Hit the Road, Jack

When I was 19 and got my first car, I had Triple A. Bad things happen at inconvenient times, and not usually within walking distance to home, or a gas station. There were no cellphones "back then" so instead of relying on AAA (or a boyfriend) to come to my rescue, I learned how to change a tire and to use jumper cables...and needed to do both a few times. I've never banked on a boyfriend coming to my rescue, either.

I ran out of gas once or twice, so I kept a $20 bill and a plastic gas 'can' in the car as well.  My brothers must have sensed a need, because for a few years running, they gave me "roadside emergency kits" for our Christmas grab-bag. I never had to use the road flares...but I read the instructions in case the need arose. It would not have been fun to try to figure that out in the dark or in the rain. They look like dynamite--a little intimidating.

I've had a few cars since, and have always had roadside assistance via my insurance. I'm all grown up and I make sure I look at the gas gauge so I never run out of gas. With the advent of cellphones and GPS, it's not as much of a problem to call for or to get to a place for help. Even so...and because I'm uber organized, I have all the stuff I need "just in case" in the trunk.  And then some.

Thanks, bro's!  Do check the dates on flares~~they expire.

Pick up a few flashlights at the Dollar Store.

I keep jumper cables in the plastic zip bag from a new blanket. Perfect size.

What does a girl need with rope, ratchet tie downs and bungee cords? No, not THAT! They come in handy for kayaking, tying down my Vespa to the moto-tote, and for securing flea market finds and unexpected, large 'stuff' from Home Depot etc...

And you never know when you'll see some Bittersweet or another cool vine, or some twigs for decorating!



As a New Yorker, I appreciate the name of this product.

At the very least, locate the jack. Even better, practice using it once.

This caddy has it all including a wrench, hammer, screwdriver, "fix-a-flat" , as well as packing tape, a Sharpie and scissors for trips to the Post Office. And the usual stuff like eco shopping bags, bandaids, ice scraper, corkscrew ;-)

The road through life has enough speedbumps. Tailor the contents to your lifestyle...for longer road trips, for children or pets, etc...

Roadside assistance is great, but it doesn't take much effort to be prepared in the event that you have to take care of things yourself. The best advice I ever got was that you can't just get in a car and "go." You have to be aware of levels, tire pressure and changes in the "feel" and in sounds. I think that's taken for granted moreso today, with technology more readily available. Re-teach yourself the basics, and teach a teenager, but skip the corkscrew for the latter.