The car broke down. A cautionary tale.

I think a sack cloth would have been a good idea a few years ago,when we had snow most winters,I think a battery operated chain saw would be a better option nowadays.

Well it was SPAM but a good reminder for anyone travelling.
We just have the massive padded hi vis jackets in the car, and water.
In Italy we also have the triangle etc. in any hire car. 🔺️
Maybe I should get one for here too!
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This is one of the things I love Gransnet for! So glad you are safe fancythat, and thank you for posting about your experience.
As a result I stopped at the Range as I was passing and bought myself a triangle. £4.99, and it is very easy to store in the car itself as it is folded up into a neat shape. I also got round to doing something I have been meaning to do for ages; I ordered a spare wheel, as the last one I had turned out to be unsuitable for my car when the AA rescued me after a burst tyre.
I already have hi vis jackets, but need to actually put them in the car!

I have a fluorescent waistcoat under the front passenger seat. A necessary requirement when we are in France, which I have appplied to my car that rarely if ever leaves the UK.

in the back of my car I have a big blue box with jump leads, battery operated tyre pump, oil, large torch windscreen de-icer and a number of other useful bits.

Calendargirl

If worried if the hand brake would hold, I would leave the car in first gear also, assuming it’s a manual.

Perhaps this is not good practice nowadays though, as things change?

🤷‍♀️

I didnt think of that.
That would have been a good idea I think.
I tried to think of as much as I could.

Thanks for everyones' thoughts.

welbeck

be interesting to know which was the breakdown co that kept someone waiting 3 hrs.
i've got basic green flag cover with motor insurance.
partly because i hope local garages will be quicker.

My son had to wait 3 hours for the AA when he broke down on the M5 motorway despite telling them he had two children and a dog with him.

Even then he was towed to the service station and told he had to wait there for further assistance. 17 hours in total!

Luckily his ex had driven down to collect the children by then

i think, as others have said, the priority unless in a safe parking area, is to get out and away from the vehicle.
i wouldn't faff about with anything else.

Must admit im fearful of breaking down. Glad you are ok. Timely reminder for me to get organised. The campervan has all these things as it is a requirement for europe but we have nothing in the car! I think there is an ice scraper.

We have these, mainly because of trips to France. Good point about keeping them in the car, rather than the boot.
Glad you’re OK fancythat.

by the way, don't put anything under the driver's seat.
it can roll forward and prevent the brake being depressed, very dangerous.

be interesting to know which was the breakdown co that kept someone waiting 3 hrs.
i've got basic green flag cover with motor insurance.
partly because i hope local garages will be quicker.

If worried if the hand brake would hold, I would leave the car in first gear also, assuming it’s a manual.

Perhaps this is not good practice nowadays though, as things change?

🤷‍♀️

So glad you are OK - what a frightening experience.

I'm glad you are okay. We seem to live in a particularly dark, unlit area and breaking down at night on a lane or fast unlit A road worries me to death, so I completely understand how worried you were

Thanks for the cautionary thread, fancythat. Since I read it I’ve been sorting out our emergency/winter kit. The spade’s now in the boot, scrapers and torch in the glove compartment, a couple of hi-vis and emergency triangles to be delivered tomorrow. And while I was at it, I’ve ordered a big sack of rock salt, seeing as we forget every year till it’s actually snowing and sold out.

How sensible of other countries to have regulations in place for safety equipment.

Glad you are ok fancy that .
All these tales bring back memories.
As for oops DD. No words!!!

DH and a colleague had an office car go on fire on the M8 . No mobile phones back then. They got out and watched the car burn to a carcass. What shocked them most were the passing cars still overtaking eachother while this possible time bomb was ticking.
Mobile phones have revolutionised driving. They weren't called car phones for no reason.

Habits learnt from living in France where such items are mandatory means I have them all. High vis tabards live over the back of the front seats, torch in glove compartment, triangle on the floor of rear seats. If we’d never lived there, I doubt I’d have them.

Good to know that you're OK fancythat and thank you for this thread. We don't have any of those things in the car either but will do now .

Sorry not precarious, dangerous spot. I never knew that the police had to be called in such circumstances either. Good they are though.

If you kept such things inside the car it would be much easier to access them. As already stated, in a pocket in one of the doors, in the glove box, in pockets hanging from the front seats.
A triangle can be propped up in your rear window, & front, too, if you have a spare!
Blankets are always handy and can be rolled up to use as cushions on the back seat, or spread out to sit on them!
Hi vis are DEFINITELY great items, along with a little first aid kit!
And those blankets emergency people carry that are silver, they pack away neatly into small spaces!
Things like these can fit under the front seats, if packed right!
As they say, better safe than sorry!!
I'm glad you are safe, @fancythat, and that your daughter was quick thinking, @Oopsadaisy1.

In the winter an old sack is good. If you are stuck in mud or snow you can put it under the wheel for traction to get out. You can also use the sack to keep the rain off. A folding shovel is also good. I don’t carry these now but when I lived in deepest country I did. When I first started driving Dad gave me a tow rope just in case. Thank goodness we have mobile phones now so that we can summon help provided there is a signal.

It’s a relief to read you’re safe and that the young driver stopped to help. Your post is a timely reminder to get our cars prepared for the winter.
During the summer, I had a tyre blow on the M60. I was in the middle lane but managed to get to the hard shoulder just before it became a smart motorway.
My rescue didn’t arrive for 3 hours, despite endless phone calls to say they were on their way. I was standing behind the barrier, luckily it was dry and not cold.
It reminded me I should have a triangle, a waterproof jacket and as I’d usually have dogs in the car, a bowl and water bottle.

I hope your repair isn’t too expensive fancythat. I was so cross with my rescue organisation, I insisted they pay for the tyre to be replaced, they did.

The AA said it was a dangerous spot.
The police had to be involved as I was an obstruction.
The "hard shoulder", such as it was, was small.
I managed to get the car on it, but half the car was still on the road.
I had no idea police had to be called in such circumstances.

So glad your daughter was safe Oopsadaisy1.