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Road trips can become difficult for a variety of reasons; when all you’ve got is yourself, your travel partners, your car and the open road in front of you, it only makes sense that things can go wrong. Maybe the car breaks down, maybe you feel like you aren’t safe when driving at night in an unknown area, maybe you run out of snacks or simply can’t find a place to use the toilet – these can all be disastrous!
But knowing what is most likely to go wrong, and how to prepare for it, is a big part of ensuring your road trip is the most fun you’ve ever had on a vacation. And even if something does go awry, you can always count it as part of the adventure! So, without further ado, here are the most common ways a road trip can become difficult. Make sure you pack right and anticipate any and all of the scenarios below, especially if this is your first time hitting the open road for such a long period of time.
Getting Lost
Let’s address the biggest elephant in the room first of all – getting lost is the number one concern on a road trip, no matter how good your sense of direction is. Because we all get lost at some point or another, and even just taking the wrong turn down the wrong lane can lose you hours on the journey – don’t always blindly trust what your GPS is telling you!
Be sure to take a map of the area, as well as a local area guide, whenever you’re going to be spending long periods of time out on the road. When you’re able to double and triple check where you’re going, if you need to, you’ll feel much more secure behind the drivers wheel, and you can get back to focusing your attention on singing along to that specially curated playlist and laughing with the friends bundled into the car with you.
Most of all, if you’re ever near a city center, don’t be afraid to go and ask for directions from a local as a last resort. Sure, it’s embarrassing, and you might not speak their language, but there’s a good chance they speak yours, and they’ll be happy to help.
Attaching a Trailer Incorrectly
Road tripping is often done with a trailer attached to your car, whether this be a caravan, a boat, or simply an extension to help carry your luggage. However, it’s very easy to attach a trailer like this incorrectly – if you’ve never been on a road trip or a camping holiday before, this is definitely going to be something you’ll need to double check.
Most of all, you need to be sure you’re comfortable to drive a car that’s towing something behind it. A trailer changes the weight and balance of your vehicle, and changes the max speed, and it’s something that can make an already nervous driver much more nervous! And if that sounds like you, make sure you learn more about towing basics and tips and click here to brush up before you go.
Getting Pulled Over
Of course, seeing as you’re in an unfamiliar area, or you may be driving down roads you’ve never seen the like of before, there’s a chance you may be stopped by a law enforcement official. Maybe you were going too fast, maybe the road signs made the speed limit unclear, maybe you parked in the wrong place, or maybe it’s just a routine check. No matter the reason you get pulled over, you may end up with a ticket or a fine, and that will certainly spoil your road trip as a whole.
Look up the rules of the road where you’re going. Make sure you know which side you drive on. Make sure you have your licence on you at all times, and that the plates on your car (even if it’s a rental) are completely legal. You’ll also need to check that you don’t require any form of special permit to drive where you’re going, especially if you’re leaving your native country and are headed somewhere entirely foreign to you.
Stopping in the Wrong Area
Similar to the above issue, sometimes stopping in the wrong area can mean you end up in a ticket, or it can mean something a lot more serious. Namely, it could mean a criminal act such as theft or carjacking could occur, and that’s something you should definitely consider as a possibility when you put your road trip plan together.
Make sure you research your route before you go, and see what other travellers who have gone the same way have to say about it. Get the low down, see what areas are better than others for tourists, and make sure you keep a note of the places that have higher crime rates than anywhere else on your itinerary.
You may also want to brush up on prevention techniques, to keep you and your belongings safe. We all know that you may need to park at motels or on the sides of the road when the night falls and you need to sleep, and when you do, be sure to take all precious items with you at all times. Make sure anything else is out of sight, so it looks like your car is empty, and never, ever forget to lock the car whenever you leave it.
What to Remember When Planning a Road Trip
That it can become difficult for a number of reasons, and some of them can be quite serious. From potentially dealing with criminal acts, to simply not attaching your trailer onto your car properly, you’ve got to be sure what you’re doing and where you’re going! All in all, make sure you’re aware of the problems above and their likeliness to occur when you’re on the road. You wouldn’t want your 5 star road trip to go awry, would you?
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