BlogHer has this post with practical advice, 10 Things Every Woman Should Have in Her Car. All well and good, but since I don’t have a dog I would replace item
5) Dog treats and a spare leash. If you’re not an animal lover I suppose you could skip this one… but, um, ever read Cujo? The chances of having to distract an angry dog are probably slim, but having Milkbones handy is never a bad idea. (Bonus: If you have a dog, yourself, you’ll probably be glad to have a treat handy at some point when your pooch is in tow.)
As for the spare leash, well, it’s possible I’m paranoid. But again, it’s not like it takes up a lot of room….
with an armed bodyguard guy with a carry-concealed permit who’s also a licensed auto mechanic.
Barring that, ignore the dog and stay in the stupid car until AAA gets there.
As long as the guy is not an English Lit major without a clue which end has the engine and has never seen a space-saver spare in his life.
NO, its not “OK” that people do not know how to change a tire. Frankly it should be part of the driving test.
I do have a spare leash & collar in the car, along with a small sample sized bag of kibble. I keep it there because I’ve had far more animal emergencies than people emergencies. I’m one of those ditzes that feels the need to rescue emaciated animals on the side of the road.
As for AAA, that’s sort of like calling 911. It’s great when the system works but you should be prepared for when it doesn’t. I once spent 4 & 1/2 hours in the afternoon sun in Florida in July waiting for AAA to show up. They compensated me later with a free year’s service but seriously, always make certain there’s plenty of drinking water in your car.
As for the armed bodyguard, gee that would be nice, but if you can’t afford that a licensed gun in the glove box can save a lot of money AND your life.
“Barring that, ignore the dog and stay in the stupid car until AAA gets there.”
Hahahahahaha! Exactly!
One argument for the Milkbones is that, in a pinch, you can eat them. It’s not like they’re bad for humans… but people think “food for dogs” and just get a knee-jerk “ewww!”
> always make certain there’s plenty of drinking water in your car.
Actually, not a bad thing to have in general, a Ceramic Gravity Filter, along with a couple MREs (in the car, more in the home). Both are useful in large-scale disaster/emergency situations, as well as in your car — if you live in a city where a terrorist act could really screw things up, in a hurricane, earthquake, or tornado zone, or can get snowed in for a long time, these are both good to have.
One argument for the Milkbones is that, in a pinch, you can eat them. It’s not like they’re bad for humans… but people think “food for dogs” and just get a knee-jerk “ewww!”
> always make certain there’s plenty of drinking water in your car.
Actually, not a bad thing to have in general, a Ceramic Gravity Filter, along with a couple MREs (in the car, more in the home). Both are useful in large-scale disaster/emergency situations, as well as in your car — if you live in a city where a terrorist act could really screw things up, in a hurricane, earthquake, or tornado zone, or can get snowed in for a long time, these are both good to have.
Kathy,
Then there’s the other option if a dog attacks while you’re changing the tire: As my friend said, “that’s what tire irons are for.”