[align=center][/align][align=center]
Personal Car Toolkit[/align][align=center]
[/align][align=center]Don't get stuck on the side
of the road with just a jack
and lug nut wrench. A little preparation can go a long way to help in emergencies. From duct tape to a pry bar, see what you should keep handy. [/align][align=center]Auto Emergency Tool Kit
How to put together simple tools that can be lifesavers in an emergency.
By ERIC PETERS, AOL AUTOS[/align][align=center][/align][align=center]
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New motorcycles usually come with a pretty decent set of basic tools with which you can handle almost any minor breakdown -- and even a few not-so-minor ones.

But with cars, it's different.

Only a few come with anything more than a jack and lug nut wrench to change a tire. Apparently, motorcyclists are deemed to be more self-sufficient; it's assumed they'll want to have the basics on hand in the event of a problem. With cars, this is not the case. But that doesn't mean you have to be helpless.

One way to avoid that is to put together a small tool kit of your own for those "just in case" times and keep it with the vehicle at all times.

The kit should include the following:

A socket-style screwdriver with driver and multiple "bits" in various Phillips and standard-style sizes: This tool is far more versatile than a regular screwdriver because you can pick the bit type and size that exactly fits the fastener you're trying to remove. Some kits come with a small selection of sockets and drivers for those Torx (star-shaped head) screws that are increasingly commonplace. It's an essential tool to have and keep with you in the car.

[/align][align=center][/align][align=center][/align][align=center][b]A roll of duct tape or electrical tape: Duct tape has been the emergency mechanic's best friend for years; with it, you can temporarily bind a leaking radiator hose or quickly patch up shattered glass. Electrical tape is great to have on hand when you need to keep an exposed electrical connection from touching something it shouldn't. Toss a roll of each into your tool kit.

A pair of medium-size vise-grip pliers: These can be used to remove things or hold them together in an emergency. Vise-grip pliers can temporarily hold up an exhaust system that's about to fall off. They're also great for working out bolts (or screws, etc.) that have been rounded off or stripped. They can be used in lieu of a bulky socket set because they'll fit almost any bolt and have the grip strength to remove most fasteners. Get two so you can use one to keep a locknut from turning with the bolt you're trying to remove.

Pen magnet: This handy tool can help you dig out keys that fell between the seats, or retrieve a tiny screw you dropped someplace inaccessible to your hand. Get the telescoping type that looks and functions just like a radio antenna. There are also flexible models that can be bent to work around obstacles. Both are great to have in certain circumstances where almost nothing else will do.

Pry bar: If you've ever been in a minor fender-bender where the fender rubs the tire, you'll know the value of a pry bar. It can turn an otherwise inoperable car into one you can get home, and save you some bucks on towing charges.

Mini-compressor: You can buy a small, handheld air compressor that runs off the car's cigarette lighter/power point for less than $30. These compact, lightweight units can be a godsend if you find a tire is low on air and can't find a gas station with an air pum

 

For heaven's sake, don't leave your flashers on when you walk away from the car.

The flashers are only there to tell others that you have an immediate problem

Once you walk away, you may not be back for hours.

There is nothing funnier than seeing a car 24 hours later with the flasher stillbarely going.

Obviouslygoingto kill the battery.

Sometimes, for whatever strange reasons, when a car stalls, there is a good chance that it may start again after a short while.

Not to mention that flashers are like a magnet to drunk drivers.

 

 

Hey, thanks Uncle Space. I'm respecting RJ's tenure.

I was only a couple away from him before I left to San Diego.

 

" That’s a myth that we had quotas on how many traffic tickets we had to write in a single month. "

What a crock of brown smooshie stuff.

For 14 years I didn't have so much as a parking ticket. Then one day on my way home from college a cop pulls me over. Says I was doing 65 when I passed him
I know for a fact I was doing............. 35mph. I'd just come off the interstate. My '79 Dodge Diplomat although looking the part of a high end sports car, was not!!!

No way would this car go from 0 - 65mph in 25 - 30 feet distance.

When the cop comes to give me a re-written ticket cause they got my dad's name on it instead of mine my mother said to the cop's face, "Guess you needed to hit your quota this month." and he didn't deny it.

 

There isn't so much a quota on tickets, but on the amount of revenue generated by the police for the city. It helps the police department convince the public they are doing their jobs and paying for them. On the flip there is an unwritten top end as well as they don't want to hand out too many tickets to **** off the community they serve.