Shane: Thanks for having me. And thanks for the shameless cross-promotion.

Host: What’s a flat tyre, Shane?

Shane: It’s a pain in the backside, that’s what. When your tyre goes flat, you can’t drive and get stuck in the middle of who-knows-where, which isn’t fun. Deflated tyres make for deflated spirits.

Host: Aw, that’s no good. What can the viewers at home do to avoid flat tyres in future?

Shane: Other than avoiding bumpy roads, they can switch their front and back tyres regularly and always make sure there’s enough air in their tyres.

(The host’s mobile phone goes off suddenly. He answers it mid-interview.)

Host: Hi, this is James from 24/7 Roadservices Australia, how can I help? Oh, you have a flat tyre in Revesby? Oh yeah, I know where that is. Do you mind holding for a sec? (The host puts the customer on hold.) Shane, I know we’re doing an interview, but do you mind changing a flat tyre on the corner of Northam Avenue and Mavis Street in Revesby?

Shane: Absolutely. Tell the customer I’ll be there in five minutes.

(The host takes the customer off hold.)

Host: Thank you for holding. The provider will be there in five minutes and we will pay for it since you bought a renewable three-star membership for only $62.10 a year, which includes flat tyre coverage.

(Shane leaves and comes back 30 minutes later.)

Shane: Sorry about that.

Host: That’s okay. So, how long does it take you to change a flat tyre?

Shane: Well, I changed that customer’s tyre in 20 minutes, but it usually takes me no more than 30.

Host: Man, that’s quick. Hey Shane, what causes a tyre to go flat?

Shane: Usually, you drive over a sharp thing, like a nail or whatever. The nail goes through the tyre, penetrates the tube on the inside and all the air comes out. Less usually, your tyre can deflate due to potholes on the road, or cuz you put too much or not enough air in the tyre.

Host: All right. Let’s do a bit of roleplay, shall we? I’m a 24/7 customer. I just drove over a nail at 3 am and my rear tyre is flat. What is the first thing I should do?

Shane: Turn on your hazard lights.

Host: Why would I do that?

Shane: So that, when I come to change your tyre, I can see where you are. It’s also a good idea to let other drivers know you’re in trouble.

Host: Okay, so I put my hazard lights on to let other people see me. What do I do after that, boss?

Shane: Next, you need to pull over to a safe location with a wide shoulder, which isn’t on a hill.

Host: Okay, so I pulled over to a safe location. What now?

Shane: You put your handbrake on to stop the vehicle from rolling. And then you call 24/7.

Host: I like that answer! So, I call 24/7 and they send you out to help me. I then give you a call. “Please help me, Shane! I’ve pulled over to a safe location and I’ve put my handbrake and hazards on! My tyre is useless! What do I do now?!”

Shane: Whatever you do, don’t drive your car.

Host: “Why not?!”

Shane: Cuz if you keep driving it, you’re gonna mess up your wheels and suspension even more and you’ll be up for even more money.

Host: “All right, I’m gonna stay put in my car until you show up.” Now, let’s fast-forward to your arrival. I’m in the car, playing chess on my phone.

Shane: “Hello there. I’m Shane, the owner of Jacked Up. I’m here to change your tyre. Do you mind getting out of the car? It isn’t safe for you to be in there while I’m changing your tyre.”

Host: “Hi Shane. Thank God you’re here! Sure, I’ll get out.” I get out of the car.

Shane: Okay, the next thing I would do is get my tools, which would include a wheel brace, wheel wedges, a jack, a piece of two-by-six-inch wood to secure the jack and a flashlight to help me locate your fully inflated and roadworthy spare tyre.

Host: Meanwhile, I’m chilling by the side of the road, watching cars pass by as I put my friend in check.

Shane: Then, I would place my handy wheel wedges in front of your front tyres to be extra sure that your car won’t roll. After that, I would use the flat end of my wheel brace to take off your balanced wheel’s hubcap. Once the hubcap is off, I’m turning the wheel nuts in your bad wheel counterclockwise to loosen them. It’s better to loosen them now when the car ain’t jacked than to loosen them later when it is, otherwise the car will roll off the jack and you or I could get seriously hurt. I won’t eradicate the wheel nuts; I’ll just give them a quarter to a half of a counter-clockwise tur–

(The host’s phone goes off again. It’s another 24/7 call-out. Shane leaves and then comes back again.)

Host: Apologies to the viewers for that second interruption. Now, Shane, where were we? Ah, you were about to jack up my car. How do you do that?

Shane: First, I would place a non-makeshift jack under your car and alongside your flat tyre. Then, I would place a small woodcut beneath your jack.

Host: And why would you do that?

Shane: To prevent your jack from settling under your car’s weight and coming off balance.

Host: Righto.

Shane: The next thing I would do is raise your car till the flat tyre’s about 5-6 inches above the ground.

Host: “Hey, Shane, what you’re doing to my car looks interesting. Do you mind if I get under the car to have a closer look?”

Shane: I only recommend doing so if you want to get crushed under your car and die.

Host: “…I’ll just continue playing chess, then.”

Shane: Once the car has been Jacked Up, I’d finish the job of unscrewing the wheel nuts with my hands. Shouldn’t take too long, since I started that job earlier. Then, I’d remove them completely. With the wheel nuts out of the way, I can remove the flat tyre and set it on its side carefully to ensure it doesn’t roll away.

Host: And then I would pick up the spare tyre and hand it to you.

Shane: Thank you, but I wouldn’t allow that. I don’t want you to get injured on my watch. No, I would pick up the spare. When doing so, I would bend my knees and keep my back straight to avoid injury. Then, I would mount the spare on your lug bolts, gently pushing until the lug bolts show through the rim. Then, I pick up the wheel nuts I removed earlier, put them on the lug bolts and tighten them with my hands by turning them clockwise.

Host: So, like with a lot of things, it’s Lefty Loosey and Righty Tighty.

Shane: That’s right.

Host: And what do you do now?

Shane: Now it’s time to lower the vehicle using the jack until the spares are on the ground. Then, I pick up my cross-wrench, since it gives me more torque than a single-handled wrench, and I use it to turn the wheel nuts clockwise with all my might so that they’re as tight as they can be. Then, I push down on the wheel brace and lower the vehicle completely. Once all of the car’s weight is on the spare, I remove the jack slowly. Then, just for good measure, I would tighten all the wheel nuts with my cross-wrench again.

Host: “Ah, looks like you’re all done. Good timing, since I just checkmated my opponent.”

Shane: Hang on, I’m not done just yet. I have to put the hubcap back on. I’ll put the hubcap on, in the same way, I pulled it off. Then, I’ll put my wheel brace, wheel wedges and jack back in my car and put your punctured tyre in yours. Okay, now we’re done.

(The host’s phone goes off for the third time. Shane drives off to another suburb in Sydney to change someone’s flat tyre and then comes back again.)

Host: Welcome back, Shane. Okay, so the roleplay’s over, but our viewers still need to know: what do they do once you have changed their tyre?

Shane: You need to take your flat to a technician. Remember, unless your spare is identical to the tyre it’s replacing, it’s only going to be a temporary fix. When you’re on your way to the technician, drive carefully. Keep your speed below 80 kilometres per hour, since spares aren’t designed for long distances or high speeds. Otherwise, your spare’s going to fail and you’ll need to call 24/7 again.

Host: And what happens when our customer gets to the tyre shop?

Shane: At the tyre shop, a professional will figure out if the flat should be replaced or repaired. And then it will be replaced or repaired.

Host: Brilliant. Now, what is your answer to a viewer at home who’s thinking, “Changing a tyre doesn’t sound too hard. Why call 24/7 when I could do it all myself?”

Shane: Look, I recommend changing your tyre if you know what you’re doing. And, frankly, most people don’t know what they’re doing. Why risk hurting yourself – or even dying – when you can call a trained professional like me who takes your safety very seriously? There’s a reason I get paid to do this and you don’t.

Host: Good point, Shane. But now viewers might be wondering why you just spent a lot of time telling them how to change their tyre if you don’t want them to do it themselves.

Shane: Because I’m trying to show them how hard it is to do it themselves. The ultimate goal here is to convince the viewers to let 24/7 handle it.

Host: So, this whole interview is just an elaborate scheme to generate more business 24/7. That’s good to know. How would you describe your relationship with 24/7?

Shane: You guys treat me well. You give me a lot of jobs, which I’m thankful for. You’re loyal to me so I’m loyal to you.

Host: Unfortunately, we are out of time. I’d like to thank Shane for doing three call-outs and an interview for us tonight. And thanks to you, the viewer, for tuning in. Now it’s time to take some calls. The number is 1800 008 616 and the lines are open 24/7!

The post The Official Talk Show – 24/7 Roadservices Australia appeared first on 247 Road Services.

About a month ago, on a Saturday morning, I packed my top-notch espresso machine in my brand-new Volkswagen and off I went. After about three hours of driving northeast, I pulled into a cafe in Beechworth. (You see, I like to see how I measure up against my competitors. Their coffee was rubbish, by the way.) I got back in my VW and tried to start it and…nothing. The car was turning over, but it wouldn’t start. Uh oh. I was supposed to spend the weekend with my folks and now I’m stuck in a town with bad coffee! What a nightmare. I was about to call my mum to have a whinge when I suddenly saw that 24/7 Roadservices Australia key tag out of the corner of my eye. Hallelujah! Thank you, Lord!

I called up 24/7 straight away and asked for help. The folks at 24/7 are up in Newcastle, you see, and they’re a nice bunch. The lovely woman speaking to me said that because I got a five-star membership, she can get me towed to my parents’ place free of charge. Sick! About five minutes later, I got a call from 24/7 saying that a tow truck would l be there in 50 minutes. “Noice,” I thought. While I waited, I looked for a repairer in Albury. Then, right on time, the tow truck showed up and they loaded my car. Then, I hopped in the truck with the driver and we had a lively tennis debate while crossing the Murray. (He thought Nadal was better than Federer, which is incorrect.)

Once the car was unloaded safely at my parents’ house in Albury, I thanked the driver and got out. When I told Dad my car broke down, he shrugged and said, “Get over it,” in his typically blunt way. That’s my dad for ya. Anyway, I spent the weekend making coffee for my parents with my espresso machine, while Dad sat on the couch and criticized my life choices. On Monday morning, I called up my friends 24/7 again and requested a tow to an Albury workshop. This was, again, free of charge. While I waited for the truck, I called up my boss in Melbourne and told her I can’t make awesome coffees today because my car’s broken. The tow truck arrived right on time again and took me to the workshop.

After two hours of diagnosing my Volkswagen, the mechanic said my ECU needs to be replaced with a brand new one, which is gonna take four days to arrive from overseas. Immediately, I hired a car from Budget for four days at $90 per day and used it to get to and from work on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. On Friday, the repairer called me on my lunch break and said the ECU’s been replaced, so I had Mum pick the car up and take it back to hers. Then, on Friday night, I went back to Albury to pick the car up, dropped off the rental car and made it home to Melbourne by lunchtime on Saturday. My Volkswagen was back in my garage and my warranty company paid for the repair! Not to mention, I sent my car hire invoice to admin@247roadservices.com.au and got my $360 back very quickly! I only lost one day of work from all this and I didn’t have to pay a single cent, so 24/7 turned what could have been a disaster into a minor inconvenience.

I dunno about you, but I’m a scared person who wants to feel safe. So, for those of you planning a road trip, I’ll share a few safety tips I picked up from my trip to Albury. First of all, get a 24/7 membership right now! I’m telling you, man. They’re the best. They don’t just pay for tows and rental cars. If your car breaks down hundreds of miles away from your house as mine did, and if you got a five-star membership as I do, you can spend $700 at a hotel and 24/7 will give it all back if the repair takes more than two days. If you have an accident, not only could they pay for all your accommodation fees, they might be able to cover your ambulance fees as well.

Don’t drive a car that ain’t roadworthy. Get it serviced and check your tyre pressure. And please remember to follow basic safety rules on the road when driving. Keep your seatbelt on at all times. Stay away from flooded roads or areas with a lot of bushes on hot days. Make sure your car isn’t too close to the car in front, and don’t overtake them if there’s a car coming, or the line between both lanes ain’t dashed. Turn off your high beam around other cars, or they might crash into your car and kill you. Oh, and watch out for those bloody kangaroos, or they’ll jump out in front of your car at 4 AM and become actual bloody kangaroos.

Do your homework. Using GPS technology, find out in advance where all the fuel stations and dangerous roads are. If you do run out of fuel, call 24/7. At each fuel station, you stop at, make sure you clean your hands, avoid viruses in bathrooms and stock up on food and drinks. You mustn’t forget to pack a first-aid kit since you can get sick or injured out there. You can also be the victim of a crime, so listen to your gut and stay alert.

The travel journal above is fictional and written for promotional purposes.

The post Safety Road Trip – William’s Travel Journal appeared first on 247 Road Services.

What are Roadside Services?  

Roadside services are service programs offered to assist motorists suffering automotive breakdowns. While the services vary, most road side assist plans to provide aid with flat tyres, dead batteries, out-of-fuel and towing for mechanical/electrical breakdowns. Roadside assistance’s primary goal is to get distressed drivers back on the road as swiftly as possible.  

The inclusion of roadside assistance as a rider on a car insurance policy or as a paid membership through a service provider is common.

Drivers who join roadside assistance organizations such as 24/7 Roadservices Australia pay an annual subscription fee for comprehensive roadside help services. A common inclusion in insurance policies is roadside assistance, which is a separate fee from your insurance premiums.

Along with aid for simple roadside problems such as lockouts and flat tyres, roadside assistance NSW programs charge a fee for extra benefits. This includes travel features that prolong the driver’s roadside assistance australia insurance.

What Does Roadside Services Cover?  

Roadside assistance includes various repair work, so, it’s essential to understand what services you’re getting when you join. Most road side assist firms will cover minor concerns such as:  

Replacing a flat tyre  

You can contact your roadside assistance provider if you get a flat tyre while travelling and can’t find a mobile mechanic close to changing the spare tyre. They will dispatch a tow truck to fix the flat tyre and get you back on the road!  

Dead battery replacement (Or) Jumpstarting

If your car battery dies, you will be stranded. However, this can be rectified quickly by a jumpstart or battery replacement getting you back on your way in no time. Not sure how to change a flat tyre, road side assistance can do this for you as long as you have a roadworthy spare tyre. Simple fixes to inconvenient problems. When you need it most, road side assist is there for you.

Towing  

If you have a mechanical or electrical breakdown that can’t be rectified on the side of the road, you can seek assistance for towing getting you to a repairer or place of safety, within your plans towing allowance. 

Out of Fuel 

If you are out and run out of fuel (unleaded petrol or standard diesel), roadside assistance australia can be dispatched to bring you fuel, within your plan’s limits. If you have an electric or LPG vehicle, Roadside assistance can assist with towing, within your plan’s limits  

Recovering keys from a locked vehicle  

Locking your keys in your vehicle can be very stressful and inconvenient. Road side assistance is here to help, to gain entry to your vehicle within the limits of your plan.   

How Long does Roadside Services Assistance Take to Arrive?  

The time it takes an RSA provider to get to your area heavily depends on where your vehicle has broken down, the proximity to your location, traffic conditions and the weather. 24/7 Roadservices Australia call centres on average have your call for help answered within 40 seconds and a technician at your side within the hour.   

24/7 Roadservices Australia and its benefits  

Roadside help is a wonderful and helpful service for everybody who drives. Whether on the road for business or pleasure, something can go wrong with your car at any time. You won’t be trapped anywhere without aid if you have 24/7 Roadservices Australia for your backup!   

While there are other roadside assistance plans available throughout Australia, 24/7 Roadservices offers a variety of options. These are to satisfy the demands of two-wheelers, cars, mobility scooters, caravans, motorhomes and trailers. From an affordable price of $69 per vehicle, per year.   

You can always count on prompt rescue and assistance when you need it the most. Aside from saving you time and money, 24/7 Roadservices Australia is an excellent service to keep you safe on road.  

Conclusion  

Access to road side assistance whenever you need it can keep you safer and calmer on the road. You can concentrate on enjoying the journey when you are prepared for unexpected roadside emergencies in advance.

From flat batteries and lockouts to tyre problems and empty tanks, trust 24/7 Roadservices. We will quickly get you back on the road. We provide prompt and dependable service, dispatching assistance and repairing 90% of automobiles on the spot. 

The post What You Should Know About Roadside Services? appeared first on 247 Road Services.