OMG After 6 Stupid people and 6 hours, I gave up on a tow for broken down RV

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harrisonm

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So I am 20 miles east of home (Topeka, KS), and the right front tire on my Winnebago View 24 RV blows at about 3:30 PM. I am on I70 between Lawrence and Topeka. No problem, right? So I call roadside assistance for Progressive Insurance. The told the first guy I talk to exactly where I was, and exactly what my vehicle was. He sent a flatbed for a car. I called back and, of course, talked to a different person. I explained what happened, and he apologized and promised to send another tow truck in 30 minutes. About an hour later, I called the dispatcher for the assigned tow company, and they said that the driver saw that it was an RV, so he just left without stopping, since he was expecting a car. So I call back and talk to another person. She appeared to be OK. She PROMISED a tow within 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, I called and said where is my tow truck. They said they could not find us at mile marker 192 on I70 in Western Kansas. I said that is 250 miles away. What a screw up. Then, I called 3 more times, and talked to three more people (including one supervisor), and they all sent tow trucks out to Western Kansas 250 Miles away. It is now almost 9:30, getting dark and I said the hell with it. I called Progressive and asked if my RV got vandalized or stolen overnight would it be covered? They said YES, so I locked it up, left it on the side of the highway, and just went home. I did call the Highway Patrol to let them know it was there. HOW STUPID CAN PEOPLE BE??? I explained CAREFULLY where we were each time. II would love to call and complain tomorrow, but there is no way anybody will care.
 
No spare ? I carry 2 spares , a 12ton bottle jack and a breaker bar/extension pipe.
Where I go here in Idaho both traffic and cell service is limited.
 
That's pretty unacceptable. I'd find a new insurance company.
 
I’m not sure how old you are but I’m assuming you must be older or possibly on a disability and can’t change a tire. But why could the towing company. Why tow it??? Tires are changed along the road everyday.
 
I called a flat-bed driver to come tow my '65 Barracuda to a storage unit. He told me he could not tow it because the license plate tags were expired. Sounded like a bunch of B.S. to me.

Thankfully, in part due to my former employment with the California Highway Patrol (officer 1982-83), I explained to him that as long as the tires were off the pavement, current registration was not required in any case. He gave in and towed the vehicle.

During the same incident, he spent an extra 20 minutes looking for me, although I gave the highway name and nearest cross street when I called. Someone at a local restaurant had to direct him to where I was. He said he could not find me via GPS because I had not given a street number as part of the location description where I was stranded. So much for maps or just knowing your way around! God save us.
 
That is one of the reasons I bought a car dolly and winch.
(not that it would help with an RV)

I now basically own my own tow truck.

Has easily payed for it's self several times over.

Last week I installed a receiver on my Renegade, so in a pinch, I could tow my Dakota with it, if necessary.
I like always having a "Plan B".


...and, I hare a rapidly growing list of "professionals" whom I would not expect to have to tell how to do their jobs, but do.
 
Did you tell them that you were at mile marker 192 on I-70 or on the Turnpike? Mile marker 192 on I-70 is just east of Hays. Where I-70 and the Turnpike are together the mile markers are for the Turnpike, not I-70.
 
So I am 20 miles east of home (Topeka, KS), and the right front tire on my Winnebago View 24 RV blows at about 3:30 PM. I am on I70 between Lawrence and Topeka. No problem, right? So I call roadside assistance for Progressive Insurance. The told the first guy I talk to exactly where I was, and exactly what my vehicle was. He sent a flatbed for a car. I called back and, of course, talked to a different person. I explained what happened, and he apologized and promised to send another tow truck in 30 minutes. About an hour later, I called the dispatcher for the assigned tow company, and they said that the driver saw that it was an RV, so he just left without stopping, since he was expecting a car. So I call back and talk to another person. She appeared to be OK. She PROMISED a tow within 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, I called and said where is my tow truck. They said they could not find us at mile marker 192 on I70 in Western Kansas. I said that is 250 miles away. What a screw up. Then, I called 3 more times, and talked to three more people (including one supervisor), and they all sent tow trucks out to Western Kansas 250 Miles away. It is now almost 9:30, getting dark and I said the hell with it. I called Progressive and asked if my RV got vandalized or stolen overnight would it be covered? They said YES, so I locked it up, left it on the side of the highway, and just went home. I did call the Highway Patrol to let them know it was there. HOW STUPID CAN PEOPLE BE??? I explained CAREFULLY where we were each time. II would love to call and complain tomorrow, but there is no way anybody will care.

How many of them were mexicans that couldnt speak english !??
 
i guess the lesson here is "make sure you break down on the right spot"
 
That is one of the reasons I bought a car dolly and winch.
(not that it would help with an RV)

I now basically own my own tow truck.

Has easily payed for it's self several times over.

Last week I installed a receiver on my Renegade, so in a pinch, I could tow my Dakota with it, if necessary.
I like always having a "Plan B".


...and, I hare a rapidly growing list of "professionals" whom I would not expect to have to tell how to do their jobs, but do.
THIS LAST PARAGRAPH! Sad but true.
 
As I've stated many times over on our site, "Customer service in this country has been FLUSHED down the porcelain facility". AND, the sad part about it is, NONE of the higher ups at any companies care as long has the get their bonuses!
 
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