This post is for all those who will stumble upon this while searching for tips like I did in the dead of the night. Didn’t find too much literature so thought I’d add to it.. :)
As far as the trip is concerned, first of many I hope. 1st time taking a memorable road trip at home. The condition of the road is brilliant. Travelling down the National Highway called the ‘Golden Quadrilateral’ was a pleasure. Few thoughts –
Before:
1) Checks: Check for license, insurance and car registration
2) Food: Take fruits like bananas, oranges etc along apart from snacks of your choice
3) Music: Take good music. Sing along.. That’s the whole point of the whole thing! :-)
4) Car: Make sure the car is in good condition with petrol filled. Better to fill petrol early than push it! We nearly got ourselves stranded in Malaysia with this precise stupidity.. If it is a hired car, worthwhile to take a small round and get the feel of the car..
5) People: Go with someone you like/love a lot.. else it would be akin to spend hours in hell!
During: While most of the above is applicable anywhere, couple here(ones with asterisks) apply only to India
1) *Cows: Especially in the morning, there are chances there will be cows on the road. Hitting one could be fatal!
2) *Vehicles travelling on the wrong side: Some buses, bikes will be exercising their right to live by driving in the opposite direction. Beware!
3) Speed : Its important to be comfortable in your own skin. If one is still at the stage where one gets very excited when the car touches a new high speed, probably driving in the night is not a good idea. For many a driver(especially those who don’t own their own car and hence, don’t care – often about their own lives), overtaking is an ego battle and if you find such an annoying driver, let them go. Not worth the risk..
4) Route: When in doubt, check.. When we crossed a junction, both Mom and I felt there was something wrong yet we kept going till we were 60kms off amd sure we were in the wrong direction. Not smart!
5) Change drivers: Helps, especially on trips in excess of 5-6 hours! :)
6) Bathroom breaks: Always let people pee! Seems like a funny/stupid tip but sometimes the push to hold on and reach the destination results in chaos!
7) Follow your gut: Especially when you are the driver. If you sense something is wrong, there probably is.. And whatever it is, it is definitely worth a check.. :-)
8) Night Driving: If you are driving at night, good to be at ease with light signals(i.e. Alternating between high and low beam). Useful in the day as well.. At high speeds, the horn is less effective..and light travels faster than sound as well. ;-)
After:
Good sleep is a must, especially for the person who drove..
Just as an additional note, drive only when your mind gives a complete yes. Anything else is a no. If you are not comfortable driving at night, it is not worth it…
Time taken to travel from Chennai to Bangalore: The journey takes around 5 hours when driving for the most bit around 100-120. Its a great drive.
And lastly..
1) There is no point rushing rushing,rushing..
2) Mistakes may happen(you may miss an accident by a whisker, for example), people may get upset, things may not go as per plan – Just touch your heart, say ‘all is well’ and move on.. :-)
A Learning a Day 