Inspired by the first aid kit thread. Several people mentioned keeping emergency supplies in the car. I think that’s a great idea, but what sort of supplies would be useful? Are there differences in what a city driver vs. a country driver would need?
Personally, I think the only emergency supplies I have in my car are a handful of crayons and a notebook, in case of preschooler crankiness (which totally constitutes an emergency sometimes). I could probably be better prepared.
I have the general stuff and I have a winter bag. I don’t often go outside of the city, but I leave it in the car all the time as I’m unlikely to remember it for specific trips.
General:
Protein bars, water, first aid kit, small shovel, jumper cables.
Winter bag includes:
Warm socks, mittens, hats and scarves, 2 blankets, Kitty litter
Protein bars, bottled water, first aid kit, jumper cables, windshield scraper, a down coat, flares and waterproof matches, a rain poncho, those stretchy ties with hooks on the ends, spare wiper blades, spare tire and jack and wrench.
Water won’t work here, it’ll be frozen solid most of the time, or worse, burst the container and leak all over the inside of the car.
The winter kit includes a sleeping bag, extra hat, gloves, and coat, headlamp with good batteries, some food that won’t freeze solid, full sized shovel. Jumper cables, reflective vest, and tools stay in the car at all times.
I have a kit similar to this:
http://www.amazon.com/TEKTON-1843-Auto-Emergency-110-pc/dp/B000NPR2DK/ref=pd_sbs_auto_3
But without the first aid supplies. Mine also has flares and a beacon instead of the flashlight. In addition to that, I keep a fire extinguisher, a jacket and a long coat. I should also keep a folding shovel (that would have come in handy the last time I had to get a snapping turtle out of the road!) but haven’t done it yet.
First aid kit, blankets, heat tabs (toe/finger warmers), jumper cables, a floodlight that plugs into the cigarette lighter, some nylon rope and rubber gloves. One good thing to keep in the front seat, preferably anchored to something within your reach, is an escape tool such as this one (warning: annoying music). This is especially recommended for those who routinely drive back roads. There are many stories of people who were trapped in their vehicles after leaving the road. A recent one was about a woman who spent six days in her overturned car. We personally knew someone in Alaska who slid off a very remote and dark section of highway between the border station and a small town. His white van flipped over and landed in some deep snow, which prevented him from opening the doors, and made it difficult to see him. He spent many long hours there until a passing driver happened to see him and dig him out.
My sister keeps several things in her glove box which have been handy on many occasions. I don’t think of them as “emergency supplies” per se, but very useful things they certainly are.
a pair of scissors
a torch (flashlight)
several pens/pencils
a box of envelopes
needle and thread
tube of glue
These things don’t take up much space, and can save the day in many situations. I thought the envelopes was kind of weird at first, but they’ve proved useful many times, say if you need to leave a note, or cash, and you want it to be away from prying eyes.
I have a winter kit that contains things like a tow rope, jumper cables, reflective blanket, small collapsible shovel, maybe candles, etc. I got it as a Christmas present since I drive 200 miles a day to work and back.
I’ve only used it once, to tow a young guy out of the ditch. He was very, very thankful.
Oh, I also have a batteryless flashlight. You shake it to slide a magnet up and down through some coils, which in turn charges a small electrolytic capacitor which powers an LED. Works like a charm.
In the truck we have: full first aid kit, jack, jumper cables, flares, full tool kit, emergency food, 3 gallons of water, spare clothing, random books and magazines, spare batteries, several flashlights, ammo, Fix-a-Flat, emergency blankets, recognition panels, smoke grenades, camp stove, lighters…
It’s actually easier to list what I don’t have in the truck.
I’ve got:
I have a cell phone and a towel.
Not sure why people are carrying kitty litter. It’s noticeably worse than sand for traction, and can turn into a slippery mess if conditions are right.
Jack, tire iron, spare tire, jumper cables, wiper fluid, funnel, first aid kit, towel, bottle of OTC pain med (naproxen).
I’ve got some of those mylar “blankets,” a Swiss army knife, matches and a waterproof case, etc, that I need a container for, and then I’ll put that out in the trunk as well. Oh, and I forgot to get a new fire extinguisher to replace the old one.
I’ve got a couple of those reflective blankets, my Leatherman microtool on my keychain, and a towel. And a Mapsco (a phone book sized collection of street maps for my area, I get lost easily). When I go out, I have my cell phone on me. My purse usually contains my diabetic needs. When I went on road trips, I always made sure to have water, a roll of paper towels, and a roll of toilet paper.
For those of you who have included shovels on your list, what might you use them for (other than snapping turtles)? I can’t imagine a use for a shovel.
But these are great suggestions. I’m going shopping.
They’re good for digging yourself out if your tires get stuck in mud. Can also break ice if needed.
You can also use them to excavate a cat hole if that drive-thru burrito starts acting up half-way across the desert.
Forgot to add: shovel, fire extinguisher, paper towels, rope, zip ties, duct tape, Super-Tape, coolant.
I dunno, seemed to work pretty good when I’ve used it.
Here in Ontario, for digging your car out if it slides into a snowbank, or for digging through a plow-ridge that blocks a long driveway lane in the country.
On a recent trip to Colorado, we got stuck in a combination traffic jam/blizzard for some time. I had to pee in a coffee cup. So, I would recommend a small bucket.