11. Taking Spares With You

It is 2 a .m. you took too long over dinner, the coast is still a couple of hundred kilometers away and it is essential to get that early morning ferry. And your car radiator pipe has split . At times like that, the documents making up your insurance kit lying in the front of you car seem useless. The nearest phone was passed three kilometers back , and it would be reasonable to expect some delay in getting breakdown assistance when you have finally phoned through.

If , on the hand, you’ve got a spare in the car, five minutes’ work should see you on your way again. The majority of breakdowns do involve minor and easily changed parts. A few basic tools and the right mix of sparesare well worth the space they take up . But to sort out which ones are most likely to be needed, and to buy them, can be expensive.

That is why the motoring organizations have come up with rental kits . For about 50 pence a day (slightly more to non–mem -bers)they will supply a boxed range of spares for a given car .On returning the kit the motorist pays any that are used, plus a small fee for repacking. Deposits are about 20 pounds.

It is much better, however, to reduce the risk of breakdowns by seeing that your car is properly services before setting out. Particularly when driving at high speed over long distances in hot weather.

Finally, it makes sense to purchase a safety triangle and an emergency plastic windscreen before leaving. Make sure all your fellow travelers know where your documents are ;give one a spare set of keys – and slip into the back of your wallet a large banknote for the emergencies where a credit card won’t do.