I waited for RAC as a lone female for 4 hrs! Is this acceptable?

Biggus_Dickus

molerat said:

photome said:

AdrianC said:

I don't see why a transporter would be required for a flat tyre.

It's very common for the recovery service to send a van with either a universal-fit temporary spare or simply remove the wheel, take the wheel to get a replacement tyre fitted, then return and refit it.

As somebody else said ^ up there, the quickest solution would probably have been to find a mobile tyre fitter.

That was my thinking. AA attended my sons puncture , put a universal fit spare wheel on and followed him to a tyre fitters where he got a replacement.

The normal breakdown vans carry a flat packed wheels off the ground towing dolly so would need a pretty serious breakdown to require a truck.

I’m sure I’ve seen a version of that towing dolly that can be fitted to a motorbike as well.

A motorbike towing a car!...or was it a 3-wheeled trike motorbike towing a car...or did someone tell me about it...or perhaps I’ve just made it up. 

Muskey

Biggus_Dickus is correct about the motorcycle recovery unit.
It’s on the A1 and called Minute Man.
There’s a video on Youtube showing it in service.

AdrianC

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g42oP7hUVTM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EiojZ7HfCWo

Looks like a seriously odd solution to a question nobody asked. I can't see many circumstances at all in which it has benefits over a towing dolly in the back of a van, but a huge pile of drawbacks.

I guess that's why it seems to have been being "trialled" since 2008, without ever actually going into service - and why the manufacturer seems to have disappeared...

Biggus_Dickus

AdrianC said:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g42oP7hUVTM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EiojZ7HfCWo

Looks like a seriously odd solution to a question nobody asked. I can't see many circumstances at all in which it has benefits over a towing dolly in the back of a van, but a huge pile of drawbacks.

I guess that's why it seems to have been being "trialled" since 2008, without ever actually going into service - and why the manufacturer seems to have disappeared...

It would appear to be a neat solution to a niche problem;...how cost effective though?...not very I suspect.

I remember when AA Patrolmen used to turn up riding a motorbike and sidecar,...and they’d salute!

 

AdrianC

Biggus_Dickus said:

It would appear to be a neat solution to a niche problem;...how cost effective though?...not very I suspect.

It's a metre wide - so the gaps it can fit through are fairly limited, relative to a van.

I remember when AA Patrolmen used to turn up riding a motorbike and sidecar,...and they’d salute!

You must be fairly ancient if that was during your driving career.

They were replacing the sidecar outfits with vans through the 50s, with the very last ones taken out of service in 1968, while the salute was discontinued in 1961, 59 years ago.

Right from the earliest days, it was a warning of speed traps, not a courtesy - that was the original purpose of the Motorist's Mutual Association in 1905. "Helping motorists who had broken down" was no more than a cover story.

Dr_Crypto

Don’t tell me Eddie Stobart drivers don’t salute any more either? 

Biggus_Dickus

AdrianC said:

Biggus_Dickus said:

It would appear to be a neat solution to a niche problem;...how cost effective though?...not very I suspect.

It's a metre wide - so the gaps it can fit through are fairly limited, relative to a van.

I remember when AA Patrolmen used to turn up riding a motorbike and sidecar,...and they’d salute!

You must be fairly ancient if that was during your driving career.

They were replacing the sidecar outfits with vans through the 50s, with the very last ones taken out of service in 1968, while the salute was discontinued in 1961, 59 years ago.

Right from the earliest days, it was a warning of speed traps, not a courtesy - that was the original purpose of the Motorist's Mutual Association in 1905. "Helping motorists who had broken down" was no more than a cover story.

Ancient!....you just steady on;...no need for comments like that.

The ‘courteous’ salute, as opposed to that Edwardian speed-trap bollox salute, continued long after 1961 btw;... probably the old timers who couldn’t get out of the habit.

The guys who were stationed outside the AA boxes would stand there all day saluting at busy times,...comical really, even in those days.

Bygone times, Adrian.

 

 

Biggus_Dickus

Dr_Crypto said:

Don’t tell me Eddie Stobart drivers don’t salute any more either? 

I don’t know about the Eddie Stobart saluting protocol but I’m just wondering if they’ve re-badged half their trucks with men’s names yet?...gender equality and all that! 

 

MalMonroe

Homer_home said:

Doubt the OP will be back as she clearly played the feminist card and thought she would get a few people on her side

Alas she got short shrift because she failed to mention where she broke down and was clearly not organised enough to sort herself out with regards to a spare tyre or repair kit  

OP - You're telling me that in those four hours you spoke to /texted no-one using that magical telephone thingy and moaned to your friends /family that you had a puncture? and no-one came and kept you company whilst you were waiting for the breakdown truck?

If you think that is the 'feminist card', you do not know anything at all about feminists and should not comment in such an ignorant way.

burlingtonfl6

MalMonroe said:

Homer_home said:

Doubt the OP will be back as she clearly played the feminist card and thought she would get a few people on her side

Alas she got short shrift because she failed to mention where she broke down and was clearly not organised enough to sort herself out with regards to a spare tyre or repair kit  

OP - You're telling me that in those four hours you spoke to /texted no-one using that magical telephone thingy and moaned to your friends /family that you had a puncture? and no-one came and kept you company whilst you were waiting for the breakdown truck?

If you think that is the 'feminist card', you do not know anything at all about feminists and should not comment in such an ignorant way.

I agree......feminists are far worse