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1. The driver is locked out of the car.
Button locks: Use a wire or a coat hanger. Straighten the wire and
make a small loop or fishhook shape at one end. Slip the wire through
the crack of the window or down through the top crack of the door.
You may slip the wire past the weather-stripping of the door. Jiggle
the wire around so that the hook will loop around the button lock and
then try to lift up the lock. Have a lot of patience.
If you are unable to pull up the lock for some reason, call a police
station and tell them the circumstances. A service station may also
help to unlock the door. The police call is free - a service station
will probably charge about $25.00
NOTE: The weather-stripping around the window often costs more than
the locksmith or tow truck driver's fee.
2. Car is stuck
(a) on ice: When moving the car, keep a steady rate of speed to
prevent getting stuck again. Drive slowly. The car may skid some, but
as long as it is moving, chances of getting to solid ground are at
the maximum.
To get off an ice patch, try kitty litter, sand, dirt, or floor mats
for friction. Sprinkle the abrasives (front or back) for about
fifteen feet. Put the sack of sand or kitty litter back into the
trunk and don't stop for anything until the car is on solid ground.
Try not to spin the wheels, but if no abrasive material is available,
try letting some air out of the tires to gain some friction.
(b) in snow: There are many ways to free a car from the snow. Try
rocking the car back and forth by shifting quickly from drive (or
first gear) to reverse. Work out a rhythm to the rocking. After
rocking for a few minutes, shift into neutral and increase engine
speed to let the transmission cool. Once the car is free, keep it
moving. Keep the wheels as straight as possible while rocking. If the
wheels heat up, let them cool before continuing. Heated tires will
sink deeper into the snow. Don't spin the wheels; this will heat up
the wheels and also cause ice to form under the wheels. Put a manual
transmission into second gear to rock it.
You may be able to shovel enough snow away from the wheels to get
some traction. If there is no shovel, use the base of the jack or
fold over the floor mat in the place of the shovel.
Car chains probably can't be mounted at this time, but they may be
used to provide traction. Tie the chains to the bumper so that the
car will pull them along until you are on solid ground. Strap chains
are handy for traction on ice, snow, and sometimes on mud. They can
be mounted without jacking up the car.
Put several bags of sand in the trunk of the car for added traction.
Even if the weight of the sand doesn't help, you will have sand to
spread under the tires when the car is stuck.
(c) in mud: Being stuck in mud is worse than being stuck in either
ice or snow, because mud clings to the undercarriage of the car until
there is no way to get any traction. Spinning the wheels only drives
them deeper. When stuck in the mud, use the same methods as getting
out of snow or ice. If these methods don't work, call a tow truck.
(d) in sand: Spinning the wheels in sand drives only drives them down
deeper. The undercarriage is hung up once the car is sunk to axle
level. At this point, a tow truck will be needed. If the car is not
up to the hubs in the sand, try letting a little bit of air out of
the tires to increase the friction.
3. Blizzard Conditions. When the car can't be moved during blizzard
conditions, don't panic. Below are several survival tips that may
help to weather the storm.
(a) If the trouble is just starting, look for shelter: a house, barn,
store, or service station nearby.
(b) If you can't see a place of shelter, stay in the car. DO NOT
wander around, looking for shelter and get lost in the storm.
(c) Run the engine and the heater for ten minutes every half hour.
Open the windows a little bit while the engine is running. Engine
idle consumes about one gallon of gasoline per hour. Five gallons of
fuel is enough for one day with this method. Don't race the motor and
waste fuel.
(d) Open the door once in a while so that it does not become snow
packed. When opening the door, check to make sure the exhaust pipe is
not blocked by snow.
(e) Blow the horn and flash the lights while the engine is running.
Don't run down the battery in the meantime.
(f) Stretch arms and legs frequently inside the car.
(g) Use anything available to keep warm: rip out car carpeting for
blankets, use floor mats, linings from the trunk, or car seat covers.
If the situation becomes really bad, rip the upholstery from the rear
seats and roof of the car.
(h) If you absolutely must drive in hazardous conditions, carry food,
water and extra clothing in the car in case of emergencies.
4. When the car breaks down on a Federal Interstate, the driver
should lift the hood of the car, turn on the emergency signals, and
wait for help. This is also true when the car runs out of gas. The
person stopping may consent to send a tow truck or may even offer you
a ride to the next service station. If a passenger car does not stop,
the Highway Patrol will come along eventually and offer help. There
are situations, however, that are not as ideal as those on Federal
Interstate roads. Drivers sometimes have accidents on isolated
roadways - either running out of gas or breakdown of parts. The best
advice comes from a patrolman, who says to use your common sense. Be
sure to check your gas gauge, tires, and other accessories and parts
before taking trips on lonely roads. If your car does have a failure
or runs out of gas, it is not always wise to lift the hood,
especially if you plan to leave the area. It is probably best to walk
to the nearest farm or rural home and ask to use the phone (or ask
the homeowner to call for help, if he doesn't want to let you into
the house). It would probably be best to lock the car if you plan to
walk for any distance or to be away from it for any length of time.
If the car breaks down during a storm, such as a blizzard, stay in
the car and follow the advice given for blizzard conditions (#3
above).
Hitchhiking is illegal, but a policeman will not arrest you if your
car has broken down and you are walking in search of help. It is,
however, a poor means of travel except in an emergency.
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