Road Trip Checklist

Someone recently talked about the idea of a road trip, and being one of the commonest quick getaways from Singapore, it’s something that most people wouldn’t think twice about doing.

But apart from being YOLO and suddenly upping and storming across the crossway to your next escapade, there are those who have encountered actual problems with their cars during the course of the road trip, and these can range from minor annoyances to a cancelled holiday.

While there’s no way to predict what could happen, especially external factors that are out of anyone’s control, there are a few things you could do to prevent simple things from ruining your holiday.

Okay I’m all for a solo drive, because it can be extremely serene and help you get away from everything.

But considering not everyone has the time, luxury or tolerance for isolation, most of us are gonna grab a friend or go with the family on a driving holiday.

And also due to the nature of border control which tends to have much room for efficiency improvement, we tend to start our road trips early. Which means that your vehicle commander is typically in eyes-closed-mouth-open mode.

Okay if said vehicle commander is the wife, you’re pretty much on your own here.

But in all seriousness, those who drive up frequently will tell you how important it is to have a partner beside you that is alert and able to help with stuff.

Everything from passports to grabbing drinks and communicating with the rest of the convoy (if you have a couple of buddies driving with you), and even with the smallest things like helping you keep an eye out for cops, road obstacles and whatnot, whoever called shotgun should ideally be an extra help, not a sound effects mixer with various snorts and grunts as their head bobs from left to right, up and down.

Something as elementary as a walk around check the day before you set off is a must.

You’d be surprised how many people don’t do this and end up missing very simple things that could be fixed easily.

For example, checking that all your lights are working takes barely five minutes and will ensure that you are visible especially during inclement weather and at night. Making sure your headlights work will also not leave you exposed to potential hazards in the dark where unlike here, our neighbour up north tends not to have so many well maintained street lights.

Look around the car for anything that is off, including anything from a flatter tyre to a loose number plate holder will allow you to rectify any issues before you set off, giving you peace of mind.

Check under your bonnet for the right level of engine oil, coolant and windshield washer fluid. Make sure there are no leaks or anything broken, which forms a basic check for signs of anything wrong in the engine bay.

Many people don’t inflate their tyres regularly to begin with, but before you embark on a couple of hundred kilometres non-stop, you might want to check them.

Getting the tyres properly inflated will keep your car riding like it should, and give you the correct handling characteristics the car should deliver.

As you inflate your tyres, you will also be able to tell if anyone of them has a leak which you need to patch. One telltale sign of a slow leak is when one of your tyres is significantly less inflated than the rest when you re-inflate them, assuming of course you put the right tyres pressures in the last time you did this.

While you check the pressures, do also check the condition of the tyres, looking at the thread wear indicator as well as the wear condition of each tyre, making sure they’re not worn down nor have any foreign object piercing through them.

Tyre trouble is one of the most common causes of grief on a road trip, and where most folks here don’t change their own tyres as the tow truck is a simple call away. But not so when you’re over the border where help is not always as easily sought as here.

So too, make sure your spare tyre is in good working condition, and is properly inflated and stored with all the necessary tools including the jack, correct lug nut tools and so on.

For those that have no spare tyres, ensure that you have a proper tyre repair kit to tide you over to the nearest tyre shop.

Not just your personal documentation, but yes, remember to bring your passport because if not, you’ll just look like a completely fool, especially if you’ve queued for some time at the customs.

But here, we refer to your car’s identification documents, including a valid road tax renewal status and insurance documents.

While you won’t typically need them, these documents will ensure that you have the necessary paperwork should there be any checks from lawmen and also in case anything goes sideways and your car becomes the victim of a crime.

It’s advisable to keep a copy of these documents both in the car and with your person, in the event that anything happens to the car while you’re away from it.

Last but not least, you’ll need a road trip in-car party kit.

Afterall, you’re stuck in the car for extended hours so you’ll need all the entertainment you can get.

Make sure your twenty-disc changer is stocked with the right CDs, and carry a spare cassette if your mood chan – oh wait.

I mean ensure your iPod has the right playlists, and all your favourite tunes are loaded – no that’s not right either.

Oh yes. Ensure that you’re either on TPG or have your roaming data activated and get your spotify playlist in order. Nothing is worse than a road trip with crappy music; or worse, no music at all.

My personal hack is to keep one of those ice cooler boxes in the car, complete with gel ice packs or some sort of portable cooler bricks that will keep your favourite sodas cold. But don’t get canned drinks, because those are a recipe for disaster on the move.

Instead, get bottled drinks which you can stock up just across the causeway as you refuel and make sure you stock up plain old water, because it’s versatile for hydration, washing and even topping up your radiator should the need arise.

Chips, snacks and the obligatory candy are key essentials on a road trip, and make sure you get stuff that’s easy to open and eat on the go, because Nasi Lemak isn’t quite the road trip go-to breakfast.

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