Some essential skills for road trip passengers include handling navigation cues and overseeing the driver’s technology needs.Getty Images
Some people are drivers and some are passengers. As a self-avowed passenger, I have managed to hone the long-distance road trip experience to somewhat of an art. The responsibilities of a driver are straightforward: Get everyone to the destination safely in a more-or-less timely manner. The role of the passenger is more nuanced. Here are some things to bear in mind to secure the position of the driver’s right-hand person, particularly if you are someone who isn’t going to be taking a turn behind the wheel.
First and foremost, the passenger is the navigator – that means no napping on the job, even if you hit the road at daybreak and even if the scenery is very boring. Online maps and GPS have made this responsibility far less onerous than it was in the past. No more do you have to unfold a map in a panic while your dad yells “Is this the turn, Jennifer?”
Still, it’s a good idea to have a general idea of the route and even better to have the confidence needed to guide your driver with lots of advance notice. Knowing the next exit is on the left will make you an invaluable person to have in the car. That, and bringing the good snacks.
Pamela MacNaughtan, who runs the travel website Urban Guide Quebec, has a passion for road trips and has documented her cross-North America drives on social media and in writing. To really knock your “great passenger” status into the stratosphere, she advises becoming an active participant in the route planning. “If you see there is construction on the main highway, grab the phone and start searching for alternative roads,” she says. A driver can’t do it on the fly, but you can.
Being in charge of the tech is largely the passenger’s domain. Have some excellent playlists with broad appeal ready to go. Now is not the time to indulge in your highly specific Swedish grindcore musical taste, unless it is a genre beloved by everyone in the car. Some other ideas to bring the party include downloading online quizzes – who doesn’t want to while away the hours discovering which Kardashian they are? – and silly games like MadLibs, which I assure you, is still as fun as it always was.
Taking responsibility for the mobile tech isn’t just a matter of creature comfort. Kristine D’Arbelles, senior director of public affairs at CAA National, advises drivers to assign passengers the “designated texter” role. “If anyone calls or messages you, your passenger can read the message and respond on your behalf.” It comes down to a matter of safety. Having the passenger work the phone “avoids the driver being distracted by any incoming messages, which is one of the top reasons for collisions on Canadian roads,” D’Arbelles says.
Another safety concern to look out for on rural highways and byways is wildlife. As a passenger you should keep your head on a swivel for animals, on one hand, because spotting a bear is the Canadian road trip holy grail, but also because those elk gathered by the side of the road could decide to cross at any time and you need to give your driver a heads up. Don’t forget you also must shout “Cows!” whenever you see cows. Not for safety, but for hilarity.
In the end, the most important part of being a good passenger is to go with the flow. As MacNaughtan likes to say, “It’s not really a road trip until you’ve made at least three U-turns.” Understand that some days timetables may lie in tatters, turns will get missed, blame will (completely unfairly!) be assigned, feelings may get raw. But it’s all part of the journey and will make for a great story one day.