Failure to plan is planning to fail

Process Analysis, Kirsten Daykin Written Comm. Robert Burke 11/06/2013

 

Process analysis for USA Geography and Scenery's topic “Are you prepared for your journey?”

 

   Failure to plan is planning to fail.

    As simple as this sounds it is true and very serious when you travel. The precarious situations you can find yourself in would be dangerous, risky, vulnerable and life threatening. Stranded on a highway at 3am in bad weather and you have no cell phone. Cell phones have made our lives much safer and even now we have On Star road service and such other services. But let’s just say for an instance you are in a dead zone with no signal, this happens in many places even in highly populated areas but remotely it can be life threatening. What would you do? Place your flashers on, maybe open your engine hood to show trouble to oncoming traffic and hope for help from local authorities. If you have mechanical skills and tools you would be more apt to get out and attempt to resolve your problems. Keeping extra fuel, oil, anti-freeze, extra battery and lights on hand is also a plus. Keeping blankets, road flares, food and water is also to your advantage. Even simple things like letting someone know where you are or going to be at any time so when you don’t arrive they will call for help for you. When you live in a rural farm area you know the value of having a network of friends who watch and wait for you regularly. If you or someone you know is elderly than you know how vital it can be.

   In the beginning of a trip to let’s say the mountains and you are traveling by car or RV or camper, is your vehicle road ready? Is it strong enough to make the trip? Have you packed or over packed your mule to the brink? Many of us do not consider these questions until it’s too late and the journey has already begun. Before you even take the map out of the glove box, you should be at the garage talking to your mechanic. One of the first things to know is, is your engine road worthy? Is your vehicle road worthy? Be sure to have everything properly inspected and all servicing done such as oil, transmission oil, radiator coolant as well as wheels and brakes, tires and grease. Being diligent to your cars performance will make all the difference in your success in traveling. When you are going to an extreme climate and difficult driving terrain, these precautions may save your life.

   Is your vehicle strong enough to do the work you intend it to? If you have a V-6 engine and you have loaded the car up to the max with say a trailer and the maximum load on the trailer is at the limit of your trailer hitches weight limit, you are asking for trouble especially if you are headed for the mountains but more specifically your engine will be exhausted and sure to fail if it is at the limits of what it can do. Be sure to know your towing capacity and your weight limits should be well below the maximum. Do not expect your vehicle to do what it is not designed to do. If you are looking for fuel efficiency and economy then that’s what you will get but don’t be a pack mule ready for a break down. Climbing rough terrain on a mountainside your vehicle will be put through a lot of punishment and one common problem is the transmission of a vehicle it will overheat and fail. The other common problem is the brakes as they too can overheat and fail, the two things you don’t want to face when climbing or ascending a mountain range.

   Have you packed your luggage and supplies right? If you have got everything all jammed into the back of your minivan and the top rack is loaded with the camping supplies, well you might reconsider how much weight you have put on your axles and springs. Your suspension is also very important to your safety. How many passengers are you carrying is also a weight factor. Being top heavy and driving through heavy wind is a serious problem combined with driving through a mountain range can be a serious problem. From my own personal experience I have had to replace a vehicle in the mountain range because of break down, I have had to make several very expensive repairs to transmissions and brakes as well as had broken suspension at a critical time on the mountainside. I have hauled U-Haul’s over the mountain with a V-6 motor and will not try it again. What was a very good condition vehicle was completely worn out after the trip across the mountains.  What should have cost $1,500 to $2,000 in turn cost $4,000. If you’re not prepared and don’t have that kind of money you may very well find yourself stranded. Preparedness is the key and being realistic about the job at hand is vital. Once you do know what to expect don’t ignore it. If your vehicle is unsafe don’t chance it. If your load is unsafe unload it. Having good travel insurance is vital or even a credit card with a borrowing limit. Being safe is the message here and when traveling with family or others it is also their safety as well. The one thing I do not suggest is traveling alone, the risk factors are very high especially with crime and other hazards you may encounter. If you are determined to get to the other side of the mountain and you are not ready for a very scary ride up or down the mountain, go around it. It can be done and will save you a bad ordeal and much safer although it is a variance in distance, time and costs it may be a better alternative.

   In conclusion; Many people feel at home when they are out and about traveling and you may as well it is what America has become very used to doing and having all of the creature comforts have become quite vital in our safety yet when the comforts do not work or help us we can be very helpless in a dangerous situation. Many people carry emergency equipment and supplies to help others on the roadside. It is something that can save lives. Even if you don’t have a lot of money or all the bells and whistles on board you should still have an alternative and a network of people you can count on.