Where’s the option to laugh and point at the poor sap with the dead battery as you cruise by with your fully charged power pack? I’m just asking for completeness’ sake.
I’ve given a jump start to someone I know, but I’ve never been in a situation where a stranger needed a jump. But I am prepared! …so long as the stranger has a sufficiently modern car that it can be jumped via the lighter socket.
If you can’t find somebody to help you out with a jump start and you’re stuck at the grocer’s, just bring your battery into the store and put it in the refrigerator for a bit.
Last year I was leaving a black tie fancy event (mental image me in heels ,silk dress, fancy hair and makeup) this 20s guy was having trouble with his car starting (jeans sweatshirt) i offered my car and jumper cables. He didnt know what to do so i did everything. Just as his car is getting started and i am disconnecting the jumper cables along comes some his uncle he had called for help before I started helping. Poor kid got teased by his uncle badly that he didn’t know how to use jumper cables but I ended up getting asked out by the uncle.
@CaptAmehrican I’m reminded of the insurance commercial where the two teenage boys are apparently unable to change a tire, and require an insurance plan option to mitigate their distress. I weep for our nation if this is widespread.
Yes, a dead battery often requires resources not immediately available but not knowing how to use jumper cables… or change a tire… seriously?
@duodec Nobody’s teaching them… for the most part. Most households if they have both parents… they usually both work… some have no dads (or moms) around to teach them. They don’t know how to drive a manual transmission, tie a tie, write a check, change a tire, jump a car. I think there should be a class in high school that will teach them these simple life skills. How to get insurance, etc.
I know my husband made both girls learn how to change the oil in the car and jump them and change a flat. They were not happy about it at the time but at least they learned.
@narfcake That’s true… but I was just throwing some things out there. So many young people (and yes… their parents) don’t even know the basics of getting by.
I was driving down the road one time and this guy flagged me down, needing a jump start. It turned out the cables I had in the tire well were all rusty and corroded, so that didn’t happen.
I wound up getting one of the portable lead-battery type things, and I’ve used it MANY times, arguably a best-purchase. Great for curls, too!
The first accessory I purchased for a car was jumper cables, and I have always had a set in every vehicle I’ve ever owned. I made sure that my wife, daughters, and son had a set in their vehicles. They all also were instructed on how to use them, and how to change a flat tire.
I really hate it when companies license major trade names for cheap utter garbage products, guess duracell doesn’t care and will put their name on anything.
I’ve been both sides. But I have a great memory of the VA Roadside Assistance truck coming along 2 minutes after I pulled off with a flat. I could have changed it myself but it would have probably taken me 30 minutes and I was already running late to get my kid. He did it in <10 mins and wouldn’t take a tip (“I get paid with your tax dollars so you already paid me”), and was super nice overall. Shout out to people like that: pride in their job, want to help, etc.
Took the family on a 3 day backpack/hike when the kids were little. Left from an overlook on the Pine Mountain Trail in West Central Georgia and hiked to Warm Springs. When we got back to the car (Plymouth Reliant… yes it was THAT long ago…) found that the interior light had been left on and the battery was ‘dead as a hammer’. Unfortunately the overlook was off the main road a good bit, and it was the middle of the week. After resolving myself to hike to the road, a kind stranger from Canada happened down the road to the overlook. Was nice enough to loan me his battery to jump my car (I had cables with me of course). Once it came back to life I discovered that the interior light had been left on.
I have generally been the guy that has the cables/tools/jack/“what have you” that others need, and am kind of the unofficial maintenance guy in our ER so it was refreshing to be the receiver of aid for a change!
I bought jumper cables for my first car after needing a jump start from a friend. They have come in handy for sure. I should probably get around to purchasing a donut tire though…
Super BIG batteries! How very exciting!!!
/giphy woohoo
@shahnm
@awk
/giphy woohoo
@shahnm I suppose you’re one of those “it’s how you use it that counts” people. . . pity
@cranky1950 Not sure I have any idea what you’re talking about, but you seem cranky…
“Jump start”… is that what the kids are calling it these days?
At lot of nice people are out there, helping their fellow man. I almost have hope in our future.
@hchavers “almost,” you are ever an optimist. I like that in you.
Where’s the option to laugh and point at the poor sap with the dead battery as you cruise by with your fully charged power pack? I’m just asking for completeness’ sake.
I’ve given a jump start to someone I know, but I’ve never been in a situation where a stranger needed a jump. But I am prepared! …so long as the stranger has a sufficiently modern car that it can be jumped via the lighter socket.
I have a vague memory of helping someone out in a grocery store parking lot. But if it was me with the dead battery I had AAA.
If you can’t find somebody to help you out with a jump start and you’re stuck at the grocer’s, just bring your battery into the store and put it in the refrigerator for a bit.
@PocketBrain
/giphy brilliant
Last year I was leaving a black tie fancy event (mental image me in heels ,silk dress, fancy hair and makeup) this 20s guy was having trouble with his car starting (jeans sweatshirt) i offered my car and jumper cables. He didnt know what to do so i did everything. Just as his car is getting started and i am disconnecting the jumper cables along comes some his uncle he had called for help before I started helping. Poor kid got teased by his uncle badly that he didn’t know how to use jumper cables but I ended up getting asked out by the uncle.
@CaptAmehrican…did you accept?
@CaptAmehrican I’m reminded of the insurance commercial where the two teenage boys are apparently unable to change a tire, and require an insurance plan option to mitigate their distress. I weep for our nation if this is widespread.
Yes, a dead battery often requires resources not immediately available but not knowing how to use jumper cables… or change a tire… seriously?
Kudos to you.
@duodec Nobody’s teaching them… for the most part. Most households if they have both parents… they usually both work… some have no dads (or moms) around to teach them. They don’t know how to drive a manual transmission, tie a tie, write a check, change a tire, jump a car. I think there should be a class in high school that will teach them these simple life skills. How to get insurance, etc.
I know my husband made both girls learn how to change the oil in the car and jump them and change a flat. They were not happy about it at the time but at least they learned.
@lseeber Some parents don’t know how either.
@narfcake That’s true… but I was just throwing some things out there. So many young people (and yes… their parents) don’t even know the basics of getting by.
I was driving down the road one time and this guy flagged me down, needing a jump start. It turned out the cables I had in the tire well were all rusty and corroded, so that didn’t happen.
I wound up getting one of the portable lead-battery type things, and I’ve used it MANY times, arguably a best-purchase. Great for curls, too!
@aetris curls?
@bdb - From lifting the thing - it’s not light!
I was always the go-to guy. I had the best set of cables. Anyone who couldn’t start their car at work came to me for help.
The first accessory I purchased for a car was jumper cables, and I have always had a set in every vehicle I’ve ever owned. I made sure that my wife, daughters, and son had a set in their vehicles. They all also were instructed on how to use them, and how to change a flat tire.
+1
@Lurker +2
I really hate it when companies license major trade names for cheap utter garbage products, guess duracell doesn’t care and will put their name on anything.
@rxich
I got those emergency roadside kits from here. I have used the jumper cables a few times and the other tools quite a bit. No strangers helped yet.
I’ve been both sides. But I have a great memory of the VA Roadside Assistance truck coming along 2 minutes after I pulled off with a flat. I could have changed it myself but it would have probably taken me 30 minutes and I was already running late to get my kid. He did it in <10 mins and wouldn’t take a tip (“I get paid with your tax dollars so you already paid me”), and was super nice overall. Shout out to people like that: pride in their job, want to help, etc.
Took the family on a 3 day backpack/hike when the kids were little. Left from an overlook on the Pine Mountain Trail in West Central Georgia and hiked to Warm Springs. When we got back to the car (Plymouth Reliant… yes it was THAT long ago…) found that the interior light had been left on and the battery was ‘dead as a hammer’. Unfortunately the overlook was off the main road a good bit, and it was the middle of the week. After resolving myself to hike to the road, a kind stranger from Canada happened down the road to the overlook. Was nice enough to loan me his battery to jump my car (I had cables with me of course). Once it came back to life I discovered that the interior light had been left on.
I have generally been the guy that has the cables/tools/jack/“what have you” that others need, and am kind of the unofficial maintenance guy in our ER so it was refreshing to be the receiver of aid for a change!
I bought jumper cables for my first car after needing a jump start from a friend. They have come in handy for sure. I should probably get around to purchasing a donut tire though…
@JoetatoChip If your car can fit a full sized tire, opt for that instead.
Alas, some newer cars don’t have space for even a donut.
@narfcake hell, some don’t even come with a donut! My daughter’s Saturn had a 12v compressor and ‘fix-a-flat’!!