Yesterday our car broke down on our way home from a trip to the seaside.
We were on a major 'A' road when an alarm in the car started pinging and the heating gauge shot up to the max. Fortunately we were right next to a slip road so quickly pulled off and parked up in a kinda industrial/retail car park next to another dual carriageway. It was 9pm and we were 45 minutes away from home.
We called our breakdown company and also told them that we had autistic children and an assistance dog in the vehicle. They told us we would be a priority. 10 minutes later the breakdown man arrived. I was very impressed with how quickly he arrived. He determined the water pump seal had gone and the car was not drivable. Told us we would need to be recovered but as there was 5 of us plus the dog we would need to wait for a larger vehicle. He said wait was currently 1.5 hours but as we were priority it would probably be less and we would be kept updated.
1.5 hours went by, nothing. Was quite challenging keeping the children calm (one was convinced the car was about to explode and kept trying to run away). The truck finally arrived over 2 hours later, it was now 11:30pm. We started to get the dog out of the car (she was snuggled up with 5 year old sleeping), when the breakdown man announced 'the dog can't travel in the van'. We had made it quite clear from the start we had a dog, at no point did anyone tell us it would be an issue. We are used to being able to take her anywhere (she is training to become an assistance dog).
He suggested we leave the dog in the vehicle whilst it was being towed. I asked if I could stay with dog and was told no. Leaving the poor dog alone in a vehicle being towed was absolutely not an option so we had no choice but to leave me and the dog behind.
We were also told he could only make a single trip so we could choose to be taken home (and then have no way of taking car to a garage the next day) or be dropped off outside garage at 12:30am with 3 young children (two autistic) and no way to get home. I was under the impression I had onward travel included. In the end the recovery guy took pity on us and agreed to drop my husband and the children off at home as it was only a short distance out of his way.
I managed to find a friend who was able to drive out to me and take me home. Fortunately there was a McDonald's nearby, and although it was technically closed as only the drive-thru is 24hr the manager let me and the dog sit inside the restaurant while I waited (they even offered us both food and drink). I eventually arrived home sometime after 1am.
After an initial complaint, the breakdown company have told us it's down to each recovery drivers discretion as to whether or not they allow dogs. If they had made this clear to us at 9pm and discussed with us fully our options for getting home we could have made alternative arrangements much sooner.
I've subsequently looked at the terms and conditions and whilst they are technically correct, I think it's really poor customer service. I do indeed have onward travel but the onus is on the customer to request it. However, none of the options (hire car, public transport, or hotel) would have actually been available to us in that location at that time of day. Breaking down is stressful, it's especially stressful with young children with SN and a dog. I wasn't thinking clearly, is it too much to expect the breakdown company to fully communicate the options available to me? To explain that they don't actually intend to take us home? To point out they may not accept the dog? What would've happened if we had still been on the motorway?