That's equality!

[Gob]

The AA has been slammed by members after the car breakdown firm confirmed it does not prioritise call outs based on gender.

A member who had broken down 'at night in the dark' claimed on Twitter she had been told by an AA call handler that the firm treats lone women and men exactly the same because 'that's equality'.

Dr Helen Mott said she would then have to wait 'alone in the dark for 90 minutes or more' and added that the firm's policies 'need a revamp'.

Responding to her tweet, an AA spokesman confirmed they do not prioritise based on gender and instead 'consider the location', meaning they would give preference to a person broken down on a motorway over someone in a supermarket car park.

Furious members then slammed the firm, with one saying she was 'cancelling her membership' and others claiming to have had a similar experience to Dr Mott.

AA president Sir Edmund King also intervened, to say the firm gives priority to 'anyone at risk'.

An AA spokesman told MailOnline today that the 'wording' of their response to Dr Mott 'wasn't great' and they had apologised.

They added that in breakdowns involving lone women they receive the 'highest level of care and priority' if the customer raises concerns.

Dr Mott had said to the AA in her tweet last night: 'hi @TheAA_UK I am a lone woman whose car has broken down at night in the dark.

'Your call handler has told me you treat lone women and lone men as exactly the same priority in such circumstances because 'that's equality'.

In another tweet, she added: 'I will now wait alone in the dark for 90 minutes or more, something which as a lone woman nowhere near home is far more anxiety-provoking than it would be for a man, if you follow the news. I think your policies need a revamp.'

In response, the AA said: 'Hi Helen, you've been advised correctly. We don't prioritise based on gender, we do consider the location so as an example we would prioritise someone on a motorway over someone in a supermarket carpark.'

[Burning Petard]

First observation. I think this is abut AAA, also known as Triple A. I note this is about Great Britain and many things are different there.

I reflect my American experience.

For the last 30 years I have driven my cars to the point that the odometer reading exceeds 140,000. That is into the not so dependable territory.
I have been a member of triple A continuously for more than 40 years. (They used to give a special radiator or bumper badge for that, but no more)
I (a male) have used their road service many times. Each time, the first question the voice at the end of the telephone asks is: "are you in a safe place?" Did the person that is the subject of the complaint above say NO, I am not!

AA here usually refers to Alcoholics Anonymous. Perhaps that was the organization contacted above. I have no comment if that is the case.

snailgate

[Guinevere]

That’s my experience with AAA as well. If I said I felt unsafe, I know they would prioritize my call.

Last time I had a breakdown was when the Jeep’s transmission quit on me. It was 10PM in March, on a dark country road. But I happened to be at an intersection with the local Police station at one corner, and so I hung out there until my sister came to collect me and AAA came to tow the Jeep to the mechanic.

[Gob]

The AA

[Guinevere]

Interesting. According to the two wiki entries, the AAA (American Automobile Association) came first - founded in 1902. AA was founded in 1905. Copycats

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Americ ... ssociation

[Jarlaxle]

Having worked as a driver for a AAA contractor...they prioritize situations, not the person calling. Stuck on a highway, locked out in extreme cold, or any vehicle blocking a travel lane went to the top of the list. AFAIK, the only time the occupant of the car factored in was a young child or elderly person in very cold or very hot weather. I got re-routed to tow a car with a parent and infant or toddler in the summer a couple times.

[Burning Petard]

Guin, it is interesting to me, that the AAA was founded in 1902. Its services and goals were very similar to an earlier organization that promoted better roads and racing competition for Bicycles--the League of American Wheelmen. In 1902 the LAW disbanded after tearing itself apart for several years over including 'colored people' .

snailgate

[datsunaholic]

I haven't mentioned this before here, but I currently work for AAA Washington. Yes, prioritization is based on situation. Freeway calls or ones where the member claims to be unsafe take priority over pretty much everything. Ones in parking lots, driveways, or any other valid parking spot are much lower priority. We are so badly understaffed that wait times are frankly excessive. One of my tows last night waited 7 hours and I was the second driver to show up, the first claimed it was impossible to do with a flatbed... I drive a flatbed. It wasn't impossible. It wasn't even difficult. The BMW I did before that with both front wheels ripped off was difficult. Oh, and I was the second driver to show up for that one too.

[Jarlaxle]

It may have been impossible to do with the flatbed the first guy had. I could get the 22' F-550 or the old 19' GMC into plenty of places I wouldn't even attempt with the big 26' F-800. (Plus, the F-800, with its full-size truck tires and over-cab ramp, was much taller than the low-pro F-550, making trees, building overhangs, and wires an issue.) OTOH, the F-800 (GVWR 31,500) would easily carry vehicles that would strain the F-550 (19,000) and wouldn't fit on the GMC (12,600).

And, of course...sometimes, the people relaying the call are...well, incompetent. I got a call for a "Ford van" with a flat. It was a motorhome. Call for a "Chevy pickup" losing coolant...it was a crewcab dually with a slide-in camper in the bed. "Lincoln Town Car" that wouldn't start (and needed to be towed) was a stretch limousine. A "Lincoln in a ditch" was a Navigator SUV halfway down an embankment and almost in a creek. AAA once sent me to tow an AWD Porsche 911 with a hoist truck.

[Long Run]

Like the real life stories -- thanks for sharing Jarl and Datsun!

[datsunaholic]

It may have been impossible to do with the flatbed the first guy had. I could get the 22' F-550 or the old 19' GMC into plenty of places I wouldn't even attempt with the big 26' F-800. (Plus, the F-800, with its full-size truck tires and over-cab ramp, was much taller than the low-pro F-550, making trees, building overhangs, and wires an issue.) OTOH, the F-800 (GVWR 31,500) would easily carry vehicles that would strain the F-550 (19,000) and wouldn't fit on the GMC (12,600).

And, of course...sometimes, the people relaying the call are...well, incompetent. I got a call for a "Ford van" with a flat. It was a motorhome. Call for a "Chevy pickup" losing coolant...it was a crewcab dually with a slide-in camper in the bed. "Lincoln Town Car" that wouldn't start (and needed to be towed) was a stretch limousine. A "Lincoln in a ditch" was a Navigator SUV halfway down an embankment and almost in a creek. AAA once sent me to tow an AWD Porsche 911 with a hoist truck.

It was a co-worker, so we had identical trucks (Isuzu NRR, 19' rollback). Car was a BMW X3, with 30' of clear space in front and hundreds behind. It was almost in the middle of the street.

I sometimes get poorly relayed calls, but it's usually because the member is trying to pull a fast one... like just saying it's a Chevy Express when it's a full blown box truck which is not covered. Or guys claiming it's "not really loaded" when it's a cargo van with racks of plumbing fittings.

They dispatched me to a 2020 Mercedes S580 AWD with a flat tire (no spare) once when I was driving a Freightliner Durastar wheel lift. And after the Mercedes owner stopped freaking out and I explained exactly how I would CAREFULLY dolly it, or she could wait another 3-4 hours until we had another flatbed available... I got it to the dealer undamaged, as promised. I actually thought she would choose to wait, many folks flat refuse a lift truck which is why we now have so few of them.

[Jarlaxle]

Some cars can't reasonably be wheel lifted...that 911 comes to mind.