the elusive electron

i've been dealing with the automobile going on sixty years now and it still never ceases to amaze and consternate me how the beasts can start up merrily, transport you dutifully and when you're ready to come home refuse to co-operate. one can understand and accept a mechanical breakdown but what allows a car to start one minute and have a dead battery the next? Loose terminals, bad connections, how do they manifest themselves? is it necessary to constantly tighten and clean every connection, inspect every cable? i shudder at the thought. perhaps that is why i'm afflicted by these niggling problems. they are the bane of my existence. thanks for putting up with my rant. i suppose in the morning i'll be back on the hunt.