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While I’m not quite ready to hop into a cage filled with scorpions to “confront” these things, as you’d see on Fear Factor, there are a number of things I genuinely worry about when taking a road trip. It’s probably because, well, my trips are usually without incident: I’ve never had a flat tire, I’ve never run out of fuel, and besides a few unplanned off-road excursions, my driving experience has been quite tame as far as emergencies are concerned.
My biggest fear? Getting a flat tire at speed.
I can change a flat in my sleep—and lord knows my Citroën 2CV had a number of them until I fitted a set of new Michelins—but a flat when travelling faster, perhaps on a European holiday via the Autobahn? I’d like to think I’d be able to deal with it…but you never know.
My second somewhat irrational fear? Running out of fuel.
Sure, I’ll let the needle drop to “E” on occasion, in a car I know can go a bit “beyond”, so to speak. The trip computer in my Abarth has read “— TO EMPTY” on a few occasions, but I’ve never been stranded. Still, once the needle gets to ¼ of a tank remaining, my eyes often dart from the road to the gauge and I make mental calculations on where I’ll need to grab fuel next.
What do you worry about while on the road?
I used to have the same reasons for worry. But I usually rent a car from the service at the airport. I often use the services of this company, visit website. And there, all cars are in good condition and undergo a technical inspection on time, and the rental company takes responsibility for the safety of such a car.
Recently, I have to travel a lot for work. I have several flights a month. Therefore, it is important for me to fly in comfort. And Business Class Flights to Saipan were the best for me. It suited me in every way and that’s why I use it on a regular basis.
I rallycross an ’83 BMW 320i. Being of modest means, I drive it to and from every event. My biggest fear is that I will push it too hard on race day and end up braking my ride home. The problems that have occurred are usually my fault – like forgetting to tighten the lug bolts on the front wheels. That was a close one.
Last week I set out on a trip to North Wales in my 75 gt junior, 3 nights in a b&b with some great excursions planned taking in some wonderful roads, I got the car in Feb this year and had no issues, checked everything before we set off on the 150 mile journey and gave it a good run the day before, about 60 miles in (on the hottest day recorded in the UK) it started to backfire and lose power, points were burnt out, no worries I have a spare set in the spares bag in the boot… Damn, i took the spares bag out to put our luggage in and didn’t put it back!
The ‘others’ are also my biggest fear. There’s always some guy who thinks he can pass us; cross the road in half a second or just drive from the opposite direction at 180/200 km/h without any danger…
Other than that, not finding an hotel in the middle of the night in an unknown town can be a problem. Once I took off with my wife from Vancouver at nightfall and decided to sleep before Seattle. Couldn’t find anything vacant, It’s seems all canadians had crossed the border that weekend and the hotels were full everywhere.
Ended up in awful hotel in Seattle at 2am, and the next morning we found out there was a car chase with shots fired on the highway the night before, by the same time were on the road…
I have but one solitary ‘ fear ‘ if you can call it that when it comes to road trips of any length and regardless of what vehicle I’m in .
That being the fear that some other idiot on the road will do something really stupid that will have a direct impact [ pun intended ] on me .
Everything else ? Ahhh … been on the road since age 5 back in the day when cars were not so reliable and have learned to be prepared for 99\% of what may happen such as running out of fuel , breakdowns etc . So no . Its the other guy/gal that concerns me
And as a moment of diversion relating to the subject at hand ; e.g a most recent road trip . What a long strange trip it was . Unfortunately the trip got sold to cable and big business : the ‘trippers’ became corporate shills and we were all thrown under the bus in the process [ for those in the know the cultural references will be obvious . For those who are not just consider this a bit of a rant ]
Which is to say in hindsight : should of taken the SF friend up on his generous offer … borrowed the car and joined y’all instead . More fool me ! 🙁
Oh well . At least we made it back sans any ‘ events ‘