Surviving The Long Drive – Bruce’s Advice For Summer Driving

There are men and women that make a living in their cars and trucks. My hat is off to them. I don't see how you do it. I personally would last about 15 minutes as a professional driver.

I don't mind driving. I do mind how other people drive. Isn't that always the case? We, you and I, drive just fine. It's the other nimrods that make our blissful attempts at getting from point A to point B such a challenge.

Regardless of the reasons why, chances are you are going to be challenged at sometime to make a drive of over three hours this Summer. Most of us have the 8-hour rule. If it takes more than 8 hours to drive then you might as well fly. If you have no choice and you're taking the plunge, here are some observations I have made about living on the road.

1. You are not racing: That will come as a huge shock to every male that is reading this. Men like to set an arrival time in their minds and then see if they can beat that arrival time. Women just like to drive fast but blow all their time advantage by stopping for stupid things like going to the bathroom. Men and women simply have different attitudes about driving.   If you adopt the 'we will get there when we get there' attitude then your life will be made simpler.

2.Don't eat in the car: This one is hard to swallow for almost every driver. Time sitting in a parking lot is time wasted. If you're concerned about wasting time, see tip number one.  By getting out of the car to go in and sit down to eat does a lot of things. For the driver it breaks up the concentration fatigue. For the passengers it's a chance to use the restroom and stretch their legs. For everybody it's some much needed space away from the other people in the car. It only takes about half an hour for a quick pit stop and you're off again.

3.Rest Areas are a lot cheaper than truck stops: Obviously if you need to get fuel or something to drink or eat then by all means choose a commercial stopping place. If you're just looking for a bathroom break or a claustrophobia break pick a roadside rest stop. They have bathrooms and vending if you need. There are places for the little ones and the pets to run for a little bit and you don't wind up spending $85 on pecan logs.

4.Get around the guy hauling a camper as soon as you can: This is not an indictment of my brothers and sisters that enjoy camping. It is more so the idiots that freak out trying to pass you on an interstate highway.  Campers, like most trailers, tend to sway a little bit on the roadway. People who tow campers are usually very good drivers and maintain great control of their vehicles. It's the nervous Nellies that are afraid to pass because the trailer is bobbing and weaving that cause the bottlenecks on the road.  Just get by the camper as soon as you can and you'll not be faced with the pressure of waiting for Grandma in her 1975 land yacht to get up the courage to go around.

5.Never get off the highway in Mandeville or Covington: These fine Louisiana cities are full of the South's worst drivers and most ill-planned traffic patterns. They have all the amenities that a traveler could want but you will see your blood pressure go through the roof trying to get to those amenities and then back out on to the roadway again.  It's like Mandeville and Covington took all of New Orleans' worst drivers and moved them to cities with some of the oddest configurations of traffic lights and turn lanes.

I am sure you have your own personal tips for getting to the beach or the mountains or the liquor store and I would love to hear them.  Who knows you might shed some light on an idea that will keep a family safer on the road this Summer. Where ever your travels take you, I do hope you will remember that seat belts do save lives and children should always be safely buckled up before you crank the vehicle.