Emergency Road Service July 17, 2021, 03:33:39 pm Emergency Roadside ServiceI see that about a month ago there was a thread on emergency roadside service. Years ago, I had Good Sam and was very displeased with them, so I switched to Coachnet. The other day I went to my RV storage facility to retrieve my car and to park the LD. After parking it I decided to straighten out the LD better and accidently locked myself out. My purse with documents and cash were locked in the LD. I had lockout service with Coachnet. After calling them and being placed on hold for some time and finally reaching an operator, I was told they would call me back. They called and said it would be three hours before someone would come. I waited two hours. I then received a call from the lock service people and was told that it would be six hours. They were located in a congested area in NY hours away from where I was located in NJ by the PA border. They said they would be there at 11:30 PM! I told them that was unacceptable. My son called Coachnet and we were placed on a three-way phone call. This operator was apologetic and said that she would get someone over very soon and not to worry. She said we would receive a call shortly. There was no call back. I called Coachnet very early the next morning. They arranged for a local lock service to come within the hour. I was in the suburbs and not in an isolated area. I don’t know why they didn’t get someone local right away. I don’t know what I would have done if I hadn’t had my car with me. Now I am thinking of switching to the Escapees road service, but am wondering if they are any better than Coachnet. Any thoughts?Monica2017 Mid-Bath
Re: Emergency Road Service Reply #1 – July 17, 2021, 04:00:40 pm Monica,Not a good experience that’s for sure. I’ve locked myseyout of our rig at the mechanic stupidly leaving the keys in ignition and cab doors locked and then locking the coach door when exiting. Just a stupid error on my part. Fortunately, my daughter was home but unfortunately my cell phone was locked in the rig and I couldn’t remember her cell number. I called our house number and all worked out. My mechanic and I just looked at each other and shrugged our shoulders.Two things I learned from that lesson: Don’t do that. And always carry a spare cab key in my wallet. I also carry Coach-Net and they have always been super responsive to my needs even with our regular vehicles. On top of that I carry AAA RV insurance and roadside assistance as a backup.These emergency services are vital but they are not the only ones who can “pick” a lock. In my area this stuff happens all the time.For me, it’s important not to put all my eggs in one basket.Sorry for your trouble. Hope me experience serves you well.Kent
Re: Emergency Road Service Reply #2 – July 17, 2021, 07:10:02 pm A past RV (LD) I was working on, I found a spare door key hanging on a hook to one side of the refrigerator coils in back. Access to that door didn't require a key. So that works pretty well. RonB
Re: Emergency Road Service Reply #3 – July 17, 2021, 08:29:55 pm "...leaving the keys in ignition and cab doors locked and then locking the coach door when exiting..."I'm missing something here, how is it possible to lock the coach door, unless you have exited from the cab with the coach door already locked? I could swear that it's not possible to lock the coach door from the outside without the aid of a key!
Re: Emergency Road Service Reply #4 – July 17, 2021, 09:33:47 pm On mine, the lower (handle) lock can be locked by standing outside and reaching inside without using a key, potentially locking yourself out of the coach. Ask me how I know!
Re: Emergency Road Service Reply #5 – July 17, 2021, 10:14:15 pm "...the lower (handle) lock can be locked by standing outside ..."Not sure why anyone would purposely do that but to each his own. I'm imagining that once the lever is thrown to 'lock' the striker will retract as the door is closed then move forward to a locked position. That still does not account for the deadbolt which will need a key.
Re: Emergency Road Service Reply #6 – July 17, 2021, 10:28:08 pm Quote from: Kent Heckethorn - July 17, 2021, 04:00:40 pmAnd always carry a spare cab key in my wallet. That trick has served me well in the past.
Re: Emergency Road Service Reply #7 – July 18, 2021, 01:11:50 am Quote from: Kent Heckethorn - July 17, 2021, 04:00:40 pmTwo things I learned from that lesson: Don’t do that. And always carry a spare cab key in my wallet. I also carry Coach-Net and they have always been super responsive to my needs even with our regular vehicles.Consider getting creative and hiding a key so nobody but you can find it.Hint, a magnetic key holder, hidden under the rear bumper is an instant fail.Good experiences with Coach-Net so far.Larry
Re: Emergency Road Service Reply #8 – July 18, 2021, 07:39:02 am Hello Monica. As you probably already know, Coach-Net and most of the other emergency road services rely on local companies. And of course, some are excellent and others are terrible. I've never heard of a roadside service that was without someone having a problem.We have Coach-Net and while traveling in the middle of nowhere, we stopped at a rest stop. An older Korean gentleman and his wife approached us with a fanbelt in hand and in limited English, asked for our help. (This couple had bought a wreck of a very old Class C to travel around the country.) I called Coach-Net and explained their situation and Coach-Net gave me three (3) phone numbers from their list of providers. We stayed until one of the services agreed to help them.We've not needed roadside assistance, but we continue to have Coach-Net because someday we might. Hope this helps. 2 Likes
Re: Emergency Road Service Reply #9 – July 18, 2021, 11:40:55 am Not sure what actually transpired in my case. I was having my cat strap installed and must have set my keys/phone on the dash.Stepped through the cab (why I locked the doors is beyond everyone) grabbed the kit and placed it on the passenger seat then exited the coach door. I locked the lower lock (no key needed) to keep anyone walking by from entering (stupid mistake) anyway I made several mistakes that morning, however I did get the cat 🐈 strap installed so it all worked out.Not everything I do is genius grade...obviously.Kent 2 Likes
Re: Emergency Road Service Reply #10 – July 18, 2021, 12:03:05 pm Quote from: Kent Heckethorn - July 18, 2021, 11:40:55 amNot everything I do is genius grade...obviously.Genius grade! In my case try dumb and dumber. I have an amazing talent for making any 30 minute job an all day event. Genius Grade … maybe in the next life 😇. Who am I kidding!! Probably not even then. 1 Likes
Re: Emergency Road Service Reply #11 – July 18, 2021, 12:35:27 pm "...we continue to have Coach-Net because someday we might."---Yes. Pretty much the same for all types of "insurance", right!?
Re: Emergency Road Service Reply #12 – July 18, 2021, 05:49:42 pm For various reasons we have been locked out of cars and RVs. With our RVs the first time was the last. We either hid a door key only some where we could retrieve it on the vehicle. Now with our 98~MB we have a Kidde AccessPoint KeySafe hidden with the house door keys in it. We can share its location with our sons or some guest who needs to get in and lost their key. Its also nice to have if you are out of reception area and have lost your key skiing, hiking or in the water etc.We have have had many good experiences with Coach net but the last two were subpar and we were left stranded twice and had to get service without contract. We now have reimbursement insurance and AAA but are looking for something better. Karen~Liam 98 ~ MB NinA
Re: Emergency Road Service Reply #13 – July 18, 2021, 06:03:52 pm Locking the keys inside with the engine running is a sure winner. 🥴 At least it wasn’t the LD. — Jon
Re: Emergency Road Service Reply #14 – July 18, 2021, 09:26:38 pm Quote from: rvhiker22 - July 17, 2021, 03:33:39 pm. They arranged for a local lock service to come within the hour. I was in the suburbs and not in an isolated area. I don’t know why they didn’t get someone local right away. I don’t know what I would have done if I hadn’t had my car with me. Now I am thinking of switching to the Escapees road service, but am wondering if they are any better than Coachnet. Any thoughts?Monica2017 Mid-BathMonica I was sorry to hear you had a bad experience with Coachnet. It sounds like you and Coachnet had a bad day. I have had two positive experiences with them and would not be without their services.A couple thoughts about your experience. One is that I think they probably have more emergency service providers for roadside assistance than they have locksmiths on call. The other thing is that you can usually get help from someone nearby or local law enforcement for help getting into a locked vehicle.My method of dealing with being locked out was to hide a key to a storage compartment and hide a door entry key (NOT the ignition key) in one of the storage compartments. It seems that almost every RV has the same lock for the storage compartments and even if I needed to twist off one of those locks it would not be that big of a deal to replace. We have had to disable our electric door locks to prevent our attack cat from locking us out or unlocking the doors while we are away.Safe travels,Steve K
Re: Emergency Road Service Reply #15 – July 19, 2021, 12:41:58 pm Thank you for all your helpful responses. I guess I'll give Coachnet another try and be more careful about being locked out. I'll get an extra key. Monica2017 Mid-Bath 1 Likes
Re: Emergency Road Service Reply #16 – July 20, 2021, 11:07:51 am I used Progressive Insurance roadside assistance for a tire blowout a few weeks ago and it was a pretty negative experience. The blowout was at 4PM and I arrived at the repair shop at 11 Pm. Could have been worst, I had lots of food in refrigerator, TV and bathroom. There were 10 or so additional phone calls to get their attention. They rely on an automated system that fails if local suppliers do not accept the job. Then you needed to call back in and start over. This is for sure COVID related as most towing companies have really downsized with so few drivers. And now all at once everybody is driving again, and many with vehicles that need repairs and are breaking down. I had requested to go to Discount Tire and agreed to tow operator’s closer service recommendation of a commercial repair facility. In the morning, I get an angry phone call from owner claiming he does not work on RVs. He would not even change to spare tire to get me down the road. On the positive side, I called Progressive and using the same open request to tow again at no charge. It all worked out in the end. I’m guessing this would have cost $500 plus for tow had I paid for it. It’s just a bad time to judge any business that is just coming back ater Pandemic and service will improve.
Re: Emergency Road Service Reply #17 – July 20, 2021, 11:42:23 am "I had requested to go to Discount Tire and agreed to tow operator’s closer service recommendation of a commercial repair facility."---I suspect that this "service facility misdirection" might be pretty common, and in my experience, it is not new. The fuel pump on my Toyota (Dolphin) failed; at the time, I had road service from Good Sam. The tow truck operator said that he had been told by the dispatcher to tow the rig to the local "RV repair shop". I said no; the "RV repair shop" knows squat about a Toyota fuel pump; tow it to the Toyota dealer up the freeway. The fellow was not happy, even though the Toyota shop was closer than the other, but he did it. One might speculate on the "motivations" involved. 1 Likes
Re: Emergency Road Service Reply #18 – July 20, 2021, 12:28:00 pm I have been locked out a couple of times. My coach door will sometimes come off the plastic holder when the wind blows a certain way. It slams shut and if it shuts hard enough , the lock button gets pushed in enough to lock the door. If my front doors are locked, I'm screwed. Luckily for me, I usually leave one of my windows unlocked.I just slide it open enough to get my butt into the RV, I use the side with the couch to make my tumble in a bit easier and less painful.Lessons learned from years on the road.
Re: Emergency Road Service Reply #19 – July 20, 2021, 12:55:27 pm And I gave up on road services when I started boondocking with my buddy about 5 years ago.He has saved my butt a couple of times over the years now, making having a friend around invaluable.His three dogs have allowed me into the pack, which is another bonus.
Re: Emergency Road Service Reply #20 – July 20, 2021, 01:29:29 pm Quote from: Jota - July 20, 2021, 12:28:00 pmI have been locked out a couple of times. Find a good spot to hide a door key, make it invisible to any thieves looking for a spare key.I keep cut down keys for my vehicles in my wallet.One problem with newer vehicles with keyless ignition, the type with a "Start" button. It's a very expensive proposition to have a spare FOB hidden somewhere. I don't have a solution to this yet.Larry
Re: Emergency Road Service Reply #21 – July 20, 2021, 02:40:43 pm "The tow truck operator said that he had been told by the dispatcher to tow the rig to the local "RV repair shop". I said no; the "RV repair shop" knows squat about a Toyota fuel pump; tow it to the Toyota dealer up the freeway. The fellow was not happy, even though the Toyota shop was closer than the other, but he did it. "Smart tow truck driver. Who would want to get into a disagreement with Joan? Not me!Harold
Re: Emergency Road Service Reply #22 – July 20, 2021, 03:34:01 pm Harold, you know that I am really just a sweet-natured old woman, and not at all starchy! 2 Likes
Re: Emergency Road Service Reply #23 – July 20, 2021, 09:55:33 pm I've said enough about CoachNet Roadside Assistance over the years, but will just add a little: I have used CoachNet so many times I can't remember them all, since my coverage for over a decade includes everything I drive, both in Alaska and on the road. I've had battery jumps, tire repairs, door locks (which, by the way, many taxi cab companies can also open), towing of cars, trucks and trailers. When I have a prefernce I give them the contact phone and information for my chosen shop and they happily use them. Some tow jobs have been over 100 miles, with no charge or hassle. They call back fast to be sure everything went okay, and ask for my feedback which I appreciate. I wouldn't live without them. Yes, there has been a time or two when someone didn't follow through, but a second call fixed it fast. In my opinion that happens everywehere since I can verify as an employer that it's often hard to get good help. Kristin 5 Likes
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