Not impressed with the AA

Sooler

It's a relay recovery service, it worked fine.

missile

I am with OP. That seems to be a very poor service.

I have used RAC recovery service (only once) when I broke down in Portree on Skye. The same driver took me 200+ miles.

Mercdriver

Twopints wrote: »

No. They expected to be taken in a reasonable time from the pick up to the drop off - is that so difficult to understand? That does not require any circumvention of anything. It may not be how the AA work, and clearly was not communicated to the OP that this would be the outcome. It also appears to have been poorly co-ordinated resulting in unnecessary delay.

So you think OP should put up with delays, poor communication and poor organisation but it's OK because the drivers were polite and didn't break any laws? Really?

So you think they should disregard tacho times, and breach their own conditions that the OP should have been aware of from the beginning? Whose fault is it that the OP didn't read up on how Relay works?

The problem with forums is that they are often full of people who can't take responsibility for themselves.

The_AA_Company_Representative

Hi Math84,

We're sorry to hear you were unhappy with the delay experienced when towing you home. We appreciate breakdowns can be frustrating and we always do our best for our members in these situations.

Due to driving laws, our patrols and recovery drivers are required to take a break after a certain amount of time. This is for their safety and the public's as well.

We do offer Onward Travel options as an additional level of cover where you can avail of car hire or public transport to continue your journey so you don't have to travel with the vehicle.

Thank you for raising this with our customer service time as we do value all feedback given to us by our members and hopefully they will be in touch with you soon to discuss.

Kind regards,
The AA

forgotmyname

As mentioned already, that is how the AA works. My dad had a similar issue many years ago. Broke down a long way from home and the relay method took him many hours to get home. He instantly joined the RAC.

This was before the breakdown companies had to stick to the same driving rules as HGV drivers though. It seemed to be overlooked that in a standard HGV you had to have breaks, but slap some recovery labels on and you seemed to be ignored.

Not RAC but my local (ex) job, Not unknown for drivers to be doing 18 hour shifts. Especially with breakdowns that were miles away and you came home the same day/night.

Back to the OP. You were not messed about with, you just failed to check the service that you chose.

AA Relay as it was known... Relay for a reason...

dannyrst

It might be how they work, but having to wait around for 45 minutes to an hour each time seems ridiculous.

caprikid1

Given that I think a driver can drive 4.5 hours without a break it sounds like you got a bit unlucky.


Personally having a fleet of old cars and doing a lot of miles I would never contemplate the AA.


Last time I was faced with a Relay like that they just gave me a car and then delivered mine back a few days later.

System

Twopints wrote: »

No. They expected to be taken in a reasonable time from the pick up to the drop off - is that so difficult to understand? That does not require any circumvention of anything.

It went on the back of a transporter. That is a vehicle that comes under the scope of the EU Drivers Hours Regulations. Once the driver has done 4.5hrs driving they have to BY LAW take a 45 minute rest period. There is a tachograph fitted to the vehicle and the driver inserts a tachograph card which records this information. The drivers card retains that information for a minimum of 28 days and he can be prosecuted for that breach at a roadside check at any point in the following 28 days. Tachograph records have to be retained by the vehicle operator for 12 months.

So yes it did require the circumvention of something, the EU drivers hours regulations which are rigorously enforced.

It also appears to have been poorly co-ordinated resulting in unnecessary delay.

Or the OPs vehicle wasn't the only car that broke down that day.

facade

Tarambor wrote: »

So yes it did require the circumvention of something, the EU drivers hours regulations which are rigorously enforced.

Yes, the requirement for a tachograph record is neatly circumvented if a specialised breakdown vehicle is operating within a 100km radius of its base.
The driver has to work domestic hours.

I found it on p11 of this document

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/210144/guide-for-recovery-operations.pdf

Which is why the relay trucks have to drop you off and return to base.

forgotmyname

100km radius must have been measured with an elastic band, because we used to travel much further occasionally.

Usually it was late night motorway tows though.