning the trip and its stops in advance. In addition, remember that the law requires that the stations serving a highway must be at least 20 kilometers apart and never more than 40 to 60 kilometers apart.
