To Fly Or Drive?

The inimitable Johnny Jet recommends, in a recent newsletter, the fly or drive calculator on befrugal.com.  Enter information about your trip and it will estimate the cost of driving versus the cost of flying, as well as travel time and the  carbon footprint for each option. Great tool.

Reflections On The Drivers Of The Northeast

I drove 200 miles to the Adirondacks, and 200 miles back. And, boy, is my middle finger tired.

No, not really. I am not the type to flip off other drivers. I’m the type to think exceedingly unkind thoughts about other drivers. Also, I am the type to stereotype them based on their states of origin.

In fact, during my 10 hours of driving I came up with a set of messages for my fellow Northeastern motorists, customized by state:

to Vermont drivers: Hurry up!

to New York drivers: Slow down!

to New Jersey drivers: Back off!

to Massachusetts drivers: *&^# off!

How To Cancel An Airline Ticket: Quickly

Jaunted, one of my favorite travel blogs, just had an entry explaining that many airlines will refund your money if you cancel the purchase of an airline ticket within 24 hours. Some will hold a reservation for 24 hours without requiring any money down and others will issue a credit for a later purchase. Check it out.

Welcome To New York & Sorry About The Police Chase

I just can’t decide which is my favorite headline regarding the French tourists who got lured into an unlicensed van at JFK and ended up in wild ride as the driver tried to elude a police chase.

New York Daily News: French tourists get ride of their lives from renegade livery driver

or

WPIX-TV: Illegal Airport Van Take French Tourists on Hell Ride

A Visitors’ Guide To Driving In Southern California

A guest entry from the kid, Kate Symmonds:

If you’re thinking about taking a trip to Southern California, you’ll need to rent a car.  And you’ll need some survival tips.

After three years in Montreal, I figured that moving to San Diego would make me a happier, more relaxed person.  And I really have almost forgotten what it feels like to step outside in negative 40-degree weather and have tears of pain freeze to my face. I’ve noticed, however, that I can’t get into my car without tensing up. This is because my personal hell is driving on the freeways of Southern California. And I do it every day.

So if you’re coming to Southern California (which I would vaguely define as anywhere between and including San Diego and Santa Barbara counties), I have some advice.

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Rental Car Deals Offered On One-Way Trips From Florida

It’s that time of year again. Some rental car companies are doing their annual Florida drive outs, offering low rates to drivers willing to take a one-way trip out of Florida.

Drivers snag a bargain and the companies redistribute their fleets northward for the summer.

Not all the rental companies are offering drive out deals, and I don’t think it’s my imagination that these rates seem harder to book online than in recent years. In noodling around with it, I was able to get special rates into Connecticut only on the Alamo and National sites.

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AAA: Watch The Speedometer In Arizona

Last week the AAA designated the entire state of Arizona a “strict enforcement area” because the state is using cameras to identify speeding vehicles for ticketing.

This doesn’t mean the entire state is a speed trap, where drivers are deliberately tricked or speed limits are enforced only against strangers. It simply means the enforcement of the speed limits is particularly rigorous.

There seems to be some disagreement over whether an entire state has ever had this designation before. The Associated Press says that it’s a first, according to AAA Arizona. But The New York Times reported in 1988 that Mississippi had been so designated, following Virginia and Mexico.

(I’m not saying I know anyone who opened up on a deserted Arizona highway to see how fast a rented Chevy Blazer would go. I’m just saying he probably shouldn’t do it again.)