I’ve broken down in the middle of nowhere with no cell service. I’ve sat for nine hours on a highway while a wreck burned two miles ahead. I’ve had protesters swarm around my vehicle, slapping the windows while I quietly reached under the seat. And more than once, I’ve pulled off to sleep in my truck because it was safer than where I was heading.

If there’s one thing I’ve learned over the years, it’s this: your vehicle is either your coffin or your cocoon—it depends on what you’ve done ahead of time.

A lot of folks think prepping means bunkers, bug-out bags, and solar panels. And sure, I’ve written about all that. But one thing I never ignore—and you shouldn’t either—is your vehicle. Because in a real crisis, you might not be home when the world flips upside down.

You might be gridlocked.

Trapped between exits. Stuck in a pile-up. Caught in a snowstorm. Hemmed in by barricades or checkpoints. Maybe your engine dies. Maybe the roads flood. Maybe you're just in the wrong place at the worst time. Either way, you’re going nowhere fast. And if you’re not ready to survive inside that steel box, you’ve got a serious problem.

Gridlocked is for the real-world stuff—what to do when you’re stuck in your car, on the shoulder, with your battery dying and people acting twitchy. It’s not glamorous, and it’s not theoretical. It’s practical. Tactical. And a little personal.

I’ll walk you through what I keep in my vehicle and why. The tools I trust. The weapons I choose. The tricks I’ve learned for staying warm, staying calm, and staying out of sight when trouble's closing in.

This book isn’t about commuting. It’s about surviving when your four-door turns into your shelter, your kitchen, your bathroom, and your foxhole all in one.

So buckle up, friend. Because when the roads go quiet and the grid goes down, your car isn’t just transportation anymore—it’s your lifeboat.

Let’s make sure it floats.