Bruce's Journal

[Bruce]

Good new/bad news story

Good news - DW drove DD1 in her car to Bangor to meet a roommate who lives in MA. DD1 and said roommate successfully make it to Sackville, NB in DD1's car some hours later. DD1 isn't fond of driving and 12 hours to Sackville is too much for her. Roommate doesn't have a driver's license.
Good news - DW and I didn't hit the two New Hampshire moose crossing the road in the dark on the way back in my Prius Prime.
Bad news - blew a sidewall on a tire with maybe 12K miles on it 10 miles from home around 11 PM
Good news - I've got a lifetime 22K mile 140 MPG average with the car.
Bad news - the battery that makes that possible takes up the space where the spare tire would be.
Good news - we have AAA, called, someone should be there by 12:30 AM
Good news - DD1's Virginia boyfriend is still at our house waiting for a new cell phone battery from Amazon, he came to get DW so she could get up at 5:15 to go work at the PO this morning
Bad news, 12:30, no truck. After 3 calls and 2 AM rolling around, no AAA. Apparently they can't find anyone awake/willing to get out of bed at 11PM let alone later. I guess 24x7 towing is only a marketing thing. Never did hear from them other than when I called.
Good news - 3 motorcycles passed by and turned around. Better news, they happen to know a guy who drives for AAA down in Burlington. He came out and brought the car and me home at 3:15. The bikers hung with me until he arrived.

I guess sometimes it IS who you know because AAA Dispatch didn't accomplish a thing and didn't find this driver who works 3 PM to 7 AM (what a shift!!!!!).

Had I known AAA wasn't actually coming I could have had DD1's BF bring any one of the 16 mounted snow tires from the barn when he came to get DW. Hindsight is a wonderful thing.

So today I get to deal with the tire on 3 hours of sleep after a 14 hour drive yesterday followed by a 3 hour "sit and wait". Trying to find out if there is some warranty on the tire, Toyota service phone busy the last 1.5 hours.

 

[Larsen Poultry Ranch]

That is terrible!! I'm sorry they failed to provide good customer service, but that's fantastic the bikers were willing to stop and help and get you connected to someone who could give you a tow.

Can you make a stink with the AAA customer service people (after some sleep) about the lack of service? Why are you paying for 24/7 service if they don't provide it?

 

[rachels.haven]

 

[Alaskan]

Can you make a stink with the AAA customer service people (after some sleep) about the lack of service? Why are you paying for 24/7 service if they don't provide it?

Uh..... yeah.

And total #@!* on the tire.

 

[farmerjan]

10 miles from home... I would have told BF to bring tire and just got it changed and gone home..... Would have helped your sleep alot more.... not waiting around when he could be there in 20 minutes and the tire changed and you could have gotten home before AAA could have gotten there at 12:30.....and dealt with it in the morning.... oh well, live and learn.... glad you didn't hit the moose, that it wasn't horrible weather and the bikers were very considerate and helpful...
Hope you get some sleep tonight.

 

[Bruce]

I hadn't really thought about BF bringing a tire until he had already taken DW away. Given the people that were passing by on the 50 MPH 2 lane road, including a few semis, mostly didn't slow down or even move over a bit, it wouldn't be my first choice to be standing at the edge of the road changing a tire when AAA was SUPPOSED to be coming soon anyway. By 1 AM I didn't figure BF would still be awake to have him make a second trip out. Besides, AAA was "coming soon".



I have NO idea why it blew, we didn't hit anything. Can't get a replacement tire until Tuesday so I'll be driving DW's '06 until Tues afternoon.

Why are you paying for 24/7 service if they don't provide it?

That is what I asked the dispatcher on call #3. His answer is the towers were all worn out from being extra busy. But yeah, I might whine at them a bit. If the bikers hadn't come by and didn't know the tow guy I would have been there until 8 or 9 this morning.

 

[Baymule]

I didn't hit like because I didn't know whether to hit the Wow, Sad or Angry. Too bad I can't hit all 3! What a night! I hope it is never repeated, except for the not hitting the moose. It is always good NOT to hit large animals in the road. Glad you finally made it home and the tire will be taken care of. Lousy customer service on AAA.

 

[farmerjan]

I would do more than whine... I'd raise holy he// with them for the lack of service... no excuse for that. Ypu pay for it you at least deserve them to keep you up dated since you had to call them 3 times....

 

[Senile_Texas_Aggie]

Holy cow, Mr. @Bruce! What an experience! I am glad that someone was considerate and stopped to help. It helps to be reminded, with all of the cruelty and hatred on display around the world, that there are still some people who can show kindness to others in need. I hope that Toyota can get you a replacement tire soon, and that you can find out why AAA was not responsive.

 

[rachels.haven]

Bruce vs. Moose?
Wow, you were lucky. On the other hand AAA needs to up their game! At least tell you they aren't coming so you can do your best to take care of yourself (and cancel your subscription, lol).