Thursday 11 July 2019

My knight in shining armour

I've had a man at my house this morning. Meet my friendly local RAC man. I moved the car to the centre of the drive yesterday, to wash it. It needed it. I am embarrassed to say I don't wash my car very often, and I am not going to pay anyone else to do it.
When I went to it at 7pm to go to a WI meeting, I am the speaker, it would not start. Oh bother. Get on the phone, ring a friend for a lift, not in. Go up the road to ask another friend, not in. Go across the road to ask another friend, not in. Ring another friend, help can you come. Friend dropped everything and came out to help. He transported me and my props to the venue, a Village Hall three miles away. 
I did the talk, big success, lots of giggles. Asked if someone could give me a lift home. Thank you to June who went out of her way to deposit me at my front door. 
This morning I did my normal three mile walk at 9am, I now have a friend who comes with me. I was almost home when our local RAC man came down the street in his van, with his big dog in the passenger seat, taking it for a walk. He doesn't walk it from the house he drives to a country lane so the dog can run free. 
I flagged him down and told him of my dilemma, a car that wouldn't start. I knew he wouldn't be able to do anything because he can only take work as directed by his office, but I thought I would mention it anyway, because he is a friend. 
I rang the help line and reported the breakdown, and was told someone would be there within the hour. I thought it would be daft to bring someone from miles away when there is a man and van who lives in my village, but there you go, rules are rules. 
I had to laugh when my friend turned up, he had walked his dog, dropped it off at home and come straight round to me.  
I suspected it might be the battery, and it was. Get the computer out, diagnostic check all round.

My friend the RAC man said I have a good car, it's worth keeping. Everything in good order, except the battery. How lucky that he brought a new one with him.

So much easier to get assistance at home. My policy cost me £68 a year. I used to pay the RAC direct, but now I get it through an insurance broker, it's a lot cheaper.

Mobile again, and the car is clean. Think I might go out tomorrow. Toodle pip.  ilona

4 comments:

  1. I remember breaking down at the top of a huge hill. The engine wouldnt turn over and i was about to go over my allotted parking time. Some young boys helped turn the car around so i could jump start it down the hill. The garage said my earth strap had snapped which meant the car wouldn't start. Its that horrid feeling when you turn the key and nothing happens.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Years ago we used to have 2 cars due to working out of town and it was always my fear that I would be out in the countryside at 5.30 in the morning,early starts and would brake down...and it did happen a couple of times.Before the days of mobile phones!.I had to walk miles to get to a village for help!.We are in the AA now and only have one car.They do it cheaper as well if it is home start and up to 20 miles away from home.We never drive any distance so this suited us.Its public transport if we go on holiday now,cause my nerves are that bad in a car!.Its good that he gave your car a check and said that its in good condition.Its worth keeping then cause you never know if your buying some other persons problem!.Hubby reckons that when I get my bus pass in 2 years time we might not have need for a car.He got his at 60 but I missed out cause they put the age up for getting one.xx

    ReplyDelete
  3. Out of interest, how much did they charge you for a new battery?

    ReplyDelete

Some comments will be accepted. I decide which are published.

Note: only a member of this blog may post a comment.