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

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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:
toosexyforyahshirt · 26/07/2017 22:09

Only if you make the mistake of connecting them up incorrectly

But you're a stranger on the street so how do I know you know how to connect them properly? I don't.

MipMipMip · 26/07/2017 22:20

My elderly car has been jump started many times (got new battery yesterday!). Including by strangers. I have also attempted to give a jump start and couldn't as my battery isn't powerful enough. So I wouldn't stop.

My mum also wouldn't stop as her car is newer and its really hard to reach the battery - various bits have to be removed with tools first. So in this car she's never jump started me, and it would have been useful on occasion. This is normal on modern cars.

toosexyforyahshirt · 26/07/2017 22:22

Another reason I wouldn't stop is my battery is practically inaccessible.

ginflumpsandzebraprint · 26/07/2017 22:28

Yes op. On a jump start, as he always says mistakes happen Confused but he also says unless you put it together yourself, you never know what botches some idiot has done Grin
I think he's slightly cynical these days

BalloonSlayer · 26/07/2017 22:29

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.

Yes I know, esp about IB and MH, but I am just saying how I felt. You have to read body language which cannot be expressed succinctly in an internet post trying to describe the situation. I am an old dragon but had my 15 year old DD with me, and I am therefore constantly on the alert for threat/danger and even I did not detect it in this instance (but of course this probably means nothing as dodgy people can be very clever). I perhaps wouldn't have stopped in a country road but felt it was OK in this instance and it was.

ijustwantfiveminutespeace · 26/07/2017 22:34

'Couldntmake you can't jump
Start your own car without ANOTHER. Car!!!!!!!

ThinkOfTheHorses · 26/07/2017 22:40

I wouldn't have a clue that I would have been able to help tbh ... try and flag someone down next time?

ginflumpsandzebraprint · 26/07/2017 22:47

Ijustwant ummm yes you can, with a jumpstart pack, they come with a charge pack to 'act ' like another car battery Grin

Procrastination4 · 26/07/2017 22:48

There's actually a warning printed on my car battery that it is not to be used to jump start another car, so I'd have had to pass you by too, OP!

SelkieQualia · 27/07/2017 05:25

I'm sorry, but there's no way I'm letting a random stranger put jump leads on my car - I bet you won't be putting up the cash for repairs to the electrics!

SoupDragon · 27/07/2017 09:21

Not necessary soup please see above!

Yes, it is absolutely necessary given I was talking about my own car.

Nikephorus · 27/07/2017 09:38

You think that's bad OP, I have you beaten by miles. I needed a jump start at home one day & went over to knock on door of one of the neighbours. I had the jump leads ready, just needed a battery. She started by saying that she wasn't sure what to do (I said I was - this was about the third time as the car was packing up), then she said she was going out shortly (she didn't leave until after I'd driven off a while later & didn't look like she was going anywhere & it was only going to take a minute), and then said "I don't know what my husband would say"!!!! Well gee, maybe "that was nice of you dear" Confused. Luckily a post office van pulled up at that point so I left neighbour to her excuse-making & cadged a jump start off the postie who was more than happy to help. So glad I moved from there.
As an aside you can get gadgets now that you pre-charge & then you can jumpstart yourself. Small enough to store in the glovebox & then you're never waiting around for help. I bought one off Amazon (type in car jump starter and it brings up several)

Trollspoopglitter · 27/07/2017 09:48

www.google.co.uk/amp/www.telegraph.co.uk/cars/advice/how-to-jump-start-your-car/amp/

From 2016, and you still don't connect negative to negative but negative to metal

Trollspoopglitter · 27/07/2017 09:51

That Australian "article" is a joke. It's a bit like suggesting the perils of dog walking - you could step in poo, your dog could get attacked by a larger dog - you really need to leave it the xyz professionals to walk your dog safely.

ginflumpsandzebraprint · 29/07/2017 07:30

Trolls you do understand that the negative is 'earth cable ' yes ? TBH as long as it's earthed you can connect it to anywhere on the car ! The negative on the battery is nice and easy on old cars, the metal shelf is easy on new cars.

DrHorribletookmycherry · 29/07/2017 07:38

Just be glad it wasn't a road just outside Corby as there, whilst I waited for the AA not actually trying nor hoping anyone would help, I had a fizzy drink thrown at me and three other cars slowed enough to laugh and hurl abuse at me and my two month old baby. Nice work UK.

DrHorribletookmycherry · 29/07/2017 07:40

I was in a layby not blocking the road, hazards on. Just before anyone jumps to conclusions.

NormaSmuff · 29/07/2017 07:49

i think if you hadnt got the jump leads out op you might have had more chance of getting your knight in shining armour. you dented their pride iwith your knowledge, possibly

NormaSmuff · 29/07/2017 07:50

dh had to come and jump start my car and a few days later his car went kaput, he did accost a young boy with his lovely new car who kindly jump started him, but we did feel slightly guilty that the young boy's car may well be affected by the jump start.

dh car failed after a while again and loads of people stopped to ask if they could help

HollyHollyHo · 29/07/2017 07:54

Christ some of these replies OP.

I'd have stopped. It's jump starting a car battery not disassembling the Hadron Collider.

All these women with no knowledge of helping themselves and their only solution is "call the AA". Do womankind a favour and spend the morning on YouTube teaching yourself basic car maintenance Hmm

Firesuit · 29/07/2017 08:25

This thread prompted me to google instructions for my car, a current model Golf. Apparently you must never attach a lead to negative, no matter which direction you are jumping, and not even when connecting to a trckle charger. Doing so would bypass the computer sensor used to track the state of the battery. So stopping for the OP would have messed up my car.

SoupDragon · 29/07/2017 08:26

I know how to jump start a car. I would still call the AA because they have a battery pack specifically for this.

Do womankind a favour and stop making sweeping judgements.

SoupDragon · 29/07/2017 08:27

It's jump starting a car battery not disassembling the Hadron Collider.

And yet the OP seems unaware of how to do it properly.

DrHorribletookmycherry · 29/07/2017 08:33

Amused. I didn't call the AA for a flat battery. I realised what the problem was but couldn't sort it without the correct tools and a ramp. Not that I'd have tried with a baby. Sheesh mn.

JustDanceAddict · 29/07/2017 08:34

I would drive on as I have no idea how to do it. I'd call the breakdown myself. I'm crap with cars & drive as a necessity. Dh/garage does all my maintenance.,