OFF THE BEATEN PATH
You’ve planned out your road trip. Marked the spots on the route that you want to visit. But what do you use for your road trip?
You don’t need a special vehicle. You don’t need to get an SUV with giant mud tires. You don’t even need a vehicle with a RTT (roof top tent) if you’ll be sleeping in hotels or houses during your road trip.
You just need a vehicle that will safely get you to your destination and back. Sounds simple, right? I remember one time I was on a ro-ro from Bulalacao to Caticlan. I chanced upon a couple and their baby, who I learned, was driving to Davao City from Batangas. They were driving a Toyota Vios and they looked pretty comfortable. It proved to me then that I don’t need an SUV or a souped-up vehicle to do a road trip. Almost all places in the Philippines have paved roads, which don’t require mud tires (BTW, mud tires are noisy and heavy to drive on the highways). You just need a vehicle that’s safe to drive. Again, your route will determine your vehicle needs. I know some friends who’ve repeatedly driven a motorcycle from Luzon to Mindanao and back.
I can’t list them all, but below are some key things to do, before heading out:
Inspect your tread life. Align and balance your wheels.
Tires and wheels are sometimes overlooked. But that’s the part of the vehicle that’s in constant contact with the road. It’s also a focal safety point. I’ve seen many vehicles with almost bald tires and it poses a danger when driving in the rain. Bald tires hardly offer any traction, and you could lose control. It’s best to be sure your tires have sufficient tire tread life left in them, before heading out.
Another reminder is to make sure your wheels are aligned and balanced. Having all four aligned and balanced will prevent two things:
- Uneven & premature tire wear
- Instability when driving, especially in high speeds. Examples of this are the car tugs to the left or the right, or the car wobbles or shakes when driving fast.
Carry a roadside survival kit and learn to fix/replace a flat tire
No, we’re not talking about a selfie stick, a ring light or connectivity to the web, to post videos or pictures on social media. I’m talking about real essentials which include an extra battery pack (with cables), emergency tools (flashlight, and other basic tools), medical kit (for slight injuries), a fire extinguisher, etc. that are essential. In case something happens during the drive. Make sure you also have a spare tire in the car that is inflated. Likewise, learn to fix or replace a flat tire.
Check your car’s fluids and go for a tune-up
When was the last time you popped the bonnet of your vehicle? Unlike older vehicles where you could tell where the carburetor or intake manifold is located, new cars have a plastic shroud over the engine which pretty much covers the main engine block. Familiarize yourself with the engine bay. Know where to top up the wiper fluid. Please don’t mistake this with the engine coolant reservoir. When was the last time you had your vehicle tuned-up and replaced the engine oil? Best to do it before heading out.
Wiper blades are very important
You never knew how important these are, until there’s a typhoon, and you’re driving in the middle of nowhere, with worn-out wiper blades. I replace mine every two years and however tedious, I make sure I wipe the blades every week, to clear the dirt that might be stuck on the blades (which sometimes cause streaks on the windshield).
Check your battery
No matter what type of battery you use, keep in mind that they don’t last forever. As a rule of thumb, batteries usually have to be replaced every 2-3 years of use. If you’ve been using one for two years, better replace it before the drive, instead of possibly having to find ways to get a new one during your trip.
Make sure you have a good audio system in your vehicle
I usually drive solo. Having a little noise can make the difference between you staying awake and sane during the trip. During morning drives, I like listening to the AM radio, so I can catch up with the latest news. I also listen to music which I eventually mix to. As an added suggestion to this, I recommend having a head unit with car play, where you can view navigation apps, like Waze.
As I’ve said, the list is long and some readers have pointed out that each driver has his own quirk that makes the trip quite the adventure. But safety tips will always be a must if you want to avoid the unnecessary bumps and troubles. Send me some ideas and do tell where you’ve been.
#SuroyPilipinas
Off the Beat: Sharing a medley of beach house tunes.
Visit the link to listen:https://www.mixcloud.com/goyolarrazabal/goyo/