The unwritten rules of car buddies

If you think about it, your car is like an extension of your home. As such, you have the responsibility to take care of it. When you are driving it, you make sure that the roads that you take are in good condition. Otherwise, if you push through streets with a lot of potholes, you risk damaging your suspension.

That will be an expensive repair as you will need to bring it to a garage that can give you a service called automotive lift car alignment. This is the best way for the mechanics to see what is underneath your vehicle, and that is where most of its visible mechanisms lie. Diagnostics are done at this stage and that will determine the type of job your car needs.

You probably have close friends who are also into cars. They should know how well you take care of your vehicle, and you all have a mutual understanding of how everyone should behave around it. If you are not aware of that yet, then here are some unwritten rules among your gear head buddies.

Riding shotgun

Sitting on the front passenger seat is neither an option nor a privilege. It is a responsibility. When you ask to ride shotgun, you should know what that entails. On long drives, you have to keep the person behind the wheel engaged and not bored by holding an interesting conversation. A sleepy driver will endanger everyone, and it is your job for them to keep their wits.

You may have the ability to control the stereo, but you should not play your tunes yet. The owner of the car gets to pick what everyone gets to listen to unless you are given the freedom to choose your playlist instead.

Another responsibility is for you to help with navigation. Although the technology to assist drivers with that exists, there are still instances where you need an extra set of eyes to find your destination. If you feel that the driver is lost, you should start wandering your eyes around too.

Backseat rules

People in the backseat get to mostly just sit and enjoy the ride. As a sign of respect to the car owner, you should always ask permission if want to eat something. It goes without saying that you should clean up after yourself when you are allowed to do it. The ashtrays on the doors are not for throwing trash into, so you better keep those close to yourself. Keep your litter in your pockets or bags.

As a backseat passenger, you also have to not be a distraction to the driver. It is okay to chat with fellow passengers but keep your noise level low.

Borrowing your buddy’s ride

If your buddy lets you borrow their car, consider that as a high honor that is bestowed to you. That means you are one of their most trusted persons. Given that, you should take care of their vehicle as if it is your own. If you are done using it, fill up the gas tank and give it a wash before returning it. That will be your way of showing appreciation to them because it is hard to find someone willing to do that kind of favor to a friend.

Many people see their cars as their prized possessions. This is not surprising, for they cost a good amount of money even when you buy them used. With that said, it should not be a problem for you or your other gear head buddies to have unwritten rules on how you should behave in your vehicles, because that is a sign of mutual respect.