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I have a 2011 CRV. It's unlikely anything will break soon, but... I thought someone could help me out on what to keep in my car as an emergency kit.
I'm a small girl so if I have a flat, I can't fix it myself, therefore, I have a cellphone & a AAA membership. I used to keep a can of Fix-A-Flat, but the 2-3 times I needed it, I was absolutely hopeless & couldn't use it. Still, maybe it wouldn't hurt to keep one in the car in the event I could get someone to help me?
In the past I've kept cars 'til they needed to be buried at sea, so I think some of the things I kept in the trunks of those old jalopies might be unnecessary in a new car... like black electrical tape (for the time an 11-yr old radiator hose burst... I was told I could have patched it up to get to a garage rather than sat on the side of the road, like I did), 2-3 bottles of motor oil (for my clunker which burned thru oil & I can't change my oil but I can add it, if needed), antifreeze, brake fluid (never needed it, but someone must have told me to keep it) & rope/matches (don't even know what on earth those would be needed for, but someone told me to keep them in the trunk).
Flares, flashlight, Swiss knife, small first aid kit, map, shovel, warm sweater/pants/jacket & an old pair of hiking boots & socks I suppose would be good in any car with frigid winters, along with a bit of food (tins with pull off tops and/or a box of crackers or pretzles).
My car came with jumper cables, but barring those & the flares/food/clothing list above, what do I really need to keep? Are electrical tape, rope & brake fluid a necessity? Also, drinking water is always a good idea, but, in the winter it freezes. How can I successfully keep drinking water in the car?
Lastly, I did some research & read reviews on those emergency combo battery/jumpers/air hose/etc... there's so much conflicting info, I'll have to set it aside as a project before winter, but I think it's a good idea to buy a decent one... many are not too pricey. Going by others' experiences... while I was having lunch at an outdoor cafe, I once saw a young girl jump start her own car without shedding a drop of sweat... I was impressed. But, my sister said the 2 times she's needed a battery jump, of course at night during blizzards, the bleedin' thing had run down (she swears she regularly charged it according to the directions) & it's been a useless purchase for her... she now just uses it in the garden for the attached extension cord & radio. Has anyone used one of these with success & which brand do you have?
I'm not an adventurer & don't plan on being off-road, camping, in the mountains alone, etc., so my emergency situations would be relegated to a flat tire, dead battery, an accident (hopefully not) or a car malfunction which leaves me stranded. I feel the cellphone, map & AAA membership are my best friends... but, there are always exceptions in emergencies (no signal, left phone home). What is imperitive in my trunk & also, if you just know of a good website with such a list, that's great, too!
All you need is a bikini and a thousand dollars in cash. You limit your abilty way too much. Send me the tape and the rope I can always use that stuff.
I don't keep anything but jumper cables, some electrical tape and duct tape, and ratchet straps in the truck........I guess where I live I don't feel like I have to MacGyver something to hold out until help arrives, there's normally a gas station or something within a couple of miles.
If you wear heels and/or flip flops, you may want to keep a pair of walkin' shoes in there
That is pretty much the limit in the NEED category.
A flashlight and reflector triangle and a 6way screwdriver won't hurt.
I used to keep a complete toolbox, every spare part I owned and a Haynes manual too.
This was mostly to serve as a talisman to ward off the evil spirits...
it generally worked.
Only problem with the cellphone/AAA plan is if you are out of phone service range. I always recommend keeping a knife and a lighter. With those two things you can survive just about anything.
I'd keep the electrical tape. It takes so little space, and it can be useful. Maybe duct tape instead, either will do. I'd also recommend learning how to change a tire. Don't let your size hold you back, it doesn't take much brute strength. A decent screwdriver and a multitool can be quite useful. I also keep a compact first aid kit at all times.
Offhand I don't know of a way to keep water from freezing in the wintertime. But even frozen water bottles could supply you with enough water to keep you alive in the unlikely event of an extreme emergency. You could get a sip at a time out of one.
All you need is a bikini and a thousand dollars in cash. You limit your abilty way too much. Send me the tape and the rope I can always use that stuff.
That is pretty much the limit in the NEED category.
A flashlight and reflector triangle and a 6way screwdriver won't hurt.
The new reflective LED contraptions I've seen are very cheap & can be reused, so it's great we don't need to rely upon flares anymore. I'll pick up some as well as a screwdriver (don't know what 6-way is, but I'll google it). I don't own any tools & aside from a tire iron, I'm assuming there's nothing in the trunk... but, I'll check first. I'd rather have too much than not enough. I seem to have known many with old clunkers who kept a crate or 2 of tools, every used accessory you can name & spare parts in their trunks... hence my confusion on what is necessary.
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I used to keep a complete toolbox, every spare part I owned and a Haynes manual too. This was mostly to serve as a talisman to ward off the evil spirits... it generally worked.
I'll look for a Haynes manual used on half.com... I like warding off evil spirits, too... haha... Thanks for the reply.
Only problem with the cellphone/AAA plan is if you are out of phone service range.
Agreed, which is why I asked the question. The 2-3 times I've been stranded have of course, always been in remote places or empty parking lots at midnight after work and/or no cellphone (left it at work or pre-cell days) or no service. I'm really not someone who stresses about such things... but, there are always exceptions.
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I always recommend keeping a knife and a lighter. With those two things you can survive just about anything... duct tape. I'd also recommend learning how to change a tire. Don't let your size hold you back, it doesn't take much brute strength. A decent screwdriver and a multitool can be quite useful. I also keep a compact first aid kit at all times.
Another vote for the screwdriver/multi-tool, so I'll get one.
Honestly, I herniated a disk once trying to change a tire. Honestly, I can't do it. And, you may find this hard to believe, but the last time I had to call AAA for a tire change in Atlanta, he couldn't get the lug nuts, or whatever they're called, off the tire. He left me there after midnight, said it was against policy to drive anyone in his truck & I had to hunt down a phone by banging on stranger's doors to call AAA again. The 2nd guy, who was twice the size of the tiny fool who first arrived, had a real tough time but they finally gave way... therefore, maybe a can of WD-40 wouldn't hurt?? Again, there are always exceptions.
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Offhand I don't know of a way to keep water from freezing in the wintertime. But even frozen water bottles could supply you with enough water to keep you alive in the unlikely event of an extreme emergency. You could get a sip at a time out of one.
I figured as much, but there must be a way to add a drop or 2 of something to water or a special container to keep water from freezing. I wasn't worried so much about sipping it, I was thinking more along the lines of needing it in an emergency. Once I was driving at night through a blizzard... trucks kept hurling mud onto my windscreen... of course, my washer fluid ran out... I had to keep stopping every so often to pour a bit of water on my windscreen so I could keep going... I wasn't anywhere near a hotel or any civilization to pull off. Again, I don't stress about it, but I've had a lot of odd occurances on the road in my lifetime & like with the electrical tape scolding incident, I feel silly if I'm not prepared & something simple can get me home faster & safely.
last time I had to call AAA for a tire change in Atlanta, he couldn't get the lug nuts, or whatever they're called, off the tire. He left me there after midnight, said it was against policy to drive anyone in his truck & I had to hunt down a phone by banging on stranger's doors to call AAA again. The 2nd guy, who was twice the size of the tiny fool who first arrived, had a real tough time but they finally gave way... therefore, maybe a can of WD-40 wouldn't hurt?? Again, there are always exceptions.
In that case I would suspect that whoever is servicing your car is far overtightening the lugs, which can cause damage.
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I figured as much, but there must be a way to add a drop or 2 of something to water or a special container to keep water from freezing. I wasn't worried so much about sipping it, I was thinking more along the lines of needing it in an emergency. Once I was driving at night through a blizzard... trucks kept hurling mud onto my windscreen... of course, my washer fluid ran out... I had to keep stopping every so often to pour a bit of water on my windscreen so I could keep going... I wasn't anywhere near a hotel or any civilization to pull off. Again, I don't stress about it, but I've had a lot of odd occurances on the road in my lifetime & like with the electrical tape scolding incident, I feel silly if I'm not prepared & something simple can get me home faster & safely.
If that's the worry then you'd be better off just keeping a jug of washer fluid in the back. It's much less likely to freeze. I commend you for wanting to be prepared.
In that case I would suspect that whoever is servicing your car is far overtightening the lugs, which can cause damage.
It was a really, really old car, maybe they rusted on? But, you're probably right, too. I seem to remember having 3 crack off one of the wheels when I had a tire change. Hopefully, that'll never be a problem again.
I have a brand new car now & although it's nothing fancy, Honda is a reliable vehicle, so I don't worry much. In fact, once I get an emergency kit tossed into the back, I'll never think of it again unless I need it. Just would like other's opinions because people often think of things I don't... like the multi-tool.
By the way, several times I've seen women with small kids stuck on the road with a breakdown in Las Vegas heat. I was glad I had a jug of water & some boxed crackers, because although I couldn't help any other way (pre cellphone days), I did stop & left them with water/food for the kids, who were of course, crying up a storm. You never know who/what you'll need your extra "stuff" for...
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If that's the worry then you'd be better off just keeping a jug of washer fluid in the back. It's much less likely to freeze. I commend you for wanting to be prepared.
Thanks for the comment. I will get some washer fluid, too, thanks. I really am not a worrier... I've just driven a lot state to state (when I lived in the northeast), relocated numerous times cross country, seen emergencies on the road, etc, like many of us... I've experienced all kinds of weird things, including encounters with creeps on the road. I like to be careful, prepared & I really do feel much better when I've been stuck nightly on the Tobin Bridge in Boston for 2-hrs of rush hour traffic, listening to a CD, sipping water & munching on Cheese-Its. Makes life a bit easier.
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