AA breakdown patrols on Christmas day
AA will be available to fix cars on Christmas day
AA patrols will be out and about today for any motorist who may need them. As with every other year, once again the AA will be available to assist any stranded members. Director of Consumer Affairs for the AA, Conor Faughnan said:
“Of course the roads are very busy in the run-up to Christmas but you would be surprised how many people are on the move on the day itself.”
“Every year there are people getting the kids across to Granny, or making the trip to Mass, and suddenly they are stuck. It is quiet compared to a normal day of course but it is lovely for us; we are very proud to be there for people at Christmas.”
The AA Rescue team will be working 24/7 over the Christmas period and they expect the season to be fairly busy as well.
As we know, most garages are closed for a number of days over the Christmas period, so the AA is reminding motorists of the importance of carrying spare tyres, jump leads and other rescue equipment, if they are not AA Members.
One member of the AA team that will be out and about when we are all lounging at home is Alfie Coyne, who is an AA patrol team member who will be on duty over the Christmas. He says:
“It’s easy to get a flat battery this time of year. Flat batteries and keys locked in the car are likely to see the most call-outs. You have the radio and heating on, and perhaps a device plugged into the car lighter. You leave everything on as you run in to drop off a present but that quick Christmas visit turns into a long one and before you know it, the battery dies. Thankfully we can easily jump start a car and we carry spare batteries if they need to be replaced.”
Winter is the busiest time of year for AA Patrols but if the weather is bad, it can really increase the number of call-outs for the Automobile Association. Alfie remembers back to the extremely harsh winter of 2010:
“We were so busy during the big snow, there were cars that wouldn’t start in the cold and so many cars stuck in ditches. Our main problem was driving between jobs. It’s lucky we’re in vans so that we could get around but we still had to take it easy, it was dangerous.”
“Every Christmas, I help at least one person who has managed to lock their keys in the boot whilst taking out the Christmas presents,”
“Christmas Eve is a busy one for parents with children, so we tend to prioritise panicked parents who have managed to lock their keys and all the presents in the car. You’d be surprised how many people it happens to. The best part for me is after I’ve unlocked the car, they’re always so thankful.”
Alfie has worked for the AA for almost 40 years and likes being out on the road.
“You get to meet new people and every day is different. There is nothing like the satisfaction you get from helping people when they’re really stuck.”
Winter-time sees all sorts of things looking for shelter from the cold. On one call-out a few days ago, Alfie was talking to one motorist who had installed electronic pest repellents at his home. The electronic repellent system scared the mice away alright with ultrasonic waves, but they fled the house and nested in the engine of his car.
“You get some really odd jobs at Christmas but this was certainly a first for me. I carefully re-housed the mice in a nearby field and then checked over the engine to make sure the little mice hadn’t chewed on anything but thankfully it was fine.”
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Justin Kavanagh
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