"BlazinAce - Doctor of Internal Combustion" (pbs)
02/10/2014 at 22:22 • Filed to: Halp
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"BlazinAce - Doctor of Internal Combustion" (pbs)
02/10/2014 at 22:22 • Filed to: Halp | 1
| 8 |
You're kind of my last hope, probably, though it's all cool if you don't feel like it, I mean, it's no big deal anyways. Here's a cool Nova.
Ok, so here's the thing, there's this good friend of mine who's currently living in the US of A, in Springfield, Missouri, to be more specific, and he's planning his first ever road trip, a 12 hour affair between Springfield and Kent, Ohio. Being a novice driver, he's come to me for advice.
The problem is that I don't live in the US, neither have I ever driven there. I can give lots of advice about driving in Brazilian roads and cities and how to, huh... cross into neighboring countries without drawing too much attention (if you're not a cop), but roadtrips in the US are something I only do in my head, when the voices quiet down.
Anyways, what he wants to know is whether a trip of this magnitude is recommended for a novice driver or if he should just stay home and play GTA instead. And by novice driver, I mean he's yet to get a license. Or a car. He's working on both right as we speak, and by the time his vacation rolls around, he should be a fully licensed operator in charge of a rental car, on his way to Kent. Or at least that's his plan. The only advice I've given him so far is, yeah, do it. I would if it was me, but back when I was a newly licensed driver, I already had a fair amount of experience, while he's got none.
That's why I came to Oppo for advice. If anyone's in the area between the two cities and is familiar with the roads, traffic conditions, feel free to pitch in. Any other tips for road tripping in the US are welcome as well, including what car he should rent or what to look for in a car to make the trip. Really, anything will do at this point.
puddler
> BlazinAce - Doctor of Internal Combustion
02/10/2014 at 22:27 |
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i've been roadtripping since i was 13. the first time isn't supposed to be easy. it's supposed to teach you how to not-overlook-things. i'd say go for it, but be ready to really learn from mistakes, because they'll probably be costly and numerous.
Textured Soy Protein
> BlazinAce - Doctor of Internal Combustion
02/10/2014 at 22:28 |
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Um, is he old enough to rent a car? Most places in the US you need to be at least 25 to rent a car.
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BlazinAce - Doctor of Internal Combustion
> Textured Soy Protein
02/10/2014 at 22:29 |
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Erm... Well, crap. I don't think he meets the criteria.
gmctavish needs more space
> BlazinAce - Doctor of Internal Combustion
02/10/2014 at 22:43 |
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I went on a road trip with my then girlfriend not long after I got my license. It should've been a 4 hour trip, but ended up being longer, because of the car. I borrowed my friends '95 Golf. Four door, auto, the one they call the 2.Slow.... It also has a sensor issue that results in only the 2nd and 3rd gears working unless you manually engage 1st. You can't manually engage 4th, so 100km/h took a whole 4100-4500rpm to maintain, and you don't wanna know what she was pushing on hills.....We stopped a few times to let her shudder to a halt and cool off, and then it was time for the logging road and pretending to be a rally driver. One week of camping, many Swedish flick attempts and several hundred kilometres of engine-thrashing later, and we were back home. None of that should've worked out, but it did. So I think he should do it, dumbass trips done jet for the hell of it with what you have available are the best.
Squid
> BlazinAce - Doctor of Internal Combustion
02/10/2014 at 22:53 |
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Interstate travel is tougher than people think. Tell him to take breaks often while driving and not be concerned about a schedule, that is when bad things happen especially if he is a brand new driver. The plus sides of doing this is that he will gain great experience in how to drive long distances from the beginning, which I feel is a lacking skill of young drivers.
He needs to get snacks and water and caffeine and good tunes to keep him company. Also being prepared if he gets stuck on the side of the road, extra food and water, a flashlight or two, some flares and a safety triangle, tools, water/coolant, and at least a quart of oil. That's what I carry with me on a trip, and probably enough tools to disassemble a good majority of the car if I need to.
All that being said, it may be cheaper for him to buy a car to drive on the trip as I don't know any rental car company that would rent a car to a 16-20 year old. After 21 you can be put on the agreement as a driver for an extra fee I believe, but most agencies require you to be at least 25 to rent.
He should do it but he probably should just buy a cheap car and have fun learning from having the car break on him.
evil2win
> BlazinAce - Doctor of Internal Combustion
02/10/2014 at 23:04 |
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when I was younger I would think of road trips like any other drive. It's like going to the store only the store is 20 hours away. Sure it didn't always go the way I planned, but that's what makes it an adventure.
desertdog5051
> BlazinAce - Doctor of Internal Combustion
02/10/2014 at 23:17 |
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Piece of cake.
The Compromiser
> BlazinAce - Doctor of Internal Combustion
02/10/2014 at 23:30 |
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Two words: road. head.