::Title:	Long-distance driving tips
::Compiled by:	Mark Nowak <markn@comm.mot.com>
::Filename:	general/driving
::Date:		** not maintained **
::Type:		Compilation
::
This and other travel information is available by anonymous ftp from
ccu.umanitoba.ca (130.179.16.8) in the directory /pub/rec-travel.

For more information about the rec.travel archives, contact Brian
Lucas <lucas@ccu.umanitoba.ca>.

Please do not send comments, questions, or additions.  We need someone 
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========================================================================

From markn@comm.mot.com Wed Jan 13 10:23:19 1993
Date: Wed, 13 Jan 93 10:26:02 CST
From: markn@comm.mot.com (Mark Nowak)

From: scs8@cunixb.cc.columbia.edu (Sebastian C Sears)
Subject: Re: Cross country drive help wanted
Date: 13 Jul 92 19:29:15 GMT
Organization: Columbia University


	1) Make sure you havethe right amount and mix of fluid and water in
	your radiator

	2) Bring a car with air conditioning if at all possible.

	3) If no air conditioning, bring something you can drape on the
	windows you don't look through to create some shade.

	4) Carry extra oil in your car... you never know when you'll need some,
	particularly if your engine runs fast and hot, you'll go through some
	oil almost guaranteed.

	5) Better yet, change your oil before you start the trip... filter too.

	6) If boredom's going to be a problem (i.e. you're going alone) the
	best way I know of to pass the time is rent some Books On Tape... 
	just sit back and listen to someone read and the time flies. Their
	number is 800-252-6996.

	7) Bring lots of water to drink casually in the car, as heat and
	caffeine tend to dehydrate a person. Also try to have an extra gallon
	jug of water in case you get stuck somewhere hot (like anywhere on
	I-80 in July :-))

	8) Make sure your *spare* tire is in good shape, not just the four
	presently on the ground, and check you have jack, lug wrenches etc.

	9) If you're feeling hardcore, think about driving at night and 
	sleeping during the day (in car, camp or motel). It's cooler at night
	and there's less traffic (what traffic there is tends to be trucks,
	which are generally a little more predictable, though not always).



From: dmarshal@Stars.Reston.Unisys.COM ( Paramax)
Subject: Re: Cross country drive help wanted
Date: 14 Jul 92 23:10:22 GMT
Organization: Unisys Corporation, Reston, VA

Just my input on cross-country driving:

Get a mechanic to make a general assessment of your car's condition.
Fix anything that may need it - a drive such as yours will take its
toll in the short term.

My most important advice is oil.  Check your oil every single day.  On
my big cross-country drive (Washinton,DC to Seattle to LA to Texas and
back in 13 days), I was only checking every third day, and I managed to
run out of oil driving through the desert.  I was bone dry, and I almost
lost the engine.


From: ward@m.cs.uiuc.edu (Christ Ward)
Subject: Re: Cross country drive help wanted
Organization: University of Illinois, Dept. of Comp. Sci., Urbana, IL
Date: Wed, 15 Jul 1992 16:03:00 GMT

Along with oil I also check tire pressure every morning.  You can geta pump that
plugs into the cig outlet (got mine for $20), so you can be sure to get them
while there cold.  This can make a big improvement in mi/per gallon when your
driving many miles with changes in temp and altitude. It did for me on a 
long trip this spring, ah, the freedom of the open road...enjoy.

ward


From: scs8@cunixb.cc.columbia.edu (Sebastian C Sears)
Subject: Re: Cross country drive help wanted
Date: 15 Jul 92 15:46:19 GMT
Organization: Columbia University
 
	When I drive cross-country in the summer (8 times now) I check my
	oil *every* *time* I get gas. And I've seen oil go fast enough to be
	glad I was checking every time... in Iowa (admittedly going 80 w/a full
	truc

	It's worth your minute to check the oil every time...


From: seanr@lobo.rmhs.colorado.edu (Sean Reifschneider)
Subject: Re: Cross country drive help wanted
Date: 16 Jul 92 21:37:35 GMT
Organization: Rocky Mountain High School, Fort Collins, CO

First of all, don't forget to bring a nice dial type pressure gauge.  I forgot
mine on my 3000 mile trek last weekend, and wished I hadn't.  But everything
went well.  Oil...  Check it every time you stop for gas.  I had to add a qt
at about 1400 miles (make that .5 qt).  Bring along the same type of oil that
you have.

I also check the transmission/diff oil before I go on a long trip as well.
And don't forget the check the other fluids (windshield washer, brake, clutch,
power steering, gas ;-)...  Check out the belts on the car as well.  Maybe the
CV joint boots as well.  Should take you about 30 minutes to check everything,
and it's well worth it.

Sean


From: bill@ssr.hp.com (Bill Chidester)
Subject: Re: Radar Detectors
Organization: Hewlett-Packard, Orlando Fl.
Date: Sat, 18 Jul 1992 01:43:57 GMT

midi@thumper.bellcore.com (Ron) writes:
: What is the BEST (in price & performance) radar detector that has X, K and Ka?
: 
: Is it a total waste of money to get the Escort Passpost 3100 Laser detector?

   Very probably.  By the time the transmitted laser beam may have passed
   by the detector, you've been had.  Besides, the cop won't aim at the
   detector, he'll be going for your license plate; a highly reflective
   vertical surface.  I guess you could mount the detector on your tag holder,
   but it's a long walk to check it.  At least you'll be out of the car with
   your wallet easily accessible in case it has gone off.  The footprint of
   a Lidar beam is about the size of a basketball at normal detection ranges.

   I have recently acquired a Valentine 1 radar detector and found it far
   superior to anything on the market.  It does all FOUR radar bands (What!
   Did he say four??  Why haven't any of the other detector manufacturers
   mentioned there were four bands?).  I work in a field office and it has
   blown away all other detectors out in our fleet.

   It tells you how many different signals are really there, points arrows
   in the direction of the radiator (forwards, sideways or backwards) and
   has three levels of detection:  Squawk on anything, give a muted alarm
   on weak X band signals (sort of like City/Highway on an Escort) and full
   logic.  Full logic will figure out whether the signal is really an X-Band
   revenue generator or just the microwave door openers at the Piggly Wiggly.  
   It's invisible to the current "radar detector detectors" and also has
   a little optional display to tuck into your dashboard so you don't issue
   any hard to explain red photons in Virginia or DC.  

   The direction pointer is a feature I can no longer live without.  It
   can tell you if the constable is coming up behind you or whether you
   are about to run him past:  Always an embarrassing gaffe on the Interstate.

   It's advertised in Car and Driver, and sells for $299.  Information can
   be had via Bell's Curse at (800) 331-3030.  The name Valentine may be
   familiar to you, since Mike was a co-founder of Cincinnati Microwave and 
   developer of the Escort and Passport.  He's a certified multiple Porche/
   Audi/BMW owner who drives like hell.  Most people think he invented the
   Escort for the money, but I know for a fact the 11 points he carried on 
   his Ohio driver's license had a great deal to do with mothering the
   invention.


From: rvkl60@aus18a25.sps.mot.com (Tom Mathes)
Subject: Re: Passport Wideband Radar Detectors
Organization: Motorola Inc, Austin, Texas
Date: Mon, 20 Jul 1992 14:30:09 GMT

I posted a bit about this a few weeks ago.  To recap:

1) The Escort DSP isn't available anymore.  It also cannot detect Ka (I should
   know, I have one).  CM, Escort, or what every they call themselves says 
   that it cannot be modified to receive the Ka band.

2) The Escort DSP, they claim, was the most sensitive detector ever made for
   consumer use in the X and K bands.  Nothing made by CM or anyone else can
   match its X and K band sensitivity.  Since the cops aren't using Ka around
   here yet, I won't part with my Escort DSP.

3) "Car and Driver" is planning a test of detectors before the end of the year.
   They usually do a good job of featuring a detector's highs and lows.

4) Within the last two months "Automobile" reviewed the Valentine One detector.
   They thought it was good overall, but somewhat difficult to use in some
   situations.  It's supposed to be a great detector, but it is probably out
   of your price range (around $300).

5) I don't think you can beat the Passport 3200 in that price range.  CM's product
   quality and customer support is wonderful.  I've had both a Passport and
   my present Escort DSP, and the company is wonderful and their support after
   the sale is nothing short of perfect.  I had a power cord go bad after 2 years
   of daily usage, and CM replaced it for free, way after the warranty was up.
   I also initially had some problems with my Escort, but CM was great in getting
   the problem resolved to my liking.  I have nothing but praise for those guys.

DISCLAIMER:  I have no stake in Cinnicinati Microwave, just good experience with
             their products and service.


Date: Mon, 13 Jul 92 13:24 PDT
From: lizn@uts.amdahl.com (Elizabeth Neely)
To: markn@ssd.comm.mot.com
Subject: cross country drive

hi,
I would suggest bringing a couple gallons of water. I don't know how old
your car is, but a lot of cars overheat in the Arizona/Nevada deserts. (I
grew up in Arizona and saw this happen many times.) If you have ever had any
problems with your cars cooling system, I'd suggest not taking it through the
desert at all. It is probably 110-115 degrees everyday right now.

I'd also suggest joining AAA, in case you do run into trouble.

If you are experienced in working on cars, you should be able to decide what
spare parts your particular car needs, and if you aren't, you probably won't
be able to do most repairs, so spares wont do much good. (Of course, a spare
tire, a jack and a lugwrench are always a good thing to have - and you need
all 3 to do you any good.)


From: svkakkad@cs.utexas.edu (Sheetal V. Kakkad)
Date: Mon, 13 Jul 92 15:52:10 -0500
To: markn@ssd.comm.mot.com
Subject: Re: Cross country drive help wanted
Organization: CS Dept, University of Texas at Austin

Well, I have made a few trips -- TX to NJ, TX to FL and TX to CO.
But for all three trips, I had a rental car and so can't help you
out very much on what you should prepare your car for. However, if
you are a AAA member, ask them to chart out the whole route for 
you. They will make a Triptik for the full route and also
provide you with road maps/tour books etc. for all the states that
you are visiting. I've used the triptiks for all the three trips
that I made and it's worth it in my opinion. If you already knew 
this stuff, please bear with me - just thought it might help you.


To: markn@ssd.comm.mot.com
Subject: Re: Cross country drive help wanted
Date: 15 Jul 92 15:35:45 PDT (Wed)
From: adpgate!hcs (Howard Schultz)

hi, every xmas we drive from portland to west virginia, to see my in-laws.

the 1st thing i have checked are the belts and hoses, the cam belt is the #1
to check for.

i always run synthetic oils in my gearbox's and crankcase's of my cars. For 
cross country driving i would suggest you put some in at least the crankcase.

so many things can go wrong on a car that it is hard to figure which parts to
take, so i don't take any. But i do take pliers, monkey wrench, and screwdrivers
and electrical tape and duct tape.

take a flashlight unless you are not going to drive at night.  we drive it 
straight through, this last year i had both low beams go out on me at night
in fog at 2 am, in indiana.

take a 2 cans of flat fix, about $1 per can, it takes 45 sec. to fix a flat
tire and you do not have to unload the car. so far (knock on wood) we have not
had a flat on our xmas trip.


From: ron@hpfcso.FC.HP.COM (Ron Miller)
Date: Mon, 20 Jul 1992 20:20:58 GMT
Subject: Re: Cross country drive help wanted
Organization: Hewlett-Packard, Fort Collins, CO, USA

Re: Hot & drive

Amen to oil check. High RPM sustained operation will give you DIFFERENT
consumption rates than around town. Be very, very suspicious until you
know your use rate. (1 qt in 1000 miles is perfectly normal btw)

In addition to good hoses, belts and fresh coolant, get the radiator cap
pressure tested to ensure it holds the proper pressure.

When shutting down at a rest stop, run the engine at fast idle for a 
minute or two to equalize temps in the engine. Activate the heater for
a small shot of cooler water to help cooldown.

When night driving, if your windshield is picking up lots of bugs, so i
is your radiator. Brush them off every morning. Better yet, use a bug screen
but beware of the added cooling restriction.

I like to play with a scanner while driving....

Ron



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