You have to be at an appointment, you know the bus went 5 minutes ago and your car won’t start. Don’t panic.

If the problem is a weak battery or something is wrong with your starter motor, it is possible to get going with the help of a downward slope or a few friends.

CAUTION: Remember, however, that only cars with a manual gear-shift can be push-started. Automatic cars and some specialised cars (see your owner manual) cannot be started in this manner.

• Have at least one person in the driver’s seat (preferably you, if there’s only one helper).
• Turn off all accessories (wipers, air conditioning, radio, etc).
• Turn the key to the ON position.
• Depress the clutch pedal.
• Select first or second gear.
• Release the handbrake and foot brake.
• Roll down the hill or have your friends push to get the car rolling as fast as possible.
• Release the clutch pedal, at the same time giving the car a little gas with the accelerator pedal. The car should jump into life . . . if there is life in the battery!
• You can also push-start a car backwards if necessary. Just use reverse gear instead of first or second and push the car backwards.

If there is now way you can push your car ask someone with another car and some jumper leads to help you. See ‘Jump-starting a car safely’.