In the wake of the southeast U.S. snowstorm (and some ice), the news out of Atlanta of widespread gridlock, people stranded overnight in cars, abandoning cars on the highways and walking miles home, taking shelter in churches, Home Depot.... harkens back to D.C.'s January 2011 "Carmageddon" which still reverberates in memories here whenever there is a weekday snow forecast.

http://www.ajc.com/news/news/local/gridlock-continues-as-unspeakably-horrible-commute/nc53m/

Everyone, everywhere, ought to be prepared to spend a night in their car. Whether mechanical breakdown or weather-related, no one is immune from the threat. Though we've done car survival lists many times on ETS, anyone care to chime in on another?

How about a Top 10 Carmageddon List for those on a gridlocked highway? Things that would make a winter day and night in the car safer and more comfortable for those who aren't going to abandon their vehicles.

Weather Channel is reporting that it is currently 13 degrees in Atlanta (Wednesday morning). Here's my comfort list:

1) Sleeping bag (at least a fleece blanket - I keep a 20-degree bag in mine)
2) down booties (yes, I do - they pack small)
3) chemical hand warmers (rated for 8 hours)
4) down mittens
5) balaclava
6) Food (energy bars for me + three meals of dog food for my sidekick)
7) water
8) Kleenex packets (i.e. toilet paper)
9) long underwear
10) smartphone backup battery


Except for the sleeping bag, those items take little space -- all but the sleeping bag/blanket and water could be stuffed under car seats. They would make hours in a car with the engine off soooooo much more comfortable.

I'm leaving off the common-sense strategies when there is a winter storm forecast and you're about to get on the road: full tank of gas, winter attire (don't assume you'll always go without incident from your home garage to the office garage and vice versa).

Also leaving off this list the usual year-around car safety basics such as flashlight and flares or ETS standards like matches, knife, etc. Atlanta drivers aren't going to make a campfire on the freeway in a snowstorm.

As many lists as we've done on ETS, I still learn from them and they help ingrain good survival habits.

Some particular salient points from this article:

http://www.ajc.com/news/news/local/gridlock-continues-as-unspeakably-horrible-commute/nc53m/


"...three to four school buses loaded with kids are stuck on I-285...."

"...Department of Natural Resources vehicles are going out in four-wheel-drive vehicles to deliver supplies like water and snacks to stranded motorists."

"...people had been out here for 18 hours and were complaining of being hungry and thirsty...."

"...Predawn temperatures range from 13 in Dunwoody and 14 in Cartersville, Alpharetta, Marietta and Chamblee to 16 at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport and 18 in Peachtree City."


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Good list, especially when you add in the other "standard items" to have in the car.

The only thing I would suggest is that things like the down booties, mittens, sleeping bag are one per person.

If you are traveling with family or a car pool (to or from work), you will need to think about dealing with the group. One thing the occurs to me is having a large down comforter or wool blanket. You could then cover everyone in the back seat, for example. Maybe some cheap $ store gloves and knit caps too. Something is always better than nothing.

If it is you who are riding in the car pool, you may have to make your own plans.

Great points, bws48.

Parents have a particular challenge in planning for their children.

Hadn't thought about carpooling, that is really a challenge -- good to start this conversation with fellow carpoolers in advance of a situation.

Those who use mass transit really have to be strategic. I had a very unpleasant experience shortly after moving to DC a long time ago (pre-Dopplar). I lived in northern Virginia and my daily commute to downtown DC entailed a Metro bus that travelled I-395 to the Pentagon, where I rode a subway train across (well, underneath) the river.

The weather forecast one January morning when I left for work called for cold temps (20s-30s) and a chance of some flurries. No big deal, so I dressed as I normally did on a cold day -- long wool coat, gloves, hat, scarf, wool pants and leather flats with trouser socks. Our offices were on the top floor of our building.

I looked outside mid-morning and it was more than flurries. I kept working though some others who normally arrived later had decided to stay home. Decided I'd go home after lunch. Looked out the window occasionally but didn't bother to look down at the street.

Took me six hours to get home and I walked part of the last two miles after the bus jackknifed and got stuck. I was considering curling up in a snowdrift when a woman stopped her car and offered a lift. Wherever she is, God bless her. That was the storm which caused the Metro authorities to install heaters on the electrified "third rails" which had become buried under snow and crippled the subway system.

The morning forecast of "flurries" gave way that day to the reality of 15" of snow.

It make a lasting impression upon me. I began preparing for the worst - starting with keeping boots at the office.


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+1 on Sleeping bag.

My timing belt broke last week. Spent 2 hours waiting AAA.
wrapped spare coat around legs, lit candle on dashboard, popped handwarmer.

Was about to break out sleeping bag at 2 hours, when Tow Truck arrived.

Found one odd gap-- my book read had plenty of power, but conflict between turning pages and keeping on gloves-
gloves were
A) too big
B) not conductive

think I might need to starting carrying a stylus for when I need to wear gloves..

I like the idea of a sleeping bag, but it does take up a lot of space in the vehicle. I love my Escape, but there's not a whole lot of space back there if you put in a sleeping bag.

I have two sets of those Adventure medical kits emergency blankets (Heat Sheets?), and although a sleeping bag would be much more comfortable to "sleep" on or in, from a warmth perspective, and being out of the wind, do you think that's adequate?

Here I am in San Diego but I can relate having worked at the Pentagon during a couple snow storms and glad the boss decided that everyone on his staff were "non-essential"; we all went home early. The boss lived in Annapolis and there was no way he was sticking around.

I don't know about Atlanta, but I just got off the phone with a friend in Alabama. Seriously bad there too. Skating rink slick and the snow that never sticks is sticking.

Having an office kit to cover the black swan weather events is a very good idea. Typical southern clothing won't work when the weather is that of Northern Canada. A duffel with wool base-layers (socks, long u/w, et al) is strongly encouraged.

You may have just solved my conundrum with my i-Phone. This week I've been wearing glove liners along with my glo-mitts (convertible mittens) and can't use my phone without taking off my gloves.

Will now look at Amazon for a stylus that works with an i-Phone.

Thanks!


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From what I've seen of Iowa's winter weather, think I'd be keeping a 0-degree or 20-degree bag in there - space be damned. I got a 20-degree bag on sale from LL Bean and it is pretty compact in its original bag -- fits in the Coleman stainless cooler I keep in the car (Honda Element). I have other things stuffed in that cooler around the bag, too (such as my energy bars, ice scraper, other smaller items)

I wonder if a Heatsheet would fit over a fleece sleeping bag liner (which unzipped is a nice blanket two could fit under). Those fleece bags can be rolled and squished pretty small (especially in a compression sack).


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REI has liner gloves which are conductive and work with the iPhone.
http://www.rei.com/search?search=liner+g...reen+compatible