Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I'm driving long distance from Chicago to NJ this upcoming weekend. I know I have to get my oil changed before then, but what else should I be doing? Is there anything else special I should pack? I don't have a car kit prepared and wanted to know if there were essentials, besides a cooler, of course.
It's approximately a 12 hour drive. Should I drive straight through or stop overnight?
Thanks!
I like how you had to include, "Woman driving solo..." in your thread, as if that requires extra attention because (insert all women stereotypes here).
It's good you're asking, though I think including your gender was overboard. However, to answer your question, unless your car is high mileage or currently having some mechanical issue, you'll more than likely be fine, today's cars are made to drive for hours on end with nothing happening.
Most important things to check on your car before you leave:
Oil
Tire Pressure
Lights
Registration/Insurance (chance you may get pulled over, especially being out of state)
I'm not sure what's included in a "car kit" but it sounds like a way to make you spend money on something you don't really need.
Glock 19 and training. 99 times out of 100 you will be ok, but don't ignore that 1 in 100 chance.
I was going to suggest she bring a large dog with a bad attitude.
While driving 750 miles in a day is doable, if you have the time and do not mind paying for a hotel, taking 2 days to drive is not that bad of an idea. Even if you pack the day before you are still probably getting up at 4 am to do a 5 am start. Depending on how much you have to do the day before you may find youself heading out the door with only a couple hours of sleep.
I would just make sure that the car is in good working order. Have it check out before you leave.
Even if it may take a bit longer, plan your route to take major highways as they will have plenty of rest stops for gas and food.
Leave early in the morning. There can be fishy characters at rest stops and should minimize any risk of danger for yourself.
If you get tired, pull over and rest your eyes for a bit. A 10 minute shut eye can do wonders.
A firearm.... best item you can carry with yourself. ( Just check the state laws that you are traveling through)
ok, she is shiatcago and going to naw jesery, 2 places that are very anti-gun, good way to get her into trouble if she is found with one.
I do agree however, on the road, a weapon, a charged cell phone and a AAA card are good things to have. If you don't know how to change a tire, learn how to, also use your cars tire tools to make sure you can get the lugnuts loose. I have seen too many that I have had to almost stand on the wrench to break them free, I am 225lbs and there is no way a 100 something lb woman would ever get them free.
I've spent many years, hundreds of hours, probably over 100,000 miles traveling by my self across the US staying in the cheapest motels I could find, checking in at all hours of the night. The only weaponry I have found useful is a good Swiss Army knife. If you are a gun owner fine, but the hassle of becoming one for 12 of the most uneventful hours of your life is useless . You will also be traveling during the travel season so there should be plenty of people out .
As a precaution I would drive completely around the motel parking lot before I checked in and let your instincts tell you if this is a nice place.
The motels I stay in are so cheap they ask me "how many hours sir? I have never recalled an instance where I thought a weapon would be nice at this point. Not to mention the stark reality that bad guys with guns are pretty good at killing armed people ,they have to be. If it bothers you still try to stop in college station PA, there use to be a nice motel there that shares a parking lot with a great place for breakfast. and I think it is one of the safest cities in the country.
She'll be driving on a well-traveled and well-patrolled freeway system in the daylight. It hasn't been the Wild, Wild West between Chicago and New Jersey since the early 1800s.
It is a short easy drive, and your chances of a car breakdown are very close to zero, unless your car is a rattle-trap beater that you just bought yesterday.
Only you could possibly know whether an overnight stop would be worth avoiding a 12-hour drive. Most healthy middle-aged people can easily drive 12 hours in a day, considering that in June/July at that latitude, there are about 16 hours of daylight.
Do not expect to enjoy the drive. It is a toll road with lots of construction blockages, and the rest/gas areas are the worst places on earth. They are safe, but otherwise not suitable for human beings and even worse for any other life forms. It would be impossible to distinguish any one stop from another, so it makes absolutely no difference where you stop overnight, if you do.
The scenery will consist mostly of ugly broken guard rails, orange lane closures barrels, sections of blown out tires, and the backs of trucks.
Last edited by jtur88; 06-25-2014 at 10:57 AM..
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
