What advice would you give your 23 year old

[HelenePA]

Dont drink and drive.. see ya when ya get home.

ETA at 23 I had 2 kids and was in the process of buying our house.. I no longer answered to my mom since I was a mom

 

[pilotwife_02]

Make sure you have a car charger for the cell phone, plenty of gas money, call when she gets there (or stops for the night each night) and HAVE FUN!!

At 23 I was already a college graduate (graduated at 21), had a great paying job and was living on my own 1500 miles away from parents.

I know it must be scary (my sons are small), I can imagine how nervous you can be. Now that I have kids I feel bad thinking I may have stressed my parents out moving so far away so soon after I graduated from college (I moved less than a week after I graduated to live with my now DH, that's where he got a job).

 

[Tinkermommy]

I think there is some good advice here for anyone taking a car trip. I would also remind her that a cell phone car charger would be good to have as well.

My first flight ever was a business trip with AT&T when I was 18. I flew by myself, got a rental car (they did allow me to rent since I had a work ID and a corporate credit card) and had to drive an hour or more to a remote college in Indiana.

By 23, I had probably done about 20+ business trips by myself. And that was way before there were cell phones!

 

[Sorsha]

At 23, I'd been married for 3 years, and had a 2 year old. Had already made more than 20 car trips of at least a day or more either by myself, with friends, or with my hubby.

When I was 18 and started making these drives, back and forth to college, I think this is about what I was told:

Call when you get there, or if you need something.
Never pull over in a dark place.
Always fill up the car when its still light out.
Stop in busy places to go potty, etc
Here's the number for AAA. I was also taught how to change a tire, check the oil, etc - basic car maintenance.

This was all in the era of pre-cell phone. I would feel a lot more secure now, sending my young adult off to make a long drive, with a cell and a car charger.

In the case of a young adult going on a trip for fun, I would give a gentle reminder to have fun, but don't drink and drive, don't break any laws, and don't bring home any unintended souvenirs that might require medication or diapers.

 

[Amandaj0831]

by that age I was married with 2 kids so my advice would be have fun call if you need anything

 

[A_Princess'_Daddy]

While part of me wanted to give a snarky response (at 23 I was out of grad school and living 1200 miles away from my parents in a major city and perhaps remembered to check in weekly), I look at my DD5 and realize that I'll be terrified when she takes her first road trip, and in retrospect I'm sure that my parents were terrified with me living 1200 miles away, so I do feel for you and can understand what you're feeling!

Assuming she's mature and competent, then I'd give her the same advice as PPs (keep the car filled with gas, bring your cell phone charger, be careful, use common sense, stay in busy areas, check in periodically).

More than anything, I repeat the suggestion to ask her to use common sense and be safe. Better safe than a story on the 5:00 news...

 

[Planogirl]

I was two years married myself at that age and I'd already traveled quite a bit.

What can you really say? There's lots of good advice here but other than that all you can do is tell her to be careful.

 

[Jennasis]

Great advice so far. Make sure the vehicle is in working order (oil changed, all fluids filled), have a map and directions to destination or get a GPS. Phone and charger. ATM and cash or credit cards. AAA membership would be helpful.

Tell her to call you when she arrives and if she needs anything and tell her to have a blast!

 

[C.Ann]

Sounds like all the bases have been covered here, so make sure she has everything she needs, has everything in order, and calls you every so often to check in..

 

[Inigo]

When DD went on her first road trip with friends at 18, we made sure her car was in good shape, she had a AAA membership, a cell phone, a map, a GPS, and an emergency credit card, in addition to her regular money.

They drove from Indiana to the Asheville, NC, area.

At 18, I quit after my first year of college, packed my car, and drove to southern California from IN all by my little lonesome. I had friends waiting for me out there, but the trip out was me by myself, so I probably give DD more freedom than some parents would have. (And we won't tell DD, but I even slept in rest areas a couple times on my drive out to CA and when I moved back to IN two years later to go back to college.)

 

[maslex]

Two things that my father told me YEARS ago have ALWAYS stuck in my head....


1---When you're on the highway and driving in the passing lane, the best way to know if it's safe to pass over to the travel lane is to make sure you can see both head lights of the car in the travel lane (as always worked for me)


2--ALWAYS-ALWAYS-ALWAYS drive with your doors locked. I remember him telling me that someone could jump in the car while at a stop light. I'm sure these days, most doors on cars automatically locked once you start driving, but this is something that I've always had in the back of my mind.

 

[Micca]

Just gotta ask JanetRose, is there something about this trip that's cause for concern? Is she driving off into the wilderness or something?

 

[MarkBarbieri]

With a cell phone and a credit card, there isn't much that a person can't handle these days. I supposed a concealed carry permit and a gun might make some people feel better. If I was driving in risky conditions (snowy areas in the winter, deserts in the summer) I might also bring some emergency supplies like some food and water.

 

[golfgal]

Do all of you really call your parents whenever you go on a car trip somewhere to let them know you arrived???

 

[Magic Mom]

Do all of you really call your parents whenever you go on a car trip somewhere to let them know you arrived???

The first time I took a really long car trip, yes ( a million years ago) and if I am traveling by myself, yes. As a matter of fact, my mom calls me to let me know she's arrived safely when she is on a long trip.

 

[njcarita]

Do all of you really call your parents whenever you go on a car trip somewhere to let them know you arrived???

we do that now and I'm 45 year old married and mother of 3........ but my parents do the same... they always call us when they go away and arrive at there destination....


as to OP.....is she going alone or with friends????
at age 23 I was married and had worked the previous year in Manhattan...
but I still checked in with parents if I was going away.. when we arrived at our destinations....

 

[kacaju]

Do all of you really call your parents whenever you go on a car trip somewhere to let them know you arrived???

Yes, when my Dad was alive I always let him know when we left and when we got back home. Now that he is gone my SIL and I always let each other know.
With texting it is a simple text to let someone know you have arrived at your destination, same when we get home.

 

[golfgal]

I guess it never occurred to me to call my parents, or text them, when we go places . If we are going to visit them we call when we leave so they get an approximate time of when we will get there but that is about it.

 

[Imzadi]

this is about what I was told:

Call when you get there, or if you need something.
Never pull over in a dark place.
Always fill up the car when its still light out.
Stop in busy places to go potty, etc
Here's the number for AAA. I was also taught how to change a tire, check the oil, etc - basic car maintenance.

a cell and a car charger.

Adding if the car does break down, and it's on a lonely road, do NOT leave the car. If she's under the hood or fixing the tire, if someone pulls over to help, get back in the car and lock the door. Talk to them through a crack in the window.

Never get in the car with them, even if they say the gas station is a mile up the road. If for some reason she wasn't able to get a hold of AAA on her cellphone, ask them to call from the gas station. Never leave the car and go with someone else. If she did get a hold of AAA, tell them that, and she is waiting for AAA to fix the car, even if the guy offers to fix it for her - meaning she has to get out of the car to see what he will be doing under the hood.

Two things that my father told me YEARS ago have ALWAYS stuck in my head....


1---When you're on the highway and driving in the passing lane, the best way to know if it's safe to pass over to the travel lane is to make sure you can see both head lights of the car in the travel lane (as always worked for me)


2--ALWAYS-ALWAYS-ALWAYS drive with your doors locked. I remember him telling me that someone could jump in the car while at a stop light. I'm sure these days, most doors on cars automatically locked once you start driving, but this is something that I've always had in the back of my mind.

When you pass a truck, you should leave more space. That is a 3 ton truck behind. They can;t stop or slow down as fast as people think.

Also, when following a truck, if you can't see BOTH of their side-view mirrors, they can't see that you are behind them. You are too close.

 

[mdsoccermom]

Do all of you really call your parents whenever you go on a car trip somewhere to let them know you arrived???

Honestly, I always call my dad after I arrive home from visiting him. And he's 70 years old and always calls me after he gets home from visiting me. It's just a habit we've gotten into and are not inclined to stop.