Road Trip Rules

Unless you''re heading out on a road trip all by yourself (and that might not be so much fun), you really should establish some ground rules with your travel companions. A road trip is a lot more enjoyable for everybody if each passenger knows what''s expected of him or her.

Deciding on how to divide up responsibilities and functions can put you on "cruise control," preventing possible arguments at every step of the way.

Basic Issues

Decide up front who will be driving or how the driving will be divided. Naturally, it''s always best to have the most experienced drivers doing the lion''s share behind the wheel, but remember to divide up the task of driving so that each person is afforded a break. Also, because driving at night or for an extended period of time can be a tiresome chore, choose a designated "talker" to keep the driver alert at all times.

Decide on how to divide up expenses for gas, car maintenance and more. Ask your travel buddies some of the following questions to make the rules clear beforehand:

• Is smoking allowed or not?
• When, why and how often will you make "pit stops" or food stops or stops for any reason at all?

What''s Eating You?

When you''re on the road, stopping for meals can be a big part of the experience. The most experienced road trippers establish rules for where and when to pull over when hunger strikes.

For instance, road trip purists follow this credo: "Experience the things that you can''t find at home." In other words, avoid chain restaurants. Go to local places instead. Find hole-in-the-wall places in the middle of small towns and see how the locals live and eat. Ask locals where their favorite restaurant is in town so you can get a taste of the local flavor that will be authentic.

Avoid restaurants that offer more than one cuisine (i.e., Chinese AND Italian AND America food all in one place). Think positively, and try and stop at all farmers'' markets and produce stands to soak up local flavor and enjoy local fruits and vegetables.

In conclusion, life is all about boundaries, balance and compromise. By setting up the expectations and dividing up responsibility, you can minimize your anxiety and make your road trip go that much more smoothly.