# Road safety



## Flea (Oct 20, 2009)

I'm almost ready for my road trip, from the Midwest to the west coast.  It's about 1600 miles, 4-5 days.  I'm compiling a list of safety considerations ranging from common sense things to self-defense.  Can anyone tell me if I'm missing anything while I still have a few shopping days?

Basic safety things -

Separate day bag for overnights in the hotel w/ one day's clothes, toiletries, etc.
Camping gear that always lives in my car
My sleeping bag and extra wool blankets
Nutritious munchies and extra medication/supplements
AAA membership and other pertinent paperwork
Travellers checks
Jumper cables
Homespun privacy curtains for pickup truck bed windows

SD things -

Gold "wedding ring" (is there anything thrift stores can't do?)
Very noisy but well trained dog
My badass single year of MA training  
Stun gun - the one I habitually carry around my neighborhood
Special forces shovel

Any suggestions?


----------



## MJS (Oct 20, 2009)

Flea said:


> I'm almost ready for my road trip, from the Midwest to the west coast. It's about 1600 miles, 4-5 days. I'm compiling a list of safety considerations ranging from common sense things to self-defense. Can anyone tell me if I'm missing anything while I still have a few shopping days?
> 
> Basic safety things -
> 
> ...


 
I'd add to that a flashlight with fresh batteries, a cell phone, let someone know your destination points. Probably a bit too late for one of these but IMO, its something well worth having. My wife and I each have one in our vehicles. At least I know that if we're out somewhere and the car battery dies, this may save us.  When I'm taking long trips, I like to have travelers checks, rather than cash. I do bring cash, but the majority is the checks. 

Be safe and have a good time on your trip.


----------



## elder999 (Oct 20, 2009)

Flea said:


> Any suggestions?


 

Your (*every!*)car should have this......a coupla gallons of water, and if your doing the "truck camping" thing, you might think of some way of securing the cap windows, gate and the truck's tailgate from the inside......no offense, but you seem to share at least a small measure of my paranoiac tendencies, so this is just a good idea....:lol:


----------



## Tez3 (Oct 20, 2009)

Wow, it sounds as if it's every bit as dangerous as the original settlers journeys! I've driven right across Europe several times and never had to think about safety stuff like this, stun gun, oh my!


----------



## girlbug2 (Oct 20, 2009)

I'd like to add, make sure your flashlight is a high quality one, the brighter the better. In fact, bring two--one to stay in your vehicle, one to carry out.

Maybe a nice booklight?

Oh, and good earplugs if you're staying in the kind of hotels I usually frequent with the thin walls and all.


----------



## Flea (Oct 20, 2009)

Don't worry Tez.  The stun gun is for my neighborhood.  I'm just bringing it because I may as well since I already own it.  I bought the shovel recently because I think it's kewl.  My backup plan is to camp out of the truck if I can't find hotels that accept pets.

I'm paranoid, but not X-Files paranoid.


----------



## Bill Mattocks (Oct 20, 2009)

Second on the water.  If it hasn't already been mentioned, a couple quarts of oil and some antifreeze aren't a bad idea, either.  As to the cell phone, some of the newest are GPS-enabled, which can be a good thing if you need help and just do not know where you are.  A GPS mapping unit is nice too, if more expensive.

If you have any old cell phones that are disconnected but can take a charge, bring 'em.  By law they all have to be able to dial 911 in the USA.  Good to have, because in some remote areas, there is no signal to some cell phones,  and yet others will work.

Good job on the AAA card.  One of my favorites.  They're great to have.  Call 'em while you're on the road and they'll find an open hotel for you and make the reservation and everything.  Great people.  If you stop by one of their offices, they'll generate trip tiks for you and give you free maps and so on. You can also do that online, but the ones they make are great.

Good luck, stay safe.


----------



## Bill Mattocks (Oct 20, 2009)

Oh, and if you wear glasses, a spare pair if you have them.  They only break when you're on the road, you know.  Taking copies of medical and eyeglass prescriptions is also good, as well as a written list of medical providers, allergies, insurance numbers, etc.  I wear a health alert necklace when I'm traveling so first-responders will know I'm diabetic and sensitive to codeine if I should be found alive but unable to communicate for whatever reason.

This is all probably over the top, but I tend towards paranoia in these things.  It doesn't hurt to have them.  Back in the day, I just hopped on my bike and headed out, just the clothes on my back and a couple bucks in my pocket.  California to Colorado in March on a 250cc one year!!!  In Flagstaff, AZ, I thought I was going to die in a snowstorm.  Those were the days.


----------



## CuongNhuka (Oct 20, 2009)

You have a good start for a roadside kit, but if I were you, I'd go ahead and build one. You can buy some from the net, but I wouldn't bother, since you'd probably end up with a few repeats. 

Contents (minus what you have): anti freeze, screw drivers, pliers, tire inflator, swiss army knife/multitool, thermal blanket, rags, ice scrapper, rope or a tow cable, extra set of warm clothes (including a heavy jacket), camp candles, water proof matches, flares, fuses, vice grips, paper towels, pen and paper, oil, flash light*, adjustable wrench, duct tape, help sign, extra batteries prybar, poncho/rain gear, sand, first aid kit with a snake bite kit, a deactivated cell phone**

* you could buy a flash light that uses a battery, but I'd avoid it. You can get whats called an 'emergency flashlight' which is a magnet surrounded by a coil of wire. It'll work after shaking it up and down and needs no batteries. If you cann't find that, I'd go for a big ol honkin one with like 1,000 candle power (if you cann't have indestructable, you might as well go for excessive power).
** by federal law a deactivated cell phone must be able to 911 (assuming the battery still has power). However, I'd try to get one made after 2002, since that is about when a different federal law made it so that all cell phones had to have a gps tracking chip.

I'd also carry a copy of your insurance and registration, ICE contact info, and a spare drivers license license or an ID (attainable from the local DMV) in a spare compartment in your car. Sealed up in plastic bag hidden in (say) a slit in a passagener seat. The cops could easily find it, but a bad guy is likely to.


----------



## jks9199 (Oct 20, 2009)

Get a map.  Buy a national atlas.  You can often still pick up free maps at state Welcome Centers (if they're still open), and if not, it's still worth it to buy one.  If you have to buy it, the ones that cover two or three states are OK, if less detailed.

Taking a cell phone was already mentioned.  Take two, even if you have to buy a cheap pay-as-you-go one.  Leave the second one off once it's activated; searching for a signal will kill a battery very fast, and you don't want to discover that when you NEED your phone.  Take a few minutes, and look up the state police websites in each state you'll be travelling through.  Find out the number to contact them on the highway for both emergencies and non-emergencies (like in Virginia, #77 is the non-emergency link to the State Police) -- 911 doesn't always work!  It doesn't hurt to take note of what the uniforms, badges, and cruisers look like, too.

I'm not personally such a fan of AAA for emergencies.  I've seen too many cases where they take too damn long to get there.  In fact, I'm not too big a fan of any of 'em for that reason.  Their emergency service is contracted to local wrecker companies, and it's whoever they'll get to do it cheapest.  That means that some of 'em are covering way too much ground with way too few cars.


----------



## Bill Mattocks (Oct 20, 2009)

jks9199 said:


> I'm not personally such a fan of AAA for emergencies.  I've seen too many cases where they take too damn long to get there.  In fact, I'm not too big a fan of any of 'em for that reason.  Their emergency service is contracted to local wrecker companies, and it's whoever they'll get to do it cheapest.  That means that some of 'em are covering way too much ground with way too few cars.



They can be slow, but it doesn't cost anything out-of-pocket with their services, and that can be important when traveling through some areas, where you can get charged gouging prices for services when you're in a tight spot.  I typically don't carry cash, and you don't want to hear that Joe Bob Bubba Trucking, Inc, only takes cash on the nail, and oh by the way, your five-mile tow to the next town will be twelve hundred dollars.

Ever see the original _"National Lampoon's Vacation?"_


----------



## KELLYG (Oct 20, 2009)

This may be way too obvious.  Go to a reputable mechanic and have them check the vehicle over for any issues that are current or may arise while traveling.  Ie tires, brakes, coolant, leaks, ball joints etc.  This may not be a guarantee that something won't go wrong but if there is something not quite right it can be rectified while at home base as opposed to out in the sticks somewhere.


----------



## MJS (Oct 20, 2009)

KELLYG said:


> This may be way too obvious. Go to a reputable mechanic and have them check the vehicle over for any issues that are current or may arise while traveling. Ie tires, brakes, coolant, leaks, ball joints etc. This may not be a guarantee that something won't go wrong but if there is something not quite right it can be rectified while at home base as opposed to out in the sticks somewhere.


 
Couldn't agree more with this.  To expand on what Bill was saying about the tow service charging some outrageous fee, and Nat. Lampoons Vac,  I'm sure we've all seen those movies where someone breaks down in a one horse town, and the garage charges some out of this world fee for a simple repair.


----------



## sgtmac_46 (Oct 20, 2009)

MJS said:


> I'd add to that a flashlight with fresh batteries, a cell phone, let someone know your destination points. Probably a bit too late for one of these but IMO, its something well worth having. My wife and I each have one in our vehicles. At least I know that if we're out somewhere and the car battery dies, this may save us.  When I'm taking long trips, I like to have travelers checks, rather than cash. I do bring cash, but the majority is the checks.
> 
> Be safe and have a good time on your trip.



Ditto on the Powerpack.......a TRUE lifesaver.


----------



## CoryKS (Oct 20, 2009)

You can get a space blanket at your local camping supply store.  It's cheap, lightweight and comes folded into a tiny square packet.  You should keep one in your car, the storage space required is negligible.


----------



## still learning (Oct 20, 2009)

Hello, Don't forget the 2 inch folding knife and a cub scout fork and spoon knife!

The Media may save your life?

  ..make a list of yourself and others in car in case of accidents...contact list, medical cards, presciptions, allergies, etc..

Aloha,  ...have a NICE trip!   ...hopefully the only thing you will need was the money for gas and lodgesing + food.


----------



## Tez3 (Oct 20, 2009)

We can buy 'wind up' torches here, radios too plus a lot of other gadgets.
http://www.windup-products.com/?gclid=CNDO8fvmzJ0CFUtp4wodBnx8sQ


----------



## tallgeese (Oct 20, 2009)

As others have said, a good map, working phone, and functional car will make everything go smooth in all likelihood.   If you've got all the above, one way or the other you can survive without triple A.  But that's entirely your choice.  

I'd second the water, oil, anti-freeze stockpile.  I'd also have a set of jumper cables at the minimum, they can be handy for the "oops" moment when  you slip off and leave the dome light on.  If you're car camping, you've got about everything else you might need in an emergency all ready.

As for the stun gun, I always suggest people should carry the highest level of weaponry that they are trained on, comfortable with actually using, and legally able to have with them.   Check the legal ramifications of having a stun gun in the states you plan on going thru, your mileage may vary on it's legality.

I'm not saying you shouldn't keep it with  you.  I'm just saying that the legal environment of each state may effect how you elect to transport it.  This in turn will determine how you plan on deploying it during a crisis and even IF you have immediate access.

Just some thoughts.


----------



## Gordon Nore (Oct 20, 2009)

Bill Mattocks said:


> Good job on the AAA card. One of my favorites. They're great to have... If you stop by one of their offices, they'll generate trip tiks for you and give you free maps and so on. You can also do that online, but the ones they make are great.



I was thinking just that. My dad always had the CAA membership and would get those trip tiks and guides for travel. I've done the same; although, it's been a few years since my last long road trip, so I imagine it's a bit more high tech now.


----------



## girlbug2 (Oct 20, 2009)

Something just occurred to me to mention regarding AAA: two years ago I was traveling in my van with my two kids and labrador retriever in the back when the radiator overheated and I needed a tow just off the freeway. I called AAA and it wouldn't have been a problem except for the labrador: they claimed that by law the tow truck couldn't take him in the cab with us. After a few calls back and forth with AAA and the tow truck guy my cell phone was almost out of power, so I used one last call to summon my dh who came along to the rescue. AAA never called me later to follow up and find out what happened...I was irate at their so-called "customer service". For all they knew we could have died out there.

The point of this being, you mentioned that you are taking your dog...call AAA and ask them about what their policy is regarding dogs in an emergency situation.


----------



## Flea (Oct 20, 2009)

Thanks so much for all the great ideas!

In no particular order:

I got the all-clear from my mechanic yesterday.
I have a big Mag-Light flashlight, thanks for the reminder on batteries.  I'll look up that other type.3222222222222222254
Thanks for the reminder also on stun-gun laws.  I'm confident t
.3333333333333333he shovel will blend in with my camping gear.
AAA makes hotel reservations?  I had no idea!
I have a friend I'm meeting at a halfway point, so there's some "accountability" for lack of a better term and a good rest.

I've encountered another delightful problem in my preparations; about half a dozen of my friends and neighbors want to take me out for dinner or a beer before I go.  For a long time I've been telling myself that my life here has no purpose, no roots, but I'm finding emphatically that that just isn't so.  I've had a number of friends take me aside over the last several weeks and tell me please ... _please_ don't go.  It's very bittersweet.

My cat walked across the keyboard as I'm sure you've noticed.  I've decided to leave it my post.  My trip has a significant impact on her as well of course, and she's entitled to have her say.


----------



## Bill Mattocks (Oct 20, 2009)

Flea said:


> AAA makes hotel reservations?  I had no idea!



http://www.autoclubgroup.com/michigan/member_services/BenefitSummary.aspx#3746


> *Air/Car/Hotel Reservations*
> Let AAA arrange your reservations for your next business trip or family vacation to anywhere in the world or make your reservations online.


I usually just drive until I get tired, then I call them up, find out where the nearest AAA-rated hotel is with cheap rates, and let them make the reservation for me.  Zippity-zap and I'm usually just pulling off the highway as the AAA operator tells me I'm good to go.

Now, just to be safe, call and try 'em out first.  I have AAA Plus RV, the highest level, have for decades.  Perhaps it's not the same for every state and/or every level.  But it works for me.


----------



## still learning (Oct 20, 2009)

Hello,  Garmin Nuvi?  ....great stuff and add fun..give the nearest locations to banks,lodgeings, gas stations, etc...and easy to follow and used too...

Aloha,


----------



## Catalyst (Oct 21, 2009)

There are many great ideas/suggestions here !!!

The only thing that I would add is that you may want to take a spare set of car keys with you and keep them on your person (in your pants pocket). Since you're in unfamiliar surroundings, you may become distracted and accidentally lock your keys inside your car (along with the cell phone to call AAA). I emphasize that you keep them on you - if they're inside the car they'll be locked in with the first set.

If you're like me, you only lock your keys inside your car at the most impractical, most inopportune times.

Just a suggestion.

Good Luck on your trip !!!


----------



## KELLYG (Oct 21, 2009)

Absolutely do not forget to take FUN!!!!


----------



## Tez3 (Oct 21, 2009)

Flea my cat does that too, perhaps we should get them chatting online lol!


----------



## still learning (Oct 21, 2009)

Catalyst said:


> There are many great ideas/suggestions here !!!
> 
> The only thing that I would add is that you may want to take a spare set of car keys with you and keep them on your person (in your pants pocket). Since you're in unfamiliar surroundings, you may become distracted and accidentally lock your keys inside your car (along with the cell phone to call AAA). I emphasize that you keep them on you - if they're inside the car they'll be locked in with the first set.
> 
> ...


 
Hello, This is a very good idea...carry spare keys...we also wing nut a spare key somewhere under the car (hidden) ...We do not like the magnetic boxes-falls off sometimes-unless hidden in the frame..

Make sure you car has been service, New belts,check the motor oils,brake oils, trans oil,water in the radiator and others.. brakes too..and tires have good threads left..

Aloha, ...have a enjoyable trip!


----------



## Flea (Oct 22, 2009)

Well, after all these years, I've finally taken the big step and gotten married.  :uhyeah:

I decided I needed a "wedding ring" for the trip, so I went to the ultimate source for Cheap Everything - Wal Mart.  I knew they had a jewelry counter, but I was really surprised to find gold rings marketed as wedding rings for $30.  People really go to Wal-Mart for their actual wedding ring?!

Anyway, I found one I liked and tried it on.  The sales clerk sniffled a little about how I was all grown up, and threw a little rice at me as I paid for it.  Now _that's_ what I call customer service!

All I need now is a new blender to seal the deal.  :lol:  Who wants to send me one?


----------



## CoryKS (Oct 22, 2009)

Flea said:


> All I need now is a new blender to seal the deal. :lol: Who wants to send me one?


 
Sorry, no can do.  Too much potential backlash.  Took a couple years of marriage, but I've learned not to give household gadgets to wimmins.  
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





Congratulations on your wedding.  You should take yourself somewhere nice for the honeymoon.


----------



## Flea (Oct 22, 2009)

Yeah, I guess I can truly say I married my childhood sweetheart.  We've known each other for as long as I can remember.


----------



## Flea (Oct 24, 2009)

Well, this is it.  The truck is packed, the dog is vaxed, the condo is spotless.  Or at least as spotless as I ever get.  Wish me luck!

[yt]k9AX9DDPwLo[/yt]

(Sorry, it was the only video I could find.  It's such a great song that it's worth it anyway.  :boing2


----------



## Brian King (Oct 24, 2009)

Safe journeys Flea

Warmest wishes
Brian King


----------



## Ken Morgan (Oct 24, 2009)

Drive carefully, enjoy the ride Hun,
      K


----------



## Carol (Oct 25, 2009)

Happy Trails!


----------



## Bill Mattocks (Oct 25, 2009)

Via con Dios!


----------



## Flea (Oct 28, 2009)

Well, there was one thing that should have made our collective list: find a friend to stop off with at a halfway point. I'm really glad I did or I'd probably be stranded and freezing somewhere on I-80 right now.

I'd planned to spend a night with an old friend in Ft. Collins, CO last night. When I got there, he applauded me for arriving just befre the storm. Um ... storm? (Remember, I don't watch TV. That's gonna change real soon.) So now I've added a couple days to my itinerary as they close off big swaths of the interstate. And I'm counting the blessings of having the forethought to call him in the first place, but above all having a friend so generous as to squeeze me and dog in with his family in a small apartment. Despite tripping over each other we've had a wonderful time. 

It's all part of the adventure.


----------



## Carol (Oct 28, 2009)

Flea said:


> Well, there was one thing that should have made our collective list: find a friend to stop off with at a halfway point. I'm really glad I did or I'd probably be stranded and freezing somewhere on I-80 right now.
> 
> I'd planned to spend a night with an old friend in Ft. Collins, CO last night. When I got there, he applauded me for arriving just befre the storm. Um ... storm? (Remember, I don't watch TV. That's gonna change real soon.) So now I've added a couple days to my itinerary as they close off big swaths of the interstate. And I'm counting the blessings of having the forethought to call him in the first place, but above all having a friend so generous as to squeeze me and dog in with his family in a small apartment. Despite tripping over each other we've had a wonderful time.
> 
> It's all part of the adventure.



Glad you are safe, and glad things are going well


----------



## jks9199 (Oct 28, 2009)

Flea said:


> Well, there was one thing that should have made our collective list: find a friend to stop off with at a halfway point. I'm really glad I did or I'd probably be stranded and freezing somewhere on I-80 right now.
> 
> I'd planned to spend a night with an old friend in Ft. Collins, CO last night. When I got there, he applauded me for arriving just befre the storm. Um ... storm? (Remember, I don't watch TV. That's gonna change real soon.) So now I've added a couple days to my itinerary as they close off big swaths of the interstate. And I'm counting the blessings of having the forethought to call him in the first place, but above all having a friend so generous as to squeeze me and dog in with his family in a small apartment. Despite tripping over each other we've had a wonderful time.
> 
> It's all part of the adventure.


Y'know, most papers still include weather forecasts.  And they're even available on-line... 

But I guess you need to buy a weather radio, too.  

Glad you made it that far safely.


----------



## Flea (Oct 29, 2009)

Thanks.

After 36 hours it's more than a foot deep and still coming down as if it just got started.  A neighbor has a corgi puppy and I watched with great amusement as it clambered through the drifts.  He finally figured out how to jump _over_ the snow, and it was like waching a dolphin leaping up out of the surf.  A small orange fluffy dolphin, that is.

This afternoon I plan to call my mum for her snow cream recipe.  We may just have to eat our way out.  :cheers:


----------



## Live True (Oct 30, 2009)

so glad you are safe and inside...and love the image of a fluffy orange dolphin!

Be safe on this new adventure of yours!


----------



## Flea (Nov 3, 2009)

I'm happy to say that I p


----------



## Flea (Nov 3, 2009)

I don't know what it is, but MT and hotel computers do not mix.  So I'll just say that I arrived in one piece and leave the pontificating for December when I get home.

Thanks all.


----------



## Ken Morgan (Nov 3, 2009)

Flea said:


> I'm happy to say that I p


 
I'm sorry? you urinate? I hope so....


----------



## Ken Morgan (Nov 3, 2009)

Flea said:


> I don't know what it is, but MT and hotel computers do not mix. So I'll just say that I arrived in one piece and leave the pontificating for December when I get home.
> 
> Thanks all.


 
Good, enjoy yourself!!


----------



## Flea (Nov 20, 2009)

I finally checked out of the hotel and moved on to my mother's place, from whence I can post again.  Whew!

What I wanted to say before was that I spent my last night on the road at Baker City, a historical stopping-off place for the Oregon Trail.  Before making my last push to Portland, I paid my respects at the Interpretive Center.  I've always been fascinated with this history, but it was also important to me since I'm undertaking the same journey myself for most of the same reasons.

It threw the question of "road safety" into a whole new light.  Up to half a million people undertook the trip on foot, enduring hunger, cholera, violent weather, some angry indigenous people, and a 10% mortality rate.  It took an average of six months to get from Independence MO to Oregon City.  And here I was griping about a blizzard that threw me off schedule by _one whole day._  I walked down to the wagon ruts, still visible after 150 years, and said a prayer of thanks for their courage and sacrifice.

And in that vein I'd like to thank everyone here for your support on my journey, not only in giving me ideas for safety on the road, but also the moral support for getting my condo on the market too.  Especially to Shesulsa, Brian, and Chris Parker.  :asian: Blessings to you all.


----------



## Ken Morgan (Nov 20, 2009)

Good you're back! 

It hasn't felt quite right since you went on your trip.

Welcome back...until you leave on another trip...


----------

