Trip Alertz For Jetsetters, By Jetsetters
There are all types of ways you can travel if you think you want to hit the road this year. Many people canceled travel plans for many months when Covid-19 first appeared. This year, you may feel safe enough that you can take a trip you planned, even if the coronavirus is still around.
If you vaccinate yourself, you will probably feel at least somewhat better when traveling. You can also wear a mask when you’re around other people while on a train, plane, or bus. You might also avoid mask-wearing by taking your personal vehicle to wherever it is you’d like to go.
Driving means not being around other people, but it might take you longer to get somewhere than a flight. It’s up to you what sounds like it makes more sense, travel-wise.
Assuming you decide to drive to get where you want to go this year, you must remember to get your car a tune-up before you get out on the road. You should also check your tire status. Your car’s tires are vital, and you need yours to be in perfect condition for long drives.
What is Tire Negligence?
Some people love their cars, and they treat them like family members. They will wash and wax them at least once per week, and they will spend as much time in and around them as they can.
There are also people who really don’t care about cars very much or know all that much about them. These individuals usually see a car as just a way to get from Point A to Point B. They might barely do anything with their car, and that can be a problem when you need that vehicle for a longer drive.
Tire negligence is something that happens pretty frequently. Basically, that term just means you never check your tires or so much as glance at them.
That might be fine for a while, but a moment may come when your “check tire pressure” light comes on the dashboard. You need to immediately check your vehicle’s tire pressure then because it may be too low.
Why Does Low Tire Pressure Matter?
Low tire pressure matters because if the air is too low, that could mean the car will not brake as effectively as it otherwise might. You get less braking distance with low air in the tires.
Also, low tire pressure means you cannot handle or steer the car as well as you otherwise could. Low pressure lets the tire flex more than it should. That can lead to tread segment loss or the dreaded blowout.
A blowout is never a good thing, but if you’re traveling far from home when it happens, that can be a disaster. If a tire blows out, and you don’t have a suitable replacement for it, you might be out on the highway in the middle of some desert, waiting for a tow truck that could be hours away.
Check Your Tire Pressure Before You Leave
If you’re ready for that long-delayed trip this year, and you’re taking your car, check the tire pressure before you go. Remember that not every vehicle needs the same tire pressure. If you look at the information on the driver’s side door, it should tell you how many pounds per square inch the tires should have.
There are devices you can buy now on Amazon that can put air in your tires and check the pressure right there in your driveway. They don’t cost very much. If you don’t have one, you can drive to any gas station and do it there at one of the quarter-operated machines. Some of them even take credit cards now.
Check the Spare Tire as Well
The one other thing worth doing before you leave for your trip is to check your spare tire’s status. If you’ve got a spare in the trunk, how old is it? Generally, car experts feel you should replace that spare tire if it’s more than six years old. This rule applies even you never used that spare tire since you’ve owned it.
If you do these things, you should feel a lot more confident about your travels. It might not even be a bad idea to take your car to a mechanic so they can give it a thorough tune-up before you leave. It doesn’t cost all that much, and they might detect a problem while you’re still in town.
