Well, 12VDC at hundreds of amps (short current of a car battery) needs to be well respected. For obvious reasons, the terminals of a starter aren't fused. Very bad idea to wear a watch or wedding ring around this area. A much better idea is to remove the battery from the circuit.

It's a combination of voltage, amperage, and the resistance of the skin that shocks/kills/char-broils. I once worked with UPS system with 380VDC and amps so high that a wedding ring could vaporize and blow your finger right off. And just a few volts, under certain conditions (that you aren't likely to see outside of a hospital) can definitely kill.

AC, you can let go if your heart doesn't stop first. Hi-v, Hi-current DC, you just hold on and smoke until someone knocks your body out of the circuit...

The resistance of your tongue is low enough to cause injury if it gets across a 12 V battery. Thats why the terminals are all further than a tongues length apart:rolleyes:

Shouldn't that terminal have a rubber boot on it?
 

Shouldn't that terminal have a rubber boot on it?

1- You should go to wally world or any boat shop and buy some liquid electrical tape.
2- REMOVE THE BATTERY! :)
3- put a couple of coats of liquid electrical tape over the terminal

This will help keep this from happening again.

-Jim

25 years ago when I worked for SteveBFL's shop I was replacing a mechanical fuel pump on a 114 body 4cyl. MB and had the misfortune of completing a conveniently located 12V electrical circuit with 180 deg. of my watch band. It heated up quite nicely and given the tight confines required a bit of time to remove my hand from the offending circuit (burned the stink out of my wrist but didn't require amputation). Good thing I hadn't cracked open the fuel lines yet. Now I am quite careful to remove ALL jewelry BEFORE I start to work on my cars. Mark