"Had a similar issue once where the AAA truck couldn't fit into a tight roadside spot."
Haha, been there... had a flat in a tiny downtown alley once and the tow guy looked at me like I'd asked him to parallel park a spaceship. Maybe smaller trucks would help response times?
Smaller trucks might help in tight spots, but wouldn't that mean they'd have to keep a bigger fleet overall? Could drive up costs or membership fees. I had a similar experience once—got stuck in a parking garage with a dead battery, and the AAA guy had to lug a portable jump starter all the way up three levels. Felt bad for him, but it worked out. Maybe they could just equip drivers with more portable gear for tricky locations?
Portable gear definitely seems like the smarter solution here. Smaller trucks might help occasionally, but you're right—maintaining a larger fleet would inevitably bump up costs, and guess who'd end up footing that bill? Equipping drivers with compact jump starters or portable tire inflators could be a cost-effective middle ground. I've seen roadside assistance providers increasingly using these portable kits, and honestly, they're pretty reliable nowadays. Seems like a win-win: easier for the drivers, quicker for us, and keeps membership fees reasonable.
Yeah, portable gear does seem like a solid compromise. I've had AAA come out a couple times, and the last guy who helped me used one of those compact jump starters—worked like a charm. But I wonder how they'd handle bigger issues, like if your battery's completely dead or there's a more serious tire blowout? Still, keeping costs down makes sense, and if these portable kits speed things up, I'm all for it.
Yeah, those portable jump starters are handy for quick fixes, but they're not gonna cut it when you're dealing with a completely drained battery or something more serious. If your battery's totally dead, you'll usually need a proper bench charge or replacement—those little handheld units aren't built for sustained charges. For example, on my '68 Mustang, I once had a battery go completely flat after sitting through winter. Tried one of those portable jumpers... no dice. Had to pull the battery, hook it up to a real charger overnight, and then reinstall.
Same goes for tire issues. Sure, AAA can swap a spare pretty easily, but if you're running vintage tires or specialized rims (like many classic car owners), you're better off carrying your own gear—like a full-size spare, proper jack, and tire iron. AAA is great for convenience, but the days of them handling every roadside emergency from start to finish are probably behind us. Best to keep a decent set of tools and some basic know-how ready in the trunk, just in case.
