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Safe Driving Tips And Road Survival

If you are looking for tips to help you survive while driving, you have come to the right place. The following article will help keep you safe.

papa bear heater

Papa Bear Heater
The above picture is a Papa Bear Heater which can be fashioned out of a tin coffee container and can be used in an emergency to provide heat in very cold winter conditions.

To make this devise, obtain an empty one-pound metal coffee can with a plastic lid, a roll of toilet paper, butane lighter, and two bottles of rubbing alcohol. Roll the toilet paper back and forth in your hands to loosen the center core so that you can remove it. Compress the toilet paper and slide it into the coffee can. Place the butane lighter on top of the toilet paper and place the plastic lid on the coffee can and tape it down. Tape the two bottles of alcohol to the side of the coffee can and store it in your car trunk for use in an emergency.

To use this heater remove the two bottles and lid from the coffee can. Pour in one bottle of alcohol and let it soak into the toilet roll. Hold the can in your hands and light the top over the edge, with the lighter. The Alcohol will burn exceptionally clean and will not produce carbon monoxide. Only the alcohol vapors will burn, and is almost invisible, so be careful, not to burn yourself. This is a very safe heater if used properly. When the toilet paper starts to turn brown, this means the alcohol is used up; Put the flame out with one large breath. When it cools down, add the second bottle of alcohol and re-light. When used conservatively, like warming your vehicle to a point that you can tolerate, and then blowing out the flame, and repeating this process, it will last up to forty-eight hours producing a lot of heat. Do not pour the alcohol into the tin and store it, as the alcohol will have evaporated when you most need it! Open the window slightly on the down wind side of the vehicle to let in fresh oxygen.
I recommend adding a type written instruction paper so that someone other than you will understand how to use this device.

Hunters, sport-fishers and winter outdoors sports people will also find this a very fine companion.

Know Your Location
In an emergency while traveling in your car, would you know your location if you had to dial 911. Get in the habit of watching mile markers, land marks etc. If suddenly you are in need of assistance or you see a car ahead of you roll over, watching mile markers could make a significant response time difference.

A Quick Judge Of Distance
Are you following too close behind the vehicle in front of you? A quick effective method is the one thousand-one, one thousand-two counting test. When the car in front of you passes a road sign, marker, etc., start counting, it should take the two second count for you to pass the same sign. No matter what speed you are doing this will give you the correct distance to keep. This distance allows you reaction and stopping time if the car in front of you suddenly has to stop.

Tailgated By A 16 Wheeler
Large commercial vehicles tend to be in a hurry and usually travel 5 to 10 km an hour over the speed limit. If you find you are tailgated, pull over and let them pass. If you have to stop suddenly, the large truck will run right over you. Because of the extra weight, the large truck cannot come to a stop in the same distance as you.

Survival Knife
Keep a small knife under the seat. Use a folding knife that is easy to open and has a place to tie a cord too. Tie the other end to something under the seat, onto some part of the seat frame. Make sure it is not attached in a way that will hinder the seat slide mechanism. Use a cord long enough to reach all the seat belts. If your vehicle is in a roll over accident and you end up upside-down the pressure on the seat belt may make it impossible to release the safety belts and will require cutting them to escape from the vehicle. Simply reach under the seat and find the cord that has the knife attached to the other end. The knife can also be used if you are attacked and your life is in danger.

Cruise Control
Do not use cruise control on wet rainy or icy roads, if you spin out, the cruise control will continue to try and get your vehicle up to speed and make you lose control of your vehicle.
Snow, ice, slush, and rain can cause wheel-spin, which can cause loss of control. To regain control of your car it is necessary to reduce power, but, if cruise control is engaged, it will continue to apply power to the wheels, which will keep them spinning. You may not be able to disconnect the cruise control after you lose control of your car.

Skid Recovery
To deal with a skid, the most important thing to remember is you must remain calm. Try not to panic, your reaction may cause the skidding to get worse and you may not have enough time to regain control. Practice skidding in a safe place, so you will know what to do and know how your vehicle reacts to skids.Regardless of whether you drive a front-wheel or rear-wheel drive car, reducing speed will help you get control of the vehicle, take your foot off the gas pedal, avoid panicked, excessive braking, if you must brake, then only feather the brakes.
For rear-wheel skids, gently steer in the direction of the skid of the rear of your car. As the vehicle regains control, straighten the front wheels just before the skid ends.
For front-wheel skids, gently steer in the direction you wish to travel, as you regain traction; accelerate to the desired speed.

Braking In Extreme Conditions
In extreme snow and ice conditions, control is lost under full braking conditions. The vehicle will not go where you want to go during a locked wheel skid. The answer to this problem is simply pump the brakes; everytime you release the brake, control is regained momentary. Brake gently and do small turns. Try and get one side of the vehicle tires onto packed snow on the edge of the road. Do not panic, and stay calm.

Night Driving
When driving in the winter at night take a roll of paper towel and a bottle of windex window cleaner with you. The wet sanded roads toss up a lot of dirty spray when vehicles pass you in either direction, and if you are too close to the vehicle ahead of you. Remember your head lights are getting as dirty as your windows. You can clean your windows with the windshield washer, but not your headlights. Stop now and again and clean your headlights. When vehicles are approaching you, keep your eyes focused to the right side of the highway as they pass; this will help you during the blinding light of the approaching vehicles. Always be ready and aware of any animal suddenly crossing the highway. Glance as you drive just off the side of the highway for any animals, and have a plan ready in your mind, if any animal should jump up onto the road.

Car Ahead Making Left Turn
When you aproach a car stopped ahead, waiting to make a left turn, pull in behind and switch on your left turn signal also. Park behind with enough room left so that you can see their tires of the car ahead of you; this leaves enough room to maneuver in case of an emergency. If you don't turn on your left signal, an approaching car may not realize you are stopped and ram into you. As the car ahead of you makes their left turn, simply clear your signal light and drive on.

Night Driving and A String Of Cars
When there is a long line of cars travelling at night on the highway, don't lead, but try for second place. Use the lights of the car ahead to assist you visibly and watch for brake lights to indicate a problem ahead, such as a deer on the road.

Testing The Papa Bear Heater!
It’s all great and good to read about tips such as this, but can you depend on them in an emergency? I decided to test out one of these devices and pass on the information to you.
The test was done outside at a temperature of +3 F. I had placed the toilet paper roll into the coffee can and added one 500 ml bottle of 99% pure alcohol; there was only enough room at the top to take half of the bottle. By slowly adding, it took 3 minutes to absorb the complete bottle of alcohol. I lit it up and noticed the flame was not transparent as the article stated, but a yellow flame with a tiny bit of smoke, and it reached a height of 12 inches. The height of the flame was consistent for the complete test. At full throttle, considerable heat was produced for 45 minutes, at which time the paper started to char. The top two inches of the can became very hot, but lower down the can it was only warm. One can hold this devise in their hands, but caution must be exercised because of the tall flame.

If you intend on making one of these heaters, I recommend you try it out first. This way you understand the workings and limitations of it, long before you ever need to use it. When you actually use the device, it is then “seasoned". The paint on the top edge will be burnt away. Every new stove or heater produces a smell on the first use, better to have this over with before it has to be used in small quarters. When you use the heater, you will need some sort of shelter from the wind, as the flame can be blown out.

I recommend this heater for non-emergency, outdoor uses such as cross-country skiing, hiking etc. The heater is a simple “crude" device, but It works, and would probably be welcomed under any winter-time emergency condition. It was also suggested to me, a three wick beeswax candle would be a good choice if you are intimidated by this heater.

papa bear heater

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Suvival tips for the winter driver and outdoor sports enthusiast