what’s worse than one damsel in distress?
why, two damsels in distress!
today i left sunny Florida and, after a brief stint in DFW, landed in Amarillo, which is… um, not sunny. when i landed, it was 27 degrees, and flying in i could see nothing but white covering the brown of the surrounding areas. i thought, yay snow! then i remembered this little problem i had Wednesday when i arrived at the airport, and boo snow!
when i pulled up to airport security last week, i rolled down my window, after which the window fell down into my door. i was able to pull it out somewhat, but when i boarded the plane for Florida, all i could think was, “i hope no one gets into my car and steals my tear gas and bottled water.” so when i landed today, i was a little stressed about how i would deal with my fallen window and figured i would have to do it tonight due to the snow and ice.
not to worry, my car wasn’t even leaving the airport garage. dead battery.
i called Bikermommy. she would get off work in 10 minutes and could come jump my car.
BIKERMOMMY: do you know how to jump a car?
SARAHK: i’ve seen it done. something to do with positives and negatives and black, red. piece of cake.
BIKERMOMMY: i’ll be there in a little while.
so Bikey showed up, and we were determined to start my battery. she had called and gotten instructions from Pappy. did i mention the cold? it was cold. we got out the jumper cables and looked at the batteries… uhhhh… hmm… so… hmm…
we got back in Bikermommy’s Jeep and decided she would just take me home. but maybe we should call Pappy and see if he could come… no, wait, we should try this, said Bikey. we can do it.
uhhhh… hmm… so… hmm…
BIKERMOMMY: it’s so cold.
SARAHK: hey, i think on mine, we have to pull off this rubber thingy.
BIKERMOMMY: no! don’t do that! that’s crazy!
SARAHK: i’m not crazy! you’re crazy!
BIKERMOMMY: ok, so this one says positive, and this one says negative.
SARAHK: hey, i think the colors mean something. the red goes with red goes with red. black goes with black goes with black.
BIKERMOMMY: you’re crazy! and i’m… scared. i don’t want to blow up the cars.
SARAHK: i know! that’s why i’ve never jumped my own car before! i’m always scared! i play damsel in distress, get a man to do it, and i stand back, away from the car, so i can’t get blown up!
BIKERMOMMY: uhhhh…
SARAHK: hmm…
BIKERMOMMY: so…
SARAHK: hmm…
BIKERMOMMY: let’s try again. oh, look. i tried to put the red cable to the red one here marked positive, and i can’t get it on!
SARAHK: well, we tried! what more could we do?
BIKERMOMMY: let’s call Pappy and ask him to come do it.
so Pappy came and rescued the damsels in distress and did in five minutes what we spent an hour trying to get up the nerve/smarts/coordination to do.
yay for damsel in distress mode! yay for being able to turn it on so easily! boo dead batteries!
btw, i was able to roll up my window enough that it will be cold in my car tomorrow but my driver’s seat won’t be full of snow. and no one can steal my tear gas. yay!
related post from the evil fake sarahk who cannot be trusted
A rare treat to be first !
Glad you’re home safe- from one who has started uncounted vehicles in my time.
November 29th, 2004 at 11:21 pmI’ve killed a few batteries in my time, usually jumping off never works & my husband has to come over from work with a new battery to install. But I can change my own tire!
Never will accept help again though, last jerk that offered assistance tried to jack Mark & I up for cash.(boo hoo for that creep, we didn’t have any cash, and a cop was handily close by.)
November 30th, 2004 at 3:07 amAhhhhhhhh you should have just taken a shot at it. It’s always worked great for me. I think the risk of exploding batteries is greatly overstated. :p
November 30th, 2004 at 5:37 amI find it’s easier to jump cars if I stretch out properly before hand.
Remember… you only get the high points if you stick the landing! :D
November 30th, 2004 at 5:40 amAhhhhhhh, jumping a car battery is *easy*, I actually did it(by myself) for the first time last month. Dumb overhead light switch was not all the way switched off and so drained the battery over my work day.
November 30th, 2004 at 5:56 amI just needed to follow the instructions on the jumper cable tag, that is in my handy dandy car emergency kit. Hooray for Christmas gifts from good friends!!
Jumping car batteries is why God created men. So why deprive them of their reason to exist? Well, maybe He had a few other reasons too … ;)
November 30th, 2004 at 6:35 amWith all the travelling you do, I think it is time to consider Triple A.
November 30th, 2004 at 8:32 amHi, SarahK:
Always keep my jumper cables and emergency stuff in a large covered Tupperware container in the trunk of my car.
Just remember: Slide the rubber covers from the terminals. Red on Positive. Black on negative or grounded to the car frame.
Step back and start the car with the good battery. Then start your car.
Let your car idle for awhile and you’re on your way.
Jack.
November 30th, 2004 at 10:40 amJack…we knew all that! What we couldn’t get past was “What if we accidentally touch two of the charger thingies together”???? I’ve watched too many guys and couldn’t stand the crackling noise when they did! Plus it was 140 below 0 and we were shaking so badly that it would’ve happened I tell you!
November 30th, 2004 at 1:43 pmwimps ;)
November 30th, 2004 at 2:23 pmHmmm….I think I’m starting to figure out who this “evil sarahk” really is.
We go through a lot of batteries here in Arizona because the heat just kills them. It’s supposed to get down to 37 degrees tonight. That’s stunningly cold by Phoenix standards!
November 30th, 2004 at 6:03 pmI always wondered what girls said to each other while they were debating the wisdom of taking on electricity and automobiles.
Probably best that you both waited. If you touch the black and the red thingys together you create a chain reaction that leaves the nuclear core exposed, and causes a giant meltdown of the reactor.
Not pretty. Especially on Fords.
November 30th, 2004 at 6:57 pmHi, Bikermommy!
If the “Charger thingies” (Cable clamps) touch with the far clamps connected to the running car’s battery. A snapping spark will arc between the un-connected clamps. Not enough voltage or amps to harm you physically. Though enough to scare all involved.
You and SarahK erred on the side of caution. Which is fine. You has Spydade to fall back on before those eeeevil ol’ timber wolves came down from the mountains to torment our favorite heroines!
Jack.
November 30th, 2004 at 11:41 pm