MyThreeSons Posted January 29, 2014 Share Posted January 29, 2014 If you found yourself unexpectedly stuck on the road for a long period of time, would you be prepared? My minivan is almost always a mess. But I have a sleeping bag and a lightweight blanket, several extra jackets, at least a couple of bottles of water and/or sportsdrink, some snacky-type foods (chips, trail mix), a supply of paper plates, cups, and plastic utensils, a very basic first aid kit, a small supply of OTC meds (decongestant, pain relievers, anti-diarrheal, etc.), and even some prescription level pain meds. I also have an emergency road kit with jumper cables, some basic tools, a flare, etc. Oh, and a flashlight and a phone charger cord. I also have several board games, a deck of playing cards and a cribbage board. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pawz4me Posted January 29, 2014 Share Posted January 29, 2014 No. I'd be in a bit of trouble. I keep my car uncluttered. I'd likely have a full tank of gas since I always top up whenever dicey weather is in the forecast. But the only other things I'd have to rely on are a few reusable shopping bags, a tube of lip balm and travel sized tube of hand lotion, a box of tissues (could be anywhere from full to almost empty), the car manuals, an ice scraper/brush and a spare dog leash. I would have my cell phone with me, but not a charger. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura Corin Posted January 29, 2014 Share Posted January 29, 2014 I normally have a blanket, and I make sure that we all have thick coats when we drive in winter. That's about it though. L Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest submarines Posted January 29, 2014 Share Posted January 29, 2014 I like to keep a lot of stuff in my van. We have a wool blanket, extra jackets, extra hats, extra juice boxes, card games, books. Yep, it is a mess. But I drive a lot with my kids, and I like to have "extras", just in case. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carrie12345 Posted January 29, 2014 Share Posted January 29, 2014 Yes and no. I have most of the necessary supplies, but not enough to keep 5-7 people warm in a -20 wind chill for very long. (Most often there are 5 people in the car, but we can have up to 7.) My blanket at home just barely does its job *in my house*, *with the heat on* in the crazy temps we've been having. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ottakee Posted January 29, 2014 Share Posted January 29, 2014 My thing would be "potty" issues. We have before in emergencies taken along an icecream bucket with paper towels in the bottom with a lid for it. Line it with several plastic grocery bags as well. Not ideal but it would work and you could just throw the entire thing away. Works great for a puke bucket as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gentlemommy Posted January 29, 2014 Share Posted January 29, 2014 No. I'd be in trouble. No water, snacks, or warm blankets in my car. Not sure I'd have a tankful of gas, I don't need to drive very far around here, so I can go a while between filling up. Sometimes I don't realize it's low until the light turns on lol. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FaithManor Posted January 29, 2014 Share Posted January 29, 2014 Both vehicles have a first aid kit, mylar warming blankets, a couple of heavy, knitted afghans, granola bars, goldfish crackers, and cashews or almonds, gallon of water, emergency flares, and several of the hand and foot warmer packs that are sold at farm supply and outdoor sporting goods places. There is bag in the back of my mini-van with extra hats, gloves, scarves, and mittens. In the winter, we do not travel far from home without topping off the gas tank. We live rural...six miles from a gas station, 12 miles from a Walmart, 45 miles from a "city". It's an agricultural area with a deep history of self-reliance and preparedness, so this common amongst my neighbors. We can go a long time without being plowed out, and if there is some crazy wide-spread power outage, we'll be the last to be attended to by the utility company. Therefore, everyone tries to keep their emergency measures up to date. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bettyandbob Posted January 29, 2014 Share Posted January 29, 2014 We have a first aid kit, jumper cables and tire iron, emergency blankets (the kind that fold up tiny and look like foil) an old wool blanket, water bottles. I'm not sure if there is food. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigMamaBird Posted January 29, 2014 Share Posted January 29, 2014 One thing to remember if you get stuck in snow is to periodically get out and clear your exhaust pipe. Folks have died from their car filling up with fumes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J-rap Posted January 29, 2014 Share Posted January 29, 2014 In the winter we throw in a couple wool blankets, a sleeping bag, extra wool hats and mittens. We live on a prairie and the winters can be deadly if you are caught without something to warm you. I should have even more than that. I do make sure we have a full gas tank and a cell phone before we leave town. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jane in NC Posted January 29, 2014 Share Posted January 29, 2014 Coastal gal from hurricane country checking in. No one is driving anywhere today because we are covered with ice. There are no salt trucks or plows where I live. I keep a first aid kit and a flashlight in the car. And an ice scraper. My husband had to use his yesterday to clean off the half inch of ice that accumulated before he left work. Interestingly, many people around here don't have them! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KungFuPanda Posted January 29, 2014 Share Posted January 29, 2014 The only things in my car are a towel, a blanket, jumper cables, phone charger and tic tacs . . .but I stay in civilization and would just walk home or to a store/restaurant. I am thinking of putting an old sled in the trunk. I have a son in a wheelchair and with this weird weather it just seems like something that might work better than his chair. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TeenagerMom Posted January 29, 2014 Share Posted January 29, 2014 On a normal day, I'd be in trouble, because all I typically have in the car is jumper cables & basketball gear along with my cell. But at the slightest sign of snowflakes, I have a bag packed in the car because I work at a hospital & can get called in at anytime during bad weather. Usually I have snacks, a change of clothes, pjs, gloves, scarf, my warm boots, and a blanket in it. I carry something to drink with me all the time. I stay pretty local & could easily walk a mile or less to a gas station or even someone's house that I know. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tmhearn Posted January 29, 2014 Share Posted January 29, 2014 If you found yourself unexpectedly stuck on the road for a long period of time, would you be prepared? My minivan is almost always a mess. But I have a sleeping bag and a lightweight blanket, several extra jackets, at least a couple of bottles of water and/or sportsdrink, some snacky-type foods (chips, trail mix), a supply of paper plates, cups, and plastic utensils, a very basic first aid kit, a small supply of OTC meds (decongestant, pain relievers, anti-diarrheal, etc.), and even some prescription level pain meds. I also have an emergency road kit with jumper cables, some basic tools, a flare, etc. Oh, and a flashlight and a phone charger cord. I also have several board games, a deck of playing cards and a cribbage board. I want you to be my mom! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rachel Posted January 29, 2014 Share Posted January 29, 2014 When I lived up north I always had a winter kit and never let my gas tank get below half. My kit included a shovel, boots, coveralls, tools (which I have no idea how I'd use but my dad made me), flashlight, jumper cables, food, water, and a sleeping bag. Now I'm not that prepared. I do have a blanket in the car and usually have water, certainly not enough for me and 3 kids for any length of time. I always insist on the kids being dressed appropriately for the weather too. It's rare that the roads are too bad to travel on but I have been stuck while an accident is being cleared. I probably should prepare better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ravin Posted January 29, 2014 Share Posted January 29, 2014 Y'all are reminding me I'm going to have to pack an emergency kit for our spring break trip. We're driving a rental car from central AZ to west TX and back. I will not be shocked if it's one of those years one risks driving through snow on I-40 in March. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
athomeontheprairie Posted January 29, 2014 Share Posted January 29, 2014 I am I prepared? Yes. everybody have an extra thick blanket that we keeping the van all winter long. everybody takes a water bottle when we leave the house. but more importantly, when we go to town someone knows we're coming. and when we leave town I let my husband know. if something were to happen to me it could take 2 hours for someone to find us, but after 30 minutes have passed someone would start looking. there are no highways for us to get stuck in traffic on. and there's only one way to get to town. calling or texting when I leave town have saved us in the past. we hit a patch of ice and went down a ravine 2 years ago, 45 minutes after we were supposed to be home my dh and Grandpa started looking for with the truck. we can handle the cold for a while, and I've no problem un buckling the two little boys and putting then in the back with the big girls to conserve body heat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heidi Posted January 29, 2014 Share Posted January 29, 2014 Yes. I keep a pack of water, granola bars, and a huge 72 hour kit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trish Posted January 29, 2014 Share Posted January 29, 2014 If you found yourself unexpectedly stuck on the road for a long period of time, would you be prepared? My minivan is almost always a mess. But I have a sleeping bag and a lightweight blanket, several extra jackets, at least a couple of bottles of water and/or sportsdrink, some snacky-type foods (chips, trail mix), a supply of paper plates, cups, and plastic utensils, a very basic first aid kit, a small supply of OTC meds (decongestant, pain relievers, anti-diarrheal, etc.), and even some prescription level pain meds. I also have an emergency road kit with jumper cables, some basic tools, a flare, etc. Oh, and a flashlight and a phone charger cord. I also have several board games, a deck of playing cards and a cribbage board. This was me when I lived up north, right down to the entertainment! I also had a pillow and wet wipes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idnib Posted January 29, 2014 Share Posted January 29, 2014 Yes I would be prepared. I've been through several major earthquakes so am familiar with the problem of, without any warning, being stuck somewhere with no clean water, food, or cash. A lot of people plan earthquake kits at home but don't realize if they're 40 miles away they might not get back to their kits right away. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wheres Toto Posted January 29, 2014 Share Posted January 29, 2014 Well, we always have a collection of half filled water bottles and we could probably live for days on the food dropped under the seats. :glare: I do keep blankets in the car in winter, and there's always a pair of gloves because I only wear them until the car warms up, then I take them off and end up leaving them in the car when I get out. Papertowels, grocery bags to use for garbage, an emergency kit with jumper cables and flares, scissors, mini (very mini - bandaids, antiseptic gel) first aid kid, phone charger, ice scraper are in their deliberately and usually year round. There's always a selection of other random crap - clothes for donation, pillows, toys, sleds, shovels, lab equipment, books. I always have a cell phone, and medications (pain and allergy) in my purse. I don't generally travel anywhere very rural. I'm probably never more than a mile or two from some form of public civilization and probably never more than 50 feet from at least a house. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeannie in NJ Posted January 29, 2014 Share Posted January 29, 2014 we would be fine in dh's car. He has extra coats and hats, lots of snacks and water. In my car, not so prepared. We do have jumper cables and cell phone chargers in both cars. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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