Drove up to Mansfield from WV yesterday. Took me a little over 5 hours. If I’d have gone straight through (pretending I was an astronaut’s scorned lover) I could have made it inside of 4.5 hours. But that was unnecessary and besides, my ass would have been so thoroughly asleep and my knees tightened up so much by the time I got here, that it would have taken me 30 minutes to get out of the car.
I like driving and I’ve always like driving. I attribute this in large part to my mother, who has taught me to be an excellent driver. Not just the essential skills of driving, but the little tips and tricks, especially to driving long road trips, that are second nature to me and make the whole experience quite pleasurable.
Mom used to pack the three kids and herself and a week’s worth of luggage into a 1973 VW Beetle (powder blue) and schlep from York PA to Columbus OH twice a year to go see my grandparents. Granted, I spent a lot of those 8 hours sleeping (especially once mom discovered Dramamine for my motion sickness) but I wasn’t completely unconscious all the time. I paid attention. I learned things from mom. Stuff like:
- Trust the truckers. Most of them are better drivers than you’ll ever be. Understand that they’re bigger and heavier and less maneuverable than you are, but if you’re in crappy weather and need to follow someone, trust a trucker.
- Anticipate Anticipate Anticipate. Keep your eyes open for everything going on around you. Anticipate the merge coming up and anticipate the possible need to get to the left to let someone in. Or the need to speed up or slow down to make room to let someone in. Anticipate that the guy in front of you who had to pass you 2 minutes ago, and who is now in front of you slowing down is probably going to get off at the next exit. Anticipate that you’re going to need to pee in the next 30 minutes and look for a good stopping place.
- If you find yourself speeding just a little more than you think you should, scootch the seat back a notch — pulls your leg back from the accelerator a bit. Might have to readjust a little to get comfy but having to change your foot angle does help with the lead foot.
- Get out and stretch now and again – keep the blood moving. Stop to pee even if you don’t think you have to. Chances are your ass is asleep and and as soon as you stand up, you will realize that you really DO need to pee.
- Keep the car a little bit cool – open the window if you have to. Something coming in from the outside keeps you from becoming a “pod driver” – you know, those people whose entire universe exists inside their car, paying no attention to anyone or anything outside their car. And a cool breeze helps keep you a little more alert.
Seems to me there was more I thought of, but oh well. Thanks Mom.
