So, I left work early last Tuesday in order to get home early and work on something for the boss. The idea was to work late if need be, to get the thing done.
I left at 3pm.
At 3.10pm I hit a hole in the road as I went around a roundabout to join the usual 'A' road that I use to get home every weekday night.
It was a very nasty hole. Sharp edges. About 6 inches deep and more than a foot wide. I was boxed in and so couldn't avoid it.
There was a load bang.
I managed to crawl into a lay-by on the really busy 'A' road at about 3.12pm.
Damn.
Not a great start.
At 3.15pm I phoned my Car Insurers hotline, who provide road side assistance as part of the deal.
At 3.40pm they phoned back to say that I would get assistance in 3.5 hours. as all three of their local recovery contacts were busy.
In three and a half hours they would then tow me somewhere local where I could get my tire replaced.
I asked if the 'shop' would still be open around 7pm?
The nice lady said she'd look into it and get back to me.
At 3.57pm she got back to me.
'No, they won't be open.' She said.
'OK, then can you get me and my car to my home?'
'Yes.' she said.
'I don't have home start,' I reminded her, 'so will you be ok to tow me to a garage the next morning?'
'Please wait a minute,' she said, 'I'll need to check''
The minute was actually 5 minutes with me hanging onto the phone.
'I'm sorry,' she said with a sorry sounding voice, 'but we can't do that. Also I've checked your policy and your roadside recovery is only within 10 miles of you home, so you'll have to pay for the tow to within 10 miles of your home and also for the recovery vehicle to make it back to where it started.'
'That sounds expensive' I informed her, and thanked her anyway. It was what is was.
I really should have checked the small print on what my insurer actually provided with regards roadside assistance. Lesson learned.
At 4.30pm I started phoning around locally.
I got a guy who said he'd come out within the hour.
He did.
At 5.20pm he started on the wheel.
At 5.30pm I phoned my insurers and told them to stand down their promised recovery vehicle.
It took an age for him to get the tire off. One of the nuts was a mess, due to garage tightening tools probably and not the puncture.
At 6.00pm I paid him the £90 and gave him a little tip (I wasn't carrying much cash).
I had one of those little temporary spare wheels as a replacement for the usual one, which means you can't go above 50 mph.
At 7.40pm I arrived home, having pissed off a few fellow travellers on the M40.
At 11.17pm I finished what I'd set off fro work early to accomplish.
At 9am on Wednesday morning I phoned to local Ford dealer. I need a new tire and wheel nuts as the existing set were hopelessly damaged.
At 9.05am they told me they couldn't do anything today but to bring the car in Thursday morning.
I worked from home.
At 8.30am Thursday morning I drove the car to the local Ford dealer.
At 8.40am I walked back to my flat and started work.
At 2pm the Ford dealer phoned to say all was good, no other damage had been done, the tire had been replaced, as had the complete set of wheel nuts and the wheels balanced.
At 3pm I decided to walk back to the Ford dealer to pay and collect the car.
At 3.01pm I noticed the official looking letter that had been posted through my letterbox.
At 3.02pm I put it on my table and set off.
At 3.30pm I paid the £200 pound bill and drove home.
At 3.45pm I opened the letter that I'd left on my table.
It was my Road Tax for the coming year.
The Road Tax that pays to keep the roads in good repair.
I laughed.
What a joke.
At 5.45pm I went online and paid my Road Tax.
What a joke.
