France ponders breathalysers in clubs

by Abha Malpani on

It is possible that from this summer, all alcohol serving establishments in France will have breathalysers so people can take breath tests before they leave clubs. 350 bars/clubs around the country have already had trial runs.

In France, the legal drinking age is 16 and you can get a driver’s license when you are 18. For years, the country has seen people killed on the road because of drunk driving and this decree is particularly to reduce the number of people driving when over the limit.

Solving the problem by focussing on keeping the roads safer as opposed to controlling alcohol consumption seems more practical, keeping in mind that France has one of the highest rates of road fatalities in Europe.

In principle the idea is great, but how can you force people to take breath tests before leaving? When youngsters drink and drive, they know what they are doing and their over-confidence that “nothing is going to happen” is what lets them drive home instead of taking public transport. So what will make them take a breath test? Will they put someone at the door who makes them do it before they leave? Will it be free to use?

A bar in Boston has taken a similar initiative into their own hands by selling a device called “Breath Scan” in their vending machines — two for US$7. It looks like they are selling, which is at least reassuring.

But once they’ve taken the test, what’s to say that they will still not drive home?

In Dubai (where the population is 70% Westerners from Europe and the US), drink driving is a huge problem — even though the limit is zero and the punishment is a month of jail plus a fine! Such rigid rules haven’t discouraged people from drink-driving, so although France’s initiative is great, I’m not sure how effective it will be.

No Wrong Turns: Choosing a Car for an International Road Trip

by Kelsey Mulyk on

In the initial planning stage, we had a hard time finding recommendations about what kind of car would be the best for this type of trip, so we had to muddle through on our own and hope that whatever we chose would be hardy enough to withstand a year long (maybe more) driving trip.

Choosing a car can be a bit difficult — you don’t want to stick out too much, but you also need a car in good, solid condition that will be able to tolerate the demanding roads and sweltering heat.

Here are some things to consider when choosing a car for a long road trip of this nature:

Make of Car

Mexico seems to have an abundance of Fords, Toyotas, and Volkswagens. But we’ve also spotted plenty of Isuzu Troopers, Land Rovers and Jeeps. Some of the most popular models are the Ford Bronco and standard Toyota truck, which we were told are some of the easiest cars to fix. Our VW, a 1991 Golf, has done well, but finding parts has proved to be an issue (at least in the Baja) — something we did not anticipate.

A Ford truck or SUV seems to be the way to go. Whichever car you do choose, try to pick one with a relatively simple engine, this way if you do require a mechanic’s help they should be able to get you back on the road as soon as possible.

Clearance

If you don’t want to see your car’s guts all over the road, pick a car with high road clearance. Roads conditions can be pretty rough with potholes, uneven surfaces, and rocks among other things that make you wonder what the Mexican definition of “road” truly is. Extra clearance insures that the rocks, bumps, and holes won’t knock lose any items that you’d like to keep, like your oil pan. We’ve been lucky and the only part we have lost is the bottom part of our bumper.

4-Wheel Drive

This is something I would highly recommend in your car choice. As mentioned previously some of the “roads” are often barely more than tire tracks. Sand, rocks, and potholes bigger than the car make navigating the roads tough. 4WD will minimize the chances of getting stuck where smaller, less powerful vehicles might have problems. You don’t need 4WD but it might be a nice addition if you are planning to do a lot of back road driving.

Fuel

Gas isn’t cheap so you will want to choose a car that is efficient. The standard fuel options are gas or diesel. Some people may prefer diesel, which can often be cheaper than gas (though not always), and is reputed to be more environmentally friendly and fuel-efficient.

A/C

This is a long going debate between Tom and I: should we have gotten A/C? We don’t have it and though it can be warm (ok boiling!), with the sunroof and windows open we manage to get a really good breeze going. One thing to consider is that in some of the larger cities, having your windows down might not be the safest option. It doesn’t take that much to reach in and grab something through a car window, which means you could end up melting in a hot vehicle while safely driving though town. So if you can’t handle the heat, investing in air conditioning is a good option. Though I have heard if your A/C system breaks you might be out of luck in getting it fixed quickly or at all.

Suspension

As I mentioned roads are bumpy, so bumpy you will be irritable instantly. Make sure your car has good suspension and if your shocks are old you might want to consider replacing them before you leave — you are for sure going to need them!

When choosing your vehicle make sure you think about where you intend to drive and invest the time into making sure your choice is going to be reliable. Have your mechanic give your car a tune-up and replace any part that seems to be on its way out. You might as well shell out the cash to have your car in good working order before you leave, this way you can spend time enjoying the ride instead of worrying about whether you will make it to the next town.

For us our little VW is working out fine: it is discreet, pretty tough and lets us drive some crazy roads. With only two mechanic visits under our belt so far, good gas mileage, and my ability to dig a tire out of sand in record time, we think we made the right choice though some days a little cool A/C and a bit more clearance would be nice.

“No Wrong Turns” chronicles Kelsey and her husband’s road trip — in real time — from Canada to the southern tip of South America in their trusty red VW Golf named Marlin.

No Wrong Turns: Off-road Race in the Baja

by Kelsey Mulyk on

Take a bunch of hardcore off-road racers, support teams, mechanics, motorbikes, ATVs, a host of other racing vehicles and throw them all into the Baja desert…what do you get? You get the Baja 1000.

Last week we ran into a guy at a local bar who competes in this race. He gave us a quick run-down of what it includes: the race begins in Ensenada, though it has started in Tijuana and Mexicali, and ends in La Paz or Cabo San Lucas. There are tons of different vehicle categories from four wheelers, which range from Baja Bugs (VW Bugs on steroids) and mini trucks, to motorcycles, which can vary from 125cc to 250cc or more. The guy who we chatted with swears by his customized bike and, after competing twelve times as well as sustaining numerous injuries (he wanted to show us all of his battle-wounds which we politely declined), didn’t appear to be slowing down anytime soon.

The Baja 1000 began in 1967. Initially the race was 849 miles (the 1000 is a bit misleading as the course tends to vary yearly) and the winning team finished the race in less than 28 hours. These days teams are finishing under 26 hours, an astounding time to me since it took us about 3.5 days to get from Tijuana to La Paz and we were on the main road. These guys drive all day and night in attempt to win the race. The course consists of rocks, dry lake-beds, mountain passes, paved roads and a lot of desert scenery. Mechanical problems and flipped vehicles only reinforce the fact that this is a brutal course and it’s because of this that only half of the teams are actually able to finish the race.

Competitors usually enter as a team where they take turns riding so it is more like a relay race. Team members often carry a toolkit that can be used in case of a breakdown. They ride to a designated stop and then switch drivers after 6 hours (about 300km) of racing. There are some who attempt this race solo but they are few and far between.

According to our Baja 1000 source, competing in the race isn’t cheap. The racing vehicles cost a fair bit, tack on the add-ons and time spent customizing them and the price just keeps on rising. Fuel, pit teams and extra gear add to the overall cost. Geez, not only does it cost a lot of money, there is a fifty percent chance of not finishing…I had to ask why they keep competing, our rider guy (about eight beers later) just replied, “It’s just awesome man!” Well said.

For more information on the Baja 1000 click here and here.

“No Wrong Turns” chronicles Kelsey and her husband’s road trip — in real time — from Canada to the southern tip of South America in their trusty red VW Golf named Marlin.

No Wrong Turns: Surfers Give Cars Away in Baja Road Race

by Kelsey Mulyk on

A few weeks ago I overheard a bunch of locals chatting about a group of American surfers who drove down to the tip of Baja California Sur and gave away everything they came with including their cars. I decided to do a bit of research and find out what this was all about.

A group of guys, who affectionately refer to their vacation time together as “TGT” (The Guys Trip) decided to switch up their rather typical surf vacations for a new kind adventure — a trip that would jar them out of their middle-class comfort zones and, as they put it, “require balls.” The trip was dubbed “The Baja 3000”.

“The Baja 3000” challenged the surfers to choose a teammate and a vehicle that would get them to the tip of the Baja in seven days. Each team had a budget of $3000 which had to cover the purchase of a vehicle, car insurance (US and Mexican), permits, food, fuel, toll charges, and their accommodation. The maximum budget that could be allotted to the car purchase was $1500, leaving the other half to cover the remaining expenses. I want to know where they found decent cars to drive in Mexico for $1500!

As if that wasn’t already enough of a challenge, they created a complicated contest, based on a point system, with a list of activities that had to be completed along the way. Each team was given a camera and film as well as journal to document their contest accomplishments. Points were given based on the activities completed. One of the top ways to earn points was to have village children paint the car (earn 5000 points). One way to lose a serious amount of points was to receive jail time (lose 100, 000 points…though I think losing points would be the least of your worries).

They even had a “Baja 3000” trophy along with a prize for the winning team. The prize involved never having to buy beer for the rest of the trip and well-deserved bragging rights.

And, though the trip was all in fun, these guys also wanted to give back to the community where they have spent dozens of years surfing. Teams donated cars, school supplies, books and much more to low income families as well as to local organizations like Classroom on Wheels and Communidad Biblica de Cabo San Lucas.

Sounds like a fun and socially responsible vacation to me…I wonder where they will head to next year.

Check out their website for more information.

“No Wrong Turns” chronicles Kelsey and her husband’s road trip — in real time — from Canada to the southern tip of South America in their trusty red VW Golf named Marlin.

No Wrong Turns: Staying Fit on the Road

by Kelsey Mulyk on

Traveling often involves lugging around a heavy backpack and suffering from a variety of stomach illnesses. This combination usually keeps the ol’ waistline in check, even though it might not be the healthiest way.

I am a bit of a fitness nut…hold the eye-rolling for a sec, I have a valid reason. I studied Kinesiology in university and have seen firsthand the benefits of an active lifestyle and the effects of an unhealthy one. Plus, I really do like how I feel after a workout. OK now you can roll your eyes.

When we started to plan our driving adventure I began to wonder about how I could maintain my fitness level since I knew we would be spending a lot of time sitting in the car. I decided to pack some gear that would assist me in the quest for fit travel. My fitness bag includes:

  • running shoes
  • a set of workout clothes
  • a resistance band
  • a binder with a few workout routines I like in it
  • an exercise DVD

I whole-heartedly believe that you can be fit without having a gym membership; I think it is just a little harder. One can run pretty much anywhere, though at times you will get odd looks from the locals and you might have to out run a dog or two. If you have your computer, as I do, you can play a workout DVD anywhere, all you need is a little space. And if push comes to shove a few old-school exercises, like sit-ups and push-ups, will do the trick.

One of my cousins is a personal trainer and recommended mypypeline.com to me. It brings fitness to you, anywhere in the world. You can choose to focus on activities you prefer, like circuit training or yoga. There are personal trainers available to help motivate you and a slew of exercise videos available for download, for a small fee. Load these videos to your ipod and you can literally work out anywhere anytime. A large fitness community can be found here which provides support and assistance for those looking to start a fitness routine or those looking for new exercise ideas.

Though I just about upchucked my breakfast after my first workout in about a month. I have decided to shoot for cardio workouts three times a week and I will be attempting to surf soon, which should add up to about three weeks worth of exercise and two months worth of saltwater burps.

All in the name of a healthy lifestyle.

“No Wrong Turns” chronicles Kelsey and her husband’s road trip — in real time — from Canada to the southern tip of South America in their trusty red VW Golf named Marlin.