The Kindness of Strangers and the RAC

I went to Plymouth today to see my team and had to drive as the trains were non existent.  Coming back didn't go to plan as, about 1/3rd of the way back, the car misfired and an alarming warning popped up on the dashboard.  I considered ignoring it, after all the spanner was 'only' in amber, but the red words STOP were not easily ignorable.

Fortunately I was about 1 km from a fuel station so stopped at Shell South Brent service station and opened the car manual.  The handbook was telling me, very clearly, not to drive the car anywhere so I rang the RAC.  Once I was in their queue - it looked to be a 90 minute wait - I got myself organised.  I had coffee, water and two phones (both work and personal), a charger, and a laptop.   I had a magazine to read, toilets and a Costas machine in the service station.  I was sorted.

I stuck my head into the service station to tell them I was settling in for a while, and the lady was lovely saying it was a 24/7 station so I could stay all night.  It didn't look hopeful for fixing the car (said the RAC text which popped up on my phone).  But I had company in the form of a motorcyclist having a coffee break.  During our chat he asked me how far I had to go, "about 60 km," I responded. "Hmmm, you're not English are you?" he mused.  Admittedly I don't have a Devon accent but I was curious why he thought that, "it's just that you said kilometres," he answered!

I popped into the service station for the toilet and to grab a coffee which the lovely cashier wouldn't let me pay for ;-)  As I returned an RAC van had turned up.  He pointed out that he wasn't the van due to rescue me, but he was closer so popped over.  Then a couple of minutes later 'my' RAC van turned up so I had a double whammy of RAC assistance, and I only had an hour's wait. 

They diagnosed a misfiring cylinder (or so they think) and deemed me "probably OK' to drive home. 

 

 

However, to make sure I got back OK, I was shadowed by one of the guys all the way back to the Ottery turn off from the A303.  If I was losing power I'd have pulled off and he'd have moved onto his Plan B.  As it was, the car was a little edgy, and misfired a few times, but not so much that I needed to stop.  I'll certainly admit that when driving a slightly dodgy car, having an RAC van trailing you is certainly a great feeling!  I was mighty pleased to get back, though, and realise I'd been clenching my jaw all the way back.

Anyway, car is parked up and will only be going as far as the garage on its next outing.  I'm off to Cardiff tomorrow but fortunately I too have a Plan B in the form of JC's Mazda.  Thanks to everyone.