whats in your car?

Got thinking about this when someone here said they prepare for the worst and hope for the best. If I go out to my truck or car aside from a small build up of the usual small stuff I have basically the same stuff save for a few items. Both rigs have CB radios, first aid kits, a tool box, an emergency roadside kit with flares jumper cables and the like, water, a couple blankets, chains, fire extinguisher, gas can and a knife. The truck also has a tent, sleeping bags, shovel, ax, a couple buckets and tow chains.

I have been stuck in the mountains in the dead of winter around here and this stuff has come in handy more than once actually. I know many here live in the big city and wonder if they run around with some of this stuff as well or just carry a cell and AAA card?

I have me, my ipod and whatever I'm wearing. That's it.

In winter I carry warm boots, gloves and a snow shovel.

On long trips I carry a first aid kit, tow roap, simple tool kit and jumpercables in a self contained bag. The only things I've ever used is the jumper cables after leaving a camp fridge plugged in over night two days in a row.

Yeah, depends on the trip for me, as well. If I'm just commuting or otherwise driving around town, I'll just have my handphone, a AAA card, and my credit card as an "in case of emergency". For weather preparation, I'll also have either a rainsuit or an umbrella, depending on the car, and in the wintertime I keep a blanket and a sweatshirt in the car, just in case.

For a roadtrip, I'll carry a standard first aid kit, usually some bottles of water, FRS radios (if someone has to go off for provisions or something...), jumper cables, air tank or 12v compressor, usually my winch & tow-rope, gloves, baby wipes, and a few basic-ish tools (hammer, Vise-Grips, and screwdriver, usually).

The amount of SHTF stuff I carry in a vehicle is directly proportionate to the haggardness of said vehicle.

Other than a warm hat and gloves during the winter, I carry nothing. Found that whatever I bring, always need something different. If traveling offroad in the desert/mountains or something, yes then I'd pack tools, food, etc.

For that have or will answer do you live in the city, suburbs or out in the country? Out here we have plenty of places tat get no cell service.

I used to drive a lot between the various courthouses in East Tenn and have been the first car upon an accident scene on multiple occasions. I have a baggie in each car with gloves and wipes along with either a knife or screwdriver with exchangeable blades. I cannot perform miracles and dont want to be trained to do so but on several occasions, I was holding a handkerchief or other rag on a bleeding wound with my barehand when the emergency crew got there and started "gloving up".
Otherwise, I carry a heavy coat and boots in really cold weather and what I refer to as my "escape bag" which is just a change of clothes and shoes for those days when the Dragon is calling late in the afternoon.

In reply to rebelgtp:

I live in the country, but around here that is different than the damned wilderness out there...we keep cell service, and unless I am venturing over an hour from home, I carry nothing else in the car.

In the Miata -

12v compressor, tire plug kit, jumper cables. This is the around town car so none of this is really necessary (and I doubt SWMBO, who drives it the most, would even use it. Though she did leave the POP HEADLIGHTS on one time on accident. Since then, added the jumper cables and taught her how to push start it)

In the Ranger -

All of my hand tools (have used more than once when things broke, so I just take em all!), jack, jackstand, jumper cables, water, towels, CB radio, basic first aid stuff, TP, shovel, recovery strap, 9mm. I drive this 100 miles to the smelter twice a week, and want to be able to fix whatever might break while I'm there. Used to carry spare gas can too, but got tired of the back constantly smelling like gas.

Some tools, and fluids for everything that requires them. My car tends to drip everywhere.

I am in Raleigh, NC. On a day to day basis, I am never too far to walk for help. That said, I still carry some items.

All the time: A spare set of glasses, a self contained aid kit (flares, jumper cables, small metric tool kit, fix-a-flat)

In the winter, I carry a few blankets, spare shoes, gloves, an extra hat and a small shovel. I grew up in the Northeast, so I know the value of having stuff to keep you warm if you have to wait for a tow truck or other aid to arrive. Most of the time, the blankets just get used to cover up the kids when they fall asleep on long trips, but it is good to know they are there if I really need them.

Each car has a small tool kit, a flashlight, a small knife, a roll of electrical tape, a small first aid kit, a blanket, an empty plastic trash bag, some rags, and a light jacket or one of my old longsleeve buttondown shirts to throw on over nice clothes.

If they are oil users, I keep a quart on board. I have 2 or 3 sets of jumper cables which stay in whatever cars have the oldest batteries at any given time.

All of my cars have the following: Fire Extinguisher, basic first aid kit, jumper cables, tool kit appropriate to the probability of the car having issues (read: the Saturn has a cheap 'emergency tool kit', the D usually has my salvage-diving tool bag, especially on longer drives), emergency triangle, road flares, tire iron, and reflective vest. Both usually have a blanket of some form.

Fluids carried depend on the vehicle- the Saturn carries around a jug of oil, the D one of coolant. I LIKE having water along, but don't always when I'm not dealing with long trips in oppressive heat.

I have a more extensive 'emergency' kit that gets swapped into a car if I'm going on a longer trip, especially in the winter, that includes an emergency thermal blanket, basic survival kit, and an emergency food pack.

And the next time work sends me into the path of a 'Superstorm', my Bug-Out Bag is getting tossed into the back seat of my rental car...

Family car gets: GPS,MP3 player, RainX, paracord dog leash, microfiber cloth, tire pressure gauge, spring loaded center punch (for breaking glass), cell charger, fire extinguisher, ratchet straps, bungee cargo net, 7 cheap karabiners, extra oil (and other sometimes other fluids if what ever system was recently serviced),4 way screw driver, scissor jack, zipties, adjustable 6 inch wrench, pepper spray, lighter, plastic bag raincoat, folding knife,harbor freight free flash light, change, AAA card Winter only 0*F sleeping bag, small shovel, ice scraper

Taxi gets: water-resistant, swiss army backpack, large cree led fitted maglite, GPS, paper maps, phone book, TP, change, RainX, microfiber, disposable gloves, metal water bottle, hat (depending on the season), sunglasses, spare burner cell phone, 20 different p71 keys, clip board, swiss army knife, pens, HF flashlight, lighter, electrical tape, gauze, spare CB, hot hands, ice scraper, hammer/hatchet winter months

Fire extinguisher, 2 spare tires(currently 2 donuts), plug kit, some tools, HF 1/2" torque wrench, misc fluids, an empty washer fluid jug for filing with radiator water, a few worn out floor mats to keep things from sliding in the trunk and protect the floor when hauling nasty E36 M3, breaker bar under the front seat for whatever, sunglasses, snow brush, some beef jerky.

tools.. but I have only had the car two days

Usually our cars have decent tool kit, fire extinguisher, jumper cables, fluids, blanket, often granola bars, a jacket or coat in the winter, knife, flash light, and good lord knows what else first aid kit. We live in a rural area and spend a lot of time on the road, so we might be a bit over prepared.

As a Floridian, my most frequently used tool is an umbrella. Sunny skies turn to thunderstorms in a moment's notice.

Blanket, basic tools, knife, army shovel, work gloves, tow rope, phone, .40 cal semi-auto pistol, matches, fix-a-flat, ink pens, 1st aid kit, dog treats and sunglasses.

Aluminum baseball bat...you know, because I play baseball.

5 pound mini-sledge...for "fixing stuff."

Jumper cables.

Husky tool set.

Gallon of water.

Multitool.

Nice LED flashlight that the Canexican gave me at the Mitty.

Radar Detector.

Beer...SH*T - BEER'S GETTIN WARM! Glad I looked here!

In the summer, I might keep a hoodie in the car in case it rains or gets a little chilly. I also have jumper cables at all times. In the winter, I keep a blanket, collapsible snow shovel, spray-on de-icer, and a scraper/snow brush.

On long car trips, I take my bag of tools with me. I also carry a Leatherman pretty much at all times.

No-E36 M3 flashlight for illumination purposes (sometimes you gotta illuminate people that they need to just stay away ).

Quart of oil, multitool, tire pressure gauge, some cash, etc for everyday driving. I have a toolbox put together for longer trips and I also throw in a roll of duct tape/jumper cables.

Cell phone.

For in-town driving, I don't feel the need for a bug out kit. Maybe a spare fix kit and some jumper cables.

Road trip? Belt/belts, jumper cables. Cell phone.

I'm not taking anything on a road trip that I think I'll have a problem with, I understand random things can happen, but modern vehicles that have been properly maintained are pretty damn reliable.

Wifes car has first-aid kit, small tool kit, air compressor, couple of bottles of water. We live in rural Texas. My car has me and a .40 cal pistol. That's it. Lol

I like this thread. Makes me feel like less of a pack rat.

I do carry a lot of the same basic items already listed; good basic tool kit, jumper cables (these fit nicely in a small ammo case), fire extinguisher, flashlight, knife and basic first aid kit. I also have a magnetic work light that plugs into the lighter, since I don't have a hood lamp on mah truck. It can also be mounted to the fender if I need to change a flat. I need to get a hazard kit though, just in case I'm feeling hazardous.

'Round home and town, in a semi rural area: My toolbox: I keep a small box of tie-down straps and assorted bungees/carabiners, hooded raincoat, blanket, tarp, zipties, WTFBBQSAUCE pry bar, ~ 30 ft of medium weight line, couple trash bags, duct tape, quart of earl I mean oil, I have been meaning to put a rubber mat in the bottom of the toolbox to keep stuff from banging around so much in there.

In the cab: CDs, eyeglass cleaner, bigass umbrella, cheap sunglasses so ZZ Top will think I'm cool, radar detector to tell me where the cops is, and a screwdriver that I use to push the A/C button in all the way (previous owner half ass fix).

During the winter I will add a down vest, two pair of warm gloves, beanie, ice scraper, a weather radio, and I will throw two bags of play sand in the back corners of the bed.

On long trips I may carry all of the above, along with an atlas and maybe a few maps printed off teh internets, and some water & snacks. Crossing state lines I will have printed info on the specific concealed carry laws in that state.

Good thing it's a small truck.