When you live in the UK, there are some things that you can depend on: for example that it will most likely be raining or that a London cabby will take you wherever you need to go without relying on a sat nav or hastily made mobile phone calls. I’ve really missed the “Knowledge” in many US towns.
Another British institution are those magnificent chaps from the RAC and AA – who have cheerfully helped me out during many car emergencies over the years. Every time they have showed up, they have worked hard to fix the problem. For a time while I was part of a two Rover family I was on first name terms with some of the local chaps…(we had his and hers matching oil slicks in the car park).
I imagined that the AAA in the US would provide the same exemplary service. The other night I found that this is very much not the case:
Having returned to fragrant Newark station at around 11.30pm after a day’s shopping in Manhattan, the Beemer’s windscreen wipers packed up – in the middle of one of Newark’s infinite number of dodgy areas and in the driving rain. Joy. When a quick fix looked out of the question (tried the fuses etc), calling the AAA seemed the best option – they’d send an expert to fix the problem – right?
Wrong. After 40 (yes that’s forty) minutes on hold a professionally polite lady took all the usual details. You know the drill: my membership, the car and its location. All good so far but when I explained the problem she said:”Ok we’ll send a tow truck for you.”
Me: Can’t you just send someone to fix the problem?
AAA: we change wheels, do jumpstarts on the spot or bring petrol but for anything else we tow.
Me: It’s a Saturday night. Where would you tow us to?
AAA: Anywhere you like. It costs $5 per mile.
Me: boggle, yip, wibble, etc
So we fixed the problem another way by staying in the lovely Newark Hilton and driving back in the morning when it had stopped raining.
So now I know not to call them with anything difficult. And I know that I should just fix the easy stuff myself too – even I can change a wheel in under 40 mins. Grrrrrr