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THINGS TO BRINGON ANY TRIP

Whether its for a Holy Week furlough, a holiday hiatus or an occasional sojourn out-of-town, being sufficiently prepared can take out many potential stresses that can ruin your trip.

Heres a list of things you need to bring on any trip to deal with possible irritants while on the road.

Dont get caught unprepared while on a long drive, and always remember what Murphy famously said: If anything wrong can happen, it will happen.

Car tools

These are the most important items you must have in your car. You dont have to bring an entire automotive tool set but be sure to have the essentials for the most common road emergencies.

Metric combination wrenches (those that look like open ended wrenches on one end, and circular or oval tips at the other end) to bolt and unbolt certain nuts; A ratchet that can bend 180 degrees in either lateral direction, as well as varying sizes of sockets; A crosswrench, for ease of lug nut removal; An adjustable wrench, for those areas that require prolonged clamping by a wrench; and A scissor or crocodile jack, for ease of lifting the car up to change a flat tire.

Owners manual

This is another important item that you should bring on any trip.

Youll find it handy when your trying to find out what metric combination wrench or socket size to use for a particular part of the car that need to be repaired, or what type of fluid should one put in the car, or (for 2005 and newer cars) what to do with regard to a nagging check engine light that refuses to turn off.

Early warning device or road flares

If you are forced to stop on a highway or expressway, having an early warning device (EWD) or road flare can keep you out of more trouble.

Place the EWD at four to seven car lengths from your vehicle to enough notice to oncoming traffic that theres a vehicle in dire need of help.

Spare tire

A properly inflated spare tire or mini spare tire, properly installed on a cars axle, should get you to the nearest gas station.

But do not use the spare tire or mini spare tire as your tire for the duration of the trip.

If the spare tire or mini spare tire gets flat, you might as well run your fingers through the next item that should be in the car, namely...

A list of emergency numbers

The trouble with the Philippines is that for every province or region, you have a different set of emergency numbers.

So before going on a long trip, be sure to research this and have a list of emergency numbers written on a piece of paper or in your mobile phone so its easy to call for help.

Jumper cables

This allows you to resurrect or jumpstart a car battery on the throes of expiration.

If your car totes an automatic transmission (A/T), you WILL need a set of these cables, as you cannot push start an car with A/T without destroying any of the mechanical components.

Fire extinguisher

An indispensable tool meant to put out fires in the car, whether its from a cigarette butt on the floor carpeting, from the engine bay or from the fuel line emanating fore and aft of the fuel tank.

Much has been made of a Ferrari without a fire extinguisher that went ablaze on the South Luzon Expressway (SLEX) not too long ago, with flames so intense they gutted out the supercar a gentle reminder that no car is safe from fire, not even an Italian supercar.

First aid kit

Should you get involved in an accident, having a first aid kit in the car can be very helpful to keep injuries in check until help arrives.

A first aid kit should have at least these items: Gauze pads, roller gauze and adhesive tape; Antibiotic ointment for burns; Bandages (including elastic wrap for sprains and immobilizing damaged ligaments or fractures) and band-aids; Cotton balls and cotton-tipped swabs; Two pairs of disposable latex or synthetic gloves, to handle wounds; Hand sanitizer; Sterile eyewash or saline solution; Thermometer; Safety pins in varying sizes; Petroleum jelly; Duct tape, to firmly wrap splints in place; andAlcohol and iodine solution, to sterilize wounds.

Seatbelt cutter and window breaker

These compact tools can be used to assist you and your passengers in escaping from your car, should you have the misfortune of driving straight into water, and the water level rises to a point where it envelopes the vehicle.

Blanket

A blanket works as a way to fend off internal fires within an automobile, a (relatively) smooth surface on which to lie down in case you need to work under the car, or something to snuggle into if youre stranded at night and help is 10-odd hours away.

Meal kits and water

If youre stranded at night and help is more than 12 hours away, youll definitely need something to eat while tending to your car.

If you packed canned goods, be sure to throw in a can opener. Or, you can just bring food stuff in easy-open foil packets.

Quick energy foods such as dried mangoes will help get you through the day.

Youll also need something to wash down all that food you just ate while waiting for aid so dont forget to bring some drinking water.

Flashlight

If you were to be stranded at night, a flashlight will help you see clearly the cars engine bay, trunk, underchassis and floorpan.

Its recommended that you use a rechargeable flashlight, so that you wont have to use batteries to keep it powered up and ready to go.

Lighter or matches

Combine that with old rags and a bottle of alcohol (with one half to one fourth of its content remaining) and you can use it as a replacement flare or early warning device.

Mobile phone charger (for the car)

A cellphone charger for the car (along with the necessary charging peripherals for your mobile phone or tablet) allows you to get in touch further with roadside assistance or loved ones in case of emergencies.

If your car doesnt have a lighter plug, then its necessary to bring a fully charged power bank for you to re-energize your mobile phone.

WD-40

Handy for lubricating doors, trunk hinges, hood hinges, and even lug nuts, WD-40 keeps certain parts of the car moving and staves off rust.

With regard to the lug nuts, it is recommended that you wipe the lug nuts clean of WD-40 with an old rag or paper towel after spraying them.

The lug nuts might rattle off the rims during transit, and result in an accident.

A bottle each of extra oil, coolant, and brake fluid

After your impromptu repairs on your vehicle, you might be needing extra bottles of oil, coolant and brake fluid (all based on your owners manual recommendations) to get your car running to the nearest gas station to let professionals handle your car.

Pencil and notepad

Aside from jotting down the contact details of the women (or men) youll meet on your out-of-town sojourns, the pencil and notepad are meant to list down repairs done, emergency numbers, odometer reading (for checking fuel mileage), and expenses incurred for the trip.

Extra cash

You will need cash (roughly P1,000-P2,000) , should you need to replenish any of the abovementioned supplies.

Your extra cash is also handy should you run out of money to pay the various expressway toll fees. After all, you wont be able to roll (off the turnpike) if you dont pay the toll.