Date: Tue, 24 Jul 2001 22:00:14 -0400
Reply-To: "Horace K. Sawyer" <hksawyer@CATT.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: "Horace K. Sawyer" <hksawyer@CATT.COM>
Subject: Tows-- AAA? (LONG) Alternatives . . .
In-Reply-To: <9e.179f15c9.288f580f@aol.com>
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I had to be towed last fall. I didn't have, and have never had, AAA. But
I had roadside assistance with GEICO. Trouble was, it was on *another*
car. Nevertheless, the Gecko people graciously contacted a wrecker service
for me. I was out in the middle of south Georgia, I-16,
nowhere'sville. The charge was $2.00 per LOADED mile, with a one-time $30
hook up charge. Sounded outrageous at the time, but with AAA charging
$5.00 per mile over 100, its a bargain. Apparently, AAA want to penalize
you for going over 100 miles. Problem is, like in my case, there were no
qualified personnel that I desired to use *in the direction I needed to
travel* for towing. I was approximately 75 miles from the nearest
facility. But it was in the opposite direction. I knew I would have to
wait on a part to come in, remain overnight, for one maybe two nights. No
can do. Had deadlines to meet, people to take care of. So, I made a
command decision and arranged for a long distance tow to the number one
facility of my choice, which was my home base repair station. It was 220
miles away. At $2.00 per loaded mile the rollback wrecker delivered me to
facility, then dropped me off at another location to meet my wife to pick
me up. He drives home for free. So really, if you think about it, he is
making $1.00 per mile. That is not alot of money to operate the truck the
used, which was probably a $50,000 International diesel with a Fuller
Roadranger transmission. (big time equipment) And it burned the fuel too,
baby. I know 'cuz I sat up front with the driver. He sapped me for free
legal advice the whole way, then asked (kinda like begging actually) for
some money at the end of the trip. I had like $9.00 left in my wallet.
Towing went on visa, thank goodness. Oh, and his boss had verified the
visa to be good before they ever hooked up. "Lots of people go on
vacation, max out their cards, break down, then they don't have any credit
left on their cards to be towed."
I can just imagine this guy to some unsuspecting desperate younger person
needing towing: "Tough break, kid."
Its a rough world. Be prepared.
horace
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