Empty Promises from CAA

Location: Ontario, Mississauga

Industry: Transportation

Annoyed By: CAA aka Canadian Automobile Association

This is what happened today:

Our family has been royal customers of CAA for the last ten years. My parents were stuck on north of Bramalea road, in the town of Caledon at around 3:50pm today. Our Mazda van's front wheels sank into a ditch of snow and couldn't get out. It was -10 degrees outside. We called CAA for assistance. They replied that we will be assisted in 65 minutes. Nobody showed up, so we called again. CAA told us to wait for another 30 minutes. We waited patiently, but still no one came and we called yet another time. CAA promised that its emergency service truck will be at the site in 20 minutes. Our cellphone battery was low and we called yet one last time after this 2 hours wait. This time, it was promised 8 minutes. 28 minutes passed and nobody came to the rescue. 

We knocked on the closeby neighborhood door and asked if they could use their truck to pull us out of the snow. It worked. We left at 7pm. On the way back, we still see no site of CAA, but we received a phone call from one of the CAA agent, telling us: "we could not assist you this time, but we hope to assist you in the future."

Thanks very much for the verbal service. Really, thanks, CAA. So careful people of Canada, when you pay CAA for service, think about all those "help" you're about to get when you get stuck in the middle of nowhere at the worst weather possible.

"I don't know how to change your tires." Said CAA roadside assistant.

Location: Ontario, Mississauga
Industry: Automotive mv
Annoyed By: The roadside assistant dude, CAA telephone operators, CAA

Three of us. One flat tire. Stranded. 3:30am. A bit drunk. Chilly.

Thought I was super lucky since I am a CAA member, I, of course, immediately called CAA! The operator promised he will send someone over right away! Thank god! CAA, you are the best. And so I thought.

4:00am. Getting sober. Freezing.

4:30am. Sober-er. Frozen.

(Called again numerous times. Excuses include he is on his way. He is lost. He is at another plaza. Are you sure it's the right address? He is there already, can't you see him?)

5:00am. Mr.Roadside arrives. And so the horror begins. "Where is your spare tire?" em...at the trunk! "I can't change this. I have never seen this model. What model is this? If you don't know the tire model I can't change it." em...it's a regular Chrysler van and the spare tire is sitting there..."NOPE! I won't change it! Do you have your CAA membership card?" em...i have the number and the operator said it was ok. "NOPE! If you don't have your card with you then I can't change it!"

5:30am. Mr.Roadside continues to argue and refuse to budge. We call CAA operators. They connect to the guy. Mr.Roadside softens after their conversation and decides he will change the tire. The problem is....he really doesn't know how to change the damn tire.

6:00am. With the webmaster's help (yes he was one of the stranded three), who calmly explained how to change tires to Mr.Roadside. The tire is changed!

CAA. I officially HATE you.