Its that time of year again...
 

... to pack the shovels and kitteh litter! I don't care if you drive a Del Sol or a Dakota, winter is here and we ought to prepare for it.

By far, the most important item for winter driving is, and I can't say this enough, A CHANGE OF CLOTHING AND A WARM BLANKET.
How often do we go for a quick spin to town and omit a hat and gloves? Inevitably, that is when your Cavalier will throw a rod, and your gonna want a bag of clothing in the trunk to raid while you wait for Fred's Tire & Tow to pull your bum to the shop.

I've luckily never broken down in the winter, but dates sure appreciate the spare coat and gloves when they under dress on a 2º night.

Jump leads! You'll be the most popular cubicle ant around when everybody's car freezes up at the office. If you play your cards right, you might even get a hot coco out of it :)

Tool box... does that need an explanation?

Tow strap... If you bought a Humungasourus Rex 4x4, etiquette dictates you show off by hauling cars outa the ditch.

Don't forget your ice scraper!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Mcfr...layer_embedded

Good tips, man!

I carry a heavy jacket and a few random clothes all year round, actually, for exactly this reason. I dont' care if it's the middle of summer, you get into some cold water, you want to put a jacket on and dry out quickly.

Actually, the list should go something like:
Remember: hat, gloves, jumper cables, tow strap, toolbox, etc.
Forget: Good milage.

You're totally right, and maybe this will prompt me to finally buy either the cables and strap, or a set of low rr tires to make the car easier to push ;)

Yes, I pull folks out when and where I can with my Jeep. Rare occassions we have to wait for a heavier vehicle though. I drive a mountain pass and it can get ugly real quick.

I carry, extra blankets and 2 changes of clothes and my heavy Carhart jacket in addition to my normal day to day items in the Jeep.

For my Neon (it won't snow much this year, I just put on snow tires!!!!), blankets, extra clothes and jacket, plus the bugout bag from the Jeep...

When I have a capable vehicle, I pull people out. If I don't, I'll stay with them and wait, or give them a ride to where ever. I don't like to leave people sitting, even though so many have done it to me.

Seems like everyone is late for work on the day that I'm in need of help... and they don't hesitate to tell me as they're driving by splashing up water/slush.

Don't tell me a cell phone doesn't fix EVERYTHING?!? :eek:

P.S. Jerry's scraping technique could use refinement.

Of course it does... unless you believe OnStar's campaign that in an accident, you just might lose your precious cell phone...

BTW - I'm partial. I hate land lines, and prefer cellular phones. In fact, I haven't had a land line since I lived with my Father at 16.

When I see someone driving with one stuck to their heads I just wanna smack it right offa there :mad:

Don't forget the crankcase/block heater... If the winters are particularly bad, also add a plug in electric cabin heater. (Make one out of a cheap ceramic space heater.)

The crank case heater is vital to me. The big, bloated iron block in Angila needs all the help it can get to warm up.

hypothermia fatalities
 

Thanks Oval!
I know of two people who died of exposure in the mountains of California,and temps never went below 55-F.
"Always be ready." Tito Puente

I suppose I'm lucky (because I probably wouldn't have gone this far myself), but my Jeep I bought used actually came with heaters installed on the block, oilpan and transmission. Even in the dead of winter, the heater is blowing hot in about one minute after an hour or two plugged in to good ole 110 Volt!

And don't forget the First Aid Kit. But that should be in the car year round.

Huckle Cat sayz
http://media.giantbomb.com/uploads/0...jpg_large.jpeg
"Put a Band-Aid on it!"

Don't forget to have a warning device such as flares or a reflective triangle. I haven't taken my reflective triangle out of the box since I bought it, but I'm glad I have it just in case.

Positive 55F? Wow, that's pretty bad. Silly Californian's. :D

An inflatable boattail made out of mylar space blankets could double as a bivy sack! Now that's practical!!

Extended exposure at 55ºF will kill you, but its a slow and painful death. The human body operates at over 96º, and 55º is plenty cold enough to bring it down below 94ºF, and ta-da... hypothermia.

Listen to grandma, wear that fugly sweater she knitted you
http://dwightjohnston.files.wordpres...g-sweater1.jpg