Who doesn’t love road trips? There’s nothing more exhilarating than hopping into the car with your friends and setting off on an adventure. Plus, America is made for this. You can travel from coast to coast using our country’s extensive freeway systems and experience all kinds of cultures and landscapes. New sights, sounds, memories – all of these and more are what make road trips great.
However, road trips are also potential friendship breakers. There’s nothing that tests a relationship more than being stuck with someone inside a cramped space for hours on end. Good times can easily turn sour when everyone has a short fuse.
If you’re planning to hit the road with your pals soon, avoid committing the following road trip faux pas and you’ll be sure to have all of the fun without any of the drama:
- Expect constant conversation – Sure, it’s fun to talk and laugh with your friends while on the road, but you can’t seriously expect to maintain a conversation for the whole duration of the trip, both ways. Learn to embrace the peacefulness of the open highway.
- Eat loudly – Go ahead and enjoy those chips, burgers, french fries, or what have you; food is one of the best parts of road trips. However, make sure to keep the crunching and the lip smacking to a minimum, or else you may find yourself abandoned at a gas station in the middle of nowhere and deservedly so.
- Backseat driving – Even if you’re a control freak, try to relax when you’re not at the wheel. Don’t criticize the driver or even make “polite suggestions.” Just let them drive and enjoy the opportunity to look out the window and take in the sights.
- Declare yourself the radio captain – You may be best friends for plenty of reasons, but if you and your road trip buddies do not have the same taste in music, remember the importance of compromise. Switch up the stations, CDs, and podcasts to ensure everyone enjoys the ride.