A Stop in the Dark

Driving from LAX to Lompoc late Wednesday night necessitated a “rest stop” after all the gas stations along the 101 were locked up tight. I was pleased to come upon the Gaviota rest area until I left my car to use the facilities. Imagine my horror when I found that I had to walk out of the well-lit area in front of the building and go around to the rear, where there are plenty of places for a predator, human or otherwise, to lurk after the sun has set.

In what way does it make sense to have two doors to the men’s rooms in the front of the building, bright lights shining down, leaving women and girls vulnerable, having to go out of sight into the dark?

As a female senior citizen traveling by myself, late at night, I am dumbfounded. Didn’t anyone think about the blatant disregard for women’s safety when the original plans were under review? Didn’t anyone realize this egregious flaw in the years since then, when the rest area was under repair? If the worst did happen to a woman at the rest area, how long would her car sit there before someone realized something was amiss?

CalTrans should seriously consider changing the layout of the Gaviota rest area so that any woman can use the rest area at any time without feeling like she is putting herself at risk.