Traveling can be fun, and some people can’t imagine their life without it. For these individuals, it was tough getting through the pandemic-created lockdowns. Now that you can vaccinate yourself, though, you can travel around the country more or less with impunity, though you still have to wear a facemask when you fly.
While you might have a great time traveling, there are some behaviors you should learn to avoid. Some people feel like they can cut loose since they’re far from home, and they can act irresponsibly. If that’s your attitude, you may want to reconsider your actions before you get yourself in all kinds of trouble.
Let’s run through a few behaviors you should avoid if travel is on your agenda soon.
4 of the Fastest Ways to Get Yourself in Trouble While Travelling
Drinking and Driving
Some problem drinkers consume alcohol and drive all the time, and they don’t think much of it. Often, it’s their ego that leads them to feel this way. They might believe that even if they’re over the legal limit, they’re such good drivers that they will never cause a car wreck.
The problem is that even if you’re a great driver, drunk or sober, that doesn’t mean you won’t run into a random police checkpoint while you’re traveling. It could also turn out that another vehicle hits you. The accident might not be your fault, but that doesn’t mean a responding officer won’t smell the alcohol on your breath and administer a breathalyzer.
Getting an out-of-state DUI may turn out even worse than getting one when you’re close to home. That’s because you might have to appear in court a few weeks down the line, so you’ll have to travel again, this time specifically for that court appearance.
The simple way to avoid this is to never consume alcohol before driving while you’re traveling. You should get in the habit of never doing it when you are in your hometown as well.
Making Fun of Local Customs
Everyone is different, as you will find if you travel regularly. You might live on the West Coast, for instance, and you find yourself traveling by car through the Southern states. Perhaps you’re in Georgia or Texas for the first time, taking in the sights.
You might have a great time there, but the first thing you may notice is that people have what sound to you like heavy accents. They will accept that since it’s what they know. They grew up around it, and everyone around them sounds the same.
It’s you who will sound like an outsider to them. They might be fine with that, but they soon won’t be if you mock the way they speak or any of their local customs.
Try to remember that you’re a guest in their city and state. Be polite. If the locals feel like you’re mocking them for the way they speak, you might find yourself driving off with a black eye, or worse.
Exploring Without Doing Any Research First
You might get to a new city or state and decide that it looks like a good place to stop for a day or two. Perhaps you’ll find a room at the nearest hotel or hostel and start walking around, seeing what you can find.
You may find some local color, like a bar or a restaurant that serves great food. Maybe you’ll discover some shopping opportunities and pick up a few souvenirs to take home to your family and friends.
You might also find trouble if you walk around a new city indiscriminately without knowing anything about it. Impoverished areas exist all over America and ones with high crime rates.
Someone wandering around who is obviously a tourist makes a tempting target. There are parts of New York City, for instance, where you can find yourself in a world of trouble just by getting off at the wrong train stop.
Do some research to determine what parts of the city or town you’re visiting are good places to walk around. If you neglect to do this, you might find yourself having an adventure that you don’t like very at all.
Flashing Lots of Cash
Our final piece of advice is to avoid traveling with a lot of cash. If you do have any with you, conceal it. If you pull out a huge wad of bills and start thumbing through it while walking around a dicey area, that’s another fast way to attract trouble.