Good rules to live by.
I’ve never been to most of the Midwest; outside of one business trip to San Fran, I’ve been further west in Canada than I have been in the US.
The only weird thing that ever happened to me when visiting a rest stop happened several decades ago at a pit toilet in Wisconsin. These pit toilets are fairly common in Wisconsin along non interstate two lane roads.
I had to make a quick trip to relieve pressure at this pit stop right by the Mississippi south of Ferryville. As I dashed out of my car and entered the building, I encountered a young man getting uh serviced by an older man. The young man was standing and the old man was kneeling facing the young man. I think you get the picture.
Upon my walking-racing in, the young man sped out of the place, raced to his vehicle, and tore out of the parking lot. The older man receded into one of the toilet stalls. I finished emptying my bladder and got out of there.
I later read a story in the local news that area male homosexuals were using these pit toilets for sexual encounters. The state authorities did a number of raids on them and arrested some people. But I'll never forget that particular stop.