THE MAGIC ROPE

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Once the chains are in place, you'll usually make it anywhere you have to go . . . but I've never met anyone who thought installing such devices was fun, and there'll probably be times when you're just too cold or lazy to do so before the car gets stuck. Well, don't despair! You don't really have to drive over the spread-out chains to fit them to the wheels . . . a good thing, too, since it's obviously out of the question when the truck or whatever is already lodged in a snowdrift.

Here's how to install chains without moving your vehicle: First make sure there are no twists or kinks anywhere in one of the pair. Then drape the chain over the top of the tire and hook up its catch-link on the inside of the wheel. (Practice will enable you to do this without lying on the ground.) The next step may be a bit of a fight, depending on how tightly the chains fit: Work the cross-links down over the tire's tread while pulling the ends of the chain until you can fasten the outside catch-link. Finally, add the spreaders. Then repeat the process on the other rear wheel and drive away. I once saw a guy go through this routine in the dark, with both back wheels two-thirds under water . . . which just goes to show that the job isn't as hard as it sounds.

If the wildest place you ever drive is the L.A. freeway, of course, there's no need to make your car's trunk look like Admiral Byrd's dogsled . . . but if you're like me and live (or are planning to live) back up in the woods, it pays to take a tip from the Boy Scouts and be prepared for the conditions you're likely to meet. This means you'll have to find room in your auto for a few "extra" items.

One piece of emergency equipment—a shovel—is a must . . . and is required by law in some states. A bow saw or axe can also come in handy. It's really frustrating to have a single downed 8-inch tree between you and your destination . . . when the only woodcutting tool you're carrying is a penknife.

Of course, no reader of this article would ever drive about without a working flashlight . . . and its friendly beam will indeed be ever-ready (despite faulty switches, carelessness, and children's fingers) if you'll always store the electric torch away with one battery reversed. Then, when you bog down on a backroad some dark night, just turn the cell to its "right" position and the light will shine!

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