Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
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:
TonicAndTonic · 26/07/2017 20:39

I'd have stopped to see if you needed to borrow my mobile phone to call a friend/relative or the AA - I'm surprised and saddened that no-one did that!

You'd have had to work pretty hard to convince me to help jump your car though, as I've never done it or seen it done and would worry about ending up with neither of us being able to drive off(and from reading this thread I now know it would be a bad idea as my car has an electric ignition).

I disagree with PP who suggested that knowing how to jump-start a car counts as basic maintenance - newer cars have loads more electronics that are not designed for the average driver to be buggering about with. I don't want to have the whole car computer system fixed because I wired things up to the battery.

BabychamSocialist · 26/07/2017 20:41

hmcAswas

Because most of the time it's a false economy. Unless you're someone who's going to call them out to change a tyre, jump start the car or put air in the tyres, you're going to be spending a fortune on something you'll never use. A genuine catastrophe is the only time you'd need it and for the cost of it you might as well pay the one-off charge of £60 instead of £15 a month.

I know how to do basic repair and maintenance of my car. I'd feel ashamed to be driving if I didn't.

Original poster
BoysofMelody · 26/07/2017 20:43

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

No, that advice is based on older (non sealed batteries)

Theoretically the risk comes from a theoretical risk of a hydrogen explosion caused by sparks, on older (non-sealed batteries) That itself is pretty remote given that the battery is dead. New (sealed) batteries don't have a flash path back into the battery. I know I have a sealed battery, so there's no risk.

OP posts:
Migraleve · 26/07/2017 20:45

I know how to do basic repair and maintenance of my car. I'd feel ashamed to be driving if I didn't.

Lol. Me too. But I always have breakdown cover.

I do wonder if people who think breakdown cover is throwng money away feel the same about their house insurance Grin

PigletJohn · 26/07/2017 20:46

last time I helped someone with a burst tyre, they had to borrow my jack, then I had to find a socket spanner to get the wheel nuts off, then I had to do it for them.

they wittered away and insisted on taking my name and address to send me something for my trouble.

Never got anything. They should have joined the AA.

My current best car has an onboard computer and strict instructions not to start the flat car while the cables are connected. I wouldn't trust people not to "give it a try"

Medeci · 26/07/2017 20:46

YABU
I would have stopped to ask what the problem was, then assumed you didn't have a phone and offered mine for you to call AA/RAC.
I wouldn't have allowed my car to be used for jump starting by someone I didn't know.

JeNeSuisPasVotreMiel · 26/07/2017 20:48

I would have stopped for you.
A jumpstart is something everyone should learn how to do, whether they have a penis or not.

BabychamSocialist · 26/07/2017 20:48

Migraleve

No, but if the option was there to pay a £65 one off charge after your stuff gets nicked and you'd get it all back, it'd be worth it.

I haven't needed the AA in about three years, so I'd have pissed about £500 down the drain by now if I'd been signed up for breakdown cover all that time.

ineedamoreadultieradult · 26/07/2017 20:49

If you were in a parking spot I would have assumed you had called someone and were in no immediate danger. If you were on the side of a road obviously not parked I would have stopped.

SoupDragon · 26/07/2017 20:57

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

My car doesn't have an accessible negative terminal so good luck with that.

As others have said, you need to connect it to a metal part of the car.

ginflumpsandzebraprint · 26/07/2017 21:03

Dh is a mechanic and says black lead negative terminal on working car to negative terminal on broken car ( or any earthing point on car/metal ) red lead which is your positive/live lead to positive terminals first on working car then on broken/flat car. You then start the working car up and run at approx 2000 rpm for a minute or 2 so your car is charging and any excess is trickling into the flat car, then turn the ignition in the flat car and voila. He says disconnect the live from the car and chuck to the floor then from the other car and then earth. I trust him as he has 30+ years doing this and trains people how to do this

Original poster
BoysofMelody · 26/07/2017 21:07

Not necessary Gin please see above!

OP posts:
ginflumpsandzebraprint · 26/07/2017 21:08

To make it clear the black lead is just an earth lead so any metal as new cars have no access to the negative terminal from the bonnet. The red lead is your live lead when you disconnect throw it on the floor away from you and others until you disconnect the other end.

NormHonal · 26/07/2017 21:09

The only time I was ever asked for a jump start it was by someone I vaguely knew. As I told them at the time, I would have helped under normal circumstances but I was rushing to get DC to an important medical appointment having seen a traffic alert for our journey. Made it to the appointment by the skin of our teeth. Another time I would have stopped and helped. That's the only time I've ever been asked. Although my car is pretty much a sealed unit under the bonnet, even the dipstick is computerised, so very little accessible and I don't know if I could even help someone.

Original poster
BoysofMelody · 26/07/2017 21:09

Sorry gin I meant soup! (two of my favourite food and drinkstuffs)

As I mentioned above, it isn't necessary on modern sealed batteries.

OP posts:
becotide · 26/07/2017 21:12

Op, this is a YOU problem, with the potential to damage other people's cars and make it a THEM problem. Call the AA for goodness sake, and get your car battery fixed.

ginflumpsandzebraprint · 26/07/2017 21:12

Dh says he's seen 'sealed batteries go bang ' so best to be safe.

JaneEyre70 · 26/07/2017 21:14

I gave someone a jump start once, he happily said thanks and drove off. Got back in my car and fecking thing wouldn't start so I then had to call the AA and got stuck in Sainsburys car park for nearly 2 hours on my day off. Never offered again. But I'd have stopped and checked you were ok if that helps.

Migraleve · 26/07/2017 21:21

A sealed battery is no guarantee. You just don't hook black to the battery. Regardless of how old your car is.

caoraich · 26/07/2017 21:23

My neighbours and I regularly jump start each others' cars - we agree that by having shitty cars we are performing a public service and making our street less attractive to burglars Grin

Anyway, the only time I've stopped for someone clearly needing jump started in a car park I was told no, it was OK and they were waiting for their friend to come and do it. I was confused as like you say it takes all of two mins, but hey ho. I would possibly be more reluctant to offer again, as it was a bit embarrassing!

Original poster
BoysofMelody · 26/07/2017 21:43

You just don't hook black to the battery. Regardless of how old your car

What's the risk? As in an actual risk, not a hypothetical one?

OP posts:
Original poster
BoysofMelody · 26/07/2017 21:43

Gin from a jump start?

OP posts:
scottishdiem · 26/07/2017 21:43

What used are jump leads when on quiet roads or none busy times. Buy the ones attached to a power pack. Much more than forlorm hope.

specialsubject · 26/07/2017 21:54

Not on commission, but the full works breakdown cover from start rescue is £50 a year. Never used them but if you can't afford that you can't afford a car.

lljkk · 26/07/2017 21:58

Ha! As it happens, I did stop to help a fellow cyclist yesterday. The look on his face said "This isn't my bike & I don't know how to fix it." After I stopped, I noticed he only had one hand. I suspect I was more nuisance than help, though.

Broken down Cars in a city, meh. Broken down car in the desert, maybe.

I used to be very capable at push-starting a car. Sadly not allowed with modern computer systems .

Swipe left for the next trending thread