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Step 1
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Have your car checked out before you hit the road. In addition to whatever tune up needs you may have, pay special attention to the oil. Have the oil changed and request a higher viscosity for your open road trek.
Engines that run at a higher speed for a longer length of time (road trip conditions) require a higher oil viscosity (thickness) because the heat of the engine thins the oil. Beginning with a higher viscosity will allow the "thinning" effect of the heat to work with your oil to achieve the correct lubrication to assist your engine. When you return home from your trip, have your oil changed again using the original weight.
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Step 2
Have the basics handy in case you do run into trouble. No amount of preparation can prevent the unexpected breakdown. Still, there is an enormous difference between a 2 hour inconvenience and a 16 hour ordeal (not to mention the potential cost).
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I have a file folder which includes all of my car maintenance documentation. When I am at home, the file is in my file drawer. When I am on the road (long distance), that file is with me. If your car is under warrantee, make sure that you have the phone number which pertains to that warrantee. A distant mechanic cannot guess what is covered and what is not. In a pinch, you may have to pay for a repair and then be reimbursed by the warrantee holder. Regardless, you should be in touch with your warrantee holder on the spot so that you know what documentation they require in order to cover or reimburse your expenses.
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You should also have an emergency breakdown kit which includes a few basic tools, duct tape, motor oil, panty hose and distilled water.
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Step 3
Dining in full and on the cheap is not an art form. Never, never depend upon the quick mart munchies to fuel your trip. Excessive sodium and sugar, dehydration and heartburn are NOT part of the true road trip. Eat meals when your hunger strikes. But where do you dine?
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If you pull off at an exit with two truck stops and one truck stop is full but the other is empty, which should you choose? Your desire to get back on the road may dictate that you go to the one where you will have no line to wait in, but Road Trip common sense tells you otherwise.
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The truck drivers who spend their lives and their livelihood on the road know who has the best quality food for the right price. So do the locals. Get out of your car and sit down in a local establishment for your meal, even if you have to wait a few minutes for your table. You'll be glad you did.
Don't forget to tip the waiter or waitress. Even with a generous tip, it is still cheaper to fuel your body this way than with snack food.
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Step 4
Speaking of fuel, let go of your desire to save the fraction of a penny by crossing the street. The community of folks who make their livelihood on the road know who has the best quality fuel for the best price. Don't skimp. If you are in doubt, ask the drivers who populate the area. Not all filling stations are created equal. Your friendly nature can add miles to your gas tank and pennies to your pocket.
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Step 5
While we're on the topic of fuel, pay attention: When pulling into a station which services both trucks and automobiles, use the entrance marked "autos" and follow the signs (and the rules). With freedom comes responsibility.
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Following the signs for "Autos" will do more than get you to the pump or parking spot of your choice. It also protects the long-haul trucks from having to maneuver around you, or endure the flash of your headlights as they try to sleep.
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Don't forget, these long-haul drivers are the same drivers you will meet on the road. Make sure that you do your part to see that they are well rested and ready to roll. Turn your stereo down, keep your shouts to a minimum and be courteous. Their safety is your safety, when you are on the open road.
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Step 6
Fog & Night Travel: Safe travel is a community project when you are on the open road. For those of you who prefer to avoid the Big Trucks on the road, please understand that those drivers know the road far better than you ever will and in night or fog conditions, playing by their rules can help you arrive safely.
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Leap-frog: I have made innumerable trips up and down the west coast on I-5. Early in my road trip career, I was on my way south on I-5 and could not seem to shake the Semi (long haul) Truck who was traveling the same path. The fog was as thick as it could be and my speed remained the same, but he (the truck) would hang behind me, then surge forward and merge into the lane in front of me. He would travel at the same speed I had used for a while, then he would slow down as if encouraging me to pass him.
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We were well up into the foothills of the mountains, approaching the border between Oregon and California (with my car in front) when my tired eyes began to wonder where the road was going. Just then, the truck made another surge and I finally caught on. He had been saving the strain on his eyes by alternately looking into the fog and following my tail lights. I could work WITH him in order to help both of us. By playing this game of "leap-frog," we were able to drive through the mountains safely and when I pulled off for fuel, he passed me by into the flat lands of Northern California. We waved, but I was never able to say a proper "thank you" for teaching me a trick which has come in handy for years.
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Step 7
Why truck drivers flash their lights: Large trucks signal to each other using their lights. A flash of the brights tells a truck that it's safe for him to pull out of line to pass a slower truck. Turning the headlamps off and then back on tells the truck that he has cleared the front end of the slower truck and it is safe to merge back into line. Flashing the small lights that outline the dimensions of the truck from the back means "Thank you."
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On your trip, you may feel such comradeship with these travelers that you want to use their signals to communicate with them. Cars need to be careful with this because our lights are not wired the same way that theirs are. Flashing your brights also flashes your tail lights, as if you'd hit the brakes. Turning your car's headlights off is never a good idea, so just let the truck pull ahead and merge at his own pace.
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Step 8
Speaking of headlights, this is one of the greatest Murphy's Law mysteries in the modern driving world: You are on the loneliest stretch of highway in the middle of the night with no one else in sight. Slowly, a car catches up to you from behind... and hangs there, with their headlights shining straight into your eyes through the side view mirror. You speed up, so do they. You slow down, they do the same. Chances are that they are not doing it on purpose and probably don't even realize that they are messing with your groove. The problem is that the light reflecting straight into your eyes is not just annoying. It can impair your night vision, costing valuable seconds in reaction time if anything goes wrong.
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If slowing down to encourage them to pass you doesn't solve the problem, there is an alternative which should be used with caution as a last resort. A slight change in the angle of your side view mirror will send the reflection right back to them, giving them the same experience you've had since they arrived. The other driver will find it as unpleasant as you did and will speed up to get their lights out of your mirror zone. Immediately adjust your mirror back to it's original position.
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Step 9
I know it's human nature, but if someone pulls into the left lane to pass you, don't speed up. You are traveling on your own schedule, not theirs. If someone pulls into the right lane to pass you, hoping to cut in front of you in that fraction of a car length before they hit the truck you're about to pass, you have to make a judgment call. Your safety is always more important than their hurry or your own ego and let's face it: A hospital stay would ruin your road trip.
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If, by easing up on the gas just a little, you can give them the space they need to cut in front of you, do it. If there is no way for them to make it safely but you are afraid that they might try anyway, speed up a little to close the gap. Let them pass you later, when it's safe.
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Step 10
Pushing: Let's say you are in the left lane, moving more quickly than the traffic in the slower right lane but not at super sonic speed. Suddenly a vehicle looms up behind you and "rides your bumper" in an attempt to get you to go faster or get out of the way. This has happened to most of us and many of us have done it to others without even thinking about it. It's called Pushing and it is not a safe practice, but your reaction to being Pushed can make it safer... or much more dangerous.
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First of all, relax. Intimidation makes us all tense up, but the driver behind you doesn't want to wreck their car any more than you do. They may not like it, but they will stay right there until you move out of the way.
Second, don't allow your stubborn nature, your sense of competition or your outrage at the other driver's stupid behavior get the better of you. You can't teach them a lesson by keeping them trapped, so let it go. Make the choices which will keep you, and the other drivers around you, safe:
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1) Turn on your turn signal to let them know that you got the message and to warn drivers in the right lane that you intend to merge. If you can merge safely into the right lane, do it. Let the beast behind you go bother someone else. When you get a chance, merge back into the left lane and continue at your preferred speed.
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2) If you are the lead car in the left lane but cannot move to the right due to thick traffic or a convoy of trucks, use your turn signal to let the driver behind you know that you understand and speed up a little to find a place where you can merge safely into the right lane. Many drivers will realize what you are up to and will back off to give you a chance to get out of the way.
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3) This is my favorite: You are already boxed in with cars in front of you and a truck or thick, slow traffic on your right when someone barrels up behind you and Pushes at your bumper... As if you could magically change the nature of the traffic on the road to suit their needs. Don't let them Push you until you are riding the bumper of the car in front of you, frantically looking for a place to get out of their way.
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The trick, in this case, is to ignore them completely. Relax. Flip your rear view mirror so you can't see them and focus on your own safe driving. Soon enough, you will have an opportunity to get out of the way so they can plague someone else with their hazardous driving.
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Step 11
Make sure that you are the kind of driver that you want the other drivers to be. Don't Push other cars, don't cut them off, don't hang around in someone's blind spot with your headlights in their side view mirror... And enjoy your road trip. You are going to have a fabulous time!