What items should all drivers carry ?

[J4CKO]

With my eldest getting his own car and he will be doing more miles I thought I should get him set up with items in his car that should come in handy to improve safety and being able to deal with situations, thus far I have provided a decent extendable wheelbrace and got him to check he can change a tyre, so, what else should he, and all of us be carrying in the boot ?

I have

A couple of torches
Wheelbrace as mentioned
Jumper cables
Rags
Some disposable gloves
Spare contact lenses
thing for cutting seatbelts and smashing glass.
Warning triangle
Duck Tape
Phone charger


I am going to get some fire extinguishers, one for each car



What else can you think of ? going to do an Amazon order for a few bits.

[J4CKO]

HustleRussell said:

Overkill already IMO.

Having learnt the hard way, I would beg to differ !

Another one to add it decent breakdown cover and the number stored in your phone and perhaps on a bit of paper.

[J4CKO]

aka_kerrly said:

No tools?

I carry one of these in the boot
[pic]http://www.jollyhome.com/uploads/gallery/201308/09/12.5-Inch-heavy-duty-tool-box-small-201308090939egu.jpg[pic]

Which contains a standard selection of sockets, adjustable spanner, screw drivers, electrical tape, some random nuts/bolts/screws and a few other bits.

I expect someone will be along to tell me that they'd notice a difference in handling from 5kg of tools in the boot, someone else will say it's overkill and I must drive st cars and then someone will come along and say they carry £5k of Snap on tools in a custom made tool box that fits into a the boot floor.

So far just the ones that come with the car.

A small selection would make sense, dont want to overload the cars with too much stuff but to be honest, throw it in the boot, mine has loads of space under the floor round the wheel and forget it until you need it, my advice being prepare on a nice sunny day for the godawaful weather that comes when you have an issue.

[J4CKO]

SuperHangOn said:

It's not likely that you will be able to bodge a modern car with gaffer tape to get you home. If you fear a breakdown, you might as well keep supplies to pass the many hours until the AA turn up. Cigarettes, jazz mags or whatever floats your boat.

I was thinking more if you hit something and need to do a temporary fix, if nothing else it means you have some duck tape with you which as we know is dead handy in many situations.

I have a Minder series 1 to 5 box set in the glove compartment for if I get bored, not often I get that bored but its handy to have, took my eldest for an apprenticeship day at Luton airport, had a bit of a picnic, rclined the seat and sat and watched about 5 hours of Minder, strangely agreeable really.

[J4CKO]

oilydan said:

J4CKO said:

thing for cutting seatbelts and smashing glass.

Should probably have that close to hand in the cabin, rather than in the boot

Yeah, that one is, its in the centre console, like you say not much use in the boot

[J4CKO]

Jim AK said:

J4CKO

If you're an Amazon Prime member, don't get caught out with the postage fraud issues they have right now!

Not heard anything, what is the issue ?

[J4CKO]

The Moose said:

I must say, it does sound pretty overkill.

Where do you live/where are you going to be driving?!

live in civilisation and dont actually do that much driving, just never know though, for a few quid and sticking a few items in the boot may as well be prepared.

Not saying am going to get every single item was just checking I had considered everything, I think a lot of people are completely helpless if they have a problem.

[J4CKO]

HustleRussell said:

We've now got everything but the kitchen sink except for a certificate of motor insurance.

Good point, copies of documents.

[J4CKO]

ambuletz said:

Jim AK said:

J4CKO said:

Not heard anything, what is the issue ?

Seems some sellers, or Amazon staff, have worked out a way to charge postage at a very high rate & you won't know until you get your card statement.

Someone I know who's a Prime member got charged over £100 postage for a few rolls of sellotape!

It's been refunded today actually, but it caused a bit of an issue.

why would you order cellotape online... sheesh. go to the corner shop.

I tend to order stuff when I remember it, stuff for the cars for example, am int he garage now and have a mini pc, its Sunday afternoon, Halfords is only like three miles away but it is surrounded by the horrors of TK Maxx and ridiculously busy, if I dont need it that minute, order it and it turns up the following day.

Having Prime it means I dont have to pay postage, I dont have to drive and waste half a gallon of fuel and half an hour of my time, the prices are generally better and I dont get my car dinged by some cretin like last time, a bloke opened the door on the car we had picked up an hour before.

[J4CKO]

Pints said:

J4CKO said:

oilydan said:

J4CKO said:

thing for cutting seatbelts and smashing glass.

Should probably have that close to hand in the cabin, rather than in the boot

Yeah, that one is, its in the centre console, like you say not much use in the boot

In the event of an accident where that would be required, placement in the centre console means it's more likely to hit you on the head and get bounced around the car out of reach.

Its behind a little door where the cigar lighter is, I dont like anything unsecured or rolling about.

[J4CKO]

Nickyboy said:

Holy fk, where is he going to be driving? Across the Andes or something?

What car is he driving?

In 20 years of driving i've never carried any of that despite having French cars, 20 year old cars and a troublesome Volvo T5. Other than a torch nothing else is really necessary. Any fool can change a wheel with the tools provided with the car, anything else you have breakdown cover for. I think you'd rather him call for assistance than fumble around on the side of a dual carraigeway.

"Any fool can change the wheel with the tools provided with the car"

Hmm, I seriously doubt that, generally the wheels are airgunned on or they stick to the hub because they have been off, the standard foot long (at best) wheelbrace doesnt provide enough leverage in my experience, I am 17 stone and am not averse to doing a bit of weight training (not a director though) and I struggle sometimes, I have had occasions to get a massive breaker bar and plonk my mass towards its furthest reaches to get some undone, a 9 stone woman who isnt used to it, and a lot of men for that matter wouldnt have a chance with the standard stuff.



I bet there are a lot of PHers that have never actually removed a wheel, or would get to it and realise they cant find the locking wheel key or the spare is flat.

[J4CKO]

Just revisiting this, was driving between Wilmslow and Alderley Edge on Wednesday night and the car in front left the road at about 40 mph and hit a tree, rear end went like 8 foot in the air and then came crashing down, a Fiesta, it was a mess, I placed my car to protect the crashed on with the hazards on, told my son to get out and call 999 and went over to the car, I opened the door not knowing what I would find, smoke everywhere, struggled to open the door, several airbags had gone off, horn was blaring, the front passenger side wheel had come off with driveshaft attached.

The lady in the car was catatonic, in severe shock, a lady who had stopped sat with the driver whilst I attended to making the car safe and silent by disconnecting the battery, got my torch and tools and sorted it out, Police and ambulance arrived and that was that.

So, was glad I had all that crap in the boot and am looking at fire extinguishers as if the car was starting to burn for any reason I am not sure what I would have done, I think we could have got her out (didnt move her at the time as no threat of fire) but I dont want to be in that situation without one again, I know it may not work but it is better than nothing, made me realise it isnt just about what happens to me but what I come across and we should all at least be minimally prepared to help out.

The night before, half a mile further back in Wilmslow, whilst walking the dog there was another Fiesta on its side on the roundabout with fire, Ambulance and Police in attendance, I must be a jinx !