Coasting backward down a hill in the dark without lights.
 

A friend asked for a ride. I was in the middle of replacing a faucet, need to write progress reports for work, and have other things going on, but went to help. Then I ran into Walmart, which apparently now closes at midnight, and it was almost midnight.
I found teflon tape just in time and was almost home when I stopped for a train. I turned off my engine, but left my lights on so nobody knocked me into the train, except no one approached until almost ten minutes later, when I could see the end of the train. My phone was dying (and I cannot charge it in my Civic), but I was almost home!
Everything died when I tried to start the car. I had the smrtcar behind me back up and go around and I rolled back, but tried to bump-start when another car approached.
No good.
I got out and gestured for them to go around. They and another driver stopped to ask if I needed help and waited to see if I could bump-start.
Somehow the rest of the hill was steeper, but there are hardly any streetlights, and I could not turn on my lights. I was able to bump-start, but I kept worrying about backing into something I could not see!

I am very glad I have a manual transmission! :D

That was four blocks from home. In the morning I will get my trickle charger out of our shed, but that is in the alley. I do not enjoy long walks down dark alleys.

One of the many reasons why I'll always drive a manual! Next time, turn off the headlights while leaving the parking lights on! :)

I'll be a little rough here. So you saved pennies worth of gas and had to deal with all that, plus drained your battery which may need replaced soon now.

Was it worth it?

Voltage meter, voltage meter!
Key on if the battery drops below 11 Volt...

I have a battery voltage gauge on my UG, but it only gets powered in the ON position, which draws quite some power.
Got to work something out that reads voltage while only the lights are on.

Maybe i should have just pushed my car across the tracks, but I preferred the risk of backing into a smrtcar than having another train come.

I was going to suggest just leave the car run, but... if pushing a car with no lights in the roadway at night is acceptable to you, by all means.

You probably saved well under .1 gallons, so around 20 cents.

Sounds like the battery might have already been marginal if it only took ten minutes of having the lights on to drain it. My practice is usually to leave the lights and other accessories off unless/until I see someone else coming, but it's always easy to pile on after the fact. ;)

I found the hard way that I need to put my truck battery on a trickle charger once or twice a week. My wife does only short trips, she also needs to put her car on a trickle charger once a week.

Even when the alternator is working properly, it takes time to fully charge a battery. The battery might still be perfectly good. Put it on a charger for a couple of days. I use one of those 2 amp "computer controlled" chargers.

90% of my trips are less than 7km and I have never had a battery issue in the last 18 years of driving. Sounds like something is wrong with your battery or alternator.

Simon

Like the old saying - $2 dollar helmet for a $2 dollar head! Obviously you place little value on the safety of yourself or your passenger.

Simon

A stationary car on a roadway is likely of minimal danger to anyone with a brain

I put it on a charger in the morning and the green light was on before I left for work in the afternoon.

I hope you feel better now. By the way, no: Cheap or Expensive Bicycle Helmets

As others have mentioned, your battery is likely on the way out if it isn't lasting 10 minutes.

I'd have turned the engine off too if waiting over a minute, but I also would turn the headlights off, leaving just the parking lights on. Blower motors are also consume a lot of electricity, so that should be turned off as well.

You should get a cigarette lighter charger for your phone. Even better, get one of those cheap batteries that can charge your phone several times and include a light. Amazon link

...and I'm curious, was your friend a girl? You need a friend as loyal and helpful as yourself.

Redpoint,

Thank you very much for your kind words. I appreciate them.

I wish I had thought to turn off my headlights. I didn't need those!

I probably had the fan on low. Rolling down my windows and killing the fan might have made all of the difference that I needed, but the headlights would have been better!

I have car chargers, but they do not receive power. When I bought Chorizo there was another socket in the glove box, so I figured the previous owner had replaced it, but it still did not work. The fuse is good. I never tried troubleshooting further than that. It was good enough.

I have always thought about installing something like this: https://www.amazon.com/Arpenkin-Dash...o+usb+hardwire

I actually have a battery pack, but in the Accord, because I have been trying to establish its MPG, except I want a full tank at fifty-five, but I will remember halfway somewhere, and I do not slow down because I do not have time.

I want it in the Accord for road trips for a backup, but at least that car can charge my phone!

The battery pack needs to go into my Civic!

I may end up purchasing a non-Samsung phone because mine overheats just driving my black car in the Arizona summer without air conditioning. It would be much worse trying to charge it.

Friend was a bit of an overstatement. She is a girl, though, but that does not help me at all.

Thank you again for your feedback. I hope you have a great day! :)

Something like this would strike two in one blow:

4 In 1 Car Charge Display Temperature/Voltage/Amper 2979277 2017
http://miniimg.rightinthebox.com/min...8325836384.jpg

Since when is bump starting a car backwards in the dark without lights a stationary vehicle? And how many drivers on the road actually use their brain?

Simon