Getting into this late, due to my computer problems...

Shoes and good socks, absolutely. If you can't walk, much less run, you could be in real trouble. Extra socks make decent mittens, too.

If you carry a knit hat in winter, consider keeping a 12" circle of mylar emergency blanket material with it. It makes a world of difference when worn under the hat when the hat itself isn't enough.

Men and women's skeletons can be sexed by looking at the pelvis, they're that different. The correct type of bicycle seat is crucial.

If you have to go with cheap clothes, go with men's cheap clothes -- they're sturdier, better made, last longer. Just make sure they fit right.

Your dogs running loose away from you are not valuable as a protector. Untrained dogs are useless, too. Beware of men who approach and just about the first words out of their mouth is "Does the dog bite?" Your answer is ALWAYS 'Yes'.

Pepper spray is fine, but stream-type wasp spray is cheaper, easier to find, and does more damage to a perp. Also, any woman who is afraid or unwilling to really fight an attacker needs to lose that victim attitude. Sometimes, a woman going berserk with fury can be enough to scare a perp off.

Trust your instincts. A bad feeling is your subconscious waving red flags, so pay attention. Being nice, being polite isn't necessary. Window dressing is fine... like a used paper target with several holes near the bullseye and an empty holster on the front seat. Good-looking men can be psychos, too.

Krista, about the trunk safety latches: one of your neighbors has a car, so tell them what you want to do. NOW is better than too late. The ones I've seen are fairly obvious, but embedding it in their brain is better than talk. Some perps have older cars, which don't have the same handle-type releases, but they do have a release (if it isn't rusted). The release is right in the inside of the lump that is the lock unit, but it is often covered with the trunk lining fabric. Go to a wrecking yard and find a couple of older cars, take a small knife with you (a folder will do). Poke it through the fabric until you find the hole in the metal, about 5/8" or so in diameter. Cut an X in the fabric over the hole, and feel inside for a small metal bar about 1/8" thick and maybe 1/3" long. If you can get it to move, the trunk will unlock. Your daughters should be carrying small folders when they can. And a small flashlight, too. It's dark in there. If a stranger's car has a lug wrench in the trunk, a victim can use it to break out the tail light from the inside. The sight of a hand protruding from a taillight will produce 911 calls.

If you don't carry a lot of passengers in the back seat, consider making or adapting a sturdy backpack for the back of the front passenger seat. Cinch it down firmly so it doesn't become a lumpy projectile in a rollover accident, and have fasteners to keep the contents inside. I've only seen one of these and didn't get a really good look.

The best bottle for holding denatured alcohol (or the red bottle of HEET for treating water in gas tanks) for a small stove is a pint hair dye/peroxide bottle -- very, very sturdy. Check out a beauty supply shop (or a friend who doesn't use the one-shot hair dye packages). Add table salt, popcorn salt, or potassium chloride (no-sodium salt like Nu-Salt) to color the alcohol so you can see the flame.

Tire changing: When you have your tires rotated or have the studded ones changed, ask the guy to hand-tighten the lug nuts, then stand nearby and WATCH him do it. Tip him a few bucks -- it's worth it.

Carry a couple of cans of Fix-A-Flat in your car. If the puncture isn't too large, it's the quickest way to plug the leak, inflate the tire and get moving. Roll the wheel so the valve stem is down low, attach the tip of the can and hold it in position until the can is empty, then immediately start the car rolling so the goo will line the inside of the tire. Tire changing guys hate the stuff, so warn them when you take the tire in to be repaired. Get the tire properly fixed ASAP. A portable compressor is nice, but they're usually pretty slow.

If you have to drive on the rim, DRIVE ON THE D**NED RIM! They can be replaced, you can't.

If your car is second-hand, make sure the jack actually fits the car when the tire is flat. A 9" tall jack doesn't fit under an axle (or whatever) that is 7" from the ground. If you forgot to check this, try to find a chunk of wood or fallen fencepost, etc, and drive the flat tire up onto it to increase the distance from the ground. Don't forget to block the other wheels so they don't roll. Got flares?

A few feet of Reflectix insulation (buy it by the roll or by the foot) is cheap and a great thing to kneel on when the ground is muddy or frozen. It's also a great reflector and warm to sit on.

It's a sad thing, but beware of good samaritans.

Sue