AAA-Akron Auto Club & Travel Agencies

I have been a member of AAA on and off for decades. Breaks normally occurred during transfer from duty station to duty station or moving after I was medically discharged as I settled into life as a civilian after 17 years as a U.S. Marine. Countless times I have relied upon service that AAA has provided, particularly when I was traveling cross country for a trip home on leave or permanent change of duty stations (and being a woman alone on the road for a week/​weeks can be a challange).
I am now married and settled down near Akron Ohio. After getting married, I joined AAA again and insured my husband was a member as well.
Last night, my husband, ran out of gas on the way home from working 2^nd shift. At 11:51 he called AAA Akron Emergency Road Service. He was told that service would be on it’s way with two gallons of gas. While he was waiting, an Oakwood Police Crusier stopped by to assist (as he was on a major highway in the middle of the night and stranded) but Chris insisted that AAA was on it’s way.
At 12:54 a.m. he called again because he was still not assisted. «Help is on the way with gas» is what he was told.
At 1:25 a.m. he called again, because he was still not assisted. «We don’t know what is taking them so long, but help is on the way with gas» was said.
At 1:30, he finally called the Oakwood Police back for assistance, which arrived at approximately 1:30 a.m.
At 1:30 a.m. the tow truck arrived, shortly after the arrival of the police cruiser. WITHOUT GAS.
The tow truck insisted on towing his car to a gas station. They lifted his car by the front end and towed him to Get Go Gas Station in Twinsburgh, Ohio.
After my husband filled up and began to continue home, he noticed his speedometer no longer functioned.
At 2 a.m. there was little choice but to drive home and estimate (aka: GUESS) his speed along the way.
After being apprised of the situation this a.m. by a very exhausted husband, I went to work to resolve this situation. Christopher has never been a member of AAA until this point, so my insistence when we were married that we join was met with reluctance. I was not going to allow the AAA decision to go down in flames from one bad experience.
This morning, I called «Bob» at 330−762−0631 and was referred to Kevin Thomas with AAA in Akron to get this situation resolved. I was instructed to «drive the car and get it fixed» and «everything was done properly by the tow place, this is not their fault.» I asked where the AAA has an approved auto repair shop, and was instructed to use Joe’s Auto in Stow Ohio. Of course, I was reminded, that this is not AAA problem and that the year span of Monte Carlo that my husband has «has a history of problematic speedometer problems.»
So, here we sit. taking our car to an auto repair place, after my husband was stranded for almost two hours on a highway, only to NOT have gas delivered, but to have his car towed to a place to get gas, only to have find his speedometer is no longer functional — magically — after a tow that should have never happened.
Here’s the rub: You left my husband stranded on a interstate, just outside of a construction zone, in the middle of the night, for hours. He could have been hurt. A police officer wanted to assist, but my husband insisted, because I TRUSTED AAA, that help was on the way.
Nobody may ever apologize, or even recognize that we were wronged in this situation, but you need to to hear this: SHAME ON YOU for MISPLACED TRUST. Misplaced trust could have cost him his life and have probably resulted in repairs from a tow that should have never happened. He shouldn’t have waited for your help, but he listened to me because I trusted AAA.
Shame on you.
P. S. the damage caused to the car was confirmed to be from the tow truck. FAIL, again.