The best pleasures are simple ones. Sometimes it’s great to leave everything behind and venture out on your own, or with friends and/or family. During the 4th of July weekend many American’s celebrate their nation’s birth by liberating themselves from their home and normal routine. Some people take the opportunity to pack their car and venture on to the open road. The time is perfect during the hot weather to head towards the wilderness or a local regional lake for camping, hiking, and other outdoor fun. Others take it as a chance to travel by road to a friend or family for a long overdue to visit.
Traveling on the road can be challenging, especially with not knowing what to expect on one’s path. Proper planning and preparation can make a long driving trip easy and relaxing, avoiding hazards and time consuming variables. Here are several tips to consider when making your preparations.
1. Properly plan your start and end time, and decide how to avoid traffic.
Those of us living in the high density areas are quite familiar how bad the traffic can be at the start of the long weekend. Google recommends taking off early on Saturday morning, as early as before 7am, to beat the traffic. Many people leave work early in hopes of beating traffic, so the traffic starts early on Friday. The traffic will also be bad on the last day of the long weekend as the roads will be packed with the travelers returning back home.
2. Make sure your vehicle is in good condition for a road trip.
Check your tire pressure, oil, washer fluid. Pack a road safety kit and jumper cables. Get the OBD2 Dongle to read your OBD2 Diagnostic system. The Bluetooth based OBD II scan tool such as GROM’s SmartScan OBD II Dongle is able to diagnose a problem if one of your car’s warning light turn on.
3. Pack cash and old-fashioned paper maps.
Bring at least $100 of paper money in addition to credit and debit cards. You never know when you cards may become inaccessible or lack sufficient funds to pay for vital needs during your journey. Never assume that whatever business you’re buying from will take credit or debit cards.
Pack old-fashioned paper maps! You don’t know when your electronic devices decide not to work and/or are not getting sufficient signal to be useful. This is the best contingency you can offer yourself in such situation.
4. Focus on your driving.
Don’t text and drive, or check Facebook while behind the wheels. Minimize distractions as much as possible. If you have a companion riding along, you can have them change the music, check the maps, or text to your friends. If you are feeling drowsy, pull over and have your passenger take the wheel, or stop for a short nap.
5. Make sure you are going the right way.
It’s easy to focus solely on your driving or assume you’re following the proper path. By frequently checking your GPS navigation device, maps, road signs, and other relevant information; you can avoid retreading back to the proper road or having to use an alternate path. Use the latest navigation apps that are available on your Smartphone, such as Waze and Google Maps. You can get real time traffic updates and properly plan your trip. Additionally, you can download offline content with Google Maps. If you are aware that there will be areas without reception during your road trip, think ahead and download the offline content of those areas to your smartphone. You can do so by going to Maps > Offline Areas on your phone.
6. Stay entertained online or offline.
To stay connected, you can get a hotspot with pre-paid data plan, or use your phone’s internet. If you will be traveling to the areas without cellular reception, prepare ahead by uploading some music/audiobooks to a USB stick and connecting it to the GROM-USB3 or GROM-MST4 device. You can also download music on your phone to listen to while you are offline. You can download your purchased music files directly from Google Music or Apple iTunes before you begin your journey. With GROM DashLinQ’s WebRadio plugin you can record your favorite pieces of music while streaming, and listen to them later while offline. If all else fails, dig up some of your old CD’s and pack them in your car.
7. Make sure your phone and other electronic devices are always charged.
If you are not traveling alone, you probably have more than one electronic device with you such as a phone. The problem is that there are not enough power outlets in your car. Here are some useful devices that can help:
- Dual cigarette-lighter charger
- Dual USB to Android and iOS cable gets handy if you have different type of phones.
- USB port of your GROM device or USB port available within GROM C-35USB aux cable.
- Get a power bank portable battery as the backup
8. Plan on fueling your car and yourself.
Always make sure that you’re prepared to pull over to get more gas when you notice you only have a quarter is left. Use GasBuddy or any other smartphone app that will help you to plan for your pit-stops. You may even save some money on gas. Make sure to always carry enough water in your car and replenish your water supplies whenever there is the chance. “When I travel during summer, I always make sure to have the access to the icy water. It helps me to stay energized and hydrated”, says Rodney at GROM Audio.
If you are traveling by electric car, check http://www.plugshare.com/ to plan on your recharging wisely.
9. Get a travel pillow for your passengers .
If you are the driver you need to make sure to stay focused behind the wheel (unless you are inside the self-driving vehicle). Passengers, on the other hand, can afford such a luxury as taking a nap. Travel pillows and blankets can make your passenger’s life easier, and help to avoid neck pain.
In addition, to these tips, it is also helpful to keep a checklist of everything you need and will be necessary to complete your journey. With the proper foresight and some practical sense, you can ensure that your road trip is both pleasant and hassle free.
Drive happy.
GROM Audio is the developer and manufacturer of state of art USB, Android and Bluetooth car kits to integrate to your factory car stereo for music, GPS and phone calls. http://gromaudio.com