Breakdown Wars: History of the AA and RAC | Automotive Documentary | Klassic Garage

[@PreNeanderthal]

The worst thing that ever happened was when the AA (and RAC) became limited companies and we became "customers" instead of members. At the prospect of making a few hundred pounds, thousands of Carpet Baggers joined and voted for these former wonderful societies to become companies where now, instead of service, profit has become the driving force. I joined the AA in 1962 for an annual membership of 2 guineas (£2.10p) and, whereas before, I felt I was a valued member, now all they want is my money (and a great deal of it) and, like insurance companies, include all sorts of T&Cs in order to limit their responsibilities or to up their prices.

[@klassicgarage]

This is why we have our own tow truck 😂 I imagine they'll just merge at some point

[@lukejay]

I'm too young to have experienced that, and have always known it as the profit driven mess it is now. Shame. I've met quite a few recovery drivers over the years due to my love for old, unreliable cars, and they're generally always great, but they too feel the pressure of the companies. They want to do a good service but have all sorts of ridiculous targets to meet. It's rubbish :(

[@jonmilligan8069]

Having worked for The AA many years ago, its brand is iconic, its staff were proud of what it stands for and it was a truly great place to work! I’m imagine it was exactly the same at The RAC too.

[@tboneisgaming]

I worked for the RAC for 10 years in the office overlooking the M6. It's a great company to work for. I'd still be there before personal circumstances lead me to leave the world of work. Mainly I dealt with breakdown calls and saw some of the changes made to the service. I had secondments dealing with customer complaints and as a technical advisor on the repair desk. I learned a lot from the experience and have some good memories of working there. As for my late father, he was a member of the AA. He had the AA key and the grille badge to match. I learned to navigate using their road atlas. I remember the printed routes they used to do for members. As for iconic ads the ones that stick in my mind are the "very nice man" for the AA and the children in pedal cars for the RAC.

[@jasongray6437]

Both are a prime example of what happens when money and profits become priority. Shadows of their former selves regarding customer service

[@Imogenkeanhs1]

AA box 289 is just down the road from me! Cracking piece of history!

[@klassicgarage]

We're going to try and find some as part of a future video. Great history as you say

[@Imogenkeanhs1]

@klassicgarage that would be an amazing video! I can't wait ti see it, glad I've just been recommended your channel binging everything already!

[@oilburner225]

I remember the days that as soon as an AA patrolman saw your badge on the front of the car you would receive a salute, this is when they rode a motocycle and sidecar and generally were older and more experienced than todays patrolmen.

[@klassicgarage]

Spoke with an RAC driver recently for a breakdown of ours and he said there's a reluctance for the next generation to get involved in roadside breakdown work etc for the pay. Certainly seems every callout is target driven time wise rather than service sometimes

[@UR_HR]

coincidently, yesterday I was listening to a docco on famous pilot Captain Eric "Winkle" Brown. He was in Germany at the outbreak of WW2, he was arrested and a couple of weeks later was released as a prisoner exchange at the Swiss Boarder.... One particularly unusual aspect of this exchange was that he was given back his beloved MG Magnette sports car. Not only did Brown manage to drive the car across the border, but when he returned to Britain, the RAC (Royal Automobile Club) retrieved the car for him and transported it back to England. That's service!

[@chrisglover1978]

My Dad was an AA Relay recovery driver for many years. He would have loved to have seen this video

[@klassicgarage]

☺️ we're restoring a relay truck for a future series.

[@nickb5391]

the A.A & R.A.C key is the same so you could used either box to contact the organisation you were with

[@nickb5391]

@9.18, I knew a R.A.C patrol that was killed on the M6 by Birmingham about 15 years ago, he was such a nice guy

[@tboneisgaming]

There's a memorial garden at RAC Bescot for those who have lost their lives in the line of duty. It can be dangerous work. In the time I was there I remember 1 or 2 patrols losing their lives and others being seriously injured.

[@georgeyoung1210]

I've only been with the RAC and only had to call them once. My car was in the garage for some reason or another so I borrowed my step-dad's car to get to work, and stupidly left the lights on for the duration of my shift when I parked up. Finished work around 10pm (it was only a short shift and was winter, so was already starting to get dark when I started work) and had a flat battery. Phoned my mum to bring some jump leads to try to jump start it, but it was too flat to jump. Luckily my policy covers me as a driver, not my vehicle, so I phoned the RAC and explained the situation and they told me as I was in a car park, not on the side of a busy road, and I had a way to get home through my mum who was with me in her car, I wasn't considered a priority and it could be until 5am until someone got to me, or I could book a timeslot for in the morning. Not wanting to sit in a freezing car for hours on the off chance they got a patrol out to me earlier than expected, I booked a timeslot for between 7am and 11am, so ended up going into work on my day off to sit in the car from 7am until the patrol turned up at around 9:30. He also tried jumpstarting it, but in the end it needed a new battery. It was annoying at the time, having to leave the car and come back to it early the next morning, but at the same time I understand why I wasn't prioritised as if I'd been stranded in the middle of no where or on the side of a motorway and someone in a safe car park who had an easy alternative way home was prioritised over me, I'd be pretty annoyed.

[@smilly9]

A lot of history, I have one of those AA keys that my dad used to keep in his car, always wondered what it was for. I see you referenced my 1999 Motorway footage, tragic incident.

[@NH00531]

3:07 there is an original AA box still at the roadside between Clyst St Mary and Newton Poppleford in Devon. It’s Automobile Association Box 456 - Halfway House EX5 2JR.

[@Jerseytrucksci1]

Here in Jersey we have an original AA box still in it's original position in the parish of Trinity near the church.

[@klassicgarage]

We're going to try and visit them for a future video 😀

[@sirhenners204]

there is still an AA sentry box on a public road near me. no clue if it works, but it's cool to see

[@Suprahampton]

My Dad is a lifelong member of the RAC, i'm with the AA

[@OldBaron5664]

I still have my RAC Key and grill badge, due too their light fingered minority my badge stays at home. Sadly the old members can remember better service. At some stage I actually had both AA and RAC membership due to buying a vehicle from a manufacturer who provided twelve months AA cover free, depends on the manufacturer but you get a membership from either when you purchase your vehicle. Once upon a time both had training centers where manufacturers ( who where going to use their service) sent vehicle's so the patrol person could learn all about them I think the last AA patrol I used missed the day saying he didn't know about my vehicle plus putting jump leads on the wrong way round thus blowing an 80 amp fuse replacing with a 40 amp didn't fill me with confidence especially when my garage told me that it could blow when I applied the brakes.

[@Dickinsonradiotv]

My dad had an AA key, that's just bought back a distant memory!

[@stul5000]

Im in this video 👌💪🏼 nice bit of history

[@daniel117100]

My friend called up rac as his car wouldn't start, turns out the policy didnt cover you if were less than 1/4 mile from your home address. He lives on a hill so with some assistance we pushed it down the hill and got it just about far enough for them to come out.

[@tonys1636]

Home start was an extra paid for on the annual membership. The beauty of both of them is that it is the member that is covered not a specific vehicle like other breakdown services. Came in very handy when driving borrowed cars that had dubious maintenance done. Even as a passenger in someone else's car.

[@sammilburn445]

when i was growing up, it was either AA, RAC or Green Flag. You very rarely see Green Flag now, RAC isnt there that much and the AA is still everywhere. The AA is definitely the one who is on top now. Also, does anyone else like how the AA hasn't changed their logo for many many decades

[@stevesmith7530]

You very rarely saw Green Flag in the past. They were not the same kind of organisation at all, they merely contracted out all the work to local operators/garages.

[@sbrader97]

​@@stevesmith7530While it happens less with AA having far more vans the same happened to me with AA last year they sent a local company out because they had no AA vans nearby or they was all busy on other jobs but used to have green flag and 1 time I was stuck on M1 in the dark the alternator had went so battery died took ages for the recovery to come and it was a 3rd party recovery sod that changed to AA and the few times have used the AA only once was there no AA van I think that was just the location around great yarmouth area as the few other times it's been faultless not long wait times and AA not shitty 3rd parties

[@Suprahampton]

There was also National Rescue

[@stevesmith7530]

@@Suprahampton Green flag are what used to be called national breakdown (which I suspect is what you are thinking of), the name changed in 1994

[@Suprahampton]

@@stevesmith7530 I forgot they rebranded

[@JDT-19933]

All good to have it at your fingertips but when the system goes down very soon have fun

[@WETiLAMBY]

15 million members paying a minimum of £7 a month, theyre making £105 million every month, not sure how much is profit but thats unreal

[@j2676]

As someone who works for both these providers - they have both gone downhill now a race to the bottom RAC litterally do not care, at least the AA pretend to care but idk. Whole industry changed after Covid, less about people now days.

[@ambivalentonion2620]

My experiences with the rac has been quite good, had one give me a very good roadside tune on a weber carb

[@sameyers2670]

I know of a few AA boxes still in existence, do any RAC ones survive in their original location?

[@klassicgarage]

We're going to find out for a future video 😀

[@sameyers2670]

@@klassicgarage I look forward to seeing your findings

[@edword7195]

since the RAC gave up its branding blue and white after 80 years and gave up with Hotel ratings tend to think of the RAC has vanished . Now I would rather join the AA as could have a historic badge with the RAC changing its branding the historic badge is no longer relevant. The AA still rate hotels so feel the AA links to the past

[@melissanewton7462]

RAC have helped me out with flat batteries. That's all. I always make sure my van is fit for the road otherwise. Mine is through the insurance policy I use .

[@klassicgarage]

1982 was when they launched their 'at home' service rather than just roadside. I reckon most of their work is flat batteries! ☺️ Thanks for watching

[@garymcmillan4177]

Should do a more in depth vid about the vehicles.

[@klassicgarage]

I'm working on some more in depth on specific vehicles as we have one ourselves for a future series.

[@garymcmillan4177]

@klassicgarage sweet. As an ex recovery driver and a builder of scale model recovery wagons,that would be great source of authenticity.

[@MrJordanwain]

Nice to see clips of GDB on this one!!! Wish drivers would get the message and move over!!

[@ethanlittle776]

Green flag are definitely the worst. Have abandoned me on the side of the road and other times left we waiting in a live lane on an A road for 7 hours. AA were good the one time I used them and haven’t used RAC.

[@klassicgarage]

My understanding is Green Flag was designed for garages regionally to get more business by recovering themselves then doing the work for the customer. I've only ever seen a handful of Green Flag branded vehicles

[@NigelThomas-l2p]

Bit ai but as an AA member and driving an 07 transit bus as my daily there spot on got me on my way twice in 2 years fan belt then starter motor 😊

[@AudioZoneProductions]

AA or RAC? Like this comment for AA, reply to this comment with 'RAC' if you prefer RAC. Let's see who people think is better.

[@jammiedodger7040]

What about CMG?

[@TomGayler]

How do AA and RAC feel about 'Smart motorways'?

[@RobertNixon]

RAC head of policy Simon Williams said: “A colossal amount of public money has been sunk into all-lane-running smart motorways in an effort try to make them safer in the absence of a hard shoulder. This includes retrofitting emergency refuge areas and installing a system to detect stopped vehicles so the ‘red X’ closed lane signs can be switched on as soon as possible to protect vehicles from being hit from behind. “Sadly, the latest freedom of information data shows all the smart motorway technology is far too prone to failure to keep drivers safe. “We now find ourselves in a very strange situation where all future schemes have been cancelled by the Government, but all the existing ones remain in operation, much to the anger of drivers who just want to see the hard shoulder reintroduced. “The hard shoulder is by no means a safe location, but in the event of a breakdown, it is far safer than being stranded in a live lane of traffic waiting for the ‘red X closed lane’ sign to be turned on. Frighteningly, National Highways own data shows that all-lane-running stretches are three times more dangerous than conventional motorways for drivers who breakdown. “The RAC continues to call on the Government to bring back the hard shoulder on all-lane-running smart motorways or convert them to ‘dynamic’ ones, where the hard shoulder is only opened to traffic at busy periods. “In either case, technology, such as variable speed limits, that helps smooth the flow of traffic and stopped vehicle detection radar, would remain in place for the benefit of drivers.” www.rac.co.uk/drive/news/infrastructure/bbc-investigation-reveals-smart-motorways-are-a-safety-risk-for-drivers/

[@TomGayler]

@@RobertNixon Of all the people to consult with on smart motorways, you would have thought AA and RAC would have been the people to listen to. The idea that a breakdown happens just as one happens to be nearing a breakdown area is wishful thinking at best.

[@train4905]

Awsone😊

[@KennedyPhoebe-y3j]

29782 Schowalter Crescent

[@Sluetch90]

The paper clip showing Stephen Godbold…. I know his Son.

[@truth.hurts...]

All petrol cars I owned break down but not diesel

[@limwaik]

AA’s website online is worst! I’m think switch to RAC or other!

[@jammiedodger7040]

Electric vehicles belong in the scrapyard and there is way too much electrical crap on modern vehicles.

[@stevesmith7530]

I remember the first time I joined the AA, in my membership pack was a key for the roadside call boxes, and that was as late as the early 90s I wonder how many viewers are aware that slow down move over actually made it to the most recent version of the highway code? I suspect a lot will want to attack smart motorways too, despite the fact hard shoulders are infinitely more dangerous, effectively 0% of traffic, yet 8% of motorway fatalities. As for ads, no mention of "I know a man who can" and "A very very nice man"? A duo of phrases that have made it into common use amongst certain generations. kzbin.info/www/bejne/r3OulKVnobJmqLM

[@klassicgarage]

Original script had a lot deeper look into the ads so splitting it for a future video. As for the keys, some sentry boxes exist in people's gardens and are listed! Last one I saw was in the Highlands on NC500

[@steveelkins52]

editing required

[@kingsleythomas5443]

AI voice ruins it for me 😢

[@klassicgarage]

It'll be my voice moving forward :)

[@johnawalker9261]

Misuse of the word impact. Should have been affected.