Open mouth, insert foot

[friendofjimmyk]

Let's try this again. The first one got lost in cyber space.

I haven't posted an SC story in awhile and I started to think I didn't belong here.

I called a member back to inform her of the ETA and the company that was going to be coming out to help her. The conversation went south quickly and I don't know what it was...but I think that the part of my brain that controls my first thoughts from being transmitted out my mouth is out of service today...

ME: I just want to inform you that we have ***** Towing coming out to assist you and they should be there within the hour.

SC: So, I have to wait another hour? I was told 45 minutes by Kevin.

(Kevin? Who's Kevin?)

ME: I do apologize, I am not sure why you were told that time we are currently running at 90 minutes. (when her call came in, we were at 90 minutes, by the time I got it to the contractor, it had an hour left on it - therefore, the hour I told her she had to wait)

SC: So, I've been sitting here in my car waiting and now I have to wait another hour?

(I checked the call - her car, that she has been sitting in waiting - IS IN THE DRIVEWAY OF HER RESIDENCE!!!!! Get out of the freakin' car and wait inside - somehow, thank God, that thought stayed in the brain)

ME: Again, I do apologize for the minsinformation.

SC: *sigh* (oh, crap!) Well, this is ridiculous. I have been at home all day messing around with you people and trying to get this car towed! What are you going to do about this? (here it comes) I expect some kind of compensation!

ME: Again, I do apologize, I am not sure why you were told 45 minutes when we are clearly at 90 minutes and we even told the person who called us this information.

SC: Yeah, whatever. I EXPECT some type of compensation! What are you going to give me?

ME: *very snarkly and matter-of-fact* Uh, a tow truck in an hour.

(whoops! I don't think that's what she wants to hear or even what I should say)

SC: Is that supposed to be a joke?

ME: (quickly trying to put out the fire) No. There is just nothing else I can do, I have to speak to my supervisor.

SC: You do that and you tell them I want compensation and then you call me back.

ME: Okay.

I called my supervisor, when she pulled up the call, I heard a long audible sigh on the other end and this is one of the cool supervisors. She said, "NOW WHAT?"

I explained the situation and then told her what I said and even how I said it. The supervisor BACKED ME UP and said, well,that's what she's getting. That's all we are giving her!

I got to call the member back and tell her there would be no compensation. She hung up on me! WEEEE!!!!

[Drakstern]

Heh, I had to wait all night for a tow truck once.

My response?

"Thanks for coming out in the middle of a damned cold night and moving my car. I have no idea if this is a tipping situation or not, but here you go."

[Mighty Girl]

That's insane. We have roadside assistance, and nowhere does it say a specific time we should expect a tow truck. I could see her being put out if she was out on the highway or something, but in her driveway? Get real. Be happy you can go inside and use the bathroom and get something to drink.

[friendofjimmyk]

The other day, it finally snowed here. We got about 3 - 5 inches. It wasn't that bad, but OH MY! We just sat there and watched our screens explode with calls - all for vehicles needing to be pulled out of ditches and off curbs. The calls would just keep coming and we'd say, "Oh, look, another person in a ditch - what a surprise! How is that happening?"

The other calls were people locking their keys in their cars with the engine running.

We were running 6 - 8 hours for service to arrive and our primary concern was with getting stranded members to safe, warm places. The State Highway Patrol had issued a tow ban on the interstates and we couldn't even get to those vehicles for two days.

[Becks]

That's funny!!!!!!! I'm glad your boss backed you up on that!!!!!!!!

[BusBus]

"The line at the grocery store was too long. I want conpensation!"

"I had to stand on the bus, even though I paid the same as the folks sitting. I want compensation!"

"I couldn't use my preferred toilet stall because it was out of toilet paper. I want compensation!"

Well, not really, but your lady is working along the same lines....

[friendofjimmyk]

I have read the posts on here where people talk about SCs asking for "compensation" but in this line of work, I had not encountered that myself until just yesterday.

[Jester]

I've said it before. I'll say it again.

When I got the Jestermobile stuck in a ditch this summer in Ohio (stop giggling, damn it!), I was happy that the tow truck only took an hour, and thrilled that he got me out of the ditch with no problem when he did arrive, and ecstatic once I was on my way again, with nothing damaged but my pride.

And I DID get compensation, too. Not for the wait, mind you. But for my own idiocy of getting the Jestermobile stuck in the ditch in the first place. The compensation? A picture I took of said Jestermobile stuck in said ditch. Because, you know, it's funny.

That lady is just a freakin' idiot.

That reminds me....I REALLY need to develop that roll of film!

[AFpheonix]

We had to call for roadside assistance when 4 of us were on the way to Fort Worth with a fully loaded 4 horse trailer last summer. One of the truck tires blew out. I attempted to change it myself, but with the weight of the trailer on back, the jack was bending , and there apparently was a lock on the thingy you winch down to get the spare off, and we couldn't find the tool to remove it, so I couldn't get the tire off (apparently, out of the 4 of us, I was the only one that has ever had to do this on a Ford....chalk it up to dealing with my mom's Exploder).

So we called. Fortunately, we had a laptop with movies to keep us entertained, although we didn't have any water for the critters
He showed up pretty fast, but he couldn't get the spare off either, so he had to take my trainer to go buy a new one. The place that they ended up going was very Deliverance. Their tow truck had a flat on it, and there were pigs running around the lot. The guy running the lot grabbed a tire and it blew out as soon as they tried to put it on the rim (nice). The second one was more successful, thank god.
They finally got back, and the tow guy winched up the trailer while it was still attached to the truck (it's a gooseneck) and got our tire changed. Yay!

[friendofjimmyk]

The place that they ended up going was very Deliverance. Their tow truck had a flat on it, and there were pigs running around the lot.

That reminds me of a time while I was still a call taker and a female member said to me, very honestly and politely..

"I've never had to call for a tow truck before. What's the guy going to be like? I mean, is he going to have all his teeth?"

Then we both laughed. I understood where she was coming from though, young lady on the side of the road and some complete male stranger coming out to help you.

I think that when I finally get trained as a driver, that maybe most women would be relieved to see another woman come to help them. They may feel safer.

[blas]

I had a great experience with a tow truck once..

With my horrible track record with boys comes.....guys with no valid driver's licenses that are attracted to me *gah*. By not valid, I mean revoked or suspended or just none in general, not just an "oops I forgot".

Well, this guy that I liked a lot had gotten caught without a license, and by order of the police, the vehicle was to be towed unless he could find a friend to drive his truck back. Of course I got the desperate phone call.......I can't drive a stick and there was no way I was going to do that, and I kept refusing to pay to get the truck off the tow truck because people never pay me back. But as usual, some swooning words from a compulsive lying man (what else is new) got me convinced I'd do it.

I arrived at the spot where his truck was already ready to go. I got inside the truck to give the trucker my debit card, and he said to me, "Thank you so much for getting these little shits off my hands," and I raised an eyebrow. While he processed my payment, he said that my guy and his friends had been bitching up a royal storm at him for following the order of cops and towing his truck. He said if I hadn't shown up in 5 minutes he was just going to leave the little assholes and take the truck to the impound with great pleasure. He said it wasn't his fault these stupid kids drive around without licenses and get caught. I agreed, he thanked me again, and then I saw my guy with two girls around him. I didn't even say a word, I just left. I bugged him every day for my repayment, but he still hasn't paid up. I will never speak to him again until I see 4 20 dollar bills in my hand and an apology for being a liar and a pig.

Lesson here....do not blame the tow trucker. They are simply doing their jobs.

[symposes]

Ive seen shows on discovery channel about being a Repo man.
Being shot at because the shooter cant be bothered to pay their bills, has got to royally suck ass.

Bless you all the good repo men out there.