A lthough road trips are best embarked on with as few rules as possible, Chris Audet shares the following road trip story suggesting that some precautionary measures are indeed wise:
In 2009, a buddy and I drove a pickup truck down to Alberta to find a job on the oil rigs. Two days into the trip the truck started making funny squeaking noises. We couldn’t determine the cause, so we ignored it and kept driving. On the third day, we decided to pull off the Trans-Canada Highway to eat at a Subway/rest stop on the outskirts of a small town. Suddenly the truck lurched to the right, with the sound of steel grinding on pavement.
Barely managing to pullover, we inspected the damage; the front-right wheel had fallen clean off. The metal it used to be attached to had even carved a small trench into the asphalt. By this point we were freaking the fuck out, so I suggested we ask the rest stop attendant for the number for the nearest mechanic. It turns out that we were very lucky. There was almost no damage to the truck, the tire was reattached in less than half an hour and we got to eat lunch while we waited.
The moral of this story? Fix those weird noises in your car before you leave home.
The Manitoban staff has also compiled a few suggestions that just may make or break your next road trip:
Tyler, the Advertising Coordinator, is a seasoned road tripper with practical advice:
If the driver starts hallucinating, s/he should stop driving.
If the driver falls asleep at the wheel but insists they are fine to drive after reawakening, they are not fine to drive.
Your stops will ultimately be dictated by the smallest bladder in the vehicle.
Nothing increases your chance of getting through the border better than lots and lots of comic books and videogames in the vehicle.
When road tripping, it is not polite to lie to locals that you encounter at gas stations about your origins, no matter how funny it may be.
Water is a better friend than energy drinks or coffee.
Never ever pass up an opportunity to use a bathroom.
Always check your cell phone provider’s roaming policy before leaving.
Deciding to leave on a road trip at 6:00 p.m. means you can be on the road by 7:00 p.m.
If you are leaving after 6:00 p.m. and approaching a border crossing, they will stop you.
Eat dinner before you go.
If you cross the border at midnight, they will search you.
Never love or rely on anything too much while on a road trip.
Maria, the Arts Editor, suggests preparing awkward conversation topics for your captive fellow travelers. Also, gummy bears!
Sheldon, the Comment Editor, has no good or legal road tripping advice.
Mikhail, the Online Coordinator, maintains that what makes or breaks a road trip is the people you travel with. Travel with fun people who aren’t afraid to be a bit spontaneous and you’ll have a blast.
Leif, the Editor-in-Chief, has heard that it is often possible to pass yourself off as a “resident” of what ever college you find yourself near in the U.S. and eat with the other res students. Just remember eight simple words: “I left my student card in my dorm.” Failing that, if you plan your trip properly, you can eat your way across the U.S. by attending college orientations, which are often well catered and full of anonymous crowds for you to blend in to.
And Sarah, the News Editor, says you definitely need a car or vehicle of some sort. Oh, and make sure that car has gas in it. That’s also very important.
