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.