What's in Your "in the Ditch" Kit?

Wow you are banking on phone service working and the tow company available considering there might be a few hundred other motorists stranded?

And that is how the weakest in the wildlife population get weeded out. Looks like it applies to humans too. Wish you the best Raees.

Warm clothes and a good pair of boots. I'm never more than hiking distance from safety on my commute.

Going up on 4wd roads is a different story. Then my list looks more like Otis' due to having to survive for a few days until the storm passes and I can signal for help.

This is where the "What works for you?" part comes into play. As was mentioned, there are those that travel roads where the likelihood of being stranded 'alone' for long periods of time is minimal. I won't get started on detours, and that kind of potential but the WWFY mentality will always vary.

First I'll start with EDC, (Every Day Carry). These are items that are on my person, or possession/vehicle/etc., throughout any given day.
1.Wallet
2.Keys
3.Chapstick
4.Knife
5.Clothing/footwear suited to the weather expected for the day
6.Sunglasses and protective eye wear (clear lenses)
7.Clothing for unexpected changes in weather. ((Optional/seasonal). Includes hats, coats, boots, gloves, pants, eyewear, etc., and all varies. Again WWFY.)
8.Water and sometimes a snack.
9.Bic lighter even though I don't smoke.

This might already sound like a lot of stuff to some people, but seriously count up your EDC and you might find I carry less than even someone who is considered "unprepared". Its what works for me and my level of training/conditioning. The one thing everyone should think to bring is of course "mindset". With the right mindset the body can overcome amazing obsticles. But now back to the topic at hand, what's in my truck?

Some of this falls into the category of "full-time" and "load-out". As you can guess, FT means its always in the truck. Items include:
1.Jumper cables.
2.Fullsize spare tire (inspected quite often to insure proper p.s.i. and road worthy condition.)
3.Jack and tire iron (and it was checked upon purchase to ensure it fits the lugs)
4.Extra fluids essential to the truck. (i.e. oils, anti-freeze, dot4, P/S, etc.)
5.Tool kit
6.Wool blanket
7.Flashlights, battery bag
8.Candle and extra lighter
9.Gloves (both winter and work)
10.1 pair of extra socks in glove box. (Cold, wet feet are no fun)
11.Toilet paper
12.Small shovel
13.Rags
14.Small trash bags (i.e. King Sooper/Safeway bags)
15.CB (perhaps my most valuable asset)
16.Fuel can (second most valuable asset)

Again, sounds like a lot of stuff, but none of this really takes up that much room at all.

Now to "load-out". This is situational gear. I'm not one who just jumps in the vehicle and drives to an unknown destination.... but I've met a few who have. A quick plan and a few items may be loaded up and taken with at a moments notice and again the situation will alter the load-out. Examples include, but are no means limited to:
1.Extra water/food to sustain for several hours (or days if farther from home)
2.Tiny cooking device and fuel (i.e. sterno or wood in which case I'd bring my ammo can woodstove, again farther from home)
3.Extra knife, hatchet, and possibly a side arm. (again situational and depending how far from home)
4.Fishing pole and tackle box
5.Small tent, bed roll
6.Large trash bags
7.Mess kit (i.e. knife, fork, spoon/spork)

A load-out can include/disclude any of those items and will change depending upon destination plans. All situational and all subject to change with just a little pre-planning. Sound like a lot? Takes seconds to figure, hardly any room used up with space for plenty more if I really wanted. Again, its about mindset. If something were to happen, I'll determine the best course of action to take at that time. As mentioned training/conditioning goes along with it so that if I deemed it necessary to bug-out there is NO panic what so ever. Just a leisurely, though unexpected hike through hopefully a beautiful wooded area. If in a city, maybe not as leisurely but calm unless a situation proves otherwise is necessary.

You'll notice I did not have "cellphone" listed. I don't actually own one, seriously. They don't work up here very well as is, and my routine travels rarely if ever dictate that one would benefit me, just a waste of money. Like I said, WWFY.


Badger

mtntrekker wrote: Wow you are banking on phone service working and the tow company available considering there might be a few hundred other motorists stranded?

And that is how the weakest in the wildlife population get weeded out.

I don't really think wildlife have phones, to tell you the truth, MT.

And, as stated by someone else, I'm never more than hiking distance to from help where I drive. So what if it takes a day or two to get my car out. It's not like I'm going to be sitting in it all that time, heating up MRE's and having a camp out in my car.

The longest I've ever been stranded at my car is 2 hours and that's because nobody would stop to give me a lift in the middle of a snow storm. As a result, I always try to stop when I see a stranded motorist needing a lift, even when the weather is not bad.

The longest I've ever been stranded at my car is 2 hours and that's because nobody would stop to give me a lift in the middle of a snow storm. As a result, I always try to stop when I see a stranded motorist needing a lift, even when the weather is not bad.

hmmm!.
I can't ever remember a time when I have had a problem on the road that someone hasn't stopped to help.
Could it be Karma whine?

Why would you say that?

I say it because Karma is a funny thing.

Haven't stocked the car yet with some of this stuff, but I carry the jumper cables, tool kit and fluids all year anyway driving an old car with--er--personality.

For winter I usually add a blanket, sometimes a pillow, two metal coffee cans, matches and a candle (candle lit in a can is an effective heater/cooker, the other can is for more-ah-basic needs...), paper towels, tire chains and tow strap. Oh yeah, sometimes I'll put food in there too--something with caffeine like chocolate. No flashlight, but I do have a solar lantern that I carry that does a nice job of lighting.

By the way Otis.....thx for the timely reminder of the things we need to do to help ourselves in a potentially bad situation..
I like the idea of the sleeping bag mtntrekker.

otisptoadwater wrote: Winter is coming and as much as we all like to believe that an extended stay in the ditch or on a snowbound highway is not in our future, what will you have on hand in your car/truck/SUV when it happens?

Here is a list to start with, what would you add?

Essentials for Winter driving:

Cell phone and extra batteries that are already charged
Blankets, surplus military wool blankets preferred because they are warm even when wet
Water, remember water expands when it freezes so pick containers that can handle that and leave some head space
Jumper cables
Portable compressor/AM/FM radio
MREs and other beyond shelf stable foods
Sterno, candles (be very careful of CO, crack a could of windows if using for cooking or heat)
Strike anywhere matches in waterproof containers, have more than one in case one container is contaminated
Flashlights, plural
Spare batteries for the flashlights, be sure to rotate the stock to ensure fresh batteries are on hand
Paper towels
Bog roll
Kitty litter
E-tool
Multi-tool such as a Leatherman or Gerber
Road flares x a dozen
Basic tool kit

You forgot the HAM radio in case all other forms of communication are down- what about signal flares to alert search aircraft to your location in the ditch by 285? And you might want to include some snare traps so you can hunt for food in the ditch. What an anal retententive dork you are Otis...Its absurd, we don't live in the middle of nowhere Alaska so you don't need a survival kit for your trips to King Soopers. Here's a tip, when there's a blizzard, stay in your F-ing house

My god, is there anything about this world that doesn't frieghten you republicans?