Roadside assistance for bikes?

[Pax]

I was searching the web recently looking for a roadside assistance plan, AAA is out because they won't recognize my SO as "family" so we have to buy two full memberships. Most of the other offerings were with groups where you have to have an affiliation (insurance companies, etc)...but in my meandering I ran across this company BetterWorld Club (http://www.betterworldclub.com/), and lo and behold we count as a family! :)

Anyhoo, the reason I posted this here was they also offer roadside assistance for bicyclists, very cool idea for commuters and touring folks...has anyone here heard of this??

[SadieKate]

That's pretty nifty.

AAA doesn't recognize domestic partners? Whaaaaaat??? Is that true for all states? Hmm, not impressed.

[SadieKate]

To what state are you moving?

CSAA (Calif) defines an Associate Member as:

A spouse or one resident adult, or dependent children (ages 16-20) in the household of either a Plus or Classic Primary Member who receive AAA Membership for a reduced fee.

Hmmmmmmm.

[Pax]

Moving to AZ but since I still live in IL I'd have to register here...AAA here says family = spouse and children living at home (I called them to double check). :rolleyes:

[tprevost]

Are you getting it now for safety when you drive/move to AZ? If not, you might want to wait until you get there (or perhaps you can use the address of your SO's employer to purchase it now in AZ??). I don't often have to use it but I really like having a nationwide "known" organization. I also like to be able to easily identify them as AAA when they drive up for personal security reasons.

Very interesting about the bike assistance! I'm pretty disappointed in the whole problem w/SO issue though.

Tracy

[SadieKate]

Call back and ask to speak to a manager with two functioning brain cells that collide periodically.:mad:

https://www.autoclubgroup.com/chicago/membership/add_associate.asp?pg=frm

Note: Associate members may be the spouse or significant other of the Primary Member, residing in the same household. Unmarried dependants under age 24 also qualify, if they reside in the Primary Member's household or are full-time students.

[Pax]

Call back and ask to speak to a manager with two functioning brain cells that collide periodically.:mad:

https://www.autoclubgroup.com/chicago/membership/add_associate.asp?pg=frm

Note: Associate members may be the spouse or significant other of the Primary Member, residing in the same household. Unmarried dependants under age 24 also qualify, if they reside in the Primary Member's household or are full-time students.
Interesting, they just lost a sale today because of their uninformed staff. I like the "green" aspect of the BetterWorld group as well as their very open stance on families.

Tprevost - I was wanting it for the cross-country trip so I went ahead and signed up. ONLY 17 DAYS!!!!! :D

As far as the coverage for bicyclists I passed for now but could see it as a plus if we're doing longer (non-sagged) trips.

[Nanci]

I think my SO gets some sort of discount. I don't think we are paying for two full memberships. Let me tell you, AAA has saved my a** more times than one, including this horrifying MTB trip to North Carolina where my tranny went out, in the rain, on about the twistiest, narrowest, no-shoulderest road ever, and some super nice people from West Virginia towed me with a rope to a gas station, then gave me a ride to the State Park where I was camping, then waited with me until my friend from Raleigh arrived, and they ended up camping there, too. (Oh, yeah, while I was in calling AAA, I also locked my keys in my truck, but was saved by having a spare truck key in my bike seat bag, on my bike, on the rack!!!) Then, that night, when we were on our way back from the gas station, having arranged for AAA to tow the truck like 50 miles to a shop, John's car died, and we had to hitchhike, with all our camping stuff, back to the campsite, then the next morning the WV people gave us a ride to the Asheville airport to rent a car for the week...Didn't get a lot of riding done that trip, but it sure was memorable!! Sure makes you realize there are some really nice people out there.

Nanci

[MomOnBike]

Queen,

I've been interested in Better World for a while. If you go with them let us know how well they work. Gosh, roadside help for a bike...{sigh} Now that I want to start touring a lot, they sound like a Good Thing - if they work as advertised.

(blasted cat, killed my good keyboard - now I'm typing in a foreign language That I Don't Know!)

[Pax]

Queen,

I've been interested in Better World for a while. If you go with them let us know how well they work. Gosh, roadside help for a bike...{sigh} Now that I want to start touring a lot, they sound like a Good Thing - if they work as advertised.

(blasted cat, killed my good keyboard - now I'm typing in a foreign language That I Don't Know!)
Will do. I signed up yesterday and got a very pleasant email from them outlining my coverages and effective date. I hope they're a good company to do business with.

[Trek420]

...roadside assistance for bikes:

http://www.treehugger.com/files/2004/12/betterworld_roa.php

So approx 15.00 a mo. roadside help for your bike, can add that to your plan or have bike help alone, not that we TE gals can't fix any problem with a paper clip and duct tape.

Queen as for AAA, back in the day when I was a DINK my DP was on my plan. So your experience was either like Sadiekate sed (poorley trained rep. Companies that do biz. in any city, county, state that recognises DP have to treat domestic partners the same as married couples. Don't worry TE gals, it's not here we go again ;-) I work for mega telco and that's been our training)

anyway let us know how your new company works out, but hopefully you never need it!! So how are you two getting the bikes, kayaks, motorcycles....to AZ? Can't ride them all ;-)

[Pax]

anyway let us know how your new company works out, but hopefully you never need it!! So how are you two getting the bikes, kayaks, motorcycles....to AZ? Can't ride them all ;-)
Got a big ol North American Vanlines truck coming complete with young strong backs to do all the lifting and moving! YAY!!!!

We'll follow anlong in the Ranger at a nice leisurely pace. :p

[Trek420]

sounds like the way ta' go....count down tick tick tick tick.....;)

[Running Mommy]

Ok, I used to WORK for AAA. Both the Chicago club and AZ. I worked for an outsourcing company called Willow CSN... Anyway, I took roadside calls from home. But I was trained on membership issues as sometimes I had to deal with that. For one thing, AAA doesn't check on your family status. Just say "for me and my spouse." They won't question it. They do say that people need to be living in the same household, but again... They do not check! I can't tell you how many times I had HUGE families on one account, and there was no way they all lived in the same house. So yeah, just sign up, there should be no issues. And if there is ask for a Super. Sometimes the people they hire aren't too bright..:rolleyes:
I also highly reccomend that if your moving to AZ you get the plus plan. Regular only covers 5 miles of towing and it's now 4.00 a mile over the 5. Plus covers 100 miles, and 100.00 in locksmith svcs in case you ever lose a key. Also don't be cheap and opt NOT to sign up your SO, because the one thing AAA mandates is that the member be with the vehicle. So if your SO is stranded and you are at home they could not get service if they are not a member unless you are there. That is the one major thing I would have to deal with. The wife would call saying her husband was stranded 60 miles away, but he wasn't on the membership. Yeah they can add them and send service, but it's a big hassle.
Personally I think having AAA in AZ is super important. Kinda like the IL snow.. Well we have the heat! And that can be deadly! You do not want to be stranded in it. So as a former AAA agent can I give you some simple tips?? Always have a working cell phone, your AAA card, and ALWAYS have a cooler with drinks in it! That is just as important as keeping a blanket in your car in IL in winter.
Oh and WELCOME to AZ! Where are you moving here? Personally I love it out here! In spite of the 115 degree July days. :cool:
Oh and one more AZ tip... Really keep an eye on your tires.. They do not like AZ pavement and tend to blow.. And your car battery will only last about 2 years here- so be prepared!

Ok, so after I wrote all this I went back and realized you went w/ another company.. Sorry that you had that issue w/ the ACG. UGH! But hopefully the other company treats you well. And the bike roadside assistance? I wonder if IMNA would let me have these guys on call! ha ha

[Pax]

Personally I think having AAA in AZ is super important. Kinda like the IL snow.. Well we have the heat! And that can be deadly! You do not want to be stranded in it. So as a former AAA agent can I give you some simple tips?? Always have a working cell phone, your AAA card, and ALWAYS have a cooler with drinks in it! That is just as important as keeping a blanket in your car in IL in winter.
Oh and WELCOME to AZ! Where are you moving here? Personally I love it out here! In spite of the 115 degree July days. :cool:
Oh and one more AZ tip... Really keep an eye on your tires.. They do not like AZ pavement and tend to blow.. And your car battery will only last about 2 years here- so be prepared!
Hi RM, thanks for all the AZ newbie insights, I used to live in Gila Bend but it's been so long ago that I don't remember the important safety details. It's funny, I was calling around for insurance quotes and every single agent tells me I have to "glass breakage" insurance?? Do windshields just explode spontaneously out there or what? :p

[Running Mommy]

Pretty much! Lot's of road debris and people losing their loads! When I was driving for some willow training up in scottsdale I had zabucket, pallet, a ladder, and a huge bag of garbage all fly at my car during the two week training. Every morning when I got in my car I felt like I was going into battle! :eek: Oh and I had a big rig tire tread (HUGE CHUNK) fly at my car a few months ago! Hit my windshield, bounced off and then took out the pan on the bottom of my car. I drive a volvo wagon and it did quite a bit of damage! Both my husband and I have goen through 3 windshields (total) in the two years we have been here! UGH! I've also had rocks fly at my car during real nasty dust storms... I guess that's what happens when you live in the desert! :eek:
Also you might notice that car Ins is SUPER expensive out here! Mine doubled over nor cal!! It's all the car thefts out here I guess. And the crazy drivers! I thought so cal was nuts! These people out here are insane!! :eek:
Of course I have a theory on THAT too.... :D

[bikerz]

Chiming in late here... but

I have to share an AAA experience I had (and I am not even a member!)

Last year a very good friend of mine lost her partner of 14 years in a freak car-related accident. I handled the AAA insurance issues for my friend - getting their car totalled out, and the paperwork for the AAA accidental death benefit claim. The rep I worked with, who was based in Colorado, was phenomenal. She was so caring and professional and really went the extra mile for my friend - I was blown away. In the middle of the tragedy, my friend had from time to time run into various roadblocks related to the fact that she and partner were "strangers in the eyes of the law", which was excruciating to witness -- and then to have this truly humane and thoughtful person on the other end of the phone was amazing - I'll never forget this rep, and what it meant to work with her, and it left me with a very good feeling for AAA as a company, especially with respect to honoring all kinds of families. I sent her a huge bouquet of flowers afterwards - she was really extraordinary - maybe partly because it shouldn't have been so extraordinary.

(Anyway, I'm rambling and it's late - sorry )

But I was surprised and saddened to read the response you got from AAA, Queen, and then relieved to see that it was apparently just the work of one poorly trained rep, and not company policy. An indication of how much difference any of us can make (for better or worse) in our daily work.

Best of luck in your move!

[Pax]

RunningMommy - I think I better grow another pair of eyes when I'm riding my motorcycle out there. :eek:


BikerZ, thanks so much for the well wishes. I'm really looking forward to the adventure.


Given the responses regarding AAA I'm sending an email to them today to explain why they didn't get my business. I always try to let a business know why they lost me as a customer.

[Trek420]

chiming in on AAA. I'm a member.

I've had AAA for as long as I could drive and had really good service from them. Especially when I had the car-repair-from H*** which is in a thread somewhere here I think. So bad I ended up escalating to State of CA Dept of Corporations (I am the undisputed Queen of going over your head, I know how to escalate things but only if absolutely needed). But it was AAA who got things done, they came out, checked the car, all the repair records, made sure it got fixed and at no cost to me, got me a refund, could not have been more professional to both the mechanic and me.

But then....every year at SF Pride events their Employee Association is all over the place signing folks up as family. So I think it's just an uninformed rep not one voicing his/her personal belief.

You might want to write them (AAA Gay emp. association) which is usually choc full of grand high corporate mucky mucks. They know how to get stuff done.