Not all four-letter words are bad. For example, the word "LEFT" is pretty important when navigating through big cities such as Philadelphia.

On a 2-week road trip, staying in a different city nearly every night, the odds of successfully recalling your room number every time (or even your hotel name, for that matter) are 4,517,642 to 1.

Always confirm your motel reservation before 5 p.m. -- even if you're booked in a huge metro area that has a seemingly endless supply of motel rooms, such as Minneapolis/St. Paul. Oh, and never visit the Twin Cities during their annual festival of cars. That is, unless you wish to sleep in yours.

If you opt to wear special audio tour headgear available at many popular attractions, be aware that to those tourists not participating in the audio tour, you appear as though you've been assimilated into the Borg collective.

Although long showers are an invigorating way to begin a new day on the road, before turning on the water, make sure the drain plug is not hopelessly lodged in place. Especially if you can't see well enough to gauge the depth of the tub.

Don't worry about it! You'll never see these people again.