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#55580 - 12/17/05 05:12 AM Re: Stuck in your vehicle during a winter storm
gulliamo Offline
Member

Registered: 09/11/02
Posts: 181
Loc: Denver, CO, USA
Quote:
In reply to:
Hey... Mythbusters... you listening?

Is it safe to assume that the myth you would want them to bust is the cornflakes myth and not the 60 bottles of beer myth?


Let me know... I'll ask them when I see them next month here.

http://www.tam4.com/guests.htm


Edited by gulliamo (12/17/05 05:14 AM)

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#55581 - 12/18/05 07:11 AM Re: Stuck in your vehicle during a winter storm
Burncycle Offline
Addict

Registered: 09/16/04
Posts: 577
In most stuck in snow situations I can think of, help shouldn't take long to get there -- stay with the vehicle! There might be situations though...
The "I shouldn't be alive" episode described them going so far off the track (closed highway I think) that nobody passes by with any regularity. In that case, you should probably stay with the vehicle as long as you could...

Couple of things you might consider....
-Knowledge of your environment. Evergreens nearby? Useful for insulation and more!
-Ice scraper. Goes without saying of course <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />
-Road flares. They can be used for signalling, and firestarting. Sometimes it's too darn cold and/or windy to be fiddling with magnesium shavings and ferro rods!
-A decent knife (big enough to baton and do other fun things with)
-High visibility signalling devices - VS-17 panels, glint tape, food coloring, whatever. If you're way off the beaten path, it may help attract the eye against the snow.
-2 way radios/walkie talkies - These aren't that expensive these days... you can find a set from $18, and for $50 you can get a set that picks up NOAA weather and has all kinds of nifty features. You shouldn't leave the vehicle, but if you do and have a passenger, it's good to be able to keep in touch in case you get seperated.
-Spare batteries for flashlights and radio
-DUCT TAPE! A whole roll. You can make snowshoes if you use a little ingenuity and some evergreen branches or other field expedient things. You can use it to tape up plastic and block the wind coming through a broken window or something, etc. Uses are everywhere, as always.
-Metal cup suitable for melting snow for drinking water
-Hand/Foot warmers, chemical. These can last 8-12 hours, depending on the brand. They're cheap, and you can buy a bunch.... expose them to air and they warm up. You can use them in enclosed spaces, and while you're asleep, unlike some open fire. Sure beats frostbite if you've got to leave the vehicle.
-Newspaper. One of chris's idea, lots of uses. Splints, insulation, etc
-Cooler - You can keep smaller things like batteries in there, and they won't freeze as quickly. Maybe even throw in a foot warmer described above, and things will stay toasty....
-Medical gear, including space blanket, splints, chapstick, etc

Others have already mentioned things like 2 x 4's and shovels and so on.

You also might consider...
CB Radio. Hooked directly to the battery, you can run it even if the car is shut off. Doesn't require a licence.
Winch - Helps ya get unstuck, if you've got a friendly tree or something similar nearby
Tow cables/chain/rope

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#55582 - 12/18/05 06:14 PM Re: Stuck in your vehicle during a winter storm
Susan Offline
Geezer

Registered: 01/21/04
Posts: 5163
Loc: W. WA
If you can manage, keep some fencing material in the vehicle, coiled or flat. Sometimes all you've done is simply slid off the road and you're just a foot or two off the pavement. Lay the wire down in the direction you need to go (right up against the drive wheels) and go as slow as you can. The fencing digs into the snow, the tires grip the fencing.

I keep some 2x4 welded wire fencing rolled up with duct tape, but a friend swears by chain link.

Sue

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#55583 - 12/18/05 06:29 PM Re: Stuck in your vehicle during a winter storm
wildcard163 Offline


Registered: 09/04/05
Posts: 417
Loc: Illinois
Tire-wide strips of carpet will get the job done too.

Troy

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#55584 - 12/18/05 06:37 PM Re: Stuck in your vehicle during a winter storm
Susan Offline
Geezer

Registered: 01/21/04
Posts: 5163
Loc: W. WA
I've tried car floor mats, but they just zinged right out from under. Maybe longer pieces are the key.

Sue

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#55585 - 12/18/05 06:51 PM Re: Stuck in your vehicle during a winter storm
wildcard163 Offline


Registered: 09/04/05
Posts: 417
Loc: Illinois
Exactly, less than about four feet, and you might as well forget it.

Troy

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#55586 - 12/18/05 07:38 PM Re: Stuck in your vehicle during a winter storm
Frankie Offline
Old Hand

Registered: 09/19/03
Posts: 736
Loc: Montréal, Québec, Canada
Also take a look at this thread :

Being winter is upon us....

Frankie

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#55587 - 12/19/05 02:48 AM Re: Stuck in your vehicle during a winter storm
Susan Offline
Geezer

Registered: 01/21/04
Posts: 5163
Loc: W. WA
Keeping a tow strap handy is something I do now. It makes you feel really stupid to be just off the road, and the truck that stops to help doesn't have a chain or strap, just a helpless shrug and one of those "another dumb woman" looks. (I hate, hate, HATE that look!)

Sue

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#55588 - 12/19/05 03:19 AM Re: Stuck in your vehicle during a winter storm
Anonymous
Unregistered


Quote:
just a helpless shrug and one of those "another dumb woman" looks. (I hate, hate, HATE that look!)
So we have the stereo type of giving the "another dumb woman look" and then we have the stereo type of " this person will give me another dumb woman look".
Do these two cancel each other out? <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />


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#55589 - 12/19/05 03:33 AM Re: Stuck in your vehicle during a winter storm
Anonymous
Unregistered


Just adding to my last post because it sounded like I was having a shot at Susan.
I dont have "another dumb woman look" , but I do have "another dumb person look"
There are a lot of dumb males out there too.

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