Breakdown Recovery on a French Peage (Toll) Road

[Phil]

When my radiator (Fiat) sprang a big leak I pulled over onto the hard shoulder. A police car passing on the other side of the road saw us and turned at the next junction and came back to see if they could help. Seeing the problem they called the local breakdown service and in a short while a low loader arrived which winched us up onto it and took us to a Renault garage not far from the next junction.

The garage said we needed a new radiator and ordered one for us. I phoned Safeguard and told them what had happened and they spoke to the garage workshop manager. Shortly afterwards a taxi arrived and took us to a car hire firm where we were given a small car to use until the M/H was repaired.

Safeguard told us to book in to a hotel until the repair was done. I asked if we could use a nearby campsite bungalow instead as it would be more convenient as we had to empty the van of all our valuables etc. They agreed to this.

The repair took 3 days as the garage had to get the radiator from Italy.
When the van was ready to go we took the hire car back and they ordered a taxi to take us back to the garage to pick up the van.

I then had to pay the garage for the parts and labour for the repair and the cost of the recovery vehicle. I think it was around £200 altogether.

I also had to pay the campsite. I did not have to pay the taxi or the car hire firm.

When I returned home 2 months later Safeguard reimbursed my expenses promptly. Very efficient handling throughout, I can highly recommend Safeguard and the breakdown service they provide.

So a breakdown on a French Motorway is not always a bad experience.

Phil.

 

[joan]

Hi to all. We had a blow out on our rear inside offside while we were on a French motorway. We had to ring back to UK to our recovery RAC then informed us to ring 112 and inform them that we were broken down which we did, they then sent someone to see what the problem was even though we had explained that we had had a blow out. 2 French motorway well I dont know what they were arrived Oh yes you have had a blow out and we will have to get a tyre fitter out to you. 20 mins later a tyre fitter arrived by this time lucky for us we had a spare on the RV was waiting ready to be fit back on. When the tyre fitter arrived he spoke to RAC back in the UK to make sure that he was going to be payed. 10mins after he arrived the spare was on and we were hurried off the motorway to do all the paperwork as you are not allowed to do paperwork on the motorway either. Off we went following they tyre fitter to somewhere off the motorway where we got a copy of the bill 390 euro for 10mins work.I think that we are in the wrong job
Joan

 

[PeteH]

French Taking the Pea(ge)?

Hi

I had 4 19.5" R-V Tyres Fitted at a Dover Campsite last January at a total cost of £189 and some pennies. So someone (ga(r)lic) is definitely taking the pea(ge).

My "spare" Wheel is carried UNDER the centre of the chassis on an electric winched cradle, and I have a "spare" Spare Tyre Strapped to the Chassis under the front (Pusher Rig) as a backup, as 19.5R8 tyres are hard to source normally never mind in France!!.

I will check this out with RAC (arrival) to-morrow. and report back.

They (RAC) where absolutely first class when My tow bracket fractured, following a "grounding" on the ferry in France 2004, found me a garage to re- weld it and kept ringing up to check we where OK.


Pete

 

[PeteH]

Recovery Update:-

Hi

This morning, at their request, & following a telephone conversation with RAC customer services, I forwarded the text of Dicks Post to the RAC who manage the C&C "arrival" scheme; and this is the reply I got about an hour back.

Quote:-

Hi

Thanks for your email sounds quite tricky so ive done some research. I have been advised by the travel departmant that If you did happen to breakdown on one of these toll roads then we would get in contact and liase with the breakdown company who are allowed to opperate on the toll roads and get them to tow you off the toll road. Then once your off the private road we (RAC) can take over. If you do encour any costs during this keep the receipts and we can reinburse you under your RAC european cover.
Hope that helps.

Regards

Nick Smith 33123
customer service

So Thats the current position for those covered by the RAC. (other providers are available!!!)

Pete

 

[ruffingitsmoothly]

Hi to all. We had a blow out on our rear inside offside while we were on a French motorway. We had to ring back to UK to our recovery RAC then informed us to ring 112 and inform them that we were broken down which we did, they then sent someone to see what the problem was even though we had explained that we had had a blow out. 2 French motorway well I dont know what they were arrived Oh yes you have had a blow out and we will have to get a tyre fitter out to you. 20 mins later a tyre fitter arrived by this time lucky for us we had a spare on the RV was waiting ready to be fit back on. When the tyre fitter arrived he spoke to RAC back in the UK to make sure that he was going to be payed. 10mins after he arrived the spare was on and we were hurried off the motorway to do all the paperwork as you are not allowed to do paperwork on the motorway either. Off we went following they tyre fitter to somewhere off the motorway where we got a copy of the bill 390 euro for 10mins work.I think that we are in the wrong job
Joan

Sorry I don't quite understand surely if you had a spare could you not have fitted it yourselves?

Just a thought I know I did exactly that in Spain a couple of years ago!

Regards Pat

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[PeteH]

wheel changes (not)

Sorry I don't quite understand surely if you had a spare could you not have fitted it yourselves?

Just a thought I know I did exactly that in Spain a couple of years ago!

Regards Pat

I do agree, but I tried, and the REAR DUALS really need air tools to remove them, nothing I have "on board" will shift them. However I have changed the front(s) before today, using a "flogger", but you cannot get it into the dish on the rears,and the extension bar has all the "wrong" angles to apply maximum torque even if you "brace" the outside end to the ground with something.

On the trucks we have an absolutely massive Torque wrench which is pre-set to the torqe required by a Renault.which we must use if the vehicle has had wheels removed during service, and log the fact in the defect sheet.

pete.

 

[moandick]

Hey, come on YOUNG fellow, Pat - some of us in our late sixties and even early seventies just don't have the strength to 'break' wind - let alone the grip of a wheel-nut on an RV wheel - let alone carry the tools to do a tyre change - or, dare I say, even have the knowledge of how to do it anyway! And even if we could change a tyre, would we have the necessary air gun to blow it onto it's initial proper seating?

Let the proper professional repair men do it properly - but let us get some idea of a 'ball-park' figure on costs thereby removing the cowboy who overcharges for the sake of it.

I appreciate that many RV'ers are professional drivers but spare a thought for the 'odds-n-sods' who are just here for the fun of it :thumb:

 

[ruffingitsmoothly]

Hey, come on YOUNG fellow, Pat

Thank you Dick although I don't feel that young aching back and knees (Must be from changing too many wheels on trucks all over Europe)

I have a really good wheel brace and a clever little ladder sort of thing with lots of holes that the end of the brace fits into so you can really get some pressure on the brace without fear of it slipping.

On this pic of the slide out tray of the Monaco you can see it stood up against the side of the locker just below the umbrella handles next to the jack pads.

I don't think I would change the tyre on the rim although I have in the past but I would be surpised if the RV's air pressure would be enough to blow it up enough! Although I do carry an airline hose in the locker.:thumb::thumb:

Regards Pat

 

[PeteH]

wheel changes

I have a really good wheel brace and a clever little ladder sort of thing with lots of holes that the end of the brace fits into so you can really get some pressure on the brace without fear of it slipping.

Where did you get it? I would like something similar, I tried blocks of wood and an old jack.

Pete

 

[ruffingitsmoothly]

I have a really good wheel brace and a clever little ladder sort of thing with lots of holes that the end of the brace fits into so you can really get some pressure on the brace without fear of it slipping.

Where did you get it? I would like something similar, I tried blocks of wood and an old jack.

Pete

Hi Pete

I had mine from the Scania trucks that I ran, so I suppose a Scania dealer may have one or any haulier who runs Scanias, they were standard equipment on the older models, they are redundant now as I dare say due to health and safety issues drivers would not be allowed to change a wheel now, besides I don't suppose their trucks even carry spare wheels, unlike years ago where it was a necessity especially when you went all over Europe, we had them on the rear of the chassis with snow chains draped over them. Also truck breakers might have one as most were stored under the bunks and forgotten about!

Here is how it works

The end of the brace has a bit that spins inside the brace

A Scania cab/jack bar and a short scaffold tube completes the set up:thumb::thumb:


A pity you are so far away as I may have a spare one at the yard ( I will have a look today if I remember)

Regards Pat

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[MrJinks]

Breakdown recovery on French motorways

Hi

This morning, at their request, & following a telephone conversation with RAC customer services, I forwarded the text of Dicks Post to the RAC who manage the C&C "arrival" scheme; and this is the reply I got about an hour back.

Quote:-

Hi

Thanks for your email sounds quite tricky so ive done some research. I have been advised by the travel departmant that If you did happen to breakdown on one of these toll roads then we would get in contact and liase with the breakdown company who are allowed to opperate on the toll roads and get them to tow you off the toll road. Then once your off the private road we (RAC) can take over. If you do encour any costs during this keep the receipts and we can reinburse you under your RAC european cover.
Hope that helps.

Regards

Nick Smith 33123
customer service

So Thats the current position for those covered by the RAC. (other providers are available!!!)

Pete

I know that this is an old thread and the information regarding breakdown cover on French Peage motorways is well documented on here.

My question is does this still apply on non-toll motorways such as A75 Clermont to Beziers?

Would my breakdown insurer (RAC) be allowed to arrange repair/recovery for me from this or similar non-toll roads or would it still only be the motorway's own recoverers?

 

[haganap]

I know that this is an old thread and the information regarding breakdown cover on French Peage motorways is well documented on here.

My question is does this still apply on non-toll motorways such as A75 Clermont to Beziers?

Would my breakdown insurer (RAC) be allowed to recover me from this or similar non-toll roads or would it still only be the motorway's own recoverers?

Hi Garry, My understanding of the matter is this. If you break down abroad where ever it may be, the likely hood of your nearest AA man turning up in his truck aint going to happen. Your breakdown company will liaise with a local garage to rectify the situation regardless of what road you are on. If you happen to be on a toll, the only difference, will be you are attended too by one of the garages closest to your situation that is licensed to tow from auto routes.
Should you incur any charges for your recovery, this is simply passed to the company carrying out your breakdown insurance whom will reimbursable or pay for it.

 

[Wildman]

NearlyRetired said--I suspect the absence of a spare wheel is a cost saving to the manufacturer, not passed on to the customer of course.
How do you know! Please provide the facts.

what facts do you want, he said he suspected, that is a fact.

 

[Northerner]

what facts do you want, he said he suspected, that is a fact.

If you suspect something, how can it be a fact? If you know something for certain, that is a fact.

I suspect that my neighbour is a peeping tom, but I don't know it for a fact. If I caught him peeping, then it would be a fact. Or am I missing something here?