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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Cold, wet and angry

87 replies

Wyldfyre · 13/08/2016 06:54

Stuck on the side of a busy motorway for three hours last night due to the RAC's definition of priority and their grasp of geography - I was originally told 40 minutes and the contractor they eventually sent came from a town over an hour and a half away. And they didn't send him until if been there a while and they sent him to a job before me as it was closer to the town he was coming from.
Having a rear wheel blow out at 70mph is scary enough, let alone when you have lorries thundering by.
To make things worse, it was raining and I didn't have a waterproof - having taken it out of the car (where I always keep it) on my day off so I could walk to the shops and forgetting to put it back. I also wasn't within walking distance of anywhere safe (about a mile from the nearest slip road but not in my opinion a safe route to walk).
Two police cars drove by, neither of which stopped to see in the lone and shivering woman was ok - so much for the motto "Keeping People Safe".
In the end, a guy who had been going NB when I first broke down stops to ask if I was ok when he passed SB two hours later and despite living miles away have me his phone number and said he'd come back and pick me up if the RAC failed to arrive. (So a little faith in humanity restored)

I broke down just after 6 and got off the motorway after 9pm.

WIBU to formally complain to the RAC?

OP posts:
Gribbie · 13/08/2016 13:23

Hehe. Grimmie is fine Grin

Sara107 · 13/08/2016 13:27

Never had a motorway breakdown, but have called AA quite a few times and never waited even an hour. I would have thought a motorway call out should be high priority, it is so dangerous to be stopped on the hard shoulder. I broke down on an A road, and it was terrifying the way the car rocked around as the traffic sped past. Myself and 5 yr old lurked at the top of the embankment til rescued! Complain, leave RAC and ask for your annual payment back. And take to social media, nothing like a bit of public shame to get these companies to pretend to be sorry!!

StillDrSethHazlittMD · 13/08/2016 13:28

I do get a bit "???" with posters saying they had no idea about not changing a wheel on the hard shoulder. Other than the fact that common sense would tend to point you in the direction of it being a bit daft, the Highway Code advises against it. I suppose the thing is, though, we all read it to pass our tests but most of us probably never look at it again - perhaps this thread is a timely reminder.

Nuttypops · 13/08/2016 13:31

Definitely complain. I would also change provider if you can.

My car broke down last year late one evening whilst I was driving with my 7 month old DD. The car was drivable to get off the motorway onto the slip road (it happened as I exited the motorway so not far to go for a safe stop) but no further. While it was a safer place to move the car to, it was nowhere near safe for DD and I to wait. RAC took over 3 hours to come to us. The service was appalling. I have since changed to AA.

HermioneWeasley · 13/08/2016 13:34

Don't blame you for being pissed off, but with a blown tyre it could have been much worse. Glad you're home safely.

HaplessHousewife · 13/08/2016 13:37

That's really bad service. I get breakdown cover through my car manufacturer as I have my car serviced at the dealership but they just use a network of local breakdown people and they've always been really quick.

We had a tyre blowout on the M25 in the freezing cold and dark, luckily on a stretch that has a hard shoulder and the lady said we were a priority, not because we had two young children in the car, but because of where we were – she even said she had to inform the British Transport Police but the breakdown guy came and sorted us out before they arrived so I'm amazed you were left there for so long.

pigsDOfly · 13/08/2016 13:38

Greenflag. Okay, it was a few years ago now but when I had a flat tyre in a car park in St. Albans in Hertfordshire, not a dangerous place for those who don't know it, at 5.30 in the evening it took the Greenflag man about 15 minutes to get to me because, as he told me, they consider a lone woman in a car park in the evening to be a high priority.

I'd be complaining very strongly to RAC in you place. Disgusting lack of service.

Justaboy · 13/08/2016 13:53

Dump the RAC and go for Britannia rescue instead.

Why?, mate of mine runs a recovery business and tells me they are one of the best ones!.

Simples.

MetalMidget · 13/08/2016 14:14

I've only ever called out the AA, but they've always been pretty good. Even on the occasions where it's been through my own stupidity (locking the keys in the car), or when I've needed a home visit (had a bunch of warning lights come on). I think I did have to wait nearly three hours on the A38 before getting on one occasion, but it was warm and sunny, and I had my husband with me (they actually asked if I was alone). It took longer because they'd sent out the regular transit van, but the car was properly dead, so needed a flatbed transporter, and they were in high demand that day!

Original poster
Wyldfyre · 13/08/2016 14:15

Believe me, I know Hermione!

Hence the stopping asap instead of heading to the next junction. Hate to think what would have happened if it had been a front tyre at that speed Confused

I've tracked down the bloke who stopped. Turns out he runs a roofing firm near me so will be taking him a bottle of something as thanks.

TBH even more disgusting than the RACs conduct is the conduct of the police - at least two patrol cars drove past and neither stopped to ask if I was ok.

OP posts:
Original poster
Wyldfyre · 13/08/2016 14:15

Believe me, I know Hermione!

Hence the stopping asap instead of heading to the next junction. Hate to think what would have happened if it had been a front tyre at that speed Confused

I've tracked down the bloke who stopped. Turns out he runs a roofing firm near me so will be taking him a bottle of something as thanks.

TBH even more disgusting than the RACs conduct is the conduct of the police - at least two patrol cars drove past and neither stopped to ask if I was ok.

OP posts:
Irelephant · 13/08/2016 14:50

Still I hate motorway driving don't think I've done it for 6/7 years so it's not something I'd really think about. Although now it's been explained it's a bit obvious iyswim.

It's just not something I'd really think about till it was pointed out I also lack common sense

akkakk · 13/08/2016 15:01

think you did the right thing - only time I have had a puncture was on the M1 at night - I have changed loads of wheels for other people - but that time I called out the AA as I preferred having lots of flashing lights and big trucks protecting me! They sent a 12 year old out from Leeds who as it was a near-side wheel proceeded to very competently change it for me Grin had it been an off-side wheel he would have towed me off the motorway as the nearest exit was about 3 inches away...

ref. oil not being an issue where misfuelling is - oil issues could be a mechanical breakdown / seal or gasket going... misfuelling is only ever going to be the driver making a silly mistake - hence why the recovery services don't handle it - or if they do, they charge, and quite reasonable that they should really

as for the RAC having been sold recently - not really it has been passed from vernture capitalist to venture capitalist for a number of years - it used to be owned by the RAC club in Pall Mall and members there all made c. £30,000 from its sale to I think British Gas some 10+ years ago, since then I think it has been sold a couple of times in leveraged debt deals - none of which are designed to help the RAC customer Grin

JaniceBattersby · 13/08/2016 15:29

We have cover with rescuemycar. Costs about £30 per year and have been there within 20 mins each time we've broken down (no kids in car, both me and husband there so technically 'low priority')

Their call centres are manned with people who are both helpful and reassuring. I don't think I've ever been put on hold either.

LBOCS2 · 13/08/2016 15:41

I swear by Britannia or Green Flag, they're both fantastic - and prioritise lone females. Also, tend to be much cheaper than the 'known' nationals.

ImperialBlether · 13/08/2016 15:43

You can tweet your local police about that, OP. Even if they were chasing after someone they should have reported it to someone else.

Gallievans · 13/08/2016 15:53

LOATHE the RAC. Fuel pump went on the car, me with 3yr old Dd. Waited over 4 hours for them, in the end they sent a local firm as I was fuming, the tow driver said they were renowned for it (rural N Wales). Been with the AA ever since, they have been fantastic any time I've had to call them.

BettyOBarley · 13/08/2016 15:56

DH works for the AA and regularly recovers people who have been waiting up to 12 hours Shock There are a lot less patrols working at one time than you would think.

Fairylea · 13/08/2016 16:06

I think it depends whereabouts in the uk you are whether Rac are any good. We are in south Norfolk and everyone here only has good words to say about them. My elderly mum broke down in an Aldi car park and they were there in about 10 mins! Mum was getting herself comfy to start reading her book and they tapped on the window! Grin I have other friends and family who are with Rac and have similar stories. We regularly all drive down the A140 and whenever there's a breakdown it's always an Rac van we pass, maybe they just have better coverage in some areas.

sleepy16 · 13/08/2016 16:11

car packed up on a country road miles away from anything, it was early Feb so was very cold and 7pm so pitch black.
Couldn't use the heaters and nothing worked.
I was pregnant with a 8 month old and a 6 year old with me.
It was foggy and tbh it was like a scene out of a horror movie.
We got 'rescued' at just gone midnight.
Not a nice experience and we did get a free membership for a year after I complained.

Original poster
Wyldfyre · 13/08/2016 16:14

Thanks Imperial. Already done (and the RAC) both getting formal complaints though.

I'm in Scotland and it's not that long ago the police ignored reports of a car crash.
The car was found three days later with the driver dead and the passenger barely alive. Sadly she later died.

OP posts:
madamginger · 13/08/2016 16:18

We're with greenflag and I broke down with then 3 month old ds2 in a snowstorm after my brakes failed. I rang them and they told me they'd be with me in 30 minutes, an hour and a half later they still hadn't arrived so I rang them back and they'd forgotten to put on the sheet I had a newborn in the car, not 10 minutes later they were with me and got me home. The driver was most apologetic.
I'd stopped outside this ladies house and she came out with a cup of tea for me to warm me up Grin

NeedsAsockamnesty · 13/08/2016 16:30

A few years ago during a snowy cold winter (I say this to be fair because the next day it was apparent from the papers lots of people had problems as well) the AA left me and 2 disabled children stranded for 23 hours.

In the end the police sorted it out

Griphook · 13/08/2016 16:37

Rac are really bad at the whole it's your fault you must pay.
My suspension went l after driving down the road the car was 10 years old. I couldn't really drive the car as it was dragging on the wheel. On the phone they kept asking me whether I'd just gone over a pot hole or a speed hump, they couldn't progress with the call until they had a reason as to why my car had broken down I said I wasn't sure why it had broke as I wasn't a mechanic but in the end I agreed so they would send someone to me and they then told me that it was my fault and I'd had a road traffic accident and my insurance company where responsible!!
After a very long and tense conversation with lots of managers they agreed to send someone on the proviso that if it turned out to be anything other than wear or tear I would pay £250 there and then Turned out to be wear or tear as I thought.
I really felt that had tried to trick me into saying something, almost putting words in my mouth

Welshmaenad · 13/08/2016 16:39

They've always been brilliant with me, I am tied to them as I drive s Motability car. Perhaps that is the reason they are overstretched, as the nature of their Motability contract requires them to prioritise Motability customers?

When I was with the AA I broke down on the motorway and was told that their top priorities for fallouts were unsafe/motorway locations, lone females and young children in the vehicle. You should have been attended far more swiftly and I would definitely complain and look into changing providers.