AA recovery

[timbo]

So, after my rear sprocket escaped from the rear wheel hub, I had a 200 mile journey with the AA. A very interesting experience. AA patrols are now not allowed to travel more than 65 miles from their home address. Which they aren't happy with. The reason is to do with not having a tacho apparently. This means that you get dropped off, unloaded, and reloaded, every few miles. Complete madness, and the guys on the ground know this. However, I was very lucky to meet Colin Turner, from Chorley, an AA patrol of some thirty years, who drove me all the way from Lancaster Services, to Cairnryan. What an absolutely top bloke! And i learnt so much about how the AA works, and also the latest 'advances' in modern cars, and how neither they, nor us, are able to carry out any sort of repairs. The AA patrol that got me to Lancaster Services was also a great guy, but on a more modern employment contract, which meant he basically worked himself into the ground, no surprise there then. I could go on,but you can ask me over a bonfire at our next meet up. Anyway, let's not all report s@@@@ service. I will be writing a very praising letter to the AA about my experience, but also highlighting a previous incident, were it took them eight hours to get me seventy miles, with one of their, so called, associate providers. A long tale of ck up after ck up 

[themoudie]

Britannia Rescue every time, if you are eligible, in my experience.

Lancaster services are a foresaken place at the best of times. I remember in 1972 being towed from the south-bound carriageway of the M6 opposite these services on the end of 16' of string at 50mph, then taking the first slip and returning north-bound to the services, where we left the car, on-site garage towing!  We then hitched to Lancaster railway station and returned home via Euston Station.    The vehicle was a Ford 'Pop', with column change that had been thrashed through the Lakes on a school geography/geology trip, loaded up with gear for 3 youths for a week, the driver having past his test 3 months earlier and 18 years old. The big-ends went! 

Petrol was about 35p a gallon and draft Guiness was 10p a pint! 

My regards, Bill

[iansoady]

I think everyone's eligible for Britannia these days although being a Unison / CSMA member reduces the price.

After some thought I've gone for a Nationwide Flexplus bank account. It's £10 / month but included is Britannia full (ie UK / continental) cover which is actually better than standard Britannia as that restricts you to one vehicle for overseas use. Plus "free"* worldwide health insurance and 3% interest paid on current account balance up to £2,500, as well as a couple of other perks. The interest alone is worth £75 / year if you keep over the £2,500 in it - far better than any deposit / savings account.

*The quotes are because they do charge for pre-existing health issues but even so much cheaper than anyone else.

[Guzziless Steve]

I fell out big time with the AA a few years ago - long rant warning. 

We were living in South Wales and just about to move up to the Wirral.  Around September time the wife was heading over to home in Northern Ireland while house deals were being done and I was completing a course in Manchester for the new job and unfortunately she had a car crash in Liverpool on her way to the ferry (when it used to be in Bootle).  Anyway, nice AA man turns up, loads what is left of her Ford Sierra onto a flat bed and takes it to Magherafelt over on the boat.  We then move to the Wirral and renew membership in January. 

Later I get a letter saying our AA membership has been suspended as we haven't paid the bill for the ferry. 

Despite us telling the AA we moved and renewing the membership it seems some other department of the AA, after deciding we had to pay for the flat bed recovery wagon to have gone on the ferry (which was not mentioned at the time), had sent several demands for payment to our old address, none of which had been received.  The first we heard of this was when we got a letter to the new address saying membership suspended.  Anyway, wasn't happy but paid the not inconsiderable bill they said we owed them for the ferry and thought that would be the end of it.

Few months later was out at a MAG meeting in North Wales and got a puncture on my old Katana 650.  No problem I thinks, just ring AA.  However, operator says they will not send anyone out because I still haven't paid the bill for the ferry and therefore membership still suspended.  I says no I paid the bill months ago. She says they won't send anyone out until I prove that the bill has been paid.  I asked how exactly am I supposed to do that at the side of the road in North Wales at half eleven at night. Didn't matter, they still refused to help me.  Luckily I had insurance with Carole Nash at the time so could use there breakdown cover to get me home.

After many more  calls and correspondence the AA eventually admit that I had paid the bill and unsuspend my membership.  However, they didn't even offer an apology, let alone any compensation for being left stranded.

After that defected to the RAC.  However, they are a long way from perfect.  One time broke down on the M2 by Templepatrick (in County Antrim) and after waiting for over two hours (and having clearly told them I was in NI) I rang again to discover that they had a poor bloke driving up and down the M2 in Kent looking for me!