Google’s WEBP is a coming image format but it’s not yet universal. Let’s see if the PP admins get a clue.
Years ago I had a magnetic key holder on a steel component under the car. It sort of worked but one day just vanished. I presume the magnet wasn’t strong enough to withstand some bump or other.
Maybe a modern key holder with those very strong, rare-earth magnets might stick better.
Or maybe just screw a holder under the car where you can reach it but a passer-by not see it. Make sure the lid remains closed at all times!
1 Like
The usual advice in Australia for motorists stranded in remote and (usually) hot areas is NOT to leave the car, in spite of the heat. Reasons:
- The car provides at least a little shade. No need to sit inside; sit outside next to it on the shady side.Yes, this can get problematic at midday. I have heard sad stories of stranded travellers where those who stayed with the car survived, and the one who left the car in search of water or help or something perished.
- If you’re desperate you can drink the radiator water, although the usual additives won’t do your health any good.
- The car is much easier for the search parties to spot. It’s a far bigger target than a wandering human.
- Prepare! Prepare! Prepare!
BTW, most Australians have no experience of coping with snow and ice. Summer tyres are quite sufficient all year round. Our cities have no snowploughs or sanding trucks. The response to the last big snowfall in Canberra was to shut down affected areas until it melted, which usually takes only a few hours, or overnight at most.
1 Like
PP is a constant source of new information.
1 Like
When I was a kid growing up in the upper midwest, we were always told that you should always keep a wax candle, an empty tuna fish can, and matches in your car. Because if you were in the car with no heat and you cracked a window (just a crack) and burned a candle sitting in the tuna fish can it would keep you from freezing to death. Doesn’t mean it wouldn’t get cold, but you wouldn’t freeze.
Today there are so many other options, but this one doesn’t take up much space and can be in the vehicle all year. Because of growing up where you might have to drive in deep snow and windchills of -60 degrees wasn’t completely uncommon, we were always scolded if we did not dress for the weather outdoors no matter what. To this day I look at the weather and if it is winter and there is any chance of snow I will put a pair of winter boots and hats, scarves, gloves or anything that we might not be wearing due to vanity. I would be wary of food that isn’t contained in metal or something thick enough that a mouse can’t chew through. At some point a mouse got into my SUV and I now have some unraveling on the seatbelts from some rodent having been in there (that I’ve never seen other than the shredded tissue box also). Solar charged battery chargers are reasonably priced nowadays also. I agree with the all the comments on the jumpstart batteries as well. I have used one that was rated for my pickup and even the instructions tell you that you get one try or two if you are lucky and it needs a full charge after that. So jumper cables sure do come in handy IF you know how to use them. They can be very dangerous if you don’t.
Lots of great suggestions here and new products I haven’t heard of before either. Thanks everyone for all the great suggestions!
1 Like
Fluid film might not be a winter survival tool but it will keep rust away indefinitely. If you have a Toyota it could also go on indefinitely mechanically if maintained properly so it is big $$$ saver. It also means you will be able to drive an older car which has less electronics to break down which is almost impossible to fix in the field without a diagnostic computer.
I drive 25 and 40 year old Toyotas; much more reliable that all the new crap.
I would also suggest learning basic mechanics and carry spare alternator and starter if they haven’t been serviced recently. I was in Baja California with my 4runner in the middle of the desert and a guy from Idaho at a gas station asked if I could tow him 100 km to the closest town. The starter on his automatic Chevy had died out so he was stranded. But being an automatic we could’nt push start him and without the engine running the brakes and steering wouldn’t work so we couldn’t tow him. He ended up having to call for a multi hundred dollar tow. Way to ruin a trip.
2 Likes
I’ve put winter tires on my performance cars since 2000 since those cars all had dedicated summer performance tires that are like hockey pucks on snow and ice and also have decreased grip below 40 to 45 deg. My favorite winter tires are the Finnish tire brand Nokian. The Finns know winter and Nokian knows winter tires. I’ll take them over almost any other brand including Bridgestone Blizzaks. Blizzaks have great ice and snow grip but tend to wear out quickly. Nokians have the same (or better) grip and last longer.
By the way, don’t always trust Consumer Reports on these issues. I don’t always agree with their ratings. Trust the opinions of knowledgeable and experienced people who actually use them through an entire season of severe winter weather (like we have here in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula).
All season tires can get you through a winter depending upon the brand, tread pattern, contact patch size, drive system, etc. I wouldn’t want them on a RWD car in the winter but they are passable on most FWD cars and OK on an AWD car. In fact, my wife had a 1977 Honda Civic Wagon with all season tires. I well remember us being caught in a blizzard years ago on the New York Thruway and passing everything in sight including big 4WD pickups with about 10 inches of snow on the road. The very narrow tires cut through the snow and the longer wheelbase in relationship to the narrow width gave it more directional stability. It really was quite amazing. Of course, braking on all seasons on snow and ice is not the greatest but if you use some common sense and caution, you’ll do OK.
Getting tired of changing to winter tires on our less expensive vehicles, I searched for an alternative and found it in all weather tires (as opposed to all seasons). Nokian makes an all weather tire called the WRG4. I had them put on my wife’s 2008 Subaru Outback wagon this year and we have been very pleased. We drove about 600 miles round trip recently and encountered dry road, wet road, rain, sleet, slush, wet snow, and dry snow conditions. They performed admirably under all circumstances, much better than the all seasons that had been on that car. In fact, I talked my son-in-law into putting them on a 2005 Toyota Corolla and the car was transformed in winter driving conditions relative to the poorly performing all season tires that had been on it.
My 2005 Subaru Impreza RS is nearly unstoppable with Nokian R2s (a dedicated premium winter tire) and the newer R3s are even better but I’ve become a believer in the all weather tires if one doesn’t want to bother with swapping out tires twice a year and the added expense. The only conditions where they don’t match the R2s are on glare ice and in deep snow but they’re still more than adequate under those circumstances. In fact, the WRG4s have the 3 peak mountain snow flake (i.e. severe snow service) rating, unlike all season tires.
The 2021 BMW X3M Competition is certainly very winter capable but I couldn’t bear to expose it to winter conditions, especially the salt, both due to the corrosive effects and the large salt crystals that are kicked up and do a number on your paint. So with its Continental Sport Contact 6s, which have absolutely incredible grip in the summer, it sits up on tire cradles awaiting spring.
I may have overlooked it here but what I haven’t noticed in this thread is people mentioning the importance of having top quality wiper blades on your car that are in top condition. They are a must for safe winter driving. I get the Bosch Icons. You don’t want to skimp on either tires or wiper blades in the winter when your life can be at stake.
One feature of newer (small/lighter cars) is a low ground clearance; it results in surfing in accumulated snow or drifts. It is probably one of the main reasons I see these cars doing ‘off roading’ in heavier snow conditions, not to mention the expense of replacing the plastic decorations under the front bumper. It seems that vehicles are designed for appearance and image, not functionality, so the actual utility in inclement weather or conditions just isn’t there. An irritant for me is the inability to get locking axels in a new truck, as the are all designed to have (electric) switches in the cab not manual locking hubs (a huge benefit in bad conditions). I am believer in having chains for all 4 wheels (for all vehicles) and use them most most years, and snow tires if you want to stay on the road.
I have a farm with a number of vehicles. I keep a one gallon jug of water in each vehicle. The jugs that come with vinegar work the best. In winter I empty them to about 1/4 their capacity. That way, when they freeze, they do not ballon out the bottom and ruin the jug.
Keeping water in your car is a good idea, but if it freezes and splits the container, not so good; if the car computer (which controls pretty much everything) is in the central console under the compartment between the front seats, and that is where your water drains when that container splits, it is bad for the computer (don’t ask how I know). The moral of the story, keep the water where leakage won’t matter.
Scared
Omg, I would be deadly scared to get stuck in the middle of nowhere in my car! So perhaps a man should always be with me in this matter. Don’t you think?
Right
Ha ha, that was hilarious. As a man who has lived almost all his life in the ice and snow of Canada, I tell you that a spade, strong new battery, fully working generator, good spiked tires and a front wheel drive truck will always save you. Plus keep your phone at hand for emergency calling. And here you can check the trade in terms for a new car if yours is not relevant right now.
Plants Vs. Zombies Coloring Pages
Plants vs. Zombies coloring pages provide an excellent platform for kids to build a strong connection with the game while enhancing their creativity and cognitive skills. By introducing your child to different characters and aspects of the game, they can learn about strategic thinking, decision-making, and the different powers and abilities of plants and zombies. Moreover, coloring activities will keep them entertained while expanding their imagination, all in a stress-free environment.