Under the right circumstances, limitations noted by Junkdrawer, Dave9, Char, oldhp, I'd try if possible. Going to give an example though of how it can go badly....
Was at my favorite manual carwash, day time and there was an old hoopty dead in the lot with three people sitting inside. (Old Taurus iirc) Will say individuals inside had sketchy appearance. So guy with nice newer GM truck offered help on his way out, either after being asked or perhaps offered. I'm not sure whose jumper cables, likely hoopty owner's.
Good sam pulls up his newish truck in front, and lets hoopty operator handle cables. Big mistake. Guy connects the cables to the good battery, new truck. Not proper order but so far nothing damaging. Then, wait for it, I see hoopty operator crack the ends of the two cables together at least once to see if there's a spark. I cringe and shake my head. Guy with new truck inside his. Connects to dead battery, car starts and cable disconnected. Hoopty dies again. Gives it another try, and hoopty owner does the same thing. I shake my head in amazement again. What a cretin. Pretty clear why his vehicle is a hoopty. I don't think the GM truck owner recognized or understood what was happening. In this case, ignorance was bliss.
So lesson here, if you're going to offer help with a jumpstart, you better control the jumper cables no matter whose they are. Portable jump starter, eliminates that possibility. Still situational awareness very important.
Was at my favorite manual carwash, day time and there was an old hoopty dead in the lot with three people sitting inside. (Old Taurus iirc) Will say individuals inside had sketchy appearance. So guy with nice newer GM truck offered help on his way out, either after being asked or perhaps offered. I'm not sure whose jumper cables, likely hoopty owner's.
Good sam pulls up his newish truck in front, and lets hoopty operator handle cables. Big mistake. Guy connects the cables to the good battery, new truck. Not proper order but so far nothing damaging. Then, wait for it, I see hoopty operator crack the ends of the two cables together at least once to see if there's a spark. I cringe and shake my head. Guy with new truck inside his. Connects to dead battery, car starts and cable disconnected. Hoopty dies again. Gives it another try, and hoopty owner does the same thing. I shake my head in amazement again. What a cretin. Pretty clear why his vehicle is a hoopty. I don't think the GM truck owner recognized or understood what was happening. In this case, ignorance was bliss.
So lesson here, if you're going to offer help with a jumpstart, you better control the jumper cables no matter whose they are. Portable jump starter, eliminates that possibility. Still situational awareness very important.