Why you should not drive yourself on long distance trip
Road trips can be a lot of fun. They can also create dangerous situations if you leave for a long road trip without the proper planning. Many people think that they will just figure out places to stop in between the trip, places to eat, and who is going to drive once they have started out on a long car ride, but this can be unwise.
There are many considerations that you should take into consideration before you embark on a long-distance drive. Make sure that you think about all of the items on this list before you climb in the car to head out on your trip, and you will have fun, be safe, and get the most out of the experience!
First of all, long-distance can mean something very different from one person to the next. For some people, driving a couple of hours is a long distance to travel. For others, travelling inter-state counts as a long drive.
No matter what distance you are driving, you should always think through your decision of long-distance driving before choosing to drive yourself. No doubt, it would be fun if you were not driving on the current Nigerian road, especially in this period where insecurity is at its peak.
The big question is why should you not drive yourself on a long-distance trip?
- Insecurity
With the increasing number of high-way kidnapping and bandits/unknown gunmen operations within the country, it will be a high risk to drive through territories you’re not used to as you may just drive yourself into their den, all thanks to google map.
2. Bad Roads
Have you ever thought of what might happen if you are on a high speed, say 160KM/H because of how free the road seems and seeing that it is the highway, all of a sudden, you saw series of ditches in front, what would you do?
You may have the right answer to this though right now, but do you think that thought would cross your mind when confronted with this in a flash?
Long-distance professional drivers are already accustomed to this route and know where they need to start slowing down from but, you won’t know this because you hardly make these trips regularly.
3. Too Much Check-Points
If you drive mostly within the southern part of Nigeria, one of the reoccurring issues you will have to deal with are military checkpoints. You get to see one almost every 30 minutes interval and this can be tiring as it is accompanied by one-way traffic plus random stop and search. Believe us, this is one headache you would definitely not want to go through.
4. Illegal Stop and Search by FRSC and NPF
The moment you are on a good portion of the road where you think you can cover up miles that have been wasted on the bad road, then you will see either FRSC or NPF randomly stopping vehicles with military personnel on standby. If you’re pulled aside, you may be delayed unnecessarily and this can be handled easily by professional long-distance drivers as they are aware of how to handle the situation without you spending your entire precious time on a road trip.
5. Irresponsible Drivers.
Most of the accidents that occur on the highway can be traced back to irresponsible driving.
Take, for instance, some lanes on the Nigerian highway are bad and most of the time, both traffic are on one lane and two cars are trying to overtake a trailer at the same time, what do you think this might lead to??? Professional long-distance drivers know how to spot this type of fellows because they encounter them more frequently than you and you may become a victim if you get to spot these irresponsible drives late.
6. Highway Traffic
If you think Lagos traffic is mad, then pray you don’t get caught up in highway traffic as the experience is horrible because in that instant, a robbery may occur or the traffic may remain standstill for hours and end of the day, you get to pass the night on the highway.
The advantage of the professional long distanced drivers is that they know some neighbouring villages they could drive through to bypass such traffic, thereby saving you the luxury of time. You wouldn’t know this because this is not your day-to-day life or you may be scared to follow a vehicle driving away from the highway through a village as well.
7. Your Mental Health
After going through all of the above stress, on getting to your destination, you will be so exhausted and wasted to even think of speaking to anyone for long that day. If you were driven by a long-distance professional driver, you will be able to recharge throughout the journey by taking in-between naps and as well not stressing yourself driving.
At pylot.ng, we provide you with professional drivers inclusive of professional long-distance who are used to the Nigerian highway terrain as well as the daily occurrence on the road and how to navigate through it or get around it.
You can send a mail to findus@pylot.ng or call 08090522321 for further enquiries or booking of your pylot tody.
BASIC MAINTENANCE FOR YOUR CAR
Having a car without running some basic maintenance can make you always have a mechanic on your speed dial as well as make the car lose its market value rapidly as a result of the consequences of not taking care of it. Just like humans, if you refuse to pay proper attention to your health by eating healthy, having sufficient sleep, exercising when needed, having a medical checkup when you feel unusual, and cultivating a healthy lifestyle, it will lead you into getting bed rest. The same can be said about your car if you refuse to run basic maintenance on it.
There is arguably a lot of maintenance that could be done on a car monthly or quarterly, and this can get overwhelming very quickly. However, narrowing down the list into the things that you really should focus on will help you get organized and ready to tackle this project of having a road-worthy car.
1. Schedule An Oil Filter And Oil Change
Why should you routinely change your oil? Motor oil works to lubricate your engine, so it’s not surprising that it will naturally pick up impurities especially if you live in a drier and dustier area. Changing both your engine oil and your filters will rid you of accumulated debris or sludge before they can do permanent damage to your engine.
2. Test Your Car Battery And Replace It If Necessary
Higher temperatures are part of our reality lately. These temperatures can evaporate your essential battery fluids and speed up the corrosion process. This could eventually kill your battery too. Avoid having the frustration of a car that won’t start by getting your car battery tested in the spring. If necessary, replace it before you get stranded.
3. Have Your Car Detailed Or Clean The Interior
Slush, mud, road salt, and more are things that can end up on the inside of your car from sticking to your boots, and they can create a mess in your interior. One option you have is to bring your car in to get detailed by a professional. However, you can also clean it yourself using this car-cleaning guide. It outlines everything you need to do to get a sparkling clean car that is ready for spring and summer adventures.
4. Refill Wiper Fluid And Replace Wiper Blades
Your windshield wipers are most likely looking worse for wear. Maybe they’re to the point where they’re chattering, smearing water across your windshield, or just not working well enough to give you a clear field of vision. If cleaning them doesn’t improve anything, then it’s time to replace the blades in time. Top off your wiper fluid while you’re at it.
5. Check Tire Tread And Pressure
Before you go out for the day, check your tire pressure. Adjust your tires based on your readings. You want your tire pressure to match the recommended tire pressure listed in your vehicle’s manual or better still, it should match your driving taste. It’s especially important to check between rainy and dry seasons because temperature fluctuations can impact tire pressure. Generally speaking, your tires will gain or lose one pound per square inch for every 10-degrees of temperature change. Over-inflated or under-inflated tires can cause problems for you.
This is also a great time to check tire tread depth. If your tires don’t have enough tread on them, they won’t be able to grip the road as the manufactures designed them to. In turn, this could impact how well your vehicle handles in wet weather and how quickly you can stop.
6. Replace Bulbs And Clean Your Lights
If you’ve found yourself squinting when you drive in the dark, you might need to give your lights a good cleaning. Just like the body of your car gets dirty, the taillights and headlights can too. Think of all the slush that splashes up on your car in the winter. Get a soft toothbrush and polish hazy headlights. Add a little baking soda to water to make a paste to help them shine brighter. If that doesn’t work, you may need to replace the bulbs.
7. Check And Top-up Your Emergency Kit
While this isn’t technically vehicle maintenance, it’s still a good idea to get in the habit of checking and topping up your emergency kit as needed. Make sure you have the basics at all times, like a first aid kit, cables, reflective triangles, tire gauge, drinking water, and flashlights. It’s also a good idea to have reserve vehicle fluids like oil, brake fluid, and transmission fluid on hand. A gallon of water is a must too.
Bottom Line
Whether you plan to drive across town or across the country this period, it’s a good idea to bring your car in for a courtesy check. The technicians will usually look at your fluid levels, tires, wipers, lights, belts, and battery at the minimum to spot problems. The goal is to get any required maintenance out of the way to extend the life of your car and make sure you have a reliable form of transportation in every season.
To ease you of all this stress, a professional driver would come in handy at an affordable fee from us. You could focus on your day-to-day life while the driver gets to drive you around as well as keep the vehicle in check to ensure that your vehicle life is prolonged.
Visit http://bit.ly/getApylot to get a professional driver at your service today.
THE DRIVER CHECKLIST
Often time, due to the tight work schedule, industry professionals and corporate executives tend to hire a driver to drive them while they try to maximize every single minute of the traffic. The only mistake they make when hiring such drivers is not putting their driver through “DRIVER’S CHECKLIST” and the consequence of such a decision is often changing their driver every three months.
The “driver checklist” you need to put your driver through will help you in hiring the right one, the list is as followed.
Reliable
As a business executive, you need a personal driver who is reliable and trustworthy. You need to be able to count on your driver to arrive when scheduled and follow their routes in a timely and efficient manner.
On-Time
Drivers need to show up on time. Whether they are making deliveries or driving a route. drivers need to be able to start their routes at a specific time to keep the fleet operation running efficiently.
Alert
You need a driver who will be safe on the roads. Making sure drivers are alert and aware of their surroundings is a key quality to look for in new hires. Drivers need to be able to focus on the road and tune out other distractions, while also anticipating the movements of other drivers on the road. Possessing these qualities can help ensure drivers will take safety precautions when driving their routes.
Good Driving Record/Driving License
It goes without saying that drivers need to have clean driving records. Before hiring a driver, fleet operations need to ensure the prospective hires have a spotless driving record, both to make sure they are hiring a safe, responsible driver, and also to avoid higher insurance premiums.
Having a driving license is non-negotiable as it keeps the law enforcers away from harassing the driver and delaying you from getting to your destination on time. It as well gives the driver peace of mind that they’re not violating the basic law guiding driving.
Excellent Vision and Hearing
All drivers should undergo vision and hearing tests prior to being hired to ensure they are cleared to legally and safely operate a vehicle.
Good Communication Skills
Make sure potential drivers have good communication skills because no one wants to stay mute in their car all through the journey. You want to have a conversation occasionally with your driver and you want to be confident that you won’t develop headaches after the conversation because of wrong communication skills from your driver.
Having good communication skills also enables drivers to relate well to management and co-workers, as they are better able to convey messages and issues.
Mechanically Savvy
While drivers don’t have to be technicians, it helps to have drivers who have the minimal mechanical knowledge to be able to detect and convey any potential issues with the vehicle. Knowing something is wrong with the vehicle early on before it becomes a larger issue is key to keeping vehicles on the road. Also, having drivers been able to explain problems they are experiencing with the vehicle will help technicians be able to better diagnose the issue.
The Big question is where can you get such a driver without losing your precious time all in the name of check listing them? At pylot.ng, we help provide vetted drivers who have gone through this checklist and are ready to deploy. All you have to do is reach out to us for your choice driver and we supply to you so that your precious time can be better used on what matters more to you than you driving through the traffic.
WE ARE HIRING DRIVERS
Are you an experienced driver, ready to join a family and company of professionalism and excellence?
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