Had such wonderful service from the AA man on Tuesday evening I wanted to share. DH is also going to write to them tomorrow and pass our thanks on.
On Tuesday my lovely NEW Smart ForFour broke down. On getting in to town I noticed my 1sta nd 2nd gears seemedreally "sticky" and it was hard to get into gear. And then at the next roundabout - on main ring road, on busy roundabout at height of rush hour - I lost all my gears entirely. car stalled and that was it. I couldn't get any gears and was therefore stuck.
Phoned Snart assistance and they got the AA out me. They actually gave pretty quickly too - in about 40 minutes or so I think. Not bad although I had made sure they knew I was a female travelling alone and on the way to picking up my young child and would need to arrange extra childcare if they were too long (ok, she was at a party but they didn't know that, and I didn't know how long they'd be!). I got several calls from AA and the Smart assistance to reassure me someone was on way,, ETA and afterwards to check I had collected by child ok with no problems - thought that was really nice of them
DH managed to get a cross town with his car to me around same time as the AA man.
For those 40 minutes I then had to simply sit in my car, seatbelted up (safest place apparantly) and wait whilst cars went round me and backed up at the junction
Thank you to the one man who stopped and ask if needed help at all. He also tried to help push the car to side of road but it was well and truely stuck and going nowhere.
to the one man who drove slowly past me, beeped his horn and waved his hand at me though. Did he really think i was sat in the middle of the roundabout for ages (obviously I had been due to traffic and hazards) for the fun of it!!!
When the AA man did arrive his was fab. He managed to get the car in a better position - he managed to move it by keep stalling it so it went forward a bit each time. He was so lovely and helpful. He couldn't repair the car so it had to be towed away. DH took over luckily and did that bit. AA man was somewhat bemused by my witches hat, cape, black cat and couldron (full of sweets for the party) that I insisted on taking to DH's car - and even more so by me having to take out my prison belt and keys, and ID!
He then took my car (with DH) to the Smart garage where it remains. And as it was isolated and I couldn't follow behind (I did have to get to DD by that time) he gave DH a lift back to where I was at the party. Apparantly they are supposed to just leave you where they take the car and it s up to you to make your own way home/back. Luckily he was really lovely and happy to help out.
However I now have no car The clutch has gone and something to do with hydrolics linked to it. As car is still new it is all under warranty, and it should be done by Friday. So, fortunately this isn't costing me anything. We are managing without a courtesy car for now. DD is going to school with her friend who lives at top of estate, and DH is going to work on the bus. I have his car for work as work much further away.
Really pleased this didn't happen last week in France. We'd forgotten my mobile and our phrase book - both in the bag I managed to leave in hallway at home! Phew.