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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think road side assistance organisations should NOT do this!

124 replies

MargoLovebutter · 28/08/2018 11:04

Levy an extra and significant sum of money if you join their organisation when you are already broken down?!

Someone please explain to me why I am unreasonable for thinking that this is just shafting the vulnerable.

OP posts:
Phosphorus · 28/08/2018 11:06

They make their money from fees. They hope you'll pay for years and never need to use them.

I think they are great actually.

You could just call any tow company, they are all equally expensive for random call outs.

lidoshuffle · 28/08/2018 11:07

Of course they should, otherwise no one would ever join. If you're vulnerable (or even if you're not), make sure you have breakdown cover before you drive.

MorseandLewis · 28/08/2018 11:08

Volvo assistance took my car for a drive down the motorway at 90-100 miles an hour. After that anything seems reasonable.

PattiStanger · 28/08/2018 11:08

I think YABU, how would they pay for all the staff and vans and infrastructure if no one joined until they were standed by the side of the road?

It's an insurance policy and they can charge what they like. If you choose not to but an annual policy you are accepting the risk that if you break down you'll have to pay more. How is that unreasonable?

serbska · 28/08/2018 11:09

Huhl?

You shafted yourself by not being a member of a roadside assistance scheme - it’s like insurance.

Of course they should charge the fuck out of people who only join when they need it!!!

Ihavethepower · 28/08/2018 11:09

No-one would bother joining and paying monthly if everyone could just use them cheaply in an emergency.

Original poster
MargoLovebutter · 28/08/2018 11:10

But membership isn't cheap!

OP posts:
ZeroFuchsGiven · 28/08/2018 11:10

Someone please explain to me why I am unreasonable for thinking that this is just shafting the vulnerable

You made yourself vulnerable by not joining a scheme and paying for it.

justnotgoodenough · 28/08/2018 11:10

Of course it's fair. Why should someone who has paid in for years pay the same as someone who just joins when they need to?? They have to make money, after all. I'm with a very reasonable one, not one of the main 3, and they're great. Price hasn't gone up in 4 years although I've had to call on them a couple of times. Can't believe how cheap they are compared to the others.

Sugarhunnyicedtea · 28/08/2018 11:12

Of course YABU.

By paying a monthly or annual membership you are effectively insuring against a possibility. Should we also only have to pay for car insurance if we have an accident?

PattiStanger · 28/08/2018 11:12

Membership is cheaper than joining when you're already broken down, I don't understand your point.

Original poster
MargoLovebutter · 28/08/2018 11:12

Wasn't me actually - I have cover via one of my bank accounts and have done for years. Happened to a friend of mine at the weekend and it seemed really unfair to me.

OP posts:
BarbaraofSevillle · 28/08/2018 11:13

But membership isn't cheap

You can join Autoaid for about £40 a year. Fairly trivial compared with other costs of owning a car.

SlartiAardvark · 28/08/2018 11:13

You don't actually have to use them you know?

You could just wait until you break down, Google the nearest garage, ring them, ask them when they can pick your car up (assuming it's not out of hours of course), repeat as necessary until you find one that can help and then pay for their services....

AA, RAC etc is a form of Insurance. I have it & hope I don't break down but if I do, then I know I'll get home.....

PlatypusPie · 28/08/2018 11:13

It’s so that you join, as most people do, as an ‘ in case - hope I won’t have to use it’ year round policy. If they didn’t do that, nobody would take out membership until they had a problem. The economics of it are based on most people not using their services in any given year but just having it as a reassuring facility they call on.

I remember when you could not join and use them when in the midst of a problem so this is a relatively new facility, prompted by more providers entering the market. Previously, you had to try to find a garage willing to come out and assist and pay heftily for that or find a friend with a tow rope - and cars were much less reliable then.

Firenight · 28/08/2018 11:14

That’s how insurance works!

What they shouldn’t do is charge you membership at the side of a road because they can’t find your membership details; then take 2 months to refund. RAC will never have my money again.

£10 a month for cover with my Nationwide account. It’s been brilliant.

PattiStanger · 28/08/2018 11:14

Are you reading the replies - everyone is explaining why it's like that

shoofly · 28/08/2018 11:14

I know membership isn't cheap. I've been paying it for 20 odd years, it's how they're able to operate.I've called them out 3 or 4 times in those years. If you aren't happy, get a quote from a local garage for recovery and repair. Suddenly their extra charge will be put in perspective.

IsTheRainEverComingBack · 28/08/2018 11:15

It’s your fault you weren’t already a member, you made yourself vulnerable by not thinking ahead that you were very likely to one day need this cover.

SlartiAardvark · 28/08/2018 11:15

Happened to a friend of mine at the weekend and it seemed really unfair to me.

OK - so no-one has a yearly membership. They just pay the £20 monthly fee when they've broken down & cancel it as soon as they're home...

Do you see a flaw in that plan?? It costs a damn sight more than £20 to get someone out to your vehicle, inspect it & then repair/recover it....

ExFury · 28/08/2018 11:15

If they didn’t then no one would join and then how would they find their staff etc?

I look at it the same as insurance.

Hereward1332 · 28/08/2018 11:15

Insurance companies should let you join when your car has been written off for the same cost as if you had held insurance all year.

That would work well.

BarbaraofSevillle · 28/08/2018 11:16

Sorry, Autoaid is £48.31 pa, but still less than £1 a week for UK wide cover. Totally worth it for peace of mind.

Munchyseeds · 28/08/2018 11:18

But you join in case you need It!. Of course they have hefty charges for those who havnt bothered

mateysmum · 28/08/2018 11:18

You can get cover from under £30 from Green Flag and even premium cover is only about £60 - that's about £1 a week, so I actually think that is pretty cheap compared to what just one random emergency call out would cost.