Solo female traveler and my worst fear

[Cheli]

I can not wait to quit my job and travel the country in a converted van.  I feel I have good instincts and gut feelings about situations and people so I'm pretty sure that I'll be able to deal with pretty much anything that comes up.  I realize there will be some situations where I may feel uncomfortable about but nothing that terrifies me.....except for one thing.

Breaking down, alone, at night, on the side of a road, in the middle of nowhere.  Eeeeeeeek!

Every blog I read about travel people say there will always be situations that come up that aren't ideal, even breaking down.  I get that and I think I can deal with most situations and go with the flow, except in the above scenario.

I just thought I would share this silly fear and see if anyone else feels the same way or maybe share some war stories of your own.  hahaha

 

[mockturtle]

Well, I seldom drive at night. But in any case you need a good Roadside Assistance policy.

 

[SaltySeaWitch]

Get Roadside Assistance Cheli. I have broke down in the middle of the night (in the middle of nowhere!) traveling with small kids way back when and it is terrifying. I didn't live in my vehicle, that was just on a trip. That could happen if you live in your vehicle or not so the best plan is just be prepared with charged up cell phone and a good assistance plan for towing. You could break down now at night coming home locally. Keep your doors locked when driving and all the same precautions you would take now as a single female driving.

 

[flying kurbmaster]

That is pretty easy don't drive at night, I hardly ever drive at night, especially when travelling, I like to get to a place that I feel safe and appeals to me before making my evening meal unless I am in bear country then I stop earlier make food then carry on a bit further to sleep. Good luck.

 

[Cheli]

Get Roadside Assistance Cheli. I have broke down in the middle of the night (in the middle of nowhere!) traveling with small kids way back when and it is terrifying. I didn't live in my vehicle, that was just on a trip. That could happen if you live in your vehicle or not so the best plan is just be prepared with charged up cell phone and a good assistance plan for towing. You could break down now at night coming home locally. Keep your doors locked when driving and all the same precautions you would take now as a single female driving.

That's a really good point, and so obvious.  hahaha  I could break down at night now and be just as terrified.  For some reason it's stuck in my head that it's so different if living out of a van and not near home.....but I guess it's really not.

 

[Cheli]

That is pretty easy don't drive at night, I hardly ever drive at night, especially when travelling, I like to get to a place that I feel safe and appeals to me before making my evening meal unless I am in bear country then I stop earlier make food then carry on a bit further to sleep. Good luck.

Is that the norm......do most travelers not travel at night?  I just assumed they travel day or night, but that does make sense.  I suppose if it's my biggest fear then I should obviously avoid traveling at night in the middle of nowhere.  lol

 

[GotSmart]

If you drive at night, you miss the best scenery. 

 

[Cheli]

@mockturtl and @SaltySeaWitch yes I suppose I would have roadside assistance if I was a traveler. I don't have it now because I have a friend who owns a towing company so I'm pretty much set if I ever break down locally. Again, the obvious details that I'm not thinking of.

I am so new into this plan so I know I'll be going through a check list of everything I need before I hit the road. I am so happy I found this forum.

 

[Almost There]

Roadside assistance plan geared to the vehicle you are driving.

A cell phone with good coverage outside of city areas.

Lock your doors and if you're in a sketchy neighborhood, call 911. Or better yet, don't drive in sketchy neighborhoods which are almost all in larger urban areas.

Don't drive at night. I'm usually off the road by dinner hour. Better that I'm on the road at daylight than driving at night. And yes, you miss all the good scenery by driving at night and, after all, that's what all this life is about, isn't it?

 

[SaltySeaWitch]

@mockturtl and @SaltySeaWitch yes I suppose I would have roadside assistance if I was a traveler.  I don't have it now because I have a friend who owns a towing company so I'm pretty much set if I ever break down locally.  Again, the obvious details that I'm not thinking of.

I am so new into this plan so I know I'll be going through a check list of everything I need before I hit the road.  I am so happy I found this forum.  

I thought about breaking down too and just like you it seemed different if living in my vehicle (why??? LOL). My mom said "Get Roadside Assistance" and I was like "Duh" (face palm!) LOL.

See? You are not the only person working through fears

I used to drive at night but now I don't. I can't see well at night anymore, so it is for my own and other people's safety if I pull over before dark lol

Besides, this is supposed to be an adventure. We can stop and smell the roses

 

[flying kurbmaster]

I ran into the ditch once on the Stewart Casiar highway ( alternate Alaska Highway) in the middle of nowhere( goes without saying), in January - 30degrees, with no roadside assistance, before cell phones, the next snow plow that came by pulled us out. We drove on with no heater scraping the windshield from inside till Watson lake, a few hundred miles, waited the rest of the night outside the service station till they opened huddled together in sleeping bags, we started the fire for them, hung around till the sun warmed things up and drove on to Whitehorse. Young, fearless, foolish and lucky.

 

[buckwilk]

Cheli, Driving at night usually entails getting somewhere fast, on a schedule. You will find that you leave all that behind you once you step into the life. I mean the van, nomad, dweller life not the other kind.  (<:  Fear is about the unknown, the more you learn and do the less you will fear. One of your fears has already been put to rest by the responses on this thread. Fears or not I think your like a lot of the folks here, rational, cautious, smart and adventurous. Take care, have fun !

 

[mayble]

I thought about breaking down too and just like you it seemed different if living in my vehicle (why??? LOL). My mom said "Get Roadside Assistance" and I was like "Duh" (face palm!) LOL.

Bonus: If you break down when you're living in your van, all your stuff is with you, as are your pets!  No need to worry about getting home in time to feed the dog or make dinner.

 

[SaltySeaWitch]

Good point Mayble!! Make a sandwich, take a nap, see if you get wifi and surf the web, ....all while you wait for AAA ;-)

 

[GrantRobertson]

A) The best thing to be doing at night is sleeping.

B) If you are driving at night you are more likely to nod off and have an accident than to break down. (see A)

C) The best way to alleviate fears is to take steps to avoid those feared outcomes. Establish a rigorous maintenance schedule that includes check-ups with a trusted mechanic to look for things that are starting to wear out.

D) All the stuff other people have said.

 

[Almost There]

Good point Mayble!! Make a sandwich, take a nap, see if you get wifi and surf the web, ....all while you wait for AAA ;-)

Depending on what you're driving, AAA may not be the best roadside assistance for you.

Check them all out, read the fine print and then check with some of us as to references.

Personally, I use Paragon because it covers me all over North America without having to pay for service and wait for reimbursement. AAA and the Canadian version don't interconnect. I also like Paragon because CAA is measured in kilometers and Paragon is in miles.

 

[WriterMs]

Be aware that most all roadside assistance plans only come to tow you when you are on a paved or at least a "major" gravel road -- that is what I read on this forum and elsewhere. I heard so many bad stories of boondocking tows not being covered that I cancelled my Good Sam Roadside Assistance. I will get AAA or another for when I leave in January for RTR.

BUT.. I think your fear is being on a regular road where you don't know who will stop to help you during the night. So on those roads, a roadside assistance plan will work for you. They should always call you back and tell you which company is being sent and the driver's name. Verify those when the tow truck comes and ask for verification that you will owe no money (unless you are outside of some plan range and then the roadside company will have told you how much you will owe).

As others have mentioned, you have your home with you. You have a potty and something to eat and drink. You can entertain yourself -- though I would not have a lot of inside light on such that others driving by can see you inside. And you have whatever protection you feel comfortable carrying (see numerous threads on THAT subject in this forum LOL).

I almost always adhere to the practice of being where I will stay the night before it is close to dark. Even if boondocking at a Walmart while traveling to a destination. For sure when boondocking.. you want to have daylight to see the roadway well and find a fairly level spot, etc.

Asking this question and thinking through what YOU will do.. having a plan in other words...should substantially reduce your fear.

 

[Cheli]

So many great words of advice, thank you everyone. ?

 

[highdesertranger]

also if you are not in a hurry to get somewhere there really is no reason to drive at night. the only reason I can think of is the heat of the desert during the summer. highdesertranger

 

[Optimistic Paranoid]

Uhm, assuming your vehicle has working a/c, it still makes more sense to drive during the hot day and have your engine turned off during the - hopefully - cooler night, I would think . . .

Regards
John