Had one of those days where I ran out of gas (yeah, I know, my own fault) and called my roadside assistance. Figured it’d be quick, but nope—waited almost two hours for someone to show up with a can of fuel. Kinda defeats the point if you’re stranded that long, right? Am I just unlucky or is this always such a hassle for everyone else too?
Running out of gas and waiting forever for help
That sounds rough, but honestly, I’ve had similar experiences. I commute about 60 miles round trip every day, so I’ve had my fair share of roadside “adventures.” The last time I ran out of gas (which, yeah, was totally on me for pushing it), I called my insurance’s roadside assistance. They gave me an ETA of 45 minutes, but it ended up being closer to 90. I kept checking the app and it just kept updating the arrival time, which was frustrating.
I started wondering if it was just a fluke or if this is the norm. Is it a location thing? I was on a pretty busy suburban road, not out in the sticks. Maybe they just don’t have enough contractors in certain areas? Or maybe it’s worse during rush hour? I’ve noticed that when I’ve needed a tow for a dead battery or flat tire, the wait times have been all over the place—sometimes 20 minutes, sometimes over an hour.
Do you think it’s the type of service? Like, is bringing fuel lower priority than a tow or jumpstart? Or maybe it depends on which roadside assistance company you use? I’ve considered switching to AAA or even one of those pay-per-use apps, but I’m not sure if they’re any faster.
It does make you question the value of these services when you’re stuck waiting that long for something that seems pretty straightforward. I get that things happen and there are only so many drivers, but two hours for a gallon or two of gas feels excessive. Maybe I just need to stop tempting fate and fill up before the light comes on... but then again, life gets busy and sometimes you just forget.
Curious if anyone’s actually had a quick response for this kind of thing, or if it’s just always a gamble.