| It may seem normal in the 21st century to have a | | | | up with other commercial vehicles, but they have |
| recovery service of breakdown cover company | | | | done a good job at that. Even 25 years ago, you can |
| attend your car and then transport it back home or | | | | see vans with nothing much more than a winch and a |
| to anywhere in the UK as part of your agreement. | | | | hook hanging from the vehicle. Now modern |
| You also may think that as the two top breakdown | | | | recovery vehicles are fitted with hydraulic machinery, |
| cover organisations have been attending breakdowns | | | | electrics and pro power to make breakdown |
| and supporting their members for over 100 years | | | | recovery just that bit easier, although no one is |
| now, that this recovery service has been around | | | | saying the actual job is easy. |
| right through the golden years of motoring, but you | | | | In fact every year now there is what is called the |
| would be wrong. | | | | "Tow Show" in the UK, where manufacturers and |
| In fact the breakdown recovery service only became | | | | retailers come together to show all the latest |
| part of the service offered from the early seventies, | | | | equipment, machinery, tools and recovery vehicles |
| as before that only roadside assistance was given. | | | | available, dedicated to those in the recovery business. |
| Roadside assistance is where an engineer will attend | | | | You can find out more information about the "Tow |
| your vehicle, attempt to repair the fault, but then if it | | | | Show" Online. Every year the show becomes more |
| can't be fixed by the roadside, it will be then at | | | | and more hi tech, to deal with the increased |
| most, towed to a local garage. This was in fact the | | | | professional demand. There is an argument that the |
| only service being offered by the motoring clubs right | | | | modern car is more reliable than ever, but it still does |
| up until the early seventies when another major | | | | not prevent the breakdowns or even car accidents |
| breakdown cover organisation started trading, | | | | that these breakdown recovery personnel often |
| National Breakdown. | | | | have to attend to. |
| So it's quite astonishing to imaging that the recovery | | | | Now if you breakdown and you have a policy with a |
| service has only been around for less than 40 years | | | | breakdown cover company, you can have you car |
| and that most of the technology has needed to be | | | | winched on the back of the recovery vehicle and |
| created or invented in that timescale. Actually when | | | | actually sit in your own car as it is transported with |
| you look back at the old vintage photos of the RAC | | | | you, to any chosen location in mainland UK. There is |
| and AA, you never saw a vehicle that looked like a | | | | little chance of your car front wheels being lifted of |
| recovery vehicle. Just cars, small vans and even | | | | the ground and your car being towed, whilst you |
| Norton motorcycles, their role was to attempt to get | | | | huddle next to the recovery vehicle driver. |
| your car started and small repairs nothing else. | | | | Professional is the word for modern breakdown |
| Breakdown recovery vehicles have had to play catch | | | | recovery in the 21st century. |