One thing about this bunch I live with – we do like to travel.
Up and down the east coast we go.
From Driving to Rhode Island to both driving and flying to Florida several times a year, and also driving to Nashville, TN and Savannah, GA – we love to be somewhere.
Many trips to Virginia and too many trips to New York to count, we have this whole driving thing down.
It’s very routine for us to pack the night before, so that at 4:00am, the van/truck/car is warmed up and the kids can stay in their pajamas and with a pillow and blanket begin our journey.
When we go to Florida, I’d guess it’s 50/50 whether we drive or fly. Flying is the faster way, and if we only have a few days, driving doesn’t make sense.
If we have a week or more, then we’d more than likely drive. We have it down pat. If we leave about 4:00am, then we can get to where we want to be about 10:00pm
Driving to Florida is actually fun. We laugh, we sing, we stop at Buc-ee’s and we enjoy ourselves.
We’ve done some great family binding while driving.
*Side Note 1 – it’s easier driving since Kate is now 18 and is a 3rd driver.
The other day Lisa shared a meme with me that she saw where it had a diagram of a car of 4 people going on a drive and what their specific role is.
It was clever and very well illustrated, but I think our family does it better.
1 The Driver. The driver has certain roles and responsibilities, Of course the driver is responsible for the act of driving. The driver is in charge of the GPS and with help of the passenger in the front seat choosing the path that is followed. There are also several perks of driving. The driver is in charge of the temperature of the car. When I am driving, I tend to like it a little cooler than the other drivers. Now, the other occupants might request a temperature change, but only at the drivers discretion. The driver is also responsible for the music that is played.
*Side Note 2 – That can get tricky, as if you want to plug your phone into an ox-cord, you have to also have your GPS set, so you need to monitor your battery usage. If your car has Bluetooth, then you can both play your playlist from your phone and keep the charge cord plugged in.
*Side Note 3 – Me, I like the 80s and 90s channel, so I can stay plugged in and have the GPS ap open.
The driver is also the decision maker on when to stop for gas, when to stop for a restroom break (usually the same time/place) and also deciding when their driving shift ends. The driver’s say in when their shift is over is not to be questioned. It’s not safe to drive if not alert, so the driver’s decision is final and not up for debate.
*Side Note 4 – it can be “suggested” that a shift be extended in minor forms to get to a better place to pull over.
The driver is also responsible for open and shutting of the windows when odors arise
*Side Note 5 – I’m sure you know what I mean when I just say “odors”.
2 Front Passenger. This passenger has several key roles. Most important is to engage in conversation with the driver when the driver needs conversation to stay alert and make the driving possible during their driving shift. The passenger is also responsible for making various calls that need to be made: calling the banks if needed to allow out of state use of debit cards, double checking on making sure the cat was being watched, calls from various people for various things. The passenger also has 2 other seriously important functions.
One important function is the huge responsibility to receive all the offerings from the drive thru window and properly distributing it to the correct persons. This is done with practice. Not only food, but straws, and napkins.
In tricky areas with high traffic, the front passenger is also lead navigator. A GPS is most helpful, but the exits and different directional signs can be tricky when traffic is high and/or bad weather is making driving difficult. Often, the driver needs to keep his focus on the road and traffic and the GPS can cause attention to be taken off the road. VERY important to have a trained co-navigator in the passenger seat.
The next HUGE function of the front seat passenger is the settling of disputes that might be coming from the back seat. This includes “she keeps touching me” and “Tell her to put her shoes on” and the constant “You’re music is too loud”.
3. Back Seat Passenger(s). They also play an important role in a long road trip. If you are on the road as much as we are, we will pack snacks and a cooler of water and other beverages of choice. It’s their responsibility to be available to pass forward a snack or beverage to the front seat people. It’s also a huge responsibility to gather up any trash at every stop so that the vehicle stays as neat as possible.
*Side Note 6 – YES – we HAVE been “THAT family” that pulled up to the fancy Disney resort hotel, open the van door and trash spills out.
It’s also a vital role that the back seat passenger(s) constantly ask, “Are we there yet?”. Because you see, as a driver, you might forget to look at your GPS to see how much is left to your destination. The back seat passenger(s) is also responsible for keeping peace in the vehicle. They start this by NOT touching the other person. NOT looking at the other person. NOT crossing over the imaginary line that divides the space each person has.
*Side Note 7 – it’s also THEIR responsibility to clean up the line drawn in crayon when the “imaginary” line wasn’t being adhered to and the had to use a different method.
The backseat passenger(s) is also responsible for resting and sleeping. If the driver has finished his/her driving shift, they might want to relax in the back seat and maybe close their eyes. Just as important is that the back seat be a resting/sleeping space, so as to not annoy the people in the front seat.
The person(s) in the back are also helpful in keeping conversation and laughter going. It makes the long drive more pleasurable and keeps the driver alert.
There you have it. The Sumstine list of responsibilities for a long road trip.
We’ve done countless long trips with no overnight stops, so on this it is absolutely “Because Jim Says”
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