hidden loophole in RAC membership (RAC)

Name: dawnfrancis

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Product:	RAC
Date:	25/05/01 (1032 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: have been good in the past when I've called them out

Disadvantages: their service failed and I paid for it, patronizing people at Customer Service , totally absolved themselves of responsibility

I have been dying to publicize this matter for months now, and am delighted that dooyoo provides such an opportunity!

I've been an RAC member for nearly 6 years, and have always been pleased with the level of service they provide. However my last experience with them has left me disgusted.

On 3rd November 2000 the country was swept by torrential rain. I had the 'luck' to break down on one of Birmingham's busiest roundabouts, which was already at a total standstill due to the jams the weather was causing.

Trying hard not to panic I got my mobile and rang the RAC immediately. To my horror, despite repeated attempts, I could not get through. A prerecorded voice told me all lines were busy and to try again later.
There was no special advice on what to do if you were in a particularly vulnerable situtation - i.e. a female alone.

By now I was becoming near hysterical as the other drivers around me were starting to harrass me and becoming abusive. Yet there was nothing I could do, I could not move an inch. The minutes felt like hours as everyone started hooting their horns and shouting insults. Thank God a policewoman happened to pass by and managed to 'rescue' me. She immediately saw the danger of my situation and asked me to get into her car where we would be safer. Once there, I told her of my failure to contact the RAC. She tried to contact them herself, and also radioed to the local station to ask them to try. All to no avail.

Eventually she told me my car would have to be towed away on the authority of the police. She called out a local firm who kindly offered to give me a lift home. However, during that lift, they dropped the bombshell. My car would cost me £105 to be released from the pound!

When I got home I rang the police station in a panic. The police confirmed that this was their statutory charge for removing an obstruction from the road, and they could not lift i
t for me. However, they said not to worry, because since I was a member of the RAC, had tried to contact them, and had not been able to, they should pay the fee on my behalf.

Well that's what the police thought. The RAC thought differently. They were totally uninterested in my plight and said they were in no way responsible. They said they do not guarantee to provide service at exceptionally busy times. They asked me what level of cover I had, which I thought was a strange question. When they knew I only had a relatively basic level, they acted like 'Well, what do you expect from us?'

To summarize the letter I sent them, my main complaints are:

1) why was there not a special number for lone females to ring when other lines are blocked? I thought we had some kind of priority.

2) Of course the RAC cannot be everywhere at once. It was a terrible night and people were breaking down over the country. However, why does that exempt them from responsibility towards their members? Surely if you pay for a breakdown service you are entitled to help in a breakdown situation.

3) if they cannot guarantee to provide a service, why should members have to pay such a high premium?

Since they would have had to pay their mechanic if he had been able to attend, why could they not pay the statutory police charge on my behalf? Why can't some kind of 'insurance' be built in to our membership in case this situation arises?

Their patronizing reply reiterated the same argument - we are not obliged to provide service at busy times.

What really annoys me is that the RAC advertisement stands you see in shopping centres stress how expensive it is to call out help if you are not a member. I ended up paying that expense - on TOP of my RAC premium for the year.

I don't know what the other breakdown organisations do in this situation. My advice is this: if you break down,
can't get through to your organization, and the police pass by, ask them to tow you just to the side of the road and continue to contact your organization. do NOT allow yourself to be towed to the pound. £105 to recover a car that only had a flooded engine in the end is a bitter pill to swallow. Needless to say I will not be renewing my membership of the RAC...which has been renamed by me, but I'm too polite to say what here ;-D

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