A few weeks ago I returned from holiday to find the car battery was
totally flat. The only neighbour at home who might have helped start the
car didn't have any jump leads, and neither did I, so I had to call in
Homestart to get the car going.

Determined not to get into that situation again, I bought a pair of jump
leads. Magnificent specimens, heavy cables, large crocodile clips
surrounded in thick insulating plastic to prevent accidental short
circuits.

Then, a few days ago, I came across an old gent in a car park, trying to
start his car. As the car was a Rover, I felt sorry for him, and said I
could give him a jump start. I positioned my car alongside his, and then
got the brand new jump leads from the boot.

Major problem. The insulating plastic around the clips was so thick that
it was totally impossible to attach them to the battery terminals in
either car!

Half an hour with a hacksaw was needed to remove the plastic at the open
ends of the clips, and now it's possible to attach them to the battery.

So if you have jump leads and have never tried them out, you know what
you have to do.

--
Ian