Managing Rest Stops

[Anonymous]

For a long time we were making frequent trips to my family about 2.5 hours away. Even on that trip we'd typically stop for a quick drink or something half way.
Six hours without stopping? No.

[Anonymous]

We are a family that only stops when we can do 2 of 3 things- bathroom, gas, food. My kids are camel like, and I have a prius. I "plan" on about 3 hours, but if the plan is disrupted I will fill up the tank or have a meal real quick. I think our record may be 4ish hours, but 6 plus? I would be running my car on fumes at that point

[Anonymous]

Six hours!?!? Are you insane?

We stop easily every two hours with five adult-sized bladders.

[Anonymous]

There's no pettier form of tyranny than mandating when someone gets to pee

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:6 hours is aggressive. Are you my dad and is it 1992? I think 3 hours is the longest that is reasonable from a health and safety perspective, and that’s still too long for me as the driver.

I was having flashbacks to MY dad! It felt so mean when I had to pee so badly and he was a jerk about it and wouldn’t stop.

One of my friends told me that she had to wear a diaper for long car rides until she was 9. She didn’t have any special needs, it was just because they didn’t want to make extra stops.

I know parents who do this with their kids. They are going to have plenty to talk about with their therapist someday.

[Anonymous]

I only stop for gas. That's usually about 4.5 hours. My kids hate it but I don't care. I just want to get there. I also dislike travelling with DW because she likes to stop a lot. My policy is designated stops for food and drink and we stop for gas. I run a tight ship we get there on time when I drive.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I only stop for gas. That's usually about 4.5 hours. My kids hate it but I don't care. I just want to get there. I also dislike travelling with DW because she likes to stop a lot. My policy is designated stops for food and drink and we stop for gas. I run a tight ship we get there on time when I drive.

You are exactly the kind of petty tyrant mentioned upthread. Let your kids stop and use the bathroom. Your kids hate it and probably hate you too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I only stop for gas. That's usually about 4.5 hours. My kids hate it but I don't care. I just want to get there. I also dislike travelling with DW because she likes to stop a lot. My policy is designated stops for food and drink and we stop for gas. I run a tight ship we get there on time when I drive.

WTF does "on time" mean in this context? You could also leave 45 min early and get there "on time" with stops. Who is deciding on what "on time" means? Do you mean "most efficiently"?

[Anonymous]

Sounds like you need to leave earlier if being “on time” necessitates paining your family biologically and emotionally.

[Anonymous]

This is something you need to crowd source? We stop when someone asks to use the bathroom, get a snack, or stretch their legs. 4 kids. I might divorce my husband if he attempted to restrict stops.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My family can go 10-12 hours without going to bathroom, including our big dog.

I grew up with a dad that would announce for all of us to go to the bathroom before we got in the car because we weren’t stopping. DC to Florida.

We never heard of scheduling rest stops. Lunch or dinner at a great place - yes - my family will do that now and there are traditions.

Play it by ear with if the driver needs to stretch their legs, etc.

I think, perhaps, my family was born with supersize bladders. Nobody gets utis or kidney stones either.

Wouldn't you have needed to stop for gas at least once on a trip that long? Your dad really wouldn't have let you go use the bathroom while he filled up the gas?

Hell no- none of us were using a gas station bathroom 😂

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OK --- 2 hrs is the max someone should be driving without a break. I do not follow this but that is what is suggested. I have driven straight through to NY. But my norm is to stop around 3 hours for a bathroom break which is normally even with family 8-12 minutes max.

I'm the one who posted upthread whose DH has a bladder the size of a pea. Our stops are NEVER shorter than 30 minutes. He'll go to the bathroom, then decide he wants coffee, while he's wandering looking for a coffee place will decide he wants to get something to eat too while he's at it, will call me/DD to see if we want something, and then suggest we (he mostly) sit down and eat, instead of getting something to go. Makes me all stabby. Our most frequent drives are to NY to visit family, and he turns what should be 4 or 4 1/2 hours, into a 6 hour trip. My SIL who also makes the same trip frequently, makes it in 4 - 4 1/2 hours, with a stop for gas/bathroom break, so I know it can be done, just not by us.

Omg. We’d be divorced. I would have left him at the rest stop.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What's your objective/concern? A 15 min stop just to stand and move every 3 hours does not seem excessive.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I only stop for gas. That's usually about 4.5 hours. My kids hate it but I don't care. I just want to get there. I also dislike travelling with DW because she likes to stop a lot. My policy is designated stops for food and drink and we stop for gas. I run a tight ship we get there on time when I drive.

You are exactly the kind of petty tyrant mentioned upthread. Let your kids stop and use the bathroom. Your kids hate it and probably hate you too.

I dont think they hate me. But I do let them know they won't be comfortable all the time. 4hrs without a snack or bathroom break is perfectly fine. They also don't like riding with me in town because I don't allow food in my car.
I sleep fine at night.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I only stop for gas. That's usually about 4.5 hours. My kids hate it but I don't care. I just want to get there. I also dislike travelling with DW because she likes to stop a lot. My policy is designated stops for food and drink and we stop for gas. I run a tight ship we get there on time when I drive.

You are exactly the kind of petty tyrant mentioned upthread. Let your kids stop and use the bathroom. Your kids hate it and probably hate you too.

I dont think they hate me. But I do let them know they won't be comfortable all the time. 4hrs without a snack or bathroom break is perfectly fine. They also don't like riding with me in town because I don't allow food in my car.
I sleep fine at night.

You are my dad. My brother and I haven’t spoken to him in 2 years. Enjoy!