Well, it was just supposed to be a silly joke, not a well thought-out list of items we should carry.

But it's always good for everyone to give their suggesstions on what items are good to have. There's always something missing that I learn about and say, "Why didn't I think of that?"

One way to keep your water from freezing is to take it with you. This precludes keeping an extra supply of it in your vehicle, but at least you'll have what is in your water bottle or hydration bladder if things go bad.

If you want to keep an extra water supply in the car you could fill your own reused bottles only part way to allow for the ice expansion. Not as convenient but it could work, I wonder if anyone here has tried it with success?

It was a good joke! People just got on a serious track, and I joined in.

Regarding your OP, I was going to ask if the bus company had any safety issues with you carring 5 gal of gasoline, and road flares onto the bus?

The small Gatorade bottles can be filled completely. Between the thickness of the plastic and the shape, there is enough give and strength that they don't split. Also, Gatorade freezes as a homogenous solid unlike diet lemonade (super concentrated sour core surrounded by weak flavored water)

I just have a 6 pack of water in the car stored in a cooler to reduce the temperature swings and keep any spillage due to cracking contained. (no cracked bottles yet).

Personally I prefer LED flares instead of the chemical ones and I do not carry jerrycans of fuel. I just keep my fuel tank at least half full. Filled jerrycans inside the car just don't feel that safe to me.

I enjoyed the joke, even sent it on.

I store the small bricks of Ribina 10X200ml in the car.

http://www.britsuperstore.com/acatalog/Ribena_Ready_To_Drink_Blackcurant_10x200ml.jpg

I am not sure if you can get it in the US but it is a blackcurrant drink which has a lot of sugar in it and you will have something similar I am certain.

Because of the sugar the freezing point is depressed and it stays liquid to -5ºC or so and even when they do freeze the pack expands OK.

Another advantages are the energy value from the sugar, each pack has a straw attached and they taste good.

I might throw a cell phone into that mix (or a PLB for remote areas).

I was the doofus that didn't get the joke - I was viewing the question posed by Ritter concerning what was missing from the list.

BTW, freedom from cracking when freezing is just another of the virtues of recycled Gatorade bottles. I use them a lot.

figured there were other ways to get around the freezing issue

Report immediately to the Association of Survival Schools to receive your punishment!

Ha, got you back for that one!