I still get nervous about breaking down somewhere super remote, but hearing stories like yours makes me feel a little less alone in that.
Honestly, I don’t trust AAA like I used to. If you’re worried about getting stuck, here’s what I do: keep a portable jump starter, a real spare tire (not just the donut), and a couple gallons of water in the trunk. Don’t count on cell service—download offline maps ahead of time. It’s not perfect, but it beats waiting hours for a tow that might not show.
I get where you’re coming from, but honestly, I’ve had the opposite experience a couple times. My last breakdown was in the middle of nowhere—literally no cell signal, and my portable jump starter was dead because I forgot to charge it (rookie mistake). Ended up flagging down a rancher after walking for miles.
I still keep some gear in the trunk, but I don’t totally write off AAA. Their response time’s been slow lately, but they’ve bailed me out when nothing else worked. Maybe it just depends on where you are or who’s on call that day. I guess my point is, backup plans are great, but sometimes you just need a bit of luck... or a friendly stranger passing by.
Yeah, I get that—sometimes it really does come down to luck or just being in the right place at the right time. A few thoughts from my end:
- Definitely agree on keeping some gear in the trunk. I’ve got a jump starter, tire inflator, and a few basic tools, but I’m guilty of letting them run out of juice too.
- AAA’s response time is all over the place. In the city, I’ve had them show up in 30 minutes. Out in rural areas? Two hours plus, easy.
- One thing I noticed: some roadside plans (including AAA) rely on local contractors, and their availability seems to be a total roll of the dice. Sometimes you get someone super helpful, sometimes it feels like they’re doing you a favor even showing up.
- For what it’s worth, I started keeping a paper map in the glove box after getting stuck with no signal. Not high-tech, but it’s better than nothing if you have to hoof it for help.
Guess there’s no perfect system. Just gotta stack the odds in your favor where you can... and hope for a friendly rancher if all else fails.
