Tolerance for driving
 

Just curious - if you are going to a vacation destination, visiting friends and family, going to a wedding, etc... How many hours of driving are you willing to tolerate until you consider breaking up the trip or flying?

I've been encountering folks who have a lower tolerance for driving lately. My evidence is purely anecdotal and my circle of acquaintances include more and more non-Americans. I don't even think twice about driving 4 to 6 hours.

I have to drive a lot for business, so consequently, driving isn't that big of a deal to me.

Most of the time I won't consider flying unless the destination is more than 6.5 hrs away (or if i need to get there quickly).

I'd do it if I can do it in a day. That's about 11-12 hours of driving, or about 700 miles. And depends on region. If it's in the Northeast, I'd consider the train.

Being in mid-Michigan, I can drive 8-10 hours and still be in Michigan. Just got back from a white water rafting trip in WV. That was 10 hours of driving. Never even considered flying.

My biggest concern is time available. I will fly to places that I know I could drive to if my time is very limited. On the other hand, DH and I have done 2-3 week road trips and put on 2000-3000 miles easily.

I would much rather drive than fly. When I drive, I know the maximum time it will take to get there. When I fly, I know the minimum time it will take. If I go anywhere within 800 miles, driving is usually quicker or the same as flying. We just drove back from Wyoming over 1,000 miles in 16 hours. We averaged 64 mph including all stops.

Since I live 1.5 hours from the airport, and you have to get there 1.5 hours before the flight leaves, and you can't fly anywhere I want to go directly from Little Rock which means changing planes and waiting in airports, it essentially takes a full day to go anywhere.

Plus, when I drive, I can take more stuff and I know it will arrive the same time I do.

My mom has phobias that make it impossible for her to fly or take trains or boats. We drove everywhere as family when I was younger. We lived in Chicago, and I've driven from there to San Francisco, Florida, Maine, Texas, and pretty much anywhere in between. I've also driven from San Francisco to Cabo San Lucas.

That said, now that I'm an adult, I refuse to drive. My limit is now probably around 5-6 hours. After that, I'm all about flying.

Everyone has a different perspective, but if I can fly without having to get a second mortgage I go for it rather than drive more than about 3-4 hours. Sometimes it is also a matter of driving conditions in or on the way to a destination - for example, driving into Houston is an abysmal experience from the west (the last 50 miles often takes longer than the previous 200) so I'll fly instead. In urban parts of the US East Coast where train service is available I opt for that rather than having to hassle with traffic and parking, plus the transit time is great for getting some work done or just chilling.

I like to chat, eat, drink, read, while I travel. More than 2 hours or any heavy traffic and I am on the train. The train is also nice if your are tall.

Easy one.

If it takes more than 3 hours in a car-- and I don't need my car to lug stuff there or back-- I fly.

I've done way too many road trips in my life. Having said that, the road trips in my part of the US (coastal California) are pretty gorgeous, so I *am* planning a wine tasting trip up to the Central Coast.

I also have the advantage of having five commercial airports within 50 miles of my house (including one two miles away), so cheap airfares abound.

Driving in rush hour traffic is way awful, but the toll roads in Portugal and Mexico are way great, albeit expensive - think die Autobahnen without any traffic.
M

We use to take a lot of car trips and I always enjoyed them. Sometime ago the traffic got bad and consequently I really don't like to travel very far in a car anymore. Like Seamus 3 to 4 hours is about it. But I have been in other areas with better conditions and then a long car trip is fine..as long as whoever is driving is a good driver of course.

I still love to personally drive, but not where I live due to the very heavy traffic on I-80, so many terrible drivers and the condition of our interstate. As our local newspaper editor said a few months ago..the potholes can make your teeth come loose, lol.

Ditto (totally) to richbutnot!

We would much rather drive than fly. In 2005 we drove from Seattle to the Branson area, to Milwaukee and back home. This year we drove down to California, over to New Mexico, and up through Utah to Seattle. I've been a pilot since 1962, made my living at it for a good many years, and I just can't stand the hassle these days.

Driving to the destination is just part of the whole adventure.

Utahtea

If its more than 200-225 miles away from me one way forget about it, with the price of gas its probably cheaper and less of a hassle to fly.

You know us Californians driving is like our life's blood. Driving 8 or 10 hours is pretty much a regular thing for vacationers and no one bats an eye (or is it eyelash?).

ROAD TRIP!!!!!

Road trips are my absolute favorite way to vacation.

I have to fly so much for work and HATE the stressful hassle that flying has become.

I'm not afraid of flying at all but would much rather drive (ride) than fly. In fact, I hate to drive but Mr.GoTravel is such a Nervous Nellie if I drive (he shreiks like a little girl :-D ) that I will not drive any longer with him in the car and he drives.

Some places it just isn't practical to drive to; NYC, Chicago, across country (although I have done it twice), the islands, Europe so I will fly.

Nothing like loading up the cooler, suitcases, beach chairs, and a load of good music and heading south on I-95!

I generally start looking into plane tickets if anything is over 4 hours away. I hate to drive and will avoid it at all costs.

LOL... just walked in the door 30min ago.. drove to San Diego from AZ yesterday for a wedding last night.. back today. total driving time within 31 hours - 14hours. next weekend will be a repeat for another wedding! i love to drive.

I can do 8 hours by myself and 14 if I share the driving. 3 hours? What a bunch of lightweights! ;)

Good one... being in Alaska, where everything is a drive, we get used to distance. Many people brave the Alcan every year, for that matter.
My teen son is about to start flying lessons(on my short list too), and the instructor told us that with a four passenger plane between the peninsula and Anchorage, (and being in their club which includes a car in Anchorage), it's more of a bargain to fly, assuming others share the cost. (Takes about 2.5 hrs. one way) --Works out to $30 r.t. pp, prozac not included!
With flying rocks, darting moose and people who forget to signal, I'd rather fly just about anywhere. J.

I love to drive. If Mr.L8 and I have a good audio book the time just flies by.
We will do a 10 hour drive with no problem. 6-8 is preferable.

I do a lot of driving for work, so 12-14 hours is no problem for me. I cant get to the airport, fly anywhere and get my stuff and a car in less than 4-5 hours so i won't consider flying anywhere less than an 8 hr drive. Just my personal preference

Gotravel, I agree with you about flying..it's not so much that I love to drive, it's just that I've gotten to hate flying. I'm not afraid of flying, I just get completely stressed out about getting to the airport on time (we usually fly out of NY, so there's ALWAYS traffic), I hate schlepping luggage, going through security, waiting in lines, sitting in coach, starving enroute, and being confined to a schedule.

At least when you drive you leave when you want, stop when you want and don't have to find yourself wedged between (sometimes) unpleasant strangers!

I do no more than 500 miles a day.

I would MUCH prefer to drive somewhere than to deal with the stress of today's airport travel. Things were bad enough post 9/11, but with high fuel prices airlines are flying more regional jets and the "cattle car" experience has increased significantly. I can't remember the last time I've actully been on a wide body (L1011) plane!

I prefer to fly but DBF loves to drive. We drive from DC to NH a few times a year - about 9 hours. We sometimes fly instead.

We drive 6 hours to CT without a problem.

So, if I am by myself, I'd say 6 hours. If DBF is driving, longer doesn't bother me.

6 Hours is my Max. drive time. That gets me home to Ohio (via car) & to Amelia Island. Farther than that & I fly.

I'd drive twelve hours rather than have the stress of flying. I wish there were roads to Europe! :) Or at least trains all the way "across" the oceans. ;)

Whatever happened to all those "by the year 2000" predictions of being able to get into our own little "air pods" and zipping through the skies to wherever we wanted...like the Jetsons?!

I have a large tolerance for driving vacations, and much prefer a driving vacation. But the time element almost always make flying a necessity.

IMHO, you just don't know a state or country at all until you drive all the way across it at least once.

But I've always had a couple of great drivers to pair with me so I do get to view as well as be the driver, and it makes a huge difference. 3 or 4 hours would be the max per day by myself.

We just did 9 hours going to Toronto and it was the most educational day of the year, so far. Why do they not have rest stops every 60 miles or so in Ontario? Do you know what Nexis only means? Great views, lots of contact with small and medium town locals- I love drive vacations the best.

Yeah baby! ROAD TRIP!! Open highway, great music, a few snacks, and (most times) some good company. What could be better than that?

I used to prefer to fly all the time, but flying has become more a hassle lately. If I have the luxary of time, I'll drive to my destination. Time is more a factor, not distance.

I have a trip planned for Seattle in a couple weeks, then an Alaskan cruise from there. I live in the CA Central Valley, so I scheduled hotel stays after 5 1/2-6 hours of driving. So if my plans are correct, we should be in Seattle on day 3 of our road trip.

GT,
I am SO with you. My husband is the same way. I'm trying to talk him into a road trip to Montreal (about 6 hours from home). I offered to drive & he still doesn't want to do it, probably because he hates to be a passenger (or maybe just MY passenger).

I always loved road trips & rarely get to do them.

I've driven ten hours by myself. I took a nap and then drove another ten to get where I wanted to go.

I once drove 900 miles alone in one day with my three kids who were at that time, 4, 6 & 9. I also had an aching wisdom tooth at the time! LOL

^Surely your kids are all in therapy now from said trip. I know I would be!! LOL!

We are notoriously wimpy when it comes to driving times. We just returned from a 5 hour trip, which is our limit. At the end of the summer, we have to drive our daughter's car with her across the country to Maryland. We are not looking forward to that! Any suggestions on how to make it more tolerable, from Denver?

MaureenB,

If you and your DH have to fly home from Maryland, then it might even be cheaper in the long run to have the car transported to Maryland and have your daughter fly there. If you really dread the driving, then I would look into it. My DS bought a car in NJ and we live in CA. He didn't have time to drive it home so he had it transported and it wasn't that outragious in price.

Utahtea

MaureenB - What's "your problem" anyways? ;) Seriously, I mean, why do you find a long road trip that hard. Is it physical - like your back? Your butt? Falling asleep? Car sick? Or is it psychological - like you get restless? Nervous? Boredom? Or is it a marital problem? ;)

And what have you done, or tried to do, to alleviate it?

We need to diagnose "your problem" before we can give you advice! :)

6 hours. My 4 year old makes life miserable for everybody after 6 hours.

Sharon

I have found that heated seats do wonders alleviating that 'barrel ass' feeling my butt gets after a certain amount of time.