What to carry in your car and your pocket

[penpusher]

I was just thinking about what a person should carry while travelling or going anywhere.This is an incomplete list.Please feel free to add.

A. In your car:-

1.A torch
2.Spare fuses
3.Spare bulbs for the headlights
4.At least one screwdriver
5.Pliers
6.First Aid Kit (Asif can tell us what is a must in this)
7.A small knife
8.A tweezer
9.A car jack( you will be surprised how many people just take it out of the car and forget to put it back)
10.Spanner
11.A foot pump or one of those bottles that inflate a tyre and can allow you to drive a couple of KM's
12.A repair kit for tubeless tyres(if you use them)
13.A tow rope
14.Jump start cables
15.Empty bottle ( soft drink PET bottles do fine)
16.Fire extinguisher
17.A centre punch or anything that can be used to break the window glass
18.A small bottle of brake fluid
19.Some engine oil
20.A litre or so of coolant (Sr. No.18,19 & 20 for when you are going into a remote area)
21.Ensure that you have a usable spare tyre.
22.All your cars documents
23.The telephone numbers of your car companies authorised service agencies.
24.If you have an after market central locking/security system fitted,then the telephone no's of the comapny
25.A rag or a piece of cloth
26.A lenght of rope ( a turban can be used as one in an emergency) and some string( does wonderfully as a shoe lace )

B.What you can carry in your pocket or on you:-

1.Car keys Do keep them handy just in case you have to make a quick getaway
2.A mobile(with a fully charged battery)
3.A hanky
4.A gun ( if you have one)and do ensure that its loaded and carry it responsibly and safely
5.A small knife
6.A small torch (Sr.N 5&6 can be the same ones that you have in your car)
7.Money(do carry cash at all times,a roadside mechanic has no use of plastic)

penpusher

[Olly]

While carrying the gun, do remember the license !!
Seems quite a comprehensive list... good work done...

[Vikram]

Good spotting,Anupam.Welcome to the boards.

A multi-tool by Victorinox or Leatherman or Gerber will be very handy in a variety of situations. I have a Gerber abd it's very well built.

BTW, Food and drinks (non-alcoholic) could be useful.too.

Best-
Vikram

[eljefe]

Throw in a couple of Energy Bars-now available in India too-If not 5 star/ Perk will be fine-without Rani;)
Actually, in my S.Africa days , met up with some interesting chaps, very highly specialised and pro, who recommend a readykit/jumpkit, something that is always loaded and ready to go with you.I started with a normal single compartment waist pouch, about 10" long, and then graduated to a Northface 3 compartment butt pack-This is always packed,and ready to go, It never leaves my body if I'm out in the field.Cant recommend this all the time, Survivalist I'm not-but please do add a cheapo 10 rupee gas lighter to kit, and in N India, DONT leave it in the car in summer-I've had several explode -even if you're a non smoker-water proof matches are easy to make, fire starters are not easy to get in , as are magnesium sticks.The choice is yours.
Best
Axx

[Sakobav]

I would add tire pump that works using the car battery
http://www.nextag.com/tire-pump/search-html

I even gave one to my uncle in UK and it came in handy once

For cold weather I would add old blanket, spare gloves, knit cap and candle or
here is US space blankets http://www.campmor.com/webapp/wcs/store ... uctId=1051

I was stuck once in a blizzard like conditions. Lessons learnt check the weather And off course always inform some one of your travel plans so you can be tracked.

[Olly]

Thanks, Vikram.
I do have a Gerber folder knife... and i want to share the pic... but don't know how to attach the pic and post it.. . !!

[badshah0522]

Water purification tablets.
Mosquito repellent
car charger for mobile
Binocs.
some common medicines,
Small handy shovel(FOLDABLE)
Some chocolates & Gulucose buiscuits(very good for instant Energy)
1-2 meter Rubber pipe(to b included in tool kit)
Reflactors(mostly provided by manufacturers with car tool kit)

To be cont.......

[Sujay]

Excuse me for barging in but the kit is now taking the shape of a full fledged camping kit. The kit originally suggested was intended to enable encounter adverse situations while driving and related to driving only including accidents.

We can have have a separate thread for outdoor camping to discuss the situations generally people find themselves in.

Correct me penpusher if I am wrong.

[penpusher]

Sujay,

was intended to enable encounter adverse situations while driving

That was the general idea. The purpose of starting this thread was to enable people to have an idea of what they should carry that might be required in an emergency.Having water and something to eat would be a good idea if somebody is traveling to a remote destination.

One thing I do is to keep all the doors of the car locked at all times.Also even if stoped by the police,I never fully lower the window pane,only enough to hand over documents and also keep the engine running.Never ever give a lift to anybody.

All the ideas offered are good ones and would be usefull in a given situation.So keep them flowing.

Another thing that members can do is to obtain first aid training from the local Red Cross/Civil Defence unit or maybe from a friend/relative who is a doctor

penpusher

[marksman]

Guys,
In the days of plenty and no restrictions, I carried a Jump kit that carried 5 rds of ammo for each of the guns I had along with a gas lighter, water purifying tables, pocket knife and so on. It is indeed a swell of an idea to have a ready Jump kit for car travels with all these ingredients mentioned. All that one has to do then is to throw in this bag in which ever car you intend traveling in. Thanks people. I shall start assembling one right now.
Marksman

[casual shooter]

if carrying a gun
1 can v carry a Xerox copy of the licence
2 in case of a pistol should there be a bullet in the chamber

[marksman]

CS,
One is supposed to produce one's Arms License within 24 hrs, that is the rule but an authorized person ie the one above the rank of a police Sub Inspector can confiscate and keep the gun IN his/her custody till such time when one produces the required document. Although It's not at all a bad idea to carry a xerox of the Arms License.
Where as in case of carrying the side arm with loaded chamber, it strictly depends on how one has conditioned one's mind while training and getting familiar with a particular side arm one has decided to carry.
IMO, One is unlikely to get enough time to even rake the slide (in case of a pistol) in most of the emergency situations. In fact one would also end up wasting precious time when one is in habit of keeping the side arm in the glove compartment or in a carry case. Personally, although very seldom, when ever I carry my pistol, it is always carried with a loaded chamber and before I retire for the day, I ALWAYS REMOVE THE LOADED CLIP/MAGAZINE FIRST... AND THEN EJECT THE ROUND FROM THE CHAMBER. Once absolutely convinced that it's empty, I check it several times more repeatedly.
That's it.

Cheers!!!
Marksman

[timmy]

Uh Oh...

I don't carry anything nearly like this -- here's what I carry:

A. In your car:-

Spare fuses - there's one or two in empty slots in the fuse box. Otherwise, I'd take one from a less-important slot.

A car jack and tools for tire change - I've very picky about having this always put back in its appropriate spot.

Fire extinguisher - I do carry one in my 1954 Ford pickup.

Ensure that you have a usable spare tyre - always

On a trip I will carry some water

In the winter out West, I'll carry a blanket and some sand for the tires if I'm stuck.

All your cars documents - No, see below

B.What you can carry in your pocket or on you:-

1.Car keys Do keep them handy just in case you have to make a quick getaway

A gun - only on trips

A small knife - Again, on trips or if my activities might call for one.

Money - if I have any...

Driver's license

Credit card

Car documents - I carry my registration and proof of insurance in my wallet. If parking my car publically, thieves will often rifle through a car and, looking at the papers, obtain the home address. Knowing that the owner isn't home, they can target the home for robbery. I have combed the car thoroughly to ensure there's no way they can find where I live by going through the car.