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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

I wanted a jump start off them, not a bloody transplant kidney.

131 replies

BoysofMelody · 26/07/2017 19:09

Came back to the car after a visit to the shops, turned the key and .... nothing.

Thankfully I had my trusty jump leads in the back of the car. Opened the bonnet, stuck the hazard flashers on and stood by my car with the jump leads. Forty fucking minutes I stood there waiting on a relatively busy street by a shopping centre and cars were streaming by. At first it was quite amusing watching people driving by avoiding eye contact or making a big show of looking at their watch and looking apologetic. Well the novelty soon wore off. I'm a member of the AA, but an hour to two hour wait didn't appeal much.

Eventually a lovely Italian couple on holiday stopped and helped, they were amazed how long I'd had to wait before someone stopped. They claimed in Italy, you'd be helped pretty much in an instant.

Is it just people being selfish arses, or perhaps not knowing what a pair of jumper leads look like (perhaps they thought I had a huge pair of oversized nipple clamps in my hand? Surely learning how to jump start a car is something everyone learns at some point?

Or did they think it was a scam or robbery attempt? It was in broad daylight, with loads of passersby and CCTV coverage.

OP posts:
classPath · 26/07/2017 20:03

@PyongyangKipperbang

"I know what to do class and how it works, which is why I wouldn't have stopped and would expect the OP to call the AA."

Really. I don't think so as you said

"it might not have actually been the battery and you could have knackered someone else's car trying to jump it if a jump wasn't what was needed."

It draws from the battery and nothing else.

Mumzypopz · 26/07/2017 20:05

I would never expect people to stop. That's what the AA is for.

BrightYellowStripes · 26/07/2017 20:05

You're not answering the question.

BalloonSlayer · 26/07/2017 20:06

DD and I were at Bluewater a few months ago, returning to the car a guy asked me, in a pleading way if I would help jump start his car. I let him use my car to get going and he was PATHETICALLY grateful which perplexed me. Why wouldn't I have helped? (He had a girlfriend with him so there was not a worry that he would steal my car and drive off in it or anything) Reading this now I wonder whether he had asked loads of people before me and got a no from them all.

At the time, and as I explained to DD afterwards, I thought it was an age thing. Back in the day car batteries were always going dead and jump starting and bump starting had to be done all the time. Nowadays cars are more reliable and you just don't have to do it, so people don't stop.

MooMooTheFirst · 26/07/2017 20:08

I'm often travelling with my baby, in which case I wouldn't have stopped on a busy road for you because I have a bit of a paranoia about someone rear ending my car with the baby in it. If I had been on my own I would have stopped but would have had to let you direct as, embarrassingly, I wouldn't know which clip goes where.

MsRinky · 26/07/2017 20:09

I'm sorry you had such a frustrating time. I have a 50 year old VW, so am no stranger to jump leads, fortunately as the engine is in the back it is easy for kind strangers to pull up behind me. It can be complicated as a previous poster has said to get in the right position if you're on a road and your engine is at the front.

steff13 · 26/07/2017 20:09

He had a girlfriend with him so there was not a worry that he would steal my car and drive off in it or anything

Not to derail, but why would that guarantee anything? History is full of couples who would do just that sort of thing.

MooMooTheFirst · 26/07/2017 20:10

Actually, interestingly enough, my car broke down on quite a busy road yesterday morning. I was stood at the side of my car, bonnet up, baby in car seat on the verge, on my phone. Lots of people passed me, two men stopped to help. I didn't mind that people were passing though because I was clearly trying to sort it by being on my phone.

Zimmerzammerbangbang · 26/07/2017 20:11

I am actually quite shocked. I live in the UAE and I reckon someone would have stopped within five/ten minutes, even in summer (and yes I have had this happen to me, the issue is normally finding the jump leads, not finding the other car to jump from!). Unless I was on a really tight deadline (school run or something) I'd certainly have stopped.

Only exception would be if it was a really fast road so not easy to realise what was going on until you'd passed.

TroelsLovesSquinkies · 26/07/2017 20:13

I never give anyone a jump start any more, even though I leaned how many years ago.
Newer cars all have computer in them, you chance killing the computer. Call AA or RAC and wait. thats why we buy it.

IrritatedUser1960 · 26/07/2017 20:15

I would have stopped to help but most people don't give a shit.

Witchend · 26/07/2017 20:16

If I saw someone sitting on the side of the road with jump leads in hand I would assume that they were waiting for someone they knew to come and jump start them.

I've also been in a car asked to jump someone else's and all seemed to be going well until smoke suddenly poured out of the engine. So I definitely wouldn't be willing if I had a child in the car.

gobbynorthernbird · 26/07/2017 20:17

I wouldn't have stopped. Apart from anything else, if your hazards were on I'd have assumed your battery was fine.

Original poster
BoysofMelody · 26/07/2017 20:20

Newer cars all have computer in them, you chance killing the computer

Only if you make the mistake of connecting them up incorrectly. My current car's an automatic, so my knowledge of bump starting or my specialty in my first crapheap of a car push starting it solo.

OP posts:
hmcAsWas · 26/07/2017 20:20

I was on my way to the cinema earlier today - I would not have stopped to help and missed my movie. I think that's fair, no? However if I had been on a journey which was not time sensitive then I would have stopped for you

Original poster
BoysofMelody · 26/07/2017 20:20

Is sadly redundant.

OP posts:
Migraleve · 26/07/2017 20:22

Red terminal (+) to red terminal (+), black terminal (-) to black terminal. (-)

Actually OP that is incorrect. I'm glad i didn't stop for you (not that I saw you) the black clip should go from working car battery terminal to metal part of non working car. Not battery and not near battery.

BabychamSocialist · 26/07/2017 20:24

God, some of the comments on here. What kind of world are we living in?

"I wouldn't have known what to do!" - why? Do you not think that if you're in control of a car, you should know basic maintenance?

"Just phone the AA" - well not everybody has breakdown coverage and, even if they do, they usually take 2 hours to get there.

"I'd have assumed you were waiting for a friend" - what? With jump leads in hand?

steff13 · 26/07/2017 20:26

Only if you make the mistake of connecting them up incorrectly.

Based on your previous post, you did connect them incorrectly.

hmcAsWas · 26/07/2017 20:26

"well not everybody has breakdown coverage and, even if they do, they usually take 2 hours to get there"

Its just plain stupid not to have breakdown coverage

Migraleve · 26/07/2017 20:28

Only if you make the mistake of connecting them up incorrectly

Ah OP Blush

DancingLedge · 26/07/2017 20:34

Well, back in the day I had an unreliable car, standing in a prominent position, holding up jump leads, was read as a clear request for assistance. Which most decent drivers would have responded to, pretty quickly.

So I'm with you,OP, if that no longer gets a response, either you're scary as fuck, or the world's gone to hell in a handcart.

AgentProvocateur · 26/07/2017 20:34

Why is it plain stupid not to have breakdown cover? I've never had it. I drive a relatively new, reliable car. If I broke down, I'd call the AA and pay a one-off fee. I've saved thousands by not having breakdown cover for the past 25 years.

Biscusting · 26/07/2017 20:34

^Agree with Babycham.

I had to pull my car over suddenly on a road once with smoke streaming out of the bonnet. I quickly got out of the car grabbing my dog and moved back for safety as flames quickly took hold.

Not one fucker stopped. Remote area no phone signal. Had to walk to a small shop a mile away.

I would always stop, even if I can't provide help, it's just a bit of solidarity if nothing else.