Wow....That sucks Term.
I'm glad to hear you the kids and the x made it out safe!
I had it happen to me when my alt failed on me in my E38 while driving through an intersection at night. I thought the inability to turn on my flashers was going to going to get my baby smashed... Luckily I remembered a shurefire tactical light I had with me had a strobe mode so I threw it in the rear window till AAA showed up.
Did you really ask the guy on the the bike if he had a battery when he said jump it?
That's hilarious man