In this present day where everyone seems to be flying instead of taking a car out for a spin, many of us would think that the all American road trip is nothing but a thing of the past. But it is not although most Americans go on shorter trips. But let's face it. Road trips have something that flying in airplanes cannot offer. With road trips, you can enjoy the scenery at your own pace. That is definitely not something you can do when flying. Plus, the view is much better. Well, yes, the view from above is wonderful too but it is much more wonderful if you get to enjoy the view up close.
So if a road trip is something you intend to do pretty soon then here are some tips to make your trip even more fun and of course, safe!
Keep the junk out of your car. Pizza boxes, soda cups, gum wrappers and whatever else you keep in your car as you drive should be left in the bin. Some of us might be able to tolerate a little chaos but as the trip progresses, you are bound to accumulate trash especially if you cannot find a trash nearby. You do not want to end up with a car filled with trash, would you? It drives you insane since you'll be spending a lot of time in the close quarters of your car during the trip. And take note: do not just throw your trash out the window as you drive. You know what that does to the environment.
Making a plan is great but keeps it loose. One thing that you can expect to happen during road trips are delays. Yes. That is true. You will never know when an accident might happen and cause a traffic jam or maybe some part of the road is being fixed and you'll have to take a detour. Or you might end up having a flat or something. You do not want to end up being frustrated because you are running behind your schedule. Keep your schedule flexible.
You might want to anticipate areas where you might come across problems. You would want to avoid places that get really busy during rush hours. So plan ahead of time to make sure that you avoid places that get too busy at specific times or days. You do not want your road trip to end up in a traffic jam because you forgot that it is a Memorial Day weekend and everyone else seems to be headed in the same direction as you are.
Road trips are boring if you are going on one alone unless you have some serious thinking to do or just want to get away. But since you have your buddies with you, make sure you designate the tasks accordingly. If you have a buddy that's good with navigation, then keep them in charge of the map. People who are good at planning should be assigned to planning the trip. And so on. And do not forget, your buddies can also chip in for the gas and food.
And to make sure that you are safe, do not drink and drive! If you feel too tired from driving already, have a buddy take over so you can rest. And just in case you need them, make sure you have your license and car documents with you at all times. Have a great road trip!