Green Flag recovery - Nightmare!

[GrumpyGuts]

WELL!

What a day I've had.

I've been with Green Flag for nearly two years. I've had to recover a previous bike beforehand and they were OK so I thought I'd renew. Big mistake...

I travelled to my mate's house last night for a pub session about 17 miles from my home. That night as we were having a fag outside his house, I just stood by the handlebars twiddling my throttle whilst I was talking to him, and all of a sudden, the throttle cable gave. My next thought was "FFS!!" I thought my cable had just come off the perch.

Next morning, I opened up the switch gear to find the push cable had snapped. Fuck. Called Green flag recovery and they asked me the details about the vehicle that needed to be recovered (even though it's recorded on the system)

First guy shows up...it was a van. Fuck whits sent a mechanic when I stated I needed recovery to my HOME ADDRESS. He was called out at 13.05 and arrived around 13.25. The retards also thought my bike was a Honda Civic.

Second guy arrives about 1 hour later, this time in a tow truck. He askes me "where's the car", at which time I point out that it is a MOTORCYCLE that needed recovering. He begins to tell me that he cannot winch up a motorcycle and cannot take it, also thinking the vehicle was a Honda Civic.

After three ours after the first call out, the 3rd driver arrives. I got home about 40 minutes ago.

WHAT the actual fuck?? Green flag can kiss my arse if they think I will be renewing with them and I will be straight on the phone to get my fucking membership money back!

Rant over!
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My Bikes: Lifan Beat 125cc '11 -> Suzuki B120P '76 -> Suzuki EN 125-2A '08 -> Honda CG 125 '04 -> Honda CB600F Hornet '98 -> Kawasaki ZZR 600 '99 -> Kawasaki GPZ 500S '95 (Current)
Theory test passed - 09/02/2012 >>>> Module 1 passed 24/07/2012 >>>> Module 2 passed 24/10/2012

[Lone-Wolf]

Wotcha.

The lesson learned from this ?

Always carry a spare throttle cable ( and clutch for that matter )

Don't folks do this as a matter of course any more ?

<< wanders off muttering about "kids today" >>
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Cheers.
^..^
L.W. - www.moonshiners.org.uk

[GrumpyGuts]

Throttle cables are not even that old!

Did I mention, after telling them the exact fault, they wrote that my clutch cable snapped and not the thottle cable
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My Bikes: Lifan Beat 125cc '11 -> Suzuki B120P '76 -> Suzuki EN 125-2A '08 -> Honda CG 125 '04 -> Honda CB600F Hornet '98 -> Kawasaki ZZR 600 '99 -> Kawasaki GPZ 500S '95 (Current)
Theory test passed - 09/02/2012 >>>> Module 1 passed 24/07/2012 >>>> Module 2 passed 24/10/2012

[Marmalade]

The trouble with people telling the operator they need recovery because 'it stopped in a cloud of smoke and i thought it was going to burst into flames and it'll never work again so tow me home 100 miles away costing £200'

When the bloke in a van gets there to find a split hose which is fixed for the cost of a 50p jubilee clip, they have to, it is a business and they can't tow every genius that wrongly self diagnoses their fault.

God knows how many car's i've been out to with a knackerd gearbox when it is a simple circlip popped off of the linkage and they've ended up driving off.

As for the wait, it's unacceptable and you should be writing to them about the car/bike issue.
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Nobby the Bastard: How yo tell the difference between the actual japanese and her just screaming because she's had live fish stuck up her arse? [url=https://www.nicks-shop.co.uk/bcf-goodies-15-c.aspGet BCF stickers and things here[/url] Reflective helmet stickers - Legal requirement in france - Clicky

[kawakid]

You just got unlucky.

I had to wait about 5 hours when I binned my bike a few years back. That was the AA (To be fair, I had a newspaper and it was a gorgeous day).

Another time when I dropped my bike doing my last ever U turn and cracked the engine casing, the RAC told me to go & ... and that it was my fault and wouldn't come out. (Luckily I had breakdown cover with the AA for the car and they came out). {RAC was free with the bike}

The worst was when the car broke down in the middle of North Yorks. It was this time of year and really cold literally -3C, I had a 2 year old a new born baby and they took about 3 hours. When the van came, I complained and he said (honestly) I only got the call 20 mins ago and showed me the phone. (that was one of the cheaper ones, green flag or international).

Ohh I did break the windscreen of an AA VAN once. Really helpful bike mechanic came when my throttle cable snapped, he put a temporary on and then followed me to my normal mechanics. I managed to flick a stone from my rear and smash his windscreen. I remember that day, because he showed me a text saying all AA vehicles leave London now. (7/7 bombings).
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I've a twin and a 4.

[waffles]

I'm not a fan of Green Flag either. I called them out when something fell off my car and the engine cut out. They sent out a guy with a massive chip on his shoulder who yelled at me to "stop gazing lovingly at your boyfriend" and wanted me to let him know when vehicles were approaching. On the hard shoulder of a motorway.

He had a proper strop on about something. Myself and the other half were sitting on the crash barrier watching what he was doing rather than staring at each other. Meh, now with someone else.
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Theory test - 19/8/09, CBT - 11/10/09, MOD 1 - 16/8/10, MOD 2 - 27/10/10
Past rides Yamaha XT125X, Triumph TT600, Honda XR250
Current rides Suzuki GSXR 600, Honda MSX125

[WD Forte]

Tell me about it
not Green flag but related

I was 'covered' for breakdown and recovery with my Footman James policy and
when my bike broke down about 25 miles north of home, I phoned the recovery number
the recovery was handled by Axa recovery who in turn contacted SOS recovery to pick me up

I was on a PAYG phone at the time and after an hour tried to
find out WTF was going on
2 hours, 3 hours, it was cold and wet and I was just getting 'someone will be with you soon"
from Axa, bugger all from SOS.

4 hours, 5 hours, I'm totally pissed off and when some silly tart in the call centre
'didnt like' my attitude I lost it and told her stand by the fuckin roadside for 5 hours
in the wind and rain and see how fucking sunny she felt !

Round about the 6 hour mark I'm running out of credit and eventually got a nice lady who got off her ass and made some serious enquiries and rang me back to say the SOS operator
had gone off the reservation 'with personal problems'
Whaaaat!!?

SOS recovery, despite their 'we've got all this high tech" bullshit on their website
obviously didnt oversee recovery operations.
Why the fuck not?
this simple lack of proper procedure made all their gadgets and by extension them, fucking useless !

Another company was called they turned up with a ramped loader for cars and the guy dropped my bike when trying to get it up on the deck
I was past caring by then, didnt give a shit, I was just glad to be to going home.......

Of course I fired off letters calling them all bunch of useless wankers and to be fair,
Axa apologised profusely and gave me £40.

SOS made some worthless offer like they'd take the bike to a garage for me FOC
I fixed it myself in the following days, didnt need no stinkin garage
just needed to be taken home !!!!

Only the second time I've ever needed B&R
The first time when I snapped a crank caning the old bike around the M32 was swift and painless.
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bikers smell of wee

[Dave70]

[deeds]

I had the misfortune of breaking down in Barrow in Furness what a shite hole,
Anyhow the breakdown gadgy arrives and asks what the matter is so I say cam belts gone so he says start it so I can see for Myself!

[ZebraDriver]

Had to use the RAC twice, both times for punctures. Both times its been "local" and they have used the same sub contractor.

First time I wondered what kind of service I was going to get, when, after giving the bike details to the female who took the call, I had to explain that, no, my bike does not carry a spare wheel.

I then had to wait two and a half hours for recovery, the driver explained that they had had a truck much closer, but I'd waited an extra two hours for him because his depot was closer to my home address. Its just a pity that they hadn't asked me where I wanted the bike recovered to (the girlfriends house), which is only about 300 yards from the first trucks depot...

The second time they were fairly quick (about half an hour) but they refused to send recovery without sending an ordinary patrol first. The who arrived guy wanted to just blow up the deflated tyre for me and send me on my way. After explaining to him what happens when a bike tyre blows out he saw sense and organised a trailer for me. Luckily I was at the girlfriends and it only took them 10 minutes to get the trailer to me.

I would give the RAC 8 out of 10 for these two attempts, but as they sneakily changed their rules concerning my commercial vehicle (a Berlingo) mid policy, so that it was no longer covered, they now get a 2 out of 10

ZD

[Skyblue]

Glad I found this post I am with green flag & now thinking of changing to another when my policy ends.But who are the best!

[treeno]

I broke down in Crawley a month or so ago and the guy who turned up after 2 hours after apparently getting lost refused to recover me to my home which was 40 miles away. Turns out the cheapo breakdown insurance agent I had booked with just plain refused to pay for it and came up with some bull from their T&C's to justify it. Instead dropped me off at the nearest garage (the bike was terminal, just wanted to get it home).
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Current ride: Ninja 500R

[Clutchy]

Confused as to why marmalades post was rated as off topic roger?
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Malaguti F12 Phantom-Dead, Suzuki AY50- Dead, NRG power DD LQ, CBR125.
*33 BHP restriction up on 10/12/14* Current bikes/car: SV 650 S/ MKIV GOLF
Guide to pass your test with no lessons!

[Old Git Racing]

I worked for Green Flag, you can only act on info from the controller, don't shoot the guy who turns up, he'll do his best.
As for who is better, don't know really. Best bet is to just occasionally do a bit of basic lubing and checking of cables etc then it doesn't break and you don't have to whinge like a gurl when everything isn't perfect.

OGR
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2022 Tiger Sport 660 2019 Street Twin 2003 K3 gixxer 1000 1998 Srad 600 track hack

[MC]

[Tiff]

[Walloper]

[-Matt-]

[trist077]

pain in the arse they are told me that they would be about half hour then still nobody hour laterthen they rung me saying they culd not find me i wasin a tesco carpart easy to be seen anyway they rung me bout 20 mins later they were stuck on the m1 they would at least be another hour

the m1 was about 30 mile away no wonder they cant find me
after 2.5 hours i canceled and called the rac through my insurance policy 25 mins i was on my way

green flag was through my bankso i have to free breakdown recoverys

[Walloper]

[Hugh Farking Cant]

Grumpy,what bike was this on ?

I'm with Lone-wolf on this one,sort of.

If it was the push cable as you state, why not just disconnect it and run on the pull cable?
If it was the pull cable,then gerry rig the push cable to operate the carb.
If you can do neither then turn the idle screw up and ride home using the clutch,gears and kill switch, how is it said nowadays "like a boss !" ?

Depends on how well you know your bike and capabilities I suppose.
Recovery is good for shredded tyres and snapped cranks but roadside fixes can get you home without relying on other numpties.

Meanders off muttering; "How we won the war, I'll never know! "

[waffles]

[lihp]

I called RAC for a puncture. Was told it would be about 90 mins due to them being very busy.

They turned up within 30 minutes

Also, Grumpy, is it a push/pull throttle? Or Pull only? With Push pull you could have just switched the cables around. Or for 17 miles, increase idle speed and ride it gently home with clutch and brakes
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covent.gardens: lihp is my most favourite member ever

[P.]

I once spent 5 hours in torrential rain and just above freezing conditions by the side of the A20 with no hard shoulder when my Bandit broke down. It was a total failure of the electrical system but they still sent an RAC van out who wanted to get under my seat to check my battery.

Can't get under my seat, its broken

So he arrived after 2 hours, then 3 hours spent getting rained on and freezing cold winds blasting through my damp scrotum because I couldn't sit in his van due to health and safety.

I tend to just ditch the bike now and get the train home or something, pick up in a van or trailer later

[davebike]

Don't ditch it on a Motorway then
The police will have it recovered and charge you a Huge fee + daily storage

Dave
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Dave
NC750Xdct + others at work !
davebike1@gmail.com