Driving cross country with a car full of pals can be an enjoyable experience or a nightmare. Some smart tips may possibly help insure that the trip with friends will not end with a car full of ex-friends. 1. Meet before the trip and work out the general plans. The final destination may be easy to choose by mutual agreement, but if it is a road trip that takes several days or more, everyone may have a different idea on how to get there, and who does what along the way. 2. Someone has to be the boss, usually the owner of the car, station wagon or van. If democracy rules, the boss will consult each person before assigning tasks to be performed during the road trip. However, early on, the boss chairs the pre-trip meetings and makes it clear that all final decisions are his or hers. Maybe even politely say: If you don’t like the set-up, you’re not going on the trip. 3. It may be convenient for the boss to appoint a financial advisor from among the passengers. More simply described, there’s need for a bookkeeper sharp enough may be necessary to handle all the expenses. Duties could include collecting funds from all aboard to pay their fair amounts for gasoline, take-along food and drink, pit-stop meals, motel fees and other shared expenses. 4. Another passenger should be assigned the duties as on-the-road medic. He or she brings essentials along on the trip, including a basic first-aid kit, and over-the-counter medications for such ailments as motion sickness and upset stomach. That person also takes care of scrapes, nosebleeds, bumps and other minor ailments that don’t require professional medical help. 5. Another road tripper, usually the vehicle’s owner, monitors the car’s condition, including checking tires, engine coolant, air conditioning, oil levels and fills up the tank at gas stations along the way. 6. The boss or someone designated takes care of entertainment, which could include a DVD player and discs, radios, video games and other electronic equipment. Earphones are a must, so as not to disturb others during the trip. 7. If there’s a need to get to the destination as quickly as possible, it would be most convenient if all are capable drivers. Before the trip begins, the boss assigns each a shift at the wheel. Depending on the number of available drivers, each shift should be from between two and four hours. 8. Another person should sit in the front seat next to the driver, on duty for the same number of hours, the job usually referred to as riding shotgun. That person is responsible for keeping the car on the correct route and avoiding road repairs and other possible delays, through constant monitoring of the car’s GPS system. A GPS unit is now absolutely necessary for long road trips. If the owner doesn’t already have a unit mounted in the car, one should be purchased or rented before the trip begins. Contemporary GPS models, depending on their size and capabilities, cost between $50 and $500. 9. If the trip takes several days and nights, and the vehicle is big enough to allow at least one person to stretch out and sleep, that can be a benefit. Drivers coming off their two- to four-hour shifts can renew their energy and driving alertness by being able to sleep comfortably between shifts. 10. If everything about the buddy road trip is worked out before the rubber hits the road, it will make for a more comfortable, well-organized experience. And if all goes well, the pals will still be pals when the trip is over. Category:Home › Home • Will higher gasoline prices mean lower sales for new cars? — part 2 • Will higher gasoline prices mean lower sales for new cars? — part 1 • Should the crew of the Sea Shepherd board whaling ships? • Which makes a better pet: A dog or a cat? — part 13 • Grandparents: Can blogging chronicle your genealogy? • Which makes a better pet: A dog or a cat? — part 12 • Are teachers unions the cause of public school problems today? • Which makes a better pet: A dog or a cat? — part 11
