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OT 3A grrrrr

I thought that one of the whole points of AAA was that they had rules and stuff that apply to the buisnesses they send to you when they call? So that it might cost you half the earth, but you weren't stuck on the side of the road for hours and hours.

So the van was stuck on the side of the road for hours and hours. There was a blow out. Must have been a defective tire because they were only a couple of years old and the state trooper said it looked like the result of the sort of cord wear you get with retreads. Either that or wal-mart indulges in shady buisness practices. (*gasp* what? wally world? what?...) Radiating tears in a spoke pattern all around the tire. Good thing kiripet is a sterling driver in emergencies. She might rant at the driver ahead of her that is driving 28MPH in a 30 MPH zone normally, but when something like this happens she goes all cold and competent.

The van carries the spare on the undercarrige. Don't ask me why. As a result the bolts holding it were pretty crudded up and nobody could get it out. So kiri whipped out her cell phone and called triple A. Two hours and a visit from the state police later, a tow truck shows up. This is on I86, right at the exit going to the town the truck came from. It is a ten minute drive from there, if you can drive. The guy looked over the situation and then said he didn't have the tools to deal with a frozen clamp, and that he couldn't use the truck on the van, so he was going back to his shop for a flatbed. Nobody was happy with that. Especially since we so totally did not believe him. By dint of patience and dertermined messing with it, about 45 minutes later we finally got the spare tire out with just our fingers. Happily it was an actual tire and not a donut. Then we found out that the jack that came with the van was made out of tinfoil surrogate. It went up until the van was almost high enough to get the new tire on, then it just crushed under the weight. So kiri called AAA again, and told them that we had gotten the tire out ourselves, but the jack wasn't up to the job, and please call the complete idiot they had sent the first time, and tell him to bring a jack instead of the flatbed he went for. Another hour goes by. A good samaritan stops and has a jack! The tire is changed in 20 minutes or so, the van is back in motion, and kiri is on her bluetooth while driving blistering ears at AAA. She is going to mail in a formal complaint. Sitting on the side of the road with a flat tire for more than four hours after calling them did not endear them to her. To say nothing of the fact that the situation was resolved with no help from them whatsoever.

Now we have to figure out the best place to get a new jack.

NightMist

Reply to
NightMist
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What a pain! I'm so sorry you went thru all that garbage for nothing.

I had a similar situation. My truck (Chevrolet) was under warranty. I had a flat tire about 1/4 mile from my house on my way to work. Since it was only my second day back to my part-time job after my hip replacement, I was not about to try to walk home. I phoned Chevrolet to use their Roadside Assistance (a free of charge service under the truck's warranty) to have someone come and change the tire for me.

I was about 3/4 mile from the city limits, but Chevrolet didn't have a contract with any local tow companies, so they sent someone from over 100 miles away! It took 3+ hours for the man to get to me and change my tire. I almost wet my pants while waiting, too! ;-) The sad thing was I could have paid a local company to change it for less cost than the 4 hour's worth of wages I lost while waiting by the side of the road for their 'free' service. grrr! And my employer was NOT happy that nobody was there to open the office that morning- my responsibility.

Another time I had a Chrysler car- also under warranty- with a flat tire in the parking lot at work. At least Chrysler had a contract with a local company. I stayed at my desk while I waited for someone to change the tire for me. My supervisor came in and quietly asked me if I was having financial problems- the tow truck man was hooking up my car and about to leave with it. It looked as tho my car was being repossessed for non-payment- and everybody saw what was happening! Since I'd paid cash for the car that certainly wasn't the case, so I ran out to see what was going on. He was too lazy to change the tire in the paved parking lot, so he towed my car to their shop and changed the tire and towed it back. That was soooo embarrassing.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that the AAA probably has a contract for a small reimbursement amount and the man who was sent to you really didn't place a high priority on the call. It's sad when that's the entire reason for their contract with AAA for roadside assistance.

I hope kiri gets some satisfaction for all the grief you suffered. It stinks when things happen like that.

I won't comment on WalMart.....

Leslie & The Furbabies in MO.

Reply to
Leslie& The Furbabies in MO.

AARRGGHH! Hugs and sympathies!

I contrast this with the last time I called out the RAC... With us within 30 minutes (not an emergency), sorted 10 minutes later.

Or when I was preggy... With us withing 10 minutes, sorted within half an hour (as in transported to insurance approved garage for repair after minor crash). Insurance provided hire car with us before close of business that day, our car fixed and back with us a week later. We still get our insurance through the RAC. They treat us nice.

Reply to
Kate XXXXXX

We don't have AAA -- instead have road service on our regular car insurance policy. It's cheaper than AAA and it covers that kind of stuff. We call -- and pay -- whomever we want, turn in the receipt, and get reimbursed. Our company has always reimbursed very promptly with no hassle.

Julia > I thought that one of the whole points of AAA was that they had rules

Reply to
Julia in MN

Im with Julia on this one. Years ago, AAA was a great company. service was prompt, reimbursements were without debate, and AAA recommended motels were nice ones. They got too big, too expensive, and are not able to service their customers anymore. I get my roadside assistance from my auto insurer and it's always been prompt and easy.

Musicmaker

Reply to
Musicmaker

Reply to
Roberta

Luckier than me. When I called the RAC and rang again when they failed to arrive I was told that they couldn't find me on the High Street in Abergavenny. As Abergavenny is in Wales, and I was waiting on the east coast of England this isn't surprising!

Needless to say I no longer use the RAC.

Sally at the Seaside ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~uk

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Kate XXXXXX wrote:

Reply to
Sally Swindells

I used to have AAA, and the one time I needed help I was abandoned. I had been at a meeting downtown, which is OK during the day but not safe after dark, and my car would not start, so I called AAA. Well, they had a contract with a service station not far away, but the service station refused to come! The reason was that there were only

2 men on duty and if 1 left the station to help me the station might be vulnerable to crime since it was getting dark. Also, the man claimed that neither of them knew how to jump a battery or tow a car! Well, that seemed to be that, so just to get out of that worsening neighborhood (there was a shooting 2 blocks away about that time), I telephoned a taxi company, and was told they wouldn't send a taxi to that area after dark! And it was getting darker by the minute. So I called the local police, who are certainly not supposed to be a taxi service, but they sent a squad car for me and got me home -- with a lecture all the way about it not being a safe place for a woman to be alone after dark and telling me about the shooting that had just happened. The next day I called AAA again, and they said they were only for "emergencies" and that I had waited too long to call and refused to assist! Unbelievable! So I hired a tow company to go get my car, which by that time had two tickets for illegal overnight parking in the downtown area. I was livid. I sent a letter to AAA explaining the whole sorry situation, cancelling my "valuable membership", and demanding the refund of the remaining 6 months' worth of "dues", which AAA refused. My second letter informed them that without refund within 10 days would result in my filing action in Small Claims Court, at which time I would contact the local media so they could print the story in the local newspaper about the treatment I had received from AAA. They sent the check.
Reply to
Mary

Atta girl, Mary. Good GOOD for you. Polly

"Mary" I used to have AAA, and the one time I needed help I was abandoned. I

Reply to
Polly Esther

I hope you also asked for -- and received -- reimbursement for the parking tickets and the towing expense the next day!

Julia > I used to have AAA, and the one time I needed help I was abandoned. I

Reply to
Julia in MN

Of course they were not. That would be against all the laws of nature!

Went out and got new tires last night. Replaced all four because how do you trust the rest after one goes like that?

I am not certain where kiri went to get them. I do know that she is pretty unhappy with all the big stores that sell tires. I suggested Sears, I think it is the only place she hasn't checked out in the last ten years. I also suggested she ask to make sure the tire guy did not miss lug nut day at "tire college" (see "They call me 'tater salad")

NightMist

Reply to
NightMist

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