Page 3 | Car broke down - handhold needed

Scaredycatlady · 2023-08-07T21:35:44+00:00

Is anyone around for a handhold please? My car broke down 2 hours ago and the estimated time of arrival for the recovery truck is 4am! I’m stuck on the side of a motorway in the pitch black darkness and absolutely terrified.

Clymene · 08/08/2023 00:00

Scaredycatlady · 07/08/2023 23:56

A lovely lady from the highways agency rang me back. She has been in touch with RAC who told her they will be with me by 12.15am. She also sent a patrol car to check on me. They will check back with me at 12.20am to make sure there has been some progress.
RAC then text me to say ETA is now 5am! Who knows what time they will actually arrive.
DH is amazing and as predicted has brought a warm coat and a very lovely hug which made me cry.

So do you have to stay with the vehicle until it's recovered? And it could be any time between now and 5am? That's really awful

pepino · 08/08/2023 00:02

National highways number is 0300 123 5000

mumda · 08/08/2023 00:05

This happened to my friend last week. They came at 3am. Appalling.

WildImaginings · 08/08/2023 00:14

This sounds like the saga we had with the AA a few months back. Shocking.

whynotwhatknot · 08/08/2023 00:17

i didnt even wait that long at home when my car wouldnt start

ridiculous hope its not that long

QuestionableMouse · 08/08/2023 00:18

Corianderparsley · 07/08/2023 23:46

So glad DH is with you. I've recently left the RAC after they left me and my three kids on the side of the motorway for six hours.

The recovery driver who finally came was retiring straight after that shift and he said don't ever renew with them, go with green flag.

I wouldn't use Green Flag either - they left me to drive a car home that kept cutting out and wouldn't restart. I had to drive it down the a19 which was absolutely terrifying and I just made it to my town before it cut out again. Had to coast it into a car park. If it had happened on the a19, I probably would have been killed.

Been with the AA ever since and they've always been great!

QuestionableMouse · 08/08/2023 00:20

@Scaredycatlady if your husband is still with you, can you leave the car and head to a services? The AA send a text to say they're on the way so as long as you're not miles away you'd be able get back.

Boomboom22 · 08/08/2023 00:21

Use autoaid. It's national but is all the local people so they send the available one. They are fab and about 60 a year, the cover is for you and a spouse not the car I think so can call as a passenger.

QuestionableMouse · 08/08/2023 00:29

How are you doing @Scaredycatlady

Tannedandfake · 08/08/2023 00:29

Scaredycatlady · 07/08/2023 23:26

I’ve rang the RAC back to check if I can leave the car unattended once DH arrives and I can’t. Thank you to everyone who suggested phoning 101. I’ve done that and they are reporting to the highways agency and will get back to me. DH is pulling up now so hopefully he has a warm coat and a hug for me.

Thank goodness!! I’d be very scared too

Oakbeam · 08/08/2023 00:29

Can’t you take your husband’s car home and leave him to deal with the breakdown?

Original poster

Scaredycatlady · 08/08/2023 00:41

Well we’re now over an hour in to a 45 minute wait as promised to the highways lady. Highways lady hasn’t rang back to check on progress either. I suspect I am no longer anyone’s priority now that DH is here 😢

We can’t go to the services unfortunately as we’re not allowed to leave the car unattended. I can’t leave DH to deal with it while I head home. Apart from the fact I can’t drive his car, it seems like a bit of a shitty thing for me to do after all he’s done.

I’m sorry that so many of you have been in similar situations. It’s not a nice feeling when you have to sit by the side of the road all night.

OP posts:

CoachBeardsJane · 08/08/2023 00:52

RAC call or text to let you know they're near by so go to a services and when they text drive back c

sjpkgp1 · 08/08/2023 01:06

I realise that @Scaredycatlady is probably long home now, and what a horrible experience too, but if anyone else is reading this thread, please be aware of how appalling the RAC is, especially if you have it through your bank account. My last experience, a month ago, I managed to get my well maintained car "limping" into a supermarket car park 90 miles from home after the fan belt had snapped, and then waited 5 hours - they have no intention of "fixing it" by the roadside, they simply outsource it to recovery vehicles who take you and the car back to your home address. 3 years ago, I broke down on alone on the motorway (at about 11pm, on way to a family wedding) with my two children, and although we managed to get onto the hard shoulder before the service station, we were there all night, despite calls and, eventual, desperate pleas after the first few hours elapsed. They did (eventually at 7am - 8 hours after the first call) put us in a taxi to go onwards to the wedding, whilst re-patriating the car back home without me, and for this I am grateful, but god knows, we went through the mill. It was a warm night, and my girls were older, and we sort of laugh about "the nightmare" now, but I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy. If the children had been younger, driving rain and cold, we wouldn't have coped. I agree that part of it is just being prepared, well maintained car, warm coats to wear, water and snacks, part of it is actually just "give me the service I am paying for within a reasonable timescale". Sorry, I will climb down from my soapbox now, but trust none of these buggers ! xx

Original poster

Scaredycatlady · 08/08/2023 01:18

@sjpkgp1 nope, not home yet, still sat at the side of the motorway.

I’ve rang RAC again and have now been given an ETA of 3am. They obviously just told the highways lady what they thought she wanted to hear.

OP posts:

QuestionableMouse · 08/08/2023 01:20

What's wrong with the car? Maybe we can figure out some solutions for you? Will it run? Can you limp it (with an escort) to the services?

fullbloom87 · 08/08/2023 01:32

At least you have your husband there. Treat it like a night under stars together. Maybe im weird but I find things like that exciting. Got to make the best out of a bad situation I suppose.

justgettingthroughtheday · 08/08/2023 01:42

@Scaredycatlady How far away from the next exit of the motorway are you?
Can you limp the car with your husband behind to the next exit and at least be clear of the motorway.
Don't be afraid of ringing 101 back again and let them know you are still on the motorway.

Original poster

Scaredycatlady · 08/08/2023 01:52

@QuestionableMouse it’s the same fault it had a few weeks ago which I thought had been resolved with a new fuel injector…obviously not. It’s 5 miles to the nearest services and I really don’t want to kangaroo it down the motorway at 10pmh.
Highways have been in contact again and let me know there had been a miscommunication between RAC and the subcontractor. 3am is the realistic ETA.

@fullbloom87 funnily enough, DH has an interest in astronomy & has been pointing out Jupiter & other dots in the sky 🤣

OP posts:

TheGirlFromTomorrow · 08/08/2023 01:52

I can give you some professional advice.

It's ok to get warmer items out of the vehicle but obviously use your own judgement. If you're risking becoming ill from the cold, get warmer things. If possible, get them from the boot through the rear seats.

That probably is their ETA. Calling a lot of times is going to give you slightly different times as breakdowns around you progress. But one breakdown is as long as a piece of string so they can't guarantee when someone can get to you.

They might get someone to you sooner so yes, stay with the vehicle.

They'll likely pay you some compensation for a long wait, but don't worry about that right now as it's impossible to calculate how much is due until they know exactly how long the delay is. But I'd have thought they'd be quite generous.

If you don't know now, work out what you want to do with the vehicle if it can't be repaired at the roadside. Are you near a garage you trust and do they have a forecourt it could be left on?

Redglitter · 08/08/2023 02:01

QuestionableMouse · 08/08/2023 00:20

@Scaredycatlady if your husband is still with you, can you leave the car and head to a services? The AA send a text to say they're on the way so as long as you're not miles away you'd be able get back.

You can't leave your car unattended on the hard shoulder. It'll get towed away & that'll be more expense & more stress

DixonD · 08/08/2023 02:07

CornishTiger · 07/08/2023 23:59

I’m due to buy breakdown cover. It will not be with the RAC after reading this!

Green Flag have been amazing for me and only £45 for the year.

Original poster

Scaredycatlady · 08/08/2023 02:10

@justgettingthroughtheday I think the only thing that 101 would do is contact Highways who have now said they will ring me every 30 mins until it’s resolved.

Thanks to everyone who pushed me to ring 101 though. I’d never have thought of doing that and it’s probably been the most useful thing in the whole saga.

@TheGirlFromTomorrow DH brought a warm coat and blankets so apart from laying out a sleeping bag at the side of the motorway, I think I’m as warm as I’m going to get for the next few hours 🤣
I've already arranged with RAC to get the car towed to a garage near home. I’m over an hour away from home so want the car to end up as near to me as possible.

OP posts:

QuestionableMouse · 08/08/2023 02:13

Redglitter · 08/08/2023 02:01

You can't leave your car unattended on the hard shoulder. It'll get towed away & that'll be more expense & more stress

Show quote history

Yes you can, if the police and highways agency are aware of it.

Gothambutnotahamster · 08/08/2023 02:15

Phone national highways back and tell them you're vulnerable & scared & ask if they can tow you off the motorway. They will require paying for it but they can bill that to the RAC.