How to Measure Road Distances
A crucial part of planning a road trip is determining the distance. This will allow you to figure out how long the trip will be, where you want to stop and how much gas you will need to buy along the way. Measuring road distances is not difficult before you start your journey or along the way. Staying abreast of the situation will keep you in control and make it easier to adjust plans as needed.
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Instructions
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Use a GPS (Global Positioning System) unit or an online map service such as Mapquest or Yahoo Maps. Enter the starting address and end point. Some services let you determine stops along the way. With that information, the GPS or online map service can give you the most direct route or other options, such as avoiding toll roads. They also will tell you how far in miles your trip will be.
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Reset your trip odometer, either when you buy gas at the beginning of your trip or when you pull out of the driveway. If you do not mind a rough estimate of distances and the gas station is within a few miles of your house, reset it at the gas station. Otherwise, press that button while the car is still in your driveway. The trip odometer records your drive in miles or kilometers, depending on how you have it set. Many let you switch. Some cars have two trip odometers; you can use one to calculate gas mileage and the other to measure distance.
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Use mile markers along the way to figure out how far it is to the next city, town, gas station or rest stop. Mile markers stand along the right side of the road in tenths of a mile along most interstates and U.S. highways. Some state highways also have them. Many highways also have signs along the road that will tell you how far it is to the next city or town, as well as places farther away.
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Tips & Warnings
If you do not have a GPS or access to the Internet, buy a road map or an atlas to measure road distances. The map key will offer a scale to give you a rough estimate of distance. The map may also show mileage tables between major cities.
Rand McNally also offers an online trip planner to help you calculate distances.
Buy a full tank of gas before you leave.
