AA - impressive service

Hi all,

I went to the GP at Donington yesterday, first time I had ever been and I was worried about traffic problems and all sorts from various stories I'd read. However these fears were unfounded when I was straight in at the beginning of the day and straight out at the end of the day with no problems whatsoever. I thought it was a really good day, great racing, great weather, great organisation as far as I could see!

One small hitch I had was returning to my bike to find it wouldn't start - not a sausage. . Was worried that I'd bought a lemon (only had it since Thursday last week) and I checked the usual things (is it in gear, is clutch not pulling in far enough, kill switch etc) and then decided it was either flat battery or something more serious. Called the AA and they had someone stationed there for the event. Within ten minutes (yes I know, unbelievable, ten minutes!) he was round to me on his scooter, we had the seat whipped off and he started it up for me. It was the battery and its just knacked from under use by the previous owner. I was straight back on the road to home and very happy! I had visions of an AA van trying to get through the one way system and turning up around 9pm so to have someone with me straightaway was very pleasing. Good foresight by them I feel.

Thats about it really, I've always been pleased with them actually and it really makes the subscription worthwhile when things like that happen!

Cheers for reading - anyone else had particularly good / bad service from them?

Matt

An AA van once stopped to see if I was ok when I was having a rest. Very nice of them I thought.

I saw a couple of AA vans waiting for victims in the Redgate parks yesterday. I have had some good service from the AA both in a car and a bike, and my local AA man rides a fireblade so he understands bikes a bit, which can help.

I prefer the AA to the RAC

Originally Posted by wheelnut

I saw a couple of AA vans waiting for victims in the Redgate parks yesterday. I have had some good service from the AA both in a car and a bike, and my local AA man rides a fireblade so he understands bikes a bit, which can help.

I prefer the AA to the RAC

RAC are crap!!!

my sv died and i called them out and they were going to take 2 hours!!! i got fed up and went in serch of tools fixed it and rode home.

Originally Posted by Last Action Pimp

RAC are crap!!!

my sv died and i called them out and they were going to take 2 hours!!! i got fed up and went in serch of tools fixed it and rode home.

Originally Posted by thor

An AA van once stopped to see if I was ok when I was having a rest. Very nice of them I thought.

I keep finding other bikers do that when I just stop to eat a sandwich of have a drink! Not really sunk in how friendly and helpful the biking community is. I don't know what I'd do if I saw someone had broken down - I can't fix anything, and I've never given anyone a lift on the back of the bike so I'm not sure I'd be comfortable offering a lift to the nearest petrol station etc. Guess I should loose my passenger virginity and get my wife on the back to get used to it.

RAC aren't too bad...not had to wait for them for too long...
The AA on the other hand...well thats a different story. I waited for an hour for a patrol to come out and recover me on the M20...I was only 10 minutes away from their base in Ashford! Saw some bloke last night near bluewater broken down with a TVR at 04h30...when I went back home after watching the Da Vinci Code at 08h00...he was still waiting! Poor bugger...that'll teach him to buy crap!

trying to get some breakdown cover over the weekend, i was put off the RAC by the guy i spoke to over the phone, he was very rude and told me i was wasting his time becuase i was phoning them trying to barter a deal (i only wanted relay, nothing else)

The AA were fantastic when we broke down at the TT. Just off the ferry and stopped for breakfast when the alarm died and wouldn't turn off. Took us to the workshop they rent for TT fortnight in Douglas and offered to remove the alarm for free. As it turned out they were really busy so they gave me the run of the workshop and all their tools and let me get on with it.
I don't think you'd get that service from another breakdown company, you'd probably just get dropped off at a bike shop and left to get on with it.
Even though I get free bike cover with Carole Nash every year I still take out my AA subs so I'm covered for being in/on any car/bike.

cheers

Stewart