You can handcrank an engine if the battery is dead?

[Electronic M]

Probably not with a hand crank(I'd imagine a fraction of a turn at low speed wouldn't make enough voltage), but push starting should work fine.

One thing I've thought about is an auxillary starting battery....I often use a power inverter to help sell my wears at radio swapmeets and I'm always worried I'll drain the battery or the gas tank and be stranded. I've contemplated getting a small battery and or super-capacitor bank and wiring it to the main battery with a diode and starter relay connecting it to the main battery. The diode would allow the aux battery to always be charged, but never be discharged. The extra start relay could be used to short the diode and allow the car to start off the aux battery.... I'm surprised they don't do this from factory in modern luxury and utility vehicles.