Tips to Make Your Family’s Easter Road Trip As Stress Free and Safe as Possible
This post is sponsored by Allianz Global Assistance (AGA Australia Pty Ltd)
Tips to Make Your Family’s Easter Road Trip As Stress Free as Possible
What could be more Aussie than packing your family into the car these Easter holidays, and going on a road trip. It’s the stuff family memories are made of – but if you don’t forward plan and prepare, being in an enclosed space with tired, bored, or hungry kids can turn into a nightmare of stress-inducing proportions!
Follow these tips to minimise road-trip related stress these Easter holidays:
Take Your Car for a Service
Has your car had a recent service? Be sure to check your tyre pressure, battery, and change the oil etc, in the lead up to your journey. No one want to be stuck on the side of the road due to an auto-mechanical failure – least of all with a back seat of kids asking “Are we nearly there yet?”
Be Prepared for the Unexpected
It is sensible to have a back up plan should something go wrong with your vehicle when you are on the road. Taking out roadside assistance before you head off on your family adventure can help give you peace of mind when travelling with your family – whether it’s on a road trip around Australia – or on your weekly trip to the local supermarket.
Allianz Roadside Assistance provides you with Roadside Assistance from as little as $79 per year – 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, throughout Australia.
With two levels of cover available: standard and platinum – you can choose the assistance to suit your family’s budget and needs.
They don’t just do fuel top ups and battery replacements when you breakdown – they get you where you should be. They will try and fix your car wherever it is so that you can drive home, but if they can’t, they’ll help you and your family get home with the knowledge that you car is in good hands.
Music
Can you imagine being stuck in a car for 8 hours, only to realise that the only CD you brought was your 4 year old’s Frozen soundtrack? For those of you not into self-torture, packing some light-hearted, relaxing music in the car is a good idea. It can help you stay positive and calm if you get stuck in particularly frustrating traffic.
Family favouritesalso work well.. Nothing can get you in the mood to spend some good quality family time together quite like belting out your favourite songs together – particularly when your destination is in sight!
Pack Plenty of Quiet Activities
Whilst allowing children to play iPads and watch movies for hours on end isn’t something we’d ordinarily advocate – they’ve certainly earned their place on road trips. Keeping kids occupied in the car with quiet activities also allows the driver to concentrate on the road ahead without distraction. I always insist that my children travel with their headphones on – there is nothing as annoying as listening to three competing movies or games pinging away in the backseat.
Colouring books, travel games, and DVD’s are also good to have on board to keep little people engaged and entertained.
Engaging the children periodically in activities that take their eyes off their tablets or screens can be helpful in avoiding travel sickness also. Play eye-spy or encourage them to read out the names of the different towns you pass through from the road signs.
Leave Early
Do you have to be at your destination by a certain time? Give yourself a few extra hours to complete the journey – it’ll ease the stress. The chances are that you’ll have to stop a few more times than you bargained for. Kids are great at deciding that they need to go to the toilet just 20 minutes after you left the last designated rest stop….and they are always desperate by the time they tell you!
Likewise, leaving in the early hours of the morning when it is still dark, can mean that kids go back to sleep for a few hours, (if you’re lucky) and you may even avoid some of the traffic. However, only consider this if you are well rested.
Avoid Driver Fatigue
Take regular breaks to avoid driver fatigue, and break up the journey. Somewhere that the kids can stretch their legs and let off a bit of steam – like a playground is ideal.
If possible – consider sharing the driving with another adult.
Snacks, snacks, snacks!
Regular, healthy snacks can help to ward off boredom and travel sickness. Fruit is ideal as it won’t make a mess, as are muesli bars.
From personal experience, I recommend avoiding yogurts or milkshakes especially if your child is prone to travel sickness – let’s just say I always keep a few sick bags handy in the car these days – just in case.
Pack plenty of water to keep everyone hydrated.
So there you have it – our top tips on having a safe, and enjoyable road trip with your family this Easter. Plan, prepare and pack!
Don’t let the unexpected ruin your holiday plans. Visit Allianz today for more information about their Allianz Roadside Assistance or call 13 1000
Win a $500 Visa Gift Card to Spend with Your Family This Easter
Allianz are giving Mums Lounge readers the opportunity to have an extra special Easter by giving away a $500 Visa gift card to one lucky family.
To enter simply complete the entry form below. Good luck!
Disclosure: This post is sponsored by AGA Assistance Australia Pty Limited (Allianz Global Assistance). However all thoughts and opinions expressed here are my own and not those of Allianz Global Assistance.
The full terms and conditions of the Visa Gift Card competition see the entry form above.
Allianz Roadside Assistance is provided by AGA Assistance Australia Pty Limited. See website for applicable terms and conditions.
Jolene
Jolene enjoys writing, sharing and connecting with other like-minded women online – it also gives her the perfect excuse to ignore Mount-Washmore until it threatens to bury her family in an avalanche of Skylander T-shirts and Frozen Pyjama pants. (No one ever knows where the matching top is!) Likes: Reading, cooking, sketching, dancing (preferably with a Sav Blanc in one hand), social media, and sitting down on a toilet seat that one of her children hasn’t dripped, splashed or sprayed on. Dislikes: Writing pretentious crap about herself in online bio’s and refereeing arguments amongst her offspring.
Stuck on Bruce highway with baby and 3 year old. Kind man drove us to my husbands work, he arranged pick up. We sent him scratchie tickets
In the heat broken down and waiting for assistance, no water or air-conditioning
I broke down in a campervan while travelling around Eastern Europe. The van broke down at the very beginning of the journey while travelling through Germany. The clutch cable snapped on the autobarn, thankfully we were without kids and an industrial estate was nearby, we spent the next week parked here waiting for a part to come from France.
On our way home from long road trip to Canberra for a wedding when our car broke down, fortunately we were back in Melbourne. Worst part was that our baby son had recently been weaned onto cow’s milk & had a severe reaction to the slightly different formulation in Canberra. He was sick all the way home with many stops to change nappies, clothes etc so by the time we reached Melbourne we were all totally exhausted & he was extremely dehydrated & the car break down then waiting for roadside assistance late at night was the last straw when all we wanted was to get home to bed!
The car broke down 3 days before my little girl was born. I had such a big belly and we had to stop in the middle of the road and wait for assistance. So nice to see people coming over and inviting me to stay with them in their apartment till my husband settled everything.
The car broke down 3 days before my little girl was born. I had such a big belly and we had to stop in the middle of the road and wait for assistance. So nice to see people coming over and inviting me to stay with them in their apartment till my husband settled everything.
Rushing from work to pick my kids up from school, with a killer migrane – car died 2 minutes into the journey. Thank heavens for mobile phones and after-school care!
Rushing from work to pick my kids up from school, with a killer migrane – car died 2 minutes into the journey. Thank heavens for mobile phones and after-school care!
Stuck on the highway in outback central Australia after flash flooding and wondering what I can feed the kids when they get hungry
Car broke down on our way to puffing Billy…huffed and puffed until tow truck arrived!
transmission died driving up a hill, stuck on the side of the road by myself in a residential area, 8 months pregnant and really really really needing to pee, tow truck finally came who dropped me and the car at the dealership, on a Sunday and the toilets were locked!
Hot day. Radiator overheated. Sat on the footpath waiting, waiting, waiting with my two primary school aged boys. Phone battery died after extended wait for road side assistance.
Went camping with the now husband and dog. We arrived late to the camp ground and had to set up in the dark so I insisted on leaving the car headlights on so we could see properly……because camping setting up in the dark is awful! Well, turns out that flattens your battery! Oops! Had to call roadside service at 11pm at night! They were great though, arrived within 30min and was so nice
Never broken down, but hit a roo once and that was scary, coming back from an appointment and on my way home with my husband in the car behind, didn’t see it, jumped over my car in front from right to left and lucky for me there was a driveway on the other side of the road and no cars coming as I swerved and stopped in the driveway on the other side of the road. My husband had to follow me home, to make sure the car made it and I was very shaken up.
I picked my daughter up after uni on a very hot queensland day at 5pm. The car wouldn’t start. I had a cranky hungry toddler stranded waiting for RACQ.
When my hubby was picking up the kids at school. The car won’t start, battery went dead. They waited 2 hours at school but the car won’t start. I was at work at that time and I thought I’d check on the kids by ringing my hubby if they had their dinner. I was so furious to hear the news that they were still outside the school, didn’t bother to ring me ( not driving ) or call anyone for help.Luckily, I rang my cousin for help.
When my hubby was picking up the kids at school. The car won’t start, battery went dead. They waited 2 hours at school but the car won’t start. I was at work at that time and I thought I’d check on the kids by ringing my hubby if they had their dinner. I was so furious to hear the news that they were still outside the school, didn’t bother to ring me ( not driving ) or call anyone for help.Luckily, I rang my cousin for help.
When I was about 16, my family and I were preparing for our holiday up North. We travelled to the same place every year. Anyway we had all the car packed, we’d all grabbed everything we needed, gone to the loo and were ready to leave – Dad went to turn the ignition key and the stupid car would not even turn over. The battery had died, so we had to wait for the NRMA to come out and then had to buy a new battery…thank God we hadn’t left the driveway, so we could go inside and watch TV….
When I was about 16, my family and I were preparing for our holiday up North. We travelled to the same place every year. Anyway we had all the car packed, we’d all grabbed everything we needed, gone to the loo and were ready to leave – Dad went to turn the ignition key and the stupid car would not even turn over. The battery had died, so we had to wait for the NRMA to come out and then had to buy a new battery…thank God we hadn’t left the driveway, so we could go inside and watch TV….
When I was about 17 I got a flat tyre and had recently had an operation and couldn’t lift anything heavy. I was on a country road, with no pay phones in walking distance (this was before mobile phones were popular)……
I was on holidays and of course blew up a tyre so had to call for assistance. Lucky it was just as I was entering spotlight car park so a bit of retail therapy got me through the stressful time 🙂
We broke down on a car ferry over Berowra waters. We spent an hour going across and coming back over the hawkesbury and blocking one lane of a 3 lane ferry, which made for very big queues on either side of the river. With 2 toddlers and a tantrumming husband:( Roadside Assistance came to rescue us but had to wait for several trips before they could get behind us. It was a bad day!
Breaking down in pouring rain near Coolum, unable to see or view the road and simply praying that we were off the shoulder enough without ending up in an accident…survived the occasion thankfully.
Our car started smoking’ on the Eastern Distributor. Awkward – because it was peak hour traffic. We had to stop on the side immediately as I was scared it would blow up (too many Hollywood movies playing in my mind). Then my partner and I sat in the car and waited for NRMA as everyone drove past us and gave us dirty looks for slowing down traffic. Lucky I had my big black sunnies on which covered half my face.
Our car started smoking’ on the Eastern Distributor. Awkward – because it was peak hour traffic. We had to stop on the side immediately as I was scared it would blow up (too many Hollywood movies playing in my mind). Then my partner and I sat in the car and waited for NRMA as everyone drove past us and gave us dirty looks for slowing down traffic. Lucky I had my big black sunnies on which covered half my face.
Our car started smoking’ on the Eastern Distributor. Awkward – because it was peak hour traffic. We had to stop on the side immediately as I was scared it would blow up (too many Hollywood movies playing in my mind). Then my partner and I sat in the car and waited for NRMA as everyone drove past us and gave us dirty looks for slowing down traffic. Lucky I had my big black sunnies on which covered half my face.
Stuck on side of road with two kids and three dogs in 40 degrees heat…..
Stuck on side of road with two kids and three dogs in 40 degrees heat…..
Stuck on side of road with two kids and three dogs in 40 degrees heat…..
Back in the pre-mobile phone days I was driving along the freeway with my 10 month old daughter when suddenly one of my car wheels flung off the car and rolled into the distance as my lop-sided car skidded to a stop! It was terrifying but luckily I managed to get the car off the road to safety. Almost immediately an ‘angel in disguise’ stopped to check if everything was ok, he retrieved my wheel and then drove off and organised for a towing company to come to my aid! Thank goodness for this gentleman otherwise we would have been stranded on the freeway!
Stuck in the middle of nowhere with a car that just refused to move – lucky for us a kind gentleman drove us into the nearest town – Orbost – somewhere I’d never even heard of before, where the main street was just a few shops. The people there were lovely though…
It was a 43 C day and we had a full car and trailer packed for our annual holiday. Our 4 children were getting tired and hungry. I couldn’t wait to get to the holiday place and unpack when our car suddenly broke down in a spectacular way. We limped to the side of the road and sat in a dry paddock waiting for help. The NRMA advised that it would be a while as it was Christmas Eve. I breastfed my baby non stop as I was concerned he would over heat and there was no shade. We had run out of water and food when we noticed a young man / Good Samaritan stop and hand out 5 bottles of drink to us! The NRMA truck came about 40 mins after but only had room for 2 of us so i went with the baby while my husband sat and waited with the 3 older kids. We were so glad to finally get to the holiday place even though our car had to be towed and we were stranded for a while!
It was a 43 C day and we had a full car and trailer packed for our annual holiday. Our 4 children were getting tired and hungry. I couldn’t wait to get to the holiday place and unpack when our car suddenly broke down in a spectacular way. We limped to the side of the road and sat in a dry paddock waiting for help. The NRMA advised that it would be a while as it was Christmas Eve. I breastfed my baby non stop as I was concerned he would over heat and there was no shade. We had run out of water and food when we noticed a young man / Good Samaritan stop and hand out 5 bottles of drink to us! The NRMA truck came about 40 mins after but only had room for 2 of us so i went with the baby while my husband sat and waited with the 3 older kids. We were so glad to finally get to the holiday place even though our car had to be towed and we were stranded for a while!
After having been driving for 20+ hours towing a car with a 3wk old baby we blew a tyre on the car trailer at 9pm at night. Thankfully a wonderful man came and replaced the tyre for us in the pouring rain
Coming back fromholidays in Margaret river, radiator over heated, had to drive really slow and stop frequently, car eventually died on Albany hwy Cannington (2 km from home!) had to leave car in the middle of the hwy with all our wine and luggage
I was on my way home from night shift, and I lived 40 kms from anywhere in a little country town. I turned up a dirt road, and the car started to fill with smoke. I thought it was on fire, so I pulled over, in the dark and jumped out, ran to the back passengers seat, tried to get my baby seat out but couldn’t so stepped back thinking the car was going to blow up. It was just after midnight, no lighting, pitch black on a bush track. I had no torch, no mobile phone (this was before mobiles) and tentatively started walking. I got 800 metres without stepping on a snake and no wild animals attacking me and a car pulled up. Thank fully it was a neighbour who drove me home. Turns out the timing belt and drive shaft were gone on the old commodore. THAT was a scary walk home in the dark on my own!
I had borrowed my Grandads car to drive 45 mins to my girls school for book collection, it was 41 degrees and we broke down on an isolated piece of road, No trees and no water. It was a bit scary, one of my daughters is still paranoid of a car break down , 4 years later
We were stuck at a railway siding along the Oodnadatta track not far from Coward Springs. Three kids onboard, all cramped in a car, dingoes howling all night and not until the next day when help arrived. We look back now and fondly remember……but not at the time.
Stuck on the side of the buckets way – only 1 & 1/2 hours from home, so we hadn’t packed much but luckily I had post it notes in my bag and we played celebrity heads until help arrived.
Our car overheated while driving home from the beach. We had no water, stuck on a back road and to top it off all were very sunburnt!
Stuck on the highway in Brisbane on holidays, on the way to the Gold Coast in a hire car with a very over stimulated baby, thanks to Mummy taking travel sickness tablets while breastfeeding with explosive poo everywhere.
On a road trip to Queensland from South Australia. Stuck on the side of the road in the middle of the night,in the middle of nowhere after a tyre blew out,3 kids in the back seat,freezing cold turning the engine on for heat sparingly so not to flatten the battery.Waiting til daylight to flag someone down to help me loosen those damn lug nuts.
Hubby and I with 4 kids under 10 broke down at Bendigo 3 hours from home. The car part needed would take a whole day to arrive, and then a whole day to repair. We were stuck. It was mid summer and hot, and we were all cranky. Luckily we had insurance which covered our 2 night stay in a motel while we waited for the car to be fixed. Kids look back on it now as a great Mini Holiday.
My car used to overheat, and on a long hot summer’s day in perth (think temperatures of 40 plus!) I was heading to a wedding- and taking a couple of other guests too!
Needless to say, the car decided the middle of the road would be a great time to conk out and we were stranded, and unable to make it to the wedding until another lift arrived- 3 hours later! As you can imagine- this wasn’t the nicest car either- no aircon, radio or even electric windows to play with! 😉
Went to get back in the car after a great day at the beach, all exhausted and sandy, including the dog and the car wouldn’t start!!! Flat battery. At least we could sit on the sand and play until the cavalry arrived 🙂
No kids, I was just about a kid, on the way home for spring break from university. On top of a mountain miles from any civilization! A nice guy stopped and helped. Very grateful for good people in the world.
My car started squealing, called tow truck, stuck at work, mechanic couldn’t find a problem, thinks a small stone may have been stuck to a break pad then fallen out! $120 to be told nothing is wrong!!!
Car ran out of petrol on the way from Adelaide to Port Pirie. The fuel gauge didn’t work so we had to judge by how much fuel we’d used which was fine except that driving at speed on dodgy roads made a fuel hose come loose and we’d dripped out all our fuel along the way. Some friends we travelling in convoy with waved at us on the side of the road as they went past (!) and once we got hold of the RAA they headed in the wrong direction out of Crystal Brook to find us. It was a very long afternoon … and fortunately no children involved!
When I was young our family did an 8hr trip to Melbourne from NSW about 3 times a year to visit our nan. At least once a year we would break down in Orbost, the most boring town ever for kids – I still can’t drive through it without worrying something is going to go wrong!
On an Adelaide to Melbourne road trip to watch an AFL match, the alarm system on our Subaru burnt out a relay and the car just came to a holt between Keith and Bordertown just before midnight. There were 4 of us in the car, luckily we didn’t have the kids with us, as we were stuck there in the dark until 6am when my hubby (who is an electrical engineer) finally found the relay that had burnt out. We were able to get going and made it to Melbourne but not in time for the game we were going for. We heard the final result as we drove through one of the small country towns. Our team won an epic match that I still have not seen to this day.
Having my car battery decide to die on me when it was Friday night of a long weekend (the Monday was the public holiday) in a very small country town.
I and my then 6 month old daughter were there visiting daddy as he was working just out of town (exploration mining) but they had a house in town.
Had meant to be heading back to Perth on the Monday, but couldn’t get a new battery til the Tuesday because nothing was open!
The car we had previous to our current one would somehow like “conking out” either going through an intersection or whilst going round a roundabout. The worst time for this was on the day of one of my uncle’s funerals, we made it to the funeral service okay but not to the wake (we were waiting on the other side of town for the RACQ to come assist us.
It was 10 o’clock at night we ran out I petrol all 6 of us kids and mum and dad had to sleep in the car at a fuel station till 8 in the morning was very cramped
It was 10 o’clock at night we ran out I petrol all 6 of us kids and mum and dad had to sleep in the car at a fuel station till 8 in the morning was very cramped
It was an unbelievably unlucky start to a long weekend camping holiday when I broke down on a quiet country road, conveniently (not) in a region without mobile phone reception.
The car did not actually break down but I totally broke down mentally when I spotted a huge Huntsman Spider INSIDE the car on my drivers window while driving on the M5 highway at night! I will never forget the terrified shrieks of myself and my 5 year old as we pulled up dangerously on the roadside with cars honking angrily at us as we scrambled out of the car. We had to wait outside the car for an hour before NRMA assistance came to the rescue and got rid of the spider for us. I am still somewhat haunted by this experience whenever I drive at night…shivers…!
Flat battery on way to school pick up with my baby son in the car! We’d been to the library, got in the car just before the rain poured down, and the car wouldn’t start! My phone was locked in the boot with the baby bag so by the time I got it, I was soaked and my son was screaming. I rang the school and they kept my two older children until I got there 25 minutes late. Fortunately a lovely guy at a car rental place across the road came over and jump started my car. The next day I bought a new battery and a lotto ticket for the guy – I never heard if he won but I’ve always hoped he did!
Driving to a Halloween party at dusk and had the radiator hose blow on the highway on the Gold Coast with 3 kids in the car. Had to wait for a tow truck, had 3 kids crying because we had no way to go to the party, and had to go home and the car cost us a fortune to have repaired. We were all over it that day!!!
When i was young we were only about 10 minutes from home. I drew a picture and they displayed it for many years!
Broke down in 40 degree heat awhile away from home with 3 babies 🙁 luckily partner had Raa and help didn’t take all that long and it was nothing too major! 🙂
was half way home from work, had frozen turkey in car, was supposed to be going out to lunch with my daughter, had to phone for assistance which was going to be about 1 1/2 hours, had to phone daughter tell her to bring an esky for frozen turkey and some lunch and a drink for me, what make it worse was when the assistance came the car had corrected itself, started first go no problems
I was stuck on a hot summer day with a load of groceries, my baby in the car and I had to pick my son up from kindy in 15 minutes. It was a nightmare! What was worse was that the icecream had all melted once we finally got home too!
We were on our way to a Family reunion in the late 80s and got stuck well out of the nearest town. Dad finally flagged down help (no mobile phones back then) and we were towed back to town. Of course, the little town didn’t have the part needed so the mechanic sent his wife to the next town. We arrived long after the function had taken place!
Oh dear there are here some awful tales of breakdown woe,
I wasn’t so bad off when 32 weeks pregnant my car would no longer go…
All my belly on my bladder, which made ME badly need to go,
Thank goodness for nearby bushes, much needed before I got my tow!
Stuck with baby and two year old on way to hospital to get Mum, who hadn’t seen them in 4 days, both screaming because of the heat, scattered mobile service so hard to make calls to get assistance there in the first place, running low on baby bottle; and water for us all in summer, starting to become VERY worried how it’d all turn out, waiting and waiting and waiting for help to get there, baby looking pale and unwell, I’d missed breakfast in the rush to get out the door and was feeling light headed, two year old wanted to see Mummy NOW! Cars flying past us, noisy highway, car like an oven, fanning baby for ages with newspaper so much my arm hurt, thinking of calling 000 but finally roadside assistance showed up, a relative got there before the mechanics, BIG smile when I saw him. Massive relief. Very frightening to be stuck in civilization and feel so helpless. Still remember it when heading off anywhere in the car, very scary.
We broke down on the freeway in an Volvo! Of course no one stopped to help, everyone just laughed and probably thought we deserved it! I blame my husband by buying the stupid car.
We broke down on the freeway in an Volvo! Of course no one stopped to help, everyone just laughed and probably thought we deserved it! I blame my husband by buying the stupid car.
I broke down a few years ago with my 2 young children in the car – it was a hot summer’s day and we were not on a surburban road – luckily i had some water and a few snacks in my bag (i am always prepared that way) – however could not get a hold of hubby and when tow truck driver came had to get out 2 carseats (as we only had the one pair) and wait by the side of the road with 2 carseats and 2 children till hubby came and picked me up – it was very stressful.
I blew a tire on a highway with a toddler and a 3 week old in the car. It was 40 degrees, no shade and Bub was due for a feed. It was quite the juggle. Thank God for a Good Samaritan!
Stuck between Coolgardie and Kalgoorlie with a truck full of furniture, a dog and an eight month old. Managed to get a tow into Kal at 3am. Then had to hire another truck and cross load everything, then carry on to Kambalda.
before I had my children, we decided to go on a Sunday drive, the car suddenly died & there was bubbling, frothing & green ooze!
Stuck on the way to Hahndorf Adelaide. Steep slope, hot day and just ridiculous amount of trucks. Scared young children in the back, frustrated driver and a flustered me.
Some kind trade stopped, gave us icy cold water and drove us to Hahndorf where we could enjoy lunch. Hubby organised his mechanic father to pick us and the car up. Turned out to be a great day out thanks to a stranger.
When I was young the rear axle broke on our old Kingswood. We were on our way to Oonandatta. Luckily the owner of the nearby farming station drove by and alerted the closest mechanic (80 kms away) to come and tow our car and our trailer. We spent 2 nights camped in a tent at the servo in the middle of nowhere.
When I was young the rear axle broke on our old Kingswood. We were on our way to Oonandatta. Luckily the owner of the nearby farming station drove by and alerted the closest mechanic (80 kms away) to come and tow our car and our trailer. We spent 2 nights camped in a tent at the servo in the middle of nowhere.
I was stuck on a highway and my phone battery was low and I was a new driver at the time. I was incredibly stressed.
I was stuck on a highway and my phone battery was low and I was a new driver at the time. I was incredibly stressed.
When I was a kid we broke down coming back from Easter camping holiday. On the old Buladelah windy hills the axle on our campervan broke but luckily dad kept everything in control. We were stranded on the side of the highway, at twilight so it was getting dark. I remember me, mum, sister and our dog standing in the ditch to the side of the highway waiting for rescue! Luckily car was driveable once it had been unhitched from the van.
It was about 15 years ago driving back from downin my very old Austin and a hose to my radiator blew. We pulled over on a side street and had to walk some way to get phone reception to call my Dad. Thankfully have never had an issue with since having kids or the new car!!
On a trip towing a Car trailer we were going to Roxby Downs to pick up the then Husbands broken down car.( Us and our three children ….) Just meters short of a petrol station the car broke down, it was late at night too. He couldn’t get it going, lucky the petrol station was open for refreshments. He rang his older daughter to come collect us and tow the newly broken down car home instead. It was maddening for me though…hate breaking down and being stranded for hours.
We were on our way to our mother in laws funeral, when our car decided to overheat, forcing us to pull over. Running late and my husband to take part in the eulogy we had to call my ex husband who was dropping my children off at the funeral home, after having them for part of the school holidays. What a stressful day!
my worst experience of breaking down was when i was a kid and my mum was taking me and my 2 sisters swimming at the albury weir on a very hot day.we got half way there and the car just died in the middle of the highway and us kids had to push the car to the side of the road in the heat.and back then there was no mobile phones so we had to walk back to albury.it took 3 and a half hours to walk back home as we had to stop and rest every 15 mins.
My wheel fell off my car when I was a teenager – had to wait for the NRMA foreverr
A car coming the opposite direction towing a boat that came off it’s trailer, boat went over the side of the road, it’s motor came skidding/bouncing across the road into our path and lodged itself under our car and we skidded off to the side of the road..3 kids in the car…was terrifying as we thought the motor was going to bounce through our windscreen …. No roadside cover but gentleman who owned the boat drove us over an hour to our home.
A car coming the opposite direction towing a boat that came off it’s trailer, boat went over the side of the road, it’s motor came skidding/bouncing across the road into our path and lodged itself under our car and we skidded off to the side of the road..3 kids in the car…was terrifying as we thought the motor was going to bounce through our windscreen …. No roadside cover but gentleman who owned the boat drove us over an hour to our home.
A car coming the opposite direction towing a boat that came off it’s trailer, boat went over the side of the road, it’s motor came skidding/bouncing across the road into our path and lodged itself under our car and we skidded off to the side of the road..3 kids in the car…was terrifying as we thought the motor was going to bounce through our windscreen …. No roadside cover but gentleman who owned the boat drove us over an hour to our home.
Yep… broke down, no fuel, on a busy 100km/hr remote road, 38 degrees with my 18mth old on oxygen support in the back! Frightening!
Remote location, no phone service. Stopped for toddler to go to toilet on side of road (there is NO waiting when you are 3!!). Turned car off……would not start again!!! We had to wait and wait …..and wait…for a kind stranger. Thank goodness they WERE kind strangers.
Car wouldn’t start … in our own driveway. Already late for a wedding, and the broken down car was blocking the other one (too steep to push it out). Floored it to the church in a taxi with my two-year-old while hubby waited for the RACV. He made it to the reception, but missed the entire ceremony!