Your driving down a country backroad when your car breaks down...?

Question

You have a cell phone but you cant get any reception. You look all around for the nearest house but you appear to be all alone...nothing but tree's and hill's as far as you can see. It's starting to get dark and panick is starting to set in. What would you do?

Actually im a country boy darchangel_3 and I know what I would do. I'm just curious what others would do in this situation.

Answer 1

Depends where I was and the circumstances. But probably the following:

First I would check under the hood and see if anything obvious is wrong (battery wire off terminal etc.)

I would look around for the nearest hill on the road and walk to it, and look around, and see if the cellphone had any reception.

If not then I would return to the car

Then I would think about how far was it since I passed a house, if I could walk there in 10-20 minutes (driven past in the last 5 minutes) I'd go for it (not talking abandoned shack), if not I would stay with the car, lock the doors, turn on the hazard flashers and bundle up for the night. If it was getting too cold I would build a campfire in the middle of the road near the car (but not too close) and use it for heat and light.

It is easier to find a lost car on a back road at night than a lost person wandering through the woods at night.

Answer 2

I'd probably consider crying. Then, I'd realize that that would solve nothing. So... I'd consider backtracking to the last major road or house that I saw -- unless that was too far (distance being weighed by the waning light). If that was too far, I'd prepare the car to stay in during the night and I'd probably feel the need to try to go forward to see if there is a house ahead (nearer than the ones past). I would hopefully have a map of the area (I am a big map person) and get some indication of what to do from the map. No map? Maybe consider crying again. Then, I'd probably end up camping in the car for the night. And, I'd be so dang mad at my car and hungry and cold!!!

Answer 3

just stay in your vehicle and sleep there the night. Someone will get worried about you and people will be looking for you, plus when its light you can maybe fix your vehicle and if you cant see if you can leave a note in ur vehicle telling which way u started walkin. After this, you have all day to find a house. Odds are, your not that deep into the hills where you are a full 8 hours from a house.

Answer 4

Ahhhh yes, I tell you one thing, if it's country where it gets cold at night, this is one good reason to always have a decent blanket in the trunk, even if it gets dirty over time.
A fairly complete toolset never hurts to have, either.
Then it might be best to turn the cell off to conserve power, sleep the night in the car and in the morning go over everything you can think of, fuses, etc... see if you can locate the problem.
If all that doesn't fix it head out for help, check the cell every 30 minutes or so for reception as you walk, turn it on, check, if nothing then turn it back off, keep walking.
Is about all u can do.

Answer 5

Same thing I always do.. I live there as you describe LOL.. no cell phones work here.. I refuse to even own a cell phone in fact but they dont work here anyway) .. I walk..

Cant say as I've ever panicked though.. not even with the cyotes and mountain lions(night time.. day time ya gotta watch out for rattle snakes hehehe).. its just biz as usual out here LOL

Yer a city person arent ya?? I've lived in the city but I was born in rural.. and I live in rural now.. its no biggie to me either way... I can deal with either.. Urban skills arent difficult to learn.. but urban people cant seem to hook on to basic survival skills for some reason... whats up with that?

Answer 6

well this is a all too familiar thing.I'm a commercial driver,and One of my many breakdowns was @ 15 miles south ofChina Lake Navel Base on the 395,with a flatbed of steel,clutch gone,engine dead,rain,and had to tarp before anything to protect the load,soaked to the bone(in a t shirt and jeans)@ 42 degrees, no heat,no motor,no signal(i was next to the antennae arrays from China lake,blocking my signal),so I wrapped myself up in a clear plastic bag,to stay warm in the cab,waited for sundown (radio works better at night),and finally got enough signal to call out(sorry truckers always have stories to tell)
to answer your question:
1.dont panic
2.survival is key
3.if you can maintain bearings,walk to find a signal
4.Flag down anyone who might pass by for help
5.walk if your able,and remember,where the nearest town,phone etc you passed

Answer 7

Id stay put till daylight. You can get lost during the daylight if you're not careful. You can definitely get lost at night.

You wouldn't want to be eaten by some kind of nocturnal animal like a wolf, right?

And leatherface might be waiting for you.

Answer 8

I'd go to sleep on the flattened seats, and see what can I do in the morning :)

Answer 9

i been there this is what i did
i started walking back to the last house i saw
it had to be about 3 mile walk my legs was killing me to

Answer 10

I fix the car.

If it can't be fixed, MacGyver it.

If it can't be MacGyver'd, start walking.