What to do if you are going on a long car trip. What drivers need to know when traveling long distances

1. Do not overestimate your physical abilities and do not exceed reasonable limits.
If before that you have never traveled more than 450-500 km per day on a motorcycle, then it is hardly worth planning to overcome, say, 800 km every day on your upcoming trip. According to research, these are the changes that usually occur in the schedule of motorcycle travelers, who failed to correctly assess their strengths: regardless of the influence of weather conditions or other adverse factors, the average daily mileage begins to fall on the third day of travel. speed. It has been noticed that the mileage of an average motorcyclist already on the seventh day of a long motorcycle trip usually does not exceed 65% of the planned daily mileage. Summary: If trucking professionals try to time their trips according to this pattern, is it worth trying to fool yourself and thereby provoke accidents caused by accumulated fatigue?

If possible, you can shorten your route (“cut off” part of the path) in order to catch up with the time behind the schedule. This option is more favorable, as opposed to trying to return to the planned schedule by increasing the speed.

Regardless of whether you are able to drive 500 or 1500 km a day, this figure will decrease dramatically as the total distance and the number of days on the road increase. It is worth considering this when planning your trip.

2. Forget about high speeds.
Forget about purely mathematical calculations. IN this case high speed does not mean that you will arrive at your destination faster. Instantaneous and average speeds are little interconnected with each other. A calm motorcyclist without stress counts kilometers one after another, admires the landscapes that open before him, and as a result, in a day with less physical losses, he covers distances that are much greater compared to a racer who seeks to overtake everyone and show best time Location on. In addition to the obvious inconveniences that this style of driving promises: increased fuel consumption, cumulative fatigue from muscle tension (caused by stronger oncoming air flow), the possibility of getting a ticket for speeding. It is better to drive this distance at a lower speed and admire the surroundings than to drive "at full speed" and spend the time won on proceedings with a traffic cop.

3. Leave coffee and stimulant pills at home.
Well, everything is simple here: the use of drugs aimed at maintaining the body in a waking state and other stimulant pills (this list also includes coffee and Coca-Cola of any kind) is not justified. If you feel very tired, it is better to find appropriate place and sleep off. Better not to consider other options.

4. Prepare your motorcycle for the ride.
Time goes by so fast during the holidays, why waste it on the side of the road, swallowing roadside dust, trying to find or replace a worn part? More often than not, it makes more sense to replace, for example, tires or a chain in advance than to squeeze the last kilometers out of them to the nearest auto repair shop only to make sure that you will not be helped there. Engine oil good quality allows you to increase the interval between replacements. In addition, it should be noted that at a stable uniform motion on the highway, the properties of oils do not deteriorate as much as with daily shootings along city streets or long-term winter parking. Many motorcyclists change oil only after 15-16 thousand km. highway run.

5. Don't hang additional devices, parts and accessories to your vehicle and do not carry out maintenance just before a long trip.
If possible, it is not recommended to arrange a test site for testing new lotions from the upcoming long-range route, which you bought for your favorite brainchild before the trip. Even best mechanic can make a mistake, and the device can fail. Do not test the performance of new mechanisms and accessories during a long journey, run in any novelty. This also applies to clothes and a new helmet, which you need to “get used to” even before you entrust your body to them in long-range combat.

6. Warm clothes.
A must have on the road. Especially if you plan to continue driving after sunset - even after the hottest days, the nights are more than cool, especially at speeds of 80 km/h or more. And if the day turned out to be cloudy, and even wet? Then a long movement the following night with cruising speed It will seem like a real challenge to you.

7. Pack smart, selective packing is important.
Many motorcycle travelers use a tank bag (a bag that is attached to the tank), but at the same time you need to put in it only what you will need most often on the trip. Such things as a flashlight, pressure gauge, sunscreen, route maps and other small, but necessary things should be carried in a tankbag so that they are always at hand. Human psychology is such that if the above things (this, of course, is far from full list) will not be easily accessible at the exact moment when you want to use them, there is a high probability that you will simply wave your hand at them and will not pick them out of bulky luggage bags. Like, "okay, let's get it over with." That's the mistake - that's how they go astray, because the map was not at hand, and you decided that you would most likely find the way anyway, and that's how you get face burns when traveling south - you don't notice it at first, but by the evening "the muzzle is so red-red."

A note about documents: it's silly to say that they should be stored in safe place, everyone knows it. But it is worth recalling that it is advisable to place them in a waterproof bag. The psychological moment is also important: you will only need documents when meeting with government officials, so it is not necessary to carry them in your jacket pocket. Within three to five minutes of searching for documents in the luggage bag, you will be able to strike up a conversation with a traffic cop and let him know that you are not a crazy racer, but a civilized motorcycle tourist. If he is benevolent and stopped you not for a clear violation, the matter may end simply with the fact that he wishes you a happy journey without looking at your rights.

8. Be prepared for the trip, buy in advance so as not to waste time on the road.
The rule about having your motorcycle ready applies to all the luggage that you plan to take with you on a trip. Make a list of things you'll need on the road ahead of time and check it out before you hit the road. Of course, "consumables" like toothpaste can be bought on the road, but if you forgot at home the necessary clothes or medicines that you should take regularly, this can turn into a problem.

9. Learn to deal with boredom and the monotony of the landscape along the way.
Long trips suggest the presence of frankly monotonous landscapes that inspire boredom and are dangerous for this very reason. In this case, you need to have a player with your favorite music, preferably fun, so that it does not make you sleepy. You can stop and eat on the way. The work of the jaw muscles slightly increases blood flow to the brain, thereby reducing the likelihood that you will be sleepy.

10. To reach the goal faster, be able to stop in time to rest.
At first glance, this advice may seem pointless, but many truckers successfully apply this strategy. It's not possible to predict average speed upcoming trip due to various numerous reasons that we will not list here. It is important for you to feel for yourself what speed is most comfortable for you in the data road conditions and stick to it. When you feel that you have started to get tired and it takes more and more strength to maintain this speed, it is better not to fight with yourself, but to stop and take a serious rest. Brief stops at roadside cafes or crouching and jumping around the motorcycle while refueling will not have the effect. Instead of sitting down for a cup of coffee every two or three hours of running, it is better to spend this time on a full-fledged, albeit short, sleep or on a walk to stretch stiff muscles and provide fresh oxygen to the blood.

11. Know when it's time to stop and take a nap!
As soon as the desire to close your eyes from fatigue begins to appear at least for a split second, the state becomes lethargic, urgently look for any safe place to stop and sleep!

Other symptoms of fatigue:
You cannot support set speed without undue stress. If you see that you involuntarily slow down and then, realizing this, nervously turn off the gas to catch up with time, it's time for you to rest.
When moving in dark time day you forget to switch from high beam to low beam.
You begin to think too long and hesitate before making a decision. Should I stop at this gas station or wait until the next one? Which road to take? This is also the result of fatigue.

12. Maintain positive emotions in yourself.
If you really don't like the rain, you should stay in a motel and wait out a day or two, rather than driving in the rain and cursing everything (although some people really like driving in the rain). The same applies to regions with a hot climate: try to wind up kilometers in the dark, when the heat subsides. That is, do not continue the trip in those conditions that you do not like and can lead you into a difficult or depressed mood. Then the trip ceases to bring joy and be entertainment, and this is exactly what we went on it for! If you are driving and thinking to yourself something like “well, it’s hot again (raining, etc.)…”, you start to concentrate on this problem and stop following the changes traffic situation. Yes, you may be late from vacation to work for 1-2 days and have to answer for this to the management, but it is safer than rushing or continuing to move in unfavorable conditions for you personally.

13. Eat normally and properly.
Bad combination: fast food and long haul. This should be remembered forever. But, understanding that we live in the real world with certain conditions and restrictions, adhere to at least the following time-tested rules:
Light breakfast - porridge, cereal, eggs in any form, toast or sandwiches.
It is better to skip a heavy lunch and just have a snack instead, but not at a fast food cafe like McDonald's.
For dinner, you can afford to take a break if you do not plan to continue moving after that, but again, when drinking alcohol, you should not forget that in the morning you would like to get up with a fresh head, otherwise the whole next day will go down the drain.
If you can’t, or there’s simply nowhere to eat properly, don’t lean on such food, which can then cause stomach problems and ruin the whole next day. In this case, it is better to limit yourself to a light meal.

14. Eat on time.
On weekdays, it is better to stop for breakfast in a cafe after 9 am. At this time, as a rule, people rushing to work have already had breakfast and you will not have to wait in line. On weekends - exactly the opposite, because many people like to sleep longer and just in time for 9-10 in the morning they gather for breakfast in a cafe. It is better to have dinner early (remember - we actually missed lunch), otherwise you risk getting into rush hour when cafes and restaurants are crowded. A late heavy dinner followed by a continuation of the trip is not the best option, since there is a very high probability that you will be sleepy.
When visiting a cafe or restaurant, it is important to properly manage your time. Well, how can a trucker motorcyclist afford to sit and kill valuable time while his order is being prepared in the kitchen? Here is another time-tested tip: take a seat closer to the kitchen, and maybe at the bar (if the hall is full), politely explain to the waitress that you are in a hurry and so that they do not delay your order if possible, immediately reinforcing this asking for a generous tip. Order food and ask to immediately attach a check to your dish (some cafes bring it later and only at your next request). Now you have time to clean yourself up. You can go to the toilet to wash your hands and face, even if you think that the road was not so dirty - the water is refreshing anyway. Phone home if necessary. In most cases, when you return to the table, your dish will already be waiting for you. Thus, the stopping time for a full meal can be reduced to 20-30 minutes, which, with a reasonable distribution of time, is quite enough, say, for a full hot lunch. Keep in mind that it takes about the same time to stuff cold sandwiches inside yourself while sitting on a motorcycle near a gas station, and draw a conclusion.

15. Separate food stops and refueling stops.
After a refueling stop (which is actually a pit stop in itself for a short rest), it happens that driving across the road to a nearby cafe and parking near it takes as much time as preparing for further movement. Why combine two small stops into one? From the point of view of rest, it’s more efficient to do this: rest a little while refueling and if you don’t feel hungry, cover another couple of hundred kilometers to the next cafe.

16. Refuel early.
Once you "dry" on the road or make a 10-kilometer detour in search of a gas station - and all the time that you managed to save before that is irretrievably lost! If, moving along an unfamiliar road, you see a gas station along the way, and you already have clearly less than half a tank of gasoline, stop and refuel.

17. Put on your rain suit before it starts to rain!
Especially if the gasoline in the tank is already less than half. Stop, refuel and, if there is a chance of rain, put on rain protection in advance, safe place. Regardless of whether you need to refuel in this moment or not, we want to warn you against changing clothes on the side of the road. No need to explain what it can lead to. It is better to do this at a special parking area or at a gas station. Think about it, do you want to wait out the rain in a tunnel or under a bridge when cars pass a meter away from you? Do you want to be on the side of the road and jump on one foot, trying to hit the leg with the other, in the same proximity to the stream that rushes past you, spraying? But visibility worsens when it rains, and where is the guarantee that you, standing on the side of the road, will be seen in time?

It is difficult to get accurate statistics on accidents involving drivers waiting out bad weather or simply stopping in inappropriate places, but it is clear that such accidents occur quite often.

18. Buy a tire repair kit and learn how to use it!
Fix the majority tubeless tires using such a set is a trifling matter, so there is no excuse for you if you caught a nail, and you did not have such a set. It's my own fault! Spend part of the set to practice at home and then not learn this business on the road, and not waste precious time. WITH tube tires a little more difficult, however, with a certain skill it justifies itself and is clearly more profitable than looking for a tugboat.

19. Take it with you mobile phone(for many, this point will not be relevant, but it is worth recalling).
He, of course, may not work on some sections of the road. But in the vast majority of cases, you can get through to a distant house. Or to service with a tow truck.

20. Buy a decent instrument.
The kit must include a set of keys, screwdrivers, wire cutters, pliers, etc. It is best to assemble the kit in such a way that it has everything you need for your motorcycle.

21. Always carry at least 2 liters of water with you.
It is not necessary to go on a hike through the desert. You will experience an absolutely indescribable thirst, for example, if you have to push your device after a breakdown on a cool night alone in order to park in a safe place.

Water should be stored in two containers - one for permanent use, the second - for unforeseen circumstances. The theory in this case is simple to disgrace - as soon as you start to carry water with you, you will immediately drink it, while forgetting to replenish the supply and thus drink it all. So here's a tip: put the second bottle away so that it is inconvenient to get to it, only this will force you to regularly replenish the supply of water in the first bottle.

Needless to say, you shouldn't drink in an unfamiliar area. tap water. Differences in water purification methods can cause unpleasant consequences, and if you can easily tolerate tap water at home, this does not mean at all that you can drink it on the way.

22. Take Aspirin with you.
Note: While aspirin has become a near-cult "cure-all-all-ill" among long-distance motorcyclists, who have elevated it to the rank of a universal remedy for all pains, it's still worth knowing if it causes any side effects for you personally. .
So, aspirin has a known ability to slightly lower the temperature of the human body. Therefore, more attention should be paid to the danger of hypothermia if you take it on the road, for example, for a headache. Aspirin is also known as an anticoagulant, and this should also be remembered in case of an accident - if it happens, the bleeding will be more difficult to stop. Some drug manufacturers add caffeine to aspirin to improve its absorption into the bloodstream and speed up the effect of the drug.

23. Take a pack of vitamins with you.
It does not hurt to take vitamins during a long motocross. The best option are multivitamin tablets that are taken one per day, although it is better to consult a doctor about this, because the recommended type of vitamins in hot weather and, say, when traveling in autumn may differ.
For long distance Special attention should be given to those drugs that prevent leakage and muscle cramps.

24. If you take a computer with you, consider installing a navigation program.
It is advisable to check the performance of the program before leaving and compare its data with your own experience and knowledge. On the way, the help of a computer can be very useful so as not to get lost and not waste time looking for a road, turn or place.

25. When entering another area, consider changes pavement and beware of repaired areas!
In the regions, the responsibility for the construction and repair of roads lies with the local authorities. This means that every time you cross the border of the area, you will most likely be dealing with a different type of road. Almost immediately after crossing the border of the region - by how accurately the markings were applied, road signs were placed, the canvas was laid qualitatively - one can conclude how well the leadership is working to improve the quality of roads. Be careful and attentive to possible difficulties in unexplored terrain.

26. Choose the speed of movement, taking into account visibility and road conditions!
Imagine: you are driving on a high-quality highway at a speed of about 80 km / h, the coverage is excellent, but there is heavy fog. Visibility is not very good. And suddenly, in front of you, in your lane, a car appears standing without the included dimensions! Can you stop at this speed not on her bumper? It's funny only at first glance, but such cases happened in reality. Don't be another motorcyclist who dies due to not being able to see an obstacle in time.
The same goes for driving in fine weather. Is it worth lying in a hospital bed for six months just because, before entering a closed turn, you decided to add gas and go through it with a dashing strike of the footpegs at a speed of 15-20 km / h more than safe? Assess this situation from this angle - and this will not happen.

27. Do you want to stay alive? Stay away from trucks!
Truck drivers hate it when someone is on their tail for a long time. Keep this in mind when following a long-range truck - in this case, you yourself asked for it and now you are responsible for everything that can happen to you. The truck driver will start to get restless, keep looking at you in the rearview mirror, and momentarily forget that sometimes it wouldn't hurt to keep an eye on the road as well. And overlook any obstacle. He himself, perhaps, will jump over it, but will you have time to turn it aside when it appears between him? rear wheels trailer?

28. Get rid of all sources of irritation and distractions.
Get rid of everything that can distract you or play the role of a potential irritant, no matter how insignificant these factors may seem to you. Any sources of irritation and distractions require the expenditure of additional energy, which has to be expended on their suppression. Even initially small problems have a property in long journey grow to enormous proportions and eat up your energy in a series of successive stresses.

The secret of that buzz and unforgettable sensations that long-distance travel brings to us is in the comfort of a motorcycle traveler while riding, confidence in your motorcycle and a clear awareness of your goal.

Cars, owned by private owners, are usually used for city trips and suburban roads. On the day, the owners of these cars usually run no more than 300 km. But sometimes it becomes necessary to travel 1000 or more kilometers. About what is different long distance trip from normal daily trips, you will find out below.

When you travel many kilometers a day, you travel a distance that is significantly longer than your usual daily mileage in urban environments. Every driver sticks to his style ride on long distance .

Some drivers for some time they drive at a speed approaching the maximum. This is followed by a very long rest stop.

Other drivers choose some average speed and during the whole day they drive a car without long stops.

Latest driving style less tires the driver. Therefore, we recommend that you stick to it.

It is better to start the trip early in the morning. At such times, the roads are less busy, which will make it easier go outside the city.

remember, that long drive deteriorates at a relatively high speed driver reaction. Thus, if you have to pass through the city on the way, move very carefully, follow the speed limit.

While driving, do not forget to look at the indicators on the instrument panel.

As often as possible check the condition of the wheels and the pressure in your car's tires. This will allow you to replace the damaged wheel in a timely manner.

After overnight parking, carefully inspect the place where your automobile.

If traces of fluid leakage from hydraulic systems, try to determine which system is leaking fluid. If troubleshoot it is impossible on your own, call specialists from a car service.

While driving, periodically turn off the audio devices so that you can hear how the car's devices work. When a new sound is detected, try to determine which node is making the specified sound. Troubleshoot if possible.

At long stop move the car off the road.

Some drivers continue traffic at night. We do not recommend that you do this, but if you decide ride at night, take care to don't fall asleep at the wheel. Periodically stop the car and stretch your limbs intensively. Most of all, sleep overcomes in the morning. Don't try to wake up with coffee. The effect will be short-term, and after that you will want to sleep even more.

We hope our tips will help you get to your destination safely. Be careful on the roads.

Traveling long distances requires vigilance and stamina. However, safety on the road depends not only on the qualities and skills of the driver. In this article, we will talk about how to make a long-distance trip on personal car as safe as possible. The insurance company Ergo-Rus is always ready to insure the car owner.

good driver— cheerful The human body is designed to sleep in the dark and be active in the light. Alas, not everyone understands this and is trying to accomplish a feat: to leave in the evening on the last working day, so that by three o'clock the next day they will be on vacation, thus not losing a single day of vacation. The result is terrible traffic police reports, in which standard reason Accidents on the highway are called sleep at the wheel. And usually this is an accident with numerous victims.

There is no point in taking risks: if you leave, for example, Kiev at 4 in the morning, and have a good sleep before the trip (go to bed early to sleep for about 10 hours), then it’s quite possible to get to the Crimea (without violating traffic rules and without frequent overtaking) to in the evening and immediately enjoy swimming in the evening sea.

Slower you go - faster you will

Hard acceleration and no less hard braking, high speed on all sections of the road, overtaking on oncoming lane- these are the main signs of drivers with an aggressive driving style. Such motorists, in an attempt to arrive an hour or two earlier during the time spent on the road, repeatedly risk their lives and the lives of those around them. The most interesting thing is that the gain in time turns out to be either very small, or it doesn’t exist at all - calm drivers, slowly, overtake and overtake aggressive ones at intersections, crossings and checkpoints, where there are toffees.

Not uncommon on the roads leading to the sea, and traffic jams, especially between Simferopol and Yalta. So there is no point in rushing. We also note that a significant part of the way to the sea in any direction passes through the steppe zone with a rather narrow road and many turns. Driving in such conditions requires special care. Of course, due to the narrowness of the roads, there is a constant need to overtake slow-moving Vehicle(especially smoky trucks). You need to perform this maneuver correctly: determine in advance after which oncoming car you will start it, accelerate in advance in your lane and overtake in one go. Never take chances: such a maneuver in a closed corner is the most common cause head-on collisions. If the maneuver cannot be completed, go to the side of the road.

Save on fuel and fines

PENALTY AND AMBUSH.

Coming into force in May of this year new edition Traffic rules and bills proposing to change the speed limit have created chaos in the heads of drivers: how to understand how fast you need to drive now so that you don’t get fined and quickly? There was one important change in theory - a new road sign, denoting the beginning of dense development, which requires a slowdown to 60 km / h. But in practice, they have not yet managed to hang it anywhere.

Otherwise, everything is the same: in the village you can accelerate to 60 km / h, for locality- up to 90, and if there is a bump stop or lawn in the middle of the road - up to 110 m / h. An administrative protocol for speeding is made only if it is exceeded by more than 20 km / h. From personal experience we note that most often inspectors with radars stand in those places where it is possible to go fast - on 4-8-lane smooth roads.

For example, on the Kyiv-Odessa highway, you can meet at least four patrols. And such a driving technique as an alarm high beam about what is ahead of the traffic police, now it may not work - the inspectors are armed with new Harpoon complexes. The information recorded by them about speeding is transmitted to the post, which is located 1-1.5 km from the actual place of the violation. That is, you can be stopped 10-15 minutes after the violation and issued a fine, attaching a photo from a hidden radar camera to it.

And in this case it is unrealistic to pay off the inspector. Therefore, it is cheaper not to violate. Yes, and safer too.

ECODRIVE RECEPTIONS.

Road traffic - A good reason check the economy of your car. Accelerate smoothly to 110 km / h, then release the gas pedal until the car slows down to 100 km / h. After that, the speed must be maintained at the same level, from time to time lightly pressing the accelerator: in this way, fuel consumption can be reduced by a third. You can also save money in the mountains.

On the descents, do not turn off the gear, moving on the fourth or fifth, and on the ascent, turn on the lower one, which will make it possible not only to accelerate quickly, but also to confidently avoid a collision in case emergency. You need to brake in the mountains smoothly, using engine braking. Keep in mind that overtaking or exceeding on a serpentine can end in tragedy. Rest - 30 minutes every three hours

Driving must be alternated with rest.

Optimal: once every 3-3.5 hours, make a stop for at least 20-30 minutes. If you feel sleepy, then there is an effective and reliable way struggle - take a nap for 20 minutes or just sit with the backrest reclined for 15 minutes.

Please note: it will take 13-16 hours to overcome 900 kilometers from Kyiv to Yalta, and 6.5-7 hours to travel from Kyiv to Odessa. Trying to go faster, ignoring rest, is an extremely dangerous undertaking.

Gasoline - at network gas stations

The amount of fake fuel on the highways in the summer goes off scale - scammers are betting that the demand is high, and indignant car owners will not return for money. And it is very difficult to prove that the breakdown occurred due to fuel at a particular gas station, after having managed to refuel 3-4 times along the way. Therefore, it is better not to take risks and fill up gasoline or diesel at the gas stations of the same network, and also keep receipts every time - then there will be someone to file a claim in case of a breakdown.

Overcoming a long journey by car is significantly different from the usual city driving, and it is necessary to responsibly prepare for it. What things will be needed on the road, how to plan a route, what to do if children are traveling and how to check that the car is ready for a long journey?

Route selection

Whether you know the road or you are going to a destination for the first time, you need to plan your route and take a detailed map with you. When studying the road, you need to pay attention to detour routes in case of a major accident or repair work that could block the road. It is recommended to take a navigator with you, if you suddenly get tired and miss a turn, it will help you return to the desired route.

In addition, you can mark all gas stations on the map and calculate in advance when you will need to refuel so that the fuel does not suddenly run out on the highway. Also in this case it would be nice to have a can of gasoline in the trunk.

You need to get acquainted with the weather forecast at the destination in advance in order to choose the right shoes and clothes.

Preparing the car for a long journey

Before leaving for long way You need to inspect your car on your own.

• check tires for wear, pump up if necessary;
• change the oil in the engine;
• check the oil level in the gearbox;
• see if it's enough brake fluid in a tank;
• check the functionality brake system;
• check the serviceability of the light signals - turn signals, rear lights and front, and if necessary, replace burnt out light bulbs;
• tighten the handbrake, if necessary.

After inspecting the car and troubleshooting, you need to check that the trunk has:

• pump;
• warning triangle;
• engine oil;
• glass cleaning fluid;
• set of tools;
• fire extinguisher;
• car first aid kit;
• spare wheel;
• a canister of gasoline (5–10 liters);
• cable (for towing).

Safe ride

When traveling by car, you are responsible not only for yourself, but also for the health of the people in your car, as well as other participants. traffic. To make the trip as safe and comfortable as possible, you need to follow a few important recommendations.

• To avoid trouble while traveling by car, the driver needs to get a good night's sleep before a long journey. The path started in good mood doomed to success.
• Every 2-3 hours you need to stop to give a break to the body and eyes. The driver, like all passengers, is advised to get out of the car and walk around a bit. You can do some light exercises to warm up the limbs - squats, swinging your arms, turning your head.
• May meet on the road different people, so be careful with fellow travelers, it’s better not to put anyone in your car at all throughout the journey.
• If it so happened that you decided to spend the night on the road, and not in a hotel, choose a place more carefully. You should not stop in the middle of the road, where there are no cars, houses or other buildings. Optimal and safe option- stop for the night at the traffic police post or at the gas station. You can also spend the night in a truck stop, provided that a few trucks remain there for the night.

Useful tips for drivers planning a long trip

• The first thing you need to put in the car is the documents. Check Availability driving license, passports, car documents and medical insurance policy.
• When going on a trip, do not forget to take with you enough money for food, for refueling, in case of force majeure.
• To avoid unnecessary spending and even possible food poisoning with unfamiliar food, you need to buy a car refrigerator. You can put food in it, which is enough for the whole journey to your destination. So you save a significant part of the budget and your own time. On the road, in addition to food, you need to take enough water.

• Do not heavily load the car. Take on a trip only those things that you really need. The lighter the car is loaded, the less consumption fuel.
• Trying to save space in the car and reduce fuel consumption, you should not neglect really necessary things. If you are going on a trip during the cold season and are even going to spend the night in a hotel, you still need to take warm clothes and blankets with you in case the car breaks down before you get to the place to spend the night. Also, do not forget about hygiene products, disposable tableware and other important things.
• Stow things in the trunk correctly. The essentials should be in plain sight - money, first aid kit, water and food. And clothes prepared for rest can be placed in the far corner of the trunk.
• After leaving the city limits, most likely, you will begin to feel tired. The monotony of movement can cause drowsiness. Do not let yourself get bored - talk to your passengers, turn on fun music, sing songs. Do your best to stay awake on the road.

• Refuel your car for large gas stations. As a rule, fuel is a little cheaper there than on small, unknown filling stations. Yes, and the risk of pouring into the tank poor quality fuel, which can cause a breakdown of the car, is significantly reduced.
• When driving, obey the speed limit. This will help reduce gas mileage and avoid.
• The air conditioner does not need to be used unless absolutely necessary, since its operation increases fuel consumption.

Traveling by car with children

If you are traveling with children on a long journey, it is important to take care of what they will do on the way. It is difficult for children to travel long distances, and so that they do not have unpleasant memories, and the driver is not distracted by children's tantrums, they need to be occupied with something.

Bring magazines with bright pictures, as many toys as possible, a player, etc. It is not recommended to take books, as reading in a car can make children feel sick. You can also offer your child a tablet with toys, but it is important to make sure that he takes breaks. Children are well occupied with various games - in words, riddles, counting rhymes, etc.

Children love to eat tasty food, so you need to bring enough sweets and food that children love with you. If during the trip they have the opportunity to “fill their mouths with sweets”, there will be no time for tears.

Children's screams greatly distract the driver, he may lose vigilance, which will ultimately affect his mood and may even lead to an accident. To avoid unpleasant consequences, think over a list of things the children need in advance and discuss it with them. Let them choose what will be more interesting for them to play with on the road.

When going on a long journey in your car, it is important not only to check its serviceability, collect the things you need on the road, but also create the right mood for yourself. Only a vigorous, well-rested, well-fed and cheerful driver is able to overcome a long distance without any problems.

You already feel confident behind the wheel while driving around the city or not yet very confident, but you assume that by the beginning of the next holiday season you will have gained the appropriate practice. Almost every novice driver, even just sitting behind the wheel, hatches plans for his first long trip. The charm of the oncoming road, new impressions, freedom in choosing a place of rest, as well as the absence of dependence on bus, train, plane schedules and wide opportunities for staffing luggage, not limited, as before, only by your muscular strength and the number of hands, as if they themselves are pushing: "Ride, ride, ride..."

How experienced driver, I will say - expectations do not deceive you. But if, on the one hand, long journey driving a car is a truly exciting adventure, on the other hand, it is a serious and responsible event that requires careful preparation. Driving a long distance (500 km or more) is fundamentally different from driving around the city, and if you are not ready or miss something, instead of joy, it can bring you, best case, unnecessary worries and problems. And now let's analyze everything in detail:

Preparing your car for a long trip

The first thing to do is prepare the car. Show the car to a service station or mechanic you trust three to four weeks before your expected departure time. Let them inspect it, diagnose the chassis, tighten all connections, replace everything that needs to be replaced and adjust the “camber / convergence”. Ask the masters to pay special attention to the reliability of the brake system and steering.

Be sure to make sure that the tread on the tires of the car is not worn out, and that the rubber is appropriate for the season. Balance the wheels and equalize the pressure in the tires (this can be done at any tire shop). Naturally, your car must be equipped with a “fresh” first aid kit and a fire extinguisher, an inflated spare tire, a jack, tow rope and an emergency stop sign.

After carrying out all the activities, do not put the car "on a joke". It needs to be well “run in” around the city so that all the new details get used and minor flaws have time to appear. Before the trip, you will still have time to eliminate them.

Determining the route and connection

A GPS navigator is a very useful device and I advise you to definitely buy it, but it is not reasonable to rely on it alone, especially if you are not an advanced user of such devices. To be sure, pre-lay the route on the map. For this purpose, you can use the special services of Google or Yandex. Pay attention to complex interchanges, branches and turns. If possible, print the entire route, and on an enlarged scale the most difficult sections.

When plotting a route from all possible ways, choose the largest roads and do not listen to the "experts" who will convince you to go in a roundabout way, where it is "faster and freer."

On busy highway more gas stations Maintenance, first-aid posts and almost always works mobile connection. Therefore, on a major road, you are ten times more likely to receive timely assistance than in the middle of a field or forest, where one car passes an hour.

"Appoint" one of the relatives or friends left at home as the "dispatcher". This is the person who will know the route of your movement, and to whom you will report the distance traveled. Set a clear communication schedule. For example, say that you will send SMS every three hours indicating the distance traveled or the name of the nearest settlement from you.

During the trip, strictly adhere to the communication schedule with the "dispatcher". Such a simple precaution, on the one hand, will allow you not to be distracted by “soothing” calls to your mother, grandmother, sister and girlfriend at the same time, and on the other hand, it will make it possible to quickly find you if something unforeseen happens when you cannot inform where are you and what happened to you.

Determine departure time

A trip of 1000 km will take you approximately 12-14 hours (subject to speed limit within the rules of the road). For summer, this time is enough to leave and arrive before dark, but I do not advise doing this, and here's why.

If you are going to the South, then most of the trip the sun will shine in your face, and if you go to the North, then you will encounter such a phenomenon as bright blinding sun glare from rear windows vehicles ahead of you.

Trails during the day are much busier than in the evening, at night or in the morning. Finally, I don’t think it’s very good to come in the evening, when the coming darkness will “drive” you.

Plan to leave at night, so that you arrive in the morning before lunch. Do the same if the duration of the trip inevitably forces you to do part of the journey at night. In a nutshell - you can meet the dawn while driving, but not the sunset.

Before leaving

You need to have a good rest before the trip. About a day before departure, you must be free from any work. During this period, your work is rest, mostly lying down. Sleep as much as possible, do not sit at the computer, do not read and try not to watch TV. Instruct your friends, relatives and loved ones not to disturb you over trifles.

You should not eat before the road. The last meal - no later than 4 hours before departure.

What to take with you on the road?

Buy several small bottles of clean drinking water without gas. Throughout the trip, you will need to replenish fluids, even if you do not feel thirsty. Dehydration on the road comes unnoticed, which is fraught with a decrease in attention and slow reaction.

Prepare a few slices of fresh lemon (no sugar). A lemon slice placed under the tongue perfectly “chases away sleep” and increases visual acuity. I do not recommend using the now popular energy drinks, because most of them are bad for the stomach, and the effect is very doubtful.

To satisfy the feeling of hunger on the road, you can use chocolate or protein bars.

Discipline, safety and your passengers

If you are not traveling alone, explain to your passengers that you are the "ship's captain" and are responsible for all on board. First of all, their life and health depend on you, so all the actions of passengers should be aimed at creating maximum comfort for you, not for yourself. Based on the above, you:

• determine what music will be played, and at what volume;
• decide when and where the next stop will be;
• seat passengers in the car;
• distribute luggage (what, where and how it will lie).

Ask your companions to inform you in advance about the need to go to the toilet, and not force you to frantically look for a place to stop when it becomes “unbearable”.

Place a person next to you who will share the “hardships” of a long trip with you or, to put it more simply, will entertain you with conversations, serve water, light a cigarette and not sleep.

Move the first aid kit and fire extinguisher to the passenger compartment, so that they can be obtained without leaving the car. In many cases, the seconds it takes you to get out of the car, open the trunk, find and pull those first aid items from under bags and bags can be decisive.

Everyone in the car must wear seat belts. An unfastened person at the time of a collision can not only suffer himself, but also injure or even crush to death other people in the car, especially children.

2011-09-15