Dealing with a dead battery whilst the keys are locked in the car
Whilst dealing with my company’s logistics of moving the clients around the coast line, from the dive center to the dive site, we decided the use of a second bus would not only save in excess of three hours a day, that can be better spent earning money under the water. We could have a second bus that is used to convey the new divers whilst taking the clients, who have just dived back to the center. At the moment I have to pack up all the equipment and drive the mobile dive center back to the shop. The heavy traffic during the short drive can take up to an hour there and back, not to mention the wasted time saying goodbye to the old and hello to the new clients, which can be done on the beach.
With a second bus at our disposal, we will save money and time. The main bus will take the first clients of the day and be strategically parked, for all to see next to the beach. As I carry out the first dive a staff member will equip and carry out all the paper work at the shop, with the second group. By the time he arrives I will have just about finished my first dive and we will simply swop clients. I will dive again after the all-important safety briefing, whilst he returns them to the dive center or their hotels.
With a very limited budget in mind, we decided to enquire about a bus that has been standing near the dive center for some time. We found it was for sale and were invited to have a look. Upon our arrival we were informed the battery was dead and some core plugs had popped out due to the owner not having any antifreeze in the radiator. We managed to open the driver’s door to pop the hood, without thinking we placed the key in the ignition. We had a good look around the bus and both agreed it was a good purchase at the right price. We decided to jump start the dead battery (in Denmark we call that dødt batteri på bilen)but only to see if the engine is not locked up due to the long period of inactivity. As soon as we attached the jump lead to the dead battery the central locking activated and locked the keys in the bus.
We now had a dead battery and the keys were the wrong side of a locked door. None of us knew it had central locking, so it was not a consideration when we closed the driver’s door. Without any tools except a ten millimeter spanner, we decided to remove the dead battery and charge it up overnight, whilst we decide on the best course of action to retrieve the keys. I am thinking about the old trick with a metal coat hanger being slid down the glass and hooking the locks connecting rod. This used to work and we can only hope to gain access whilst we attach the fully charged battery.
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