Paladin
KC Hill
Craig Hill
Oracle of DelphiLong Distance Driving Tips
July 16th 2006 23:32
I just spent a week in Canberra, about a 300km drive from Sydney. So with an average highway speed of 110km/h it translated to just short of a 3 hour drive one way, right? Wrong!
They Sydney-Canberra (and Canberra-Sydney) drive is a fairly standard long distance drive. Not short enough to do without a comfortable break but not long enough that you need to spend a whole day at it. There are a couple things I find useful when driving these long distances for the safest drive possible. The simplest things can be the most effective too!
1. First off, make sure your car is running fine. The last thing you want is your car to stop working in the middle of your trip stranding you in the middle of nowhere. This means checking all tyre pressures including your spare! If you have a space saver, its advisable to get your hands on a proper spare as space savers are incredibly dangerous. See my article here to see why. Check all fluid levels (oil, radiator fluid, wipers etc) and make sure your car is functioning properly
2. Tell people where you are going and what time. Tell your family or friends that you are going on the trip and when you are leaving, and tell them to expect a confirmation call when you arrive. This way in case anything goes wrong and they don't receive a call that you arrived safely they can notify authorities.
3. Where possible, have friends in the car with you. Having friends in the car means talking to someone on your trip. Having someone to keep you entertained will mean that you are less likely to fall asleep. If they can drive too that's an added bonus meaning you can switch every few hours.
4. Pack adequate food, drink and refreshments. Personally nothing wakes me up like a good meal. Instead of stopping at greasy fast food joints along the way that may make you even more drowsy, pack a fresh sandwhich to snack on during your trip.
5. Good music! You have to music for that long trip because the radio will cut in and out especially on the motorways.
6. OBEY Speed Limits! They are there for a reason. Give yourself plenty of time to get there and back so you don't rush and don't endanger anyone on the roads and yourself.
That's all I could think of on my way back from Canberra. There are plenty more but these are the basics. You can email me to add to this list if you find anything useful, props if it gets included!
Happy and Safe driving everyone!
Additional Tips from Posters
Anon: i think that really is the most important thing, if you're driving a long way, be comfortable with the car you're in!
They Sydney-Canberra (and Canberra-Sydney) drive is a fairly standard long distance drive. Not short enough to do without a comfortable break but not long enough that you need to spend a whole day at it. There are a couple things I find useful when driving these long distances for the safest drive possible. The simplest things can be the most effective too!
1. First off, make sure your car is running fine. The last thing you want is your car to stop working in the middle of your trip stranding you in the middle of nowhere. This means checking all tyre pressures including your spare! If you have a space saver, its advisable to get your hands on a proper spare as space savers are incredibly dangerous. See my article here to see why. Check all fluid levels (oil, radiator fluid, wipers etc) and make sure your car is functioning properly
2. Tell people where you are going and what time. Tell your family or friends that you are going on the trip and when you are leaving, and tell them to expect a confirmation call when you arrive. This way in case anything goes wrong and they don't receive a call that you arrived safely they can notify authorities.
3. Where possible, have friends in the car with you. Having friends in the car means talking to someone on your trip. Having someone to keep you entertained will mean that you are less likely to fall asleep. If they can drive too that's an added bonus meaning you can switch every few hours.
4. Pack adequate food, drink and refreshments. Personally nothing wakes me up like a good meal. Instead of stopping at greasy fast food joints along the way that may make you even more drowsy, pack a fresh sandwhich to snack on during your trip.
5. Good music! You have to music for that long trip because the radio will cut in and out especially on the motorways.
6. OBEY Speed Limits! They are there for a reason. Give yourself plenty of time to get there and back so you don't rush and don't endanger anyone on the roads and yourself.
That's all I could think of on my way back from Canberra. There are plenty more but these are the basics. You can email me to add to this list if you find anything useful, props if it gets included!
Happy and Safe driving everyone!
Additional Tips from Posters
Anon: i think that really is the most important thing, if you're driving a long way, be comfortable with the car you're in!
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Comment by natasha
and yes to long drives. sydney to canberra is nothing at least its all proper motorways... i did sydney to goulburn the other day: scary, foggy, twisty mountain roads aka DEATH ROADS... eep
Comment by Anonymous
Comment by beerbaron
9 hours of zero scenery, no radio reception, plenty of bugs on the windscreen , doing 140 and getting passed by b double road trains , scary indeed