Tip #4 Drive a Well Maintained Vehicle

Copyright 2010 Lea, The Traveling Novelist

Travel Tip # 4 DRIVE A WELL MAINTAINED VEHICLE

Before the trip have a trusted mechanic thoroughly check your car. Replace belts, tires, brakes, and any other parts of the vehicle that could pose serious problems on the road. Do not take any chances with worn brakes, an aging water pump, or bald tires. Be certain that you have good tread on the tires. You may end up driving through a mountain pass in the middle of a blizzard in May. I made the mistake of trusting a “local” in Wyoming who assured me that I could safely navigate through a mountain pass as a short cut to the Grand Tetons. Supposedly, lots of semi drivers had come over “THE mountain” that morning. By the time I came onto the twinkling, ice-crystal covered Rocky Mountain skyline, it was too late. Blinding snow hit my windshield like a super-sized sheet of frozen fog.


The tread on my snow tires was new. My brakes were good. The windshield wipers wiped well. The windshield washer reservoir was full. The defroster worked on both front and back windshields. And the heater adequately warmed my nose and toes. The engine purred like a napping kitten in a sunny windowsill. I had no worries about the mechanical safety of the Ol’ Windstar. The vehicle was in tiptop condition. All I had to do was navigate with adeptness through an hour and a half of snow packed roads. On a side note, the risk of “listening to the locals” (see Tip #2) could have cost me my life. In retrospect, I should have listened to my gut and taken what may have been a safer route around the shortcut. Arriving late but alive at Jackson Lake Lodge in the Grand Tetons National Park was far more important than taking the risk of plummeting two thousand feet into a lifeless canyon. OK. There might have been some bears and elk down there, but by the time I would have crashed on top of them, I would have been beyond prayers for survival. On the other hand, the fellow bears standing nearby would have benefited from fresh carrion on which to feast. Do elk eat carrion? They may be vegetarians. I’ll check on that.


Having the vehicle well maintained involves more than the windshield wipers, heater, engine, etc. If you don’t know how to change a flat tire, learn. And before driving away from your hometown, have your mechanic pull out the donut spare tire and check to be sure that you have the proper equipment needed to keep you rolling. Check the air pressure in your four tires that are holding you up (save gas with fully inflated tires) and check PPI (pounds per [square] inch of air pressure) in the donut. Chances are you will not have to change a tire. But it is money in the bank and peace of mind to know how to fix a flat if necessary.


Confession time. I have blonde hair. I’ve never had to change a tire. But through the years, I have had more than one occasion when I needed a tire change. Once, when I drove along a rustic road above Canaan Valley in the mountains of West Virginia, I ran across a railroad spike that perfectly punctured my right rear rubber roller. I made it to a convenience store/gas station in the valley before realizing I was in trouble. Keep in mind that I am a fierce, independent traveler who is willing, able, and determined to change my own tires, thank you very much. No sooner had I spread out my blue, crackling, plastic tarp (always carry one for who-knows-what-may-happen that warrants the possession of a tarp) the circumstances changed. Just like all the other times when a flat interrupted my journey, a kind, helpful gentleman came to my “rescue.” Although I did not need to be rescued at that particular moment, I am always gracious and appreciative of anyone who wants to help me. It is genuinely insulting to turn away a guy who wants to perform his chivalrous duty. It is sexist and asinine to throw my hair over my shoulder and whimper, “I don’t know nothin’ ‘bout fixin’ no flaaaats.” It is equally disrespectful to discount the generosity of a dude who wants to do his good deed for the day. I have always pulled out a $10 bill once the donut is in place on my vehicle. The money has never been accepted. Payback does not register with Samaritans. Truly, I would feel better if guys would take the bill, but somehow it undermines the validity of their helpfulness---from their point of view. Some friends have theorized that it is the blonde locks that wield a magical power over knights on white horses (or in white Chevy Blazers). They may have a point. I do not know. I just appreciate the help and assure the rescuers that I will pay it forward.

So, I try to remember small acts of kindness. I have to admit, I have never stopped to help someone change a tire. And I have never had a woman stop to help me change a tire. Is it really necessary to burn bras again to change this deeply ingrained role perspective? Guilty. So the next time I see someone along the side of the road with a flat, what shall I do? Honestly. I shall assume the person has a cell phone and can call for help. I too shall make a phone call to report the stranded motorist. Safety is a valid consideration. Malicious individuals will feign distress as a means of luring travelers to a holdup situation.

May I be clear? This is NOT the appropriate response when there is an accident. Stop. Render aid. But stay alert. My husband and I pulled into a dark ravine late one night because we saw car debris (strips of metal, broken glass, a side-view mirror, etc.) strewn across the highway. There was no accident. As soon as we realized that we were about to be robbed, we peeled rubber and made it back to the highway. I digress. More about personal safety in future posts.
Speaking of fixing a flat. It’s a good idea to carry Fix-A-Flat (an aerosol can of pressurized something that will sustain adequate air pressure in a slow leaker. Carry a tire gauge so that you will know when you do have a slow leak. If you know you are losing pressure, stop at the first auto mechanic shop you can find. Car dudes can check the tire and make necessary repairs. And I am NOT sexist. I know women engineers, but I have yet to see a woman changing oil at Walmart. Someone fill me in on a gal that loves to work on cars and is rotating tires at Walmart. Where are you women car fixers?

Also it is a good idea to carry oil and check oil level intermittently. Your mechanic can advise you when to check oil. Beware! If the oil light suddenly glows a blinding red or orange alert from your instrument dashboard, STOP! You can destroy an engine in no time flat if you drive with an insufficient well of lubricant for the engine.

Speaking of flats, never drive on a flat tire unless you are in a high risk situation (in the middle of the road on a bend, in a high crime area, etc.) You will bend the wheel rim and may cause much more damage than you can imagine. Get as far off the road as possible. Park on a level surface. Do NOT exit or stand on the driver side of the vehicle. Slide your cute buns across the seat and exit the vehicle on the passenger side. Call a tow truck. Better to pay a tow dude than to put yourself in danger as you change a driver side tire while traffic whisks by you. Too dangerous.

Besides, Fix-A-Flat and oil, you need to carry jumper cables. You may not need a jump along the way, but someone else might. I can honestly say that I have jumped more than one stranded driver. Oh, and know exactly HOW to hook the cables to the battery terminals. For some weird reason I can never remember which line is which. My Dad was an automobile mechanic and he would be disappointed that I am easily confused as I try to figure out red on what? I do know that it is not safe to mix up battery poles between car engines. Fortunately, I have always been able to count on the expertise of---yes---the men who use the cables. Ladies, we need to do better.

My husband is a terrific aide when it comes to vehicle trip planning. In addition to managing the mechanical inspections and repairs, he stocks the van with supplies I need to ensure good maintenance on the road. Hubby is famous for buying “junk” at flea markets, but sometimes the junk comes in handy. There is a tacky, brown, used brief case in the back of my van which contains socket wrenches, screw drivers, pliers, wire cutters, tie-wraps, and an assortment of other supplies and tools. A few months ago I was visitng an office where the manager was having difficulty with the air conditioning. On a whim, he asked me if I might have any tools in the van. I pulled out the brief case, he found what he needed to make some adjustments to the A/C, and I felt like a good Samaritan. In truth, my hubby was the good guy!

In fact, there is one huge concern that I am contemplating even as I write this travel tip. I need one more important addition to my van: a cargo net. My newly arrived AAA newsletter has a great article about flying objects inside vehicles. If we are in a situation where it is necessary to slam on the brakes or, Heaven forbid, we hit something head-on, all the objects that are stored loosely inside the van will fly forward. The power with which my “tool box” alone will hit the back of my head could knock me out or worse.

Having been in a low-speed head-on collision many years ago, I understand the physics of objects impacting other objects---like my skull. At that time, my seatbelt saved me, but I was hardly left unscathed. Some of my docs marveled at my survival. Head-on collisions are high risk accidents. My chicken neck took all the impact it could take as it whiplashed violently back and forth. An EMT pulled me out on a backboard. I screamed in pain. I had months of physical therapy and pain management. I cannot forget the words of my talented Super Therapist---Steve. “Get a car with an airbag. You won’t survive the next head-on collision without an airbag.” So we got airbags.

Be certain that the safety equipment on your vehicle is working properly. If you own a used car, be sure that the body shop did not cut corners by stuffing newspaper inside the steering wheel well where the airbag should be. (Have a mechanic make the determination that the airbag will work if you need it.) Remember, if you put a cow-catching equivalent grill protector on the front of your vehicle (to protect it from flying evil deer that wait in dark shadows of the night to leap in front of you), the grill protector will interfere with your airbag deployment. Tricky. Make a choice. Honestly, I do not know what is safer here. This is new information for me. I just heard about it over Christmas break. Hmmm … don’t know….

Never put small kids or petite adults in front of an airbag. The safety bags explode at a speed of 200 miles per hour. Skinny necks cannot survive the blow. And learn to drive effectively with your seat positioned as far away from the steering column and airbag compartment as possible. Be sure that you are wearing seatbelts, and do not weaken the fibers of a seatbelt weave by washing it regularly with chemicals that could cause deterioration of the restraint system. It is my understanding (someone out there correct me if I have been misinformed) that seatbelts are not intended to be cleaned. Seatbelts are installed for a reason. They absolutely save lives. I know.

Be sure that brake lights, flashing lights, and turn signals are working well. And, for Pete’s sake, do not forget the horn! I will forever love, platonically speaking, the college student who did a driving safety speech in my class. He advised us to use dimmed lights, brakes, and a LOUD horn to shoo away deer that live beside road burms. Depressed deer are intent on committing suicide by smashing through windshields.

As soon as I heard the class presentation, my driving style changed. I feel a little guilty laying on the horn when I think families are settling down for the night inside there homes. But outside their houses, deer gather in clumps, like innocent looking legged grapes. The truth is they are waiting for those of us on the road whose vehicles---they believe---deserve to be crumpled. On a serious note, many people have died or been severely injured by deer smashing through windshields. Learn to use the horn. By the way, it too is not a guarantee of safety. 99% of the time, I have been successful “persuading” deer to run away from my van by blaring, and I do mean blaring, my factory installed deer-shooing-sound maker. But occasionally the blasting, low pitched alarm startles them, and they jump in front of the vehicle. Be prepared to STOP. Better yet, do not drive after dark. I’ll come back to this notion later when I discuss personal safety. Basically, this gives you a good overview of how to travel safely and comfortably with your car well prepared for the trip.

These recommendations are not all inclusive. A well maintained vehicle will not save you from accidents. It will curtail the risk of accidents and serious injuries related to the car or van itself. Will it cost money to make all these car management checks and repairs? Of course. The question to ask is simple. How much is your life worth?