Whilst driving home in the rain from Oxford last night (6.20pm), the front wipers got tangled up together right in front of my line of vision. Had to turn them off and wait 2 miles as the hard shoulder was coned off. Once I got to the hard shoulder I managed to untangle the blade and saw that the plastice clip on the driver side blade had completed shattered. I went back in the car to check the road map then 1 minute later I saw flashing lights behind me. It was an RAC patrol Van with the driver asking me if anything was wrong. I explaned the situation, he went off to his van brought5-6 clips out, found one that was right, fitted it, tightened the bolts on the main unit and went on his way.
At no point did he ask if I was a member with anyone (I'm currently with the AA) or try to get brownie points off me, but acted in a very very friendly manner and fixed my problem before going on his way....
Well done RAC !!!
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that's impressive service.........got to be worth a letter of thanks
and then hope no miserable sod in his organisation then gives him a rollocking for helping an AA customer for nothing.......'cos there are people like that
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Fortunately I've never had to find out just how good or otherwise the RAC would prove - even though I've been a member for many years....:-)
Certainly service above duty though and very commendable.
It's soon brought benefits for the RAC as you have spread the news far and wide already....:-)
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What\'s for you won\'t pass you by
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I wouldn't recommend that you contact the RAC to express your thanks as you will more than likely end up geting the guy in trouble. If the RAC find out that he has been assisting non-members, in his work time, in his work vehicle, he will more than likely get disciplinary action for it.
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I agree 100% with Simon, don't even be vague, as some new Labour-loving jobsworth will be able to look at some GPS tracking logs and catch this helpful culprit.
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Let's hope that they would take the sensible view and commend their patrolman for being helpful and attracting good publicity. Cottontop's reaction to this and the fact that he has found it worthwhile to mention it on a motoring forum might get the RAC a couple more members. Perhaps they might see it as far more worthwhile than having several patrolmen stationed at M-way services, outside supermarkets etc trying to sign up more members, or spending millions on TV advertising.
Come to think of it - perhaps that could be "policy" - if you are not on call stop and help any stranded/broken down motorists you come across (sign them up as members if possible)
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Phil
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>>Come to think of it - perhaps that could be "policy" - if you are not on call stop and help any stranded/broken down motorists you come across (sign them up as members if possible) -- Phil
In my experience this is what the ADAC do in Germany. If you break down and they are passing then they help you out.
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I know that patrols will stop for example for lone females along with other particular classes of drivers. They don't advertise this.
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Why not send a letter of thanks, say you're not currently an RAC member (no need to mention any other organisations) but say that in light of how helpful their patrol proved to be you may be interested in joining in future.
Then the patrolman should get credit for attracting new business as well as being good at his job.
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Why not send a letter of thanks, say you're not currently an RAC member (no need to mention any other organisations) but say that in light of how helpful their patrol proved to be you may be interested in joining in future. Then the patrolman should get credit for attracting new business as well as being good at his job.
and then wait for the barrage of mail trying to sign you up
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I work for the RAC and all I can say is this sort of behaviour is positively encouraged.
There was an internal mail recently about a patrol who happened to see a stranded car on the ahrd shoulder on the opposite carriageway on his way to another job.
On his way back the car was still there with two females, in some distress, as it was wet and miserable. The car had a flat tyre and they were waiting for another company to attend. The RAC patrol prompty changed the tyre (they weren't members of the RAC).
Turns out one of the woman owned a haulage company and subsequently gave her breakdown contract to the RAC as she was so impressed with what had happened.
Be cynical as you like, but this sort of thing is part of the culture at the RAC
jdc
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"this sort of thing is part of the culture at the RAC"
Glad to hear it.
I've been a member of RAC for about 14 years and pay for my car, wife's, daughter's and son's cars all with full cover including Europe. Costs me about £200 a year but I reckon a quid each per week is worth the peace of mind. Only had to use them twice in that I can remember (it must be all the reliable Cits in the family!!), once in France and got superb service and once when my daughter got a stone through her radiator on the M1 about 20 mins away from us on a busy, wet, Friday evening. She rang the RAC and then me and I decided to go out and help her in case the RAC were a long time responding. 20 mins later I arrived where she was to find the RAC man in attendance and having "fixed" the radiator with radweld or something as a temp measure. He then escorted her off the motorway (about 5 miles to exit) then to a garage (another few miles) and then he checked the rad again. Found it wasn't leaking so she went on her way. Also gave good advice re repair of rad etc. Good service I thought
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Phil
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Yes I have to agree with the good service provided by the RAC and remember an episode that stayed in my mind and swayed my decision to become a member.
A few years ago,a group of us were having a motorcycle rideout in Wales,there were about 8 of us, and one lad on a VFR 400 had an intermittant misfire.
While at the roadside , trying to figure out what the problem was an RAC van going in the other direction, turned around and came to help. Now none of us were members, but he tried for over half an hour to find the problem which he thought might be a petrol blockage or something.We got the bike going again and we went our merry way, but the fault returned so he had to be eventually recovered by someone else.
Clever marketing, I don't know, but when my daughter started driving and I came across one of those stands in town trying to recruit members, I signed up for a family membership and I can certainly say it has been good value for the times my daughter has had to call them out.
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