4 ms·

So what is the best play then? Wait in the car without the engine running?

saraid216 14y ago
About.com (not the best resource, but I googled the answer since I don't know it) recommends running your engine for short periods and cracking the window open. I'm hesitant to actually agree, since cracking the window open doesn't seem like an awesome idea in the middle of a blizzard but... eh. http://weather.about.com/od/winterweather/a/winter_survival.htm http://weather.about.com/od/winterweather/a/winter_survival....
- malnourish 14y ago
  Cracking your window open during a blizzard wouldn't be too bad. Blizzards mean snow and it typically stops snowing when it gets substantially cold, so it is very likely that the heat from your engine would over power the slight cool air coming in from the window.
- Tichy 14y ago
  Not sure, do cars reliably start in the cold?
  - AYBABTME 14y ago
    They do. I've personally never had a problem starting my engine, even in -40 (Celcius) nights in Canada. It sure takes a couple of seconds, but recent cars (>1990) all start just fine in extreme cold. Given your battery is charged, and your engine is in normal conditions.
    - 30thElement 14y ago
      Interesting tidbit: -40 Celsius is the exact same temperature as -40 Fahrenheit. Nitpick: If you have a diesel, your car will not start at all if the engine is cold, but if you have a diesel and live anywhere where there's a risk of it being cold enough for hypothermia, you already know this. Also if you have a crappy battery, in cold enough weather it won't put out enough juice to turn over the starting motor (that's why there is a difference between cranking amps and cold cranking amps). But again, if you live in an area where this is an issue you should already know this, and your battery is probably rated to like -40.
      - ivix 14y ago
        The problem of course is that diesel fuel goes thick and viscous at very low temperatures.
        philjohn 14y ago
        I discovered this last winter when it got to -15 here in the UK - I was waiting for a diesel train from our local station that was 20 minutes late as they couldn't get it started. It was interesting seeing electric trains too - the pantographs gave off amazing blue sparks that you normally don't get when the weather is warmer.
    - benjarrell 14y ago
      Are engine block heaters common there? It was 10°F last night where I live (in the US) and they are pretty common here.
tjoff 14y ago
Might not be that bad, there was a case here in Sweden last winter with a man that got trapped in his car for 60 days, with temperatures reaching -28 C. He apparently survived by eating some snow (and drinking some soda?) but had nothing else to eat. He had a sleeping bag and I guess the snow makes quite good isolation. Not something I'd recommend though, he was lucky to survive and was in a really bad shape when he was found. ( some pictures: http://www.aftonbladet.se/nyheter/article14394731.ab http://www.aftonbladet.se/nyheter/article14394731.ab )
snogglethorpe 14y ago
I've slept in a car (a VW bus with the seats down to make a flat space) without the heater running, in below-freezing conditions (maybe 10-15 degF) with another person. It was actually pretty amazing how well it worked. We had sleeping bags, but woke up to find the interior of the car quite warm. It actually seemed downright cozy and luxurious compared to sleeping in mountain lodges where it's typically miserably cold in the sleeping areas outside your sleeping bag. My takeaway: this experience seems to suggest that a few people in a small space that's wind-tight and maybe has a bit of insulation (clearly not great in a car with all that glass) can keep things reasonably warm with only body heat...

About.com (not the best resource, but I googled the answer since I don't know it) recommends running your engine for short periods and cracking the window open. I'm hesitant to actually agree, since cracking the window open doesn't seem like an awesome idea in the middle of a blizzard but... eh. http://weather.about.com/od/winterweather/a/winter_survival.htm http://weather.about.com/od/winterweather/a/winter_survival....

malnourish 14y ago
Cracking your window open during a blizzard wouldn't be too bad. Blizzards mean snow and it typically stops snowing when it gets substantially cold, so it is very likely that the heat from your engine would over power the slight cool air coming in from the window.
Tichy 14y ago
Not sure, do cars reliably start in the cold?
- AYBABTME 14y ago
  They do. I've personally never had a problem starting my engine, even in -40 (Celcius) nights in Canada. It sure takes a couple of seconds, but recent cars (>1990) all start just fine in extreme cold. Given your battery is charged, and your engine is in normal conditions.
  - 30thElement 14y ago
    Interesting tidbit: -40 Celsius is the exact same temperature as -40 Fahrenheit. Nitpick: If you have a diesel, your car will not start at all if the engine is cold, but if you have a diesel and live anywhere where there's a risk of it being cold enough for hypothermia, you already know this. Also if you have a crappy battery, in cold enough weather it won't put out enough juice to turn over the starting motor (that's why there is a difference between cranking amps and cold cranking amps). But again, if you live in an area where this is an issue you should already know this, and your battery is probably rated to like -40.
    - ivix 14y ago
      The problem of course is that diesel fuel goes thick and viscous at very low temperatures.
      - philjohn 14y ago
        I discovered this last winter when it got to -15 here in the UK - I was waiting for a diesel train from our local station that was 20 minutes late as they couldn't get it started. It was interesting seeing electric trains too - the pantographs gave off amazing blue sparks that you normally don't get when the weather is warmer.
  - benjarrell 14y ago
    Are engine block heaters common there? It was 10°F last night where I live (in the US) and they are pretty common here.

tjoff 14y ago

Might not be that bad, there was a case here in Sweden last winter with a man that got trapped in his car for 60 days, with temperatures reaching -28 C. He apparently survived by eating some snow (and drinking some soda?) but had nothing else to eat. He had a sleeping bag and I guess the snow makes quite good isolation. Not something I'd recommend though, he was lucky to survive and was in a really bad shape when he was found. ( some pictures: http://www.aftonbladet.se/nyheter/article14394731.ab http://www.aftonbladet.se/nyheter/article14394731.ab )

snogglethorpe 14y ago

I've slept in a car (a VW bus with the seats down to make a flat space) without the heater running, in below-freezing conditions (maybe 10-15 degF) with another person. It was actually pretty amazing how well it worked. We had sleeping bags, but woke up to find the interior of the car quite warm. It actually seemed downright cozy and luxurious compared to sleeping in mountain lodges where it's typically miserably cold in the sleeping areas outside your sleeping bag. My takeaway: this experience seems to suggest that a few people in a small space that's wind-tight and maybe has a bit of insulation (clearly not great in a car with all that glass) can keep things reasonably warm with only body heat...