How much time does it cost to stop on a road trip?

[pete6032]

It's significant. As a person that drove from 5mi north of the FL border to northern Indiana (within 35mi of the Michigan border) routinely non-stop in one day (13-16 hours), the stops for gas and bathroom are very significant over the whole time. Gas+bathroom+food (3 meals a day) can easily be 20 minutes a peace, more minor stops, like just bathroom are pretty much 10-15 minutes. If you're one of those people that needs to stop every hour (significant others!) to pee, then a long trip can easily be lengthened an hour or more in a day.

He's talking about 400 miles, that's about 6 to6.5 hours depending on how often you stop.

 

[Thebobo]

http://www.elderstore.com/mcguire-style-uni-size-urinal-for-male-incontinence.aspx

 

[Markbnj]

http://www.elderstore.com/mcguire-style-uni-size-urinal-for-male-incontinence.aspx

Do they make that in XL?

 

[MotionMan]

Getting off the interstate, pulling into a gas station that is assumably right off the exit ramp, filling up, and then getting back on the interstate, is maybe ten minutes. As mentioned, factoring in things like decelerating/accelerating is inconsequential in comparison to the time it takes to actually pump 10-20 gallons of gas. Especially when you say a 400 mile trip, which is 5-6 hours at typical interstate speeds (~65-75mph).

The disheartening part comes when you realize that the slow assholes that you had to weave around, and probably cursed at, well over an hour ago, are now in front of you again.

Yeah, I use to be able to keep in front of those people. Now that I have kids, I keep having to pass the same people at least 3-5 times a trip.

MotionMan

 

[Carson Dyle]

I guess you're on a schedule, because otherwise... who cares? It's half the point of the trip.

Since you are on a schedule I have to answer "no clue."

You don't have to be on a "schedule" to want to get from point A to point B as quickly as possible. I typically drive from Colorado to Pennsylvania and back once a year or so, 1500 miles on the button, all I70. It's not exactly a scenic drive to be savored at a gas stop in bufu Missouri. You get gas, drain your bladder, scarf down a cheeseburger and fries, grab a cup of coffee, and you get back on it. Turning a 14 hour driving day into 13 hours makes much more sense than wasting time taking breaks.

 

[jaedaliu]

It depends. on a 400 mile trip from San Francisco, you're likely headed to LA. And the question is where are you going on your stop? Pea Soup Andersen's? Harris Ranch? or In-N-Out? Personally, when I make the trip headed south, I stop at In-N-Out and then Tejon Ranch for the final stretch up the grapevine into LA. The local traffic, length of offramp, and circuitous routing will all change the answer.

If you want to know the minimum difference, find a stretch of really empty road, slam on your brakes and start the timer, stop, then get back up to speed. That's the minimum time to stop, but pretty useless in real world terms.

 

[Brian Stirling]

Depending on how far from the exit the gas station is and how many traffic lights it could be as little as 8 minutes or over 30 minutes. I'd say my average is about 10 minutes just for gas. If you include a bathroom break or stopping into the convenience store then figure another 3-10 minutes.

Stopping for food would break down like this:

fast food = 8-30 minutes depending on drive thru conditions or if you dine in

sit down restaurant = 20-60 minutes

Combining fillup with food will save about 3-10 minutes

This comes from 35 years of long distance driving experience...


Brian

 

[Coalfax]

The traffic on the road is much more detrimental to your overall time than the rest stop time. All it takes is one nitwit to do something stupid to cause a major headache (or a few to slow down when there is a cop on the side of the road that ALREADY pulled over a speeder or some crap), that will add major time onto your trip than getting gas or the bathroom.

 

[Zargon]

You don't have to be on a "schedule" to want to get from point A to point B as quickly as possible. I typically drive from Colorado to Pennsylvania and back once a year or so, 1500 miles on the button, all I70. It's not exactly a scenic drive to be savored at a gas stop in bufu Missouri. You get gas, drain your bladder, scarf down a cheeseburger and fries, grab a cup of coffee, and you get back on it. Turning a 14 hour driving day into 13 hours makes much more sense than wasting time taking breaks.

you don't even slow down in Effingham to check out the giant cross?? for shame......... :ninja:

 

[Markbnj]

You don't have to be on a "schedule" to want to get from point A to point B as quickly as possible. I typically drive from Colorado to Pennsylvania and back once a year or so, 1500 miles on the button, all I70. It's not exactly a scenic drive to be savored at a gas stop in bufu Missouri. You get gas, drain your bladder, scarf down a cheeseburger and fries, grab a cup of coffee, and you get back on it. Turning a 14 hour driving day into 13 hours makes much more sense than wasting time taking breaks.

I've done that drive about ten times in my life, most recently last summer, and I always find something worth seeing. If you stay on I70, not so interesting unless you think Kansas actually looks better with 10,000 windmills.

 

[eelw]

Yup traffic the killer. Normally takes me like 9 hours to drive from Toronto to NYC with severe traffic in Jersey and then the tunnel. One time, it was just after New Years, so absolutely no traffic. That trip took only around 7.5 hours. Both examples, single pit stop halfway for gas and lunch.

 

[M0oG0oGaiPan]

just map your trip in google maps. add in one or two rest stops along the way. those will minimize down time since they're usually right next to the highway.

maybe 5 minutes to gas up?

the problem is if you stop you run the risk of getting stuck behind some crazy pileup that happens while you're in the gas station.