What's good to have in your car in case of being trapped due to bad weather?

[FourArms]

Seeing the other thread on household stuff made me think of this.

I have enough stuff in my car to prepare for most eventualities as it's the family car. Hence there's usually a 24 pack of water, 15 assorted coats and a selection of hats, scarves etc and various food items. However, DH needs a bag which is kept just for this eventuality I think.

What should it contain?

Drinks
Blanket
Hat
Gloves
Food
Book

Any other ideas?

Light source

Small shovel
Torch - wind up
Emergency gin
First Aid Kit
Reflective vest
Space blanket

Something to wee in!

Can you still get those cans of coffee that heat up when you open them? I guess they could prove quite handy in the cold.

We just keep a shovel in the boot at this time of year. There's an old duvet in the boot for the dogs anyway. The clothing thing isn't necessary as right now I'd die of exposure going from the house to the car without full snow gear anyway. It registered -20 when DP was driving to work on Wednesday morning!

• Shovel/spade. We have a folding one from army surplus that's decent but takes up no room.

• Something to help cope with snow - grit, salt or cat litter or failing that a couple of squares of old carpet.

• Warning triangle

• Pair of decent boots

• First aid kit

• Ice scraper & some de-icer

• Water

• Screen wash

Battery powered/wind up phone charger. And phone obviously.

Hand warmer - the sort where you click a metal disc.

Map

Food & drink

cat litter

Extra warm socks

Wellies for getting out and digging car out of snow.

Dry trousers

Snacks, preferably chocolate

A candle lantern - Ikea sell lots of these and some tealights. A lit tealight gives off enough heat to stop you from freezing in such a situation. Obviously place it somewhere flat and safe so that it doesn't fall over and start a fire.

Other things that I carry include:

Cartons of juice/bottles of water
Crisps
Chocolate
Extra fleece, hat and scarf
Blanket - space blanket preferably as well
Torch
Shovel and grit/dirt in case you get stuck in the snow and your wheels are just skidding round and round
Mobile phone

Hi viz vest

tow rope

know where everything is on your car - have your car handbook with you

(I speak from experience!)

radio

pack of cards

but I'm at how much water you carry- surely humphing this about is wasting a lot of petrol?

just checked your location fourarms and you live in plymouth do you usually get stranded for days there

A game that'll keep children so involved that they'll forget that they're bored/ scared/ cold/ whatever. Depending on quantity of children/ age/ space on back seat would suggest Monopoly/ Scrabble/ pack of cards.

Snow chains?

A good book and a tin of baked bins

Blankets - also good for putting over ice/snow in front of front wheels if you get stuck.

LOL SouthEastAstra! No, but DH is commuting 400 miles north each week, so needs to think about it!

Wind-up radio.

Good book.

Darleneconnor - maybe, but they're the half litre bottles, so that's only 12l in total. And we use them, so sometimes there's 24, sometimes 2. Not sure it makes a massive amount of difference with a 7-seater MPV, and any extra cost in petrol is offset by the fact I never spend £1.50 on a bottle of water on days out since I've got a supply. :)

Dinghy

Flares

Kendal mint cake.

Portable bbq.

Drip.

Chemical warfare suit.

Are you sure about the flares?

Yes, definitely.....wave them about a bit and someone will call 999 for you