A friend who's broken down

[TheBALDpuma]

The Mrs and I disagreed over this last night, so over to you lot to see what you would have done.

9:45pm last night and we were 15 minutes from the end of Good Will Hunting and then it was time to go to bed, as I had to be up at 5:15am this morning for work. I get a call from a friend who's got a flat tyre, but not got a wheel wrench to get his wheel off, and doesn't know how to change it. He's 20 minutes away minimum, plus maybe 20 minutes fixing so all in all at least an hour of my time. It's made a little worse as the day before he couldn't start his car so asked me to come and jump it - I couldn't go help for a few hours as I was at work, and by the time I could have gone to help it started (wasn't a flat battery in the end, maybe a intermittent starter motor or loose connection somewhere) and I told him he needs to get some breakdown cover! Obviously didn't take my advice!

Anyway, I really didn't want to go out, but I did. What would you have done?

[ReallyReallyGood]

I would have done the same, but he needs to be made to stop thinking you are his personal RAC recovery service.

[Hoonigan]

Go help, he's a friend after all, also I know my friends would do the same for me if needed.

[mikerons88]

It would depend on the friend but most likely wouldn't of answered my phone at that time.

One can buy breakdown cover whilst broken down

[jmorgan]

Depends on the mate. Are they the take take take or do you get favours back? You might be up that creek without a paddle one day if it is the first time and you point out the benefits of other means.

I would have voted depends with the above caveat.

[eggchaser1987]

As said. Depends on the friend, I have a couple of matesi would of gone and given a hand and a few that I would of not answered my phone too.

[R6VED]

Tricky one, although with two very small children I am often in bed before then so probably a non issue.

I would have gone out to any of my friends if i had answered though.

[wolfracesonic]

Would you go to help if he had broken down emotionally?

[TheBALDpuma]

The friend was a mate from work, who I get on well with but don't see outside of work. He's a nice guy, and not the "take take take" kind, and pretty sure he'd have done the same (not that I'd need him too as I have the knowhow, tools to change a wheel, as well as RAC cover!)

[TheBALDpuma]

wolfracesonic said:

Would you go to help if he had broken down emotionally?

Ha, no idea. Depends on why he's crying at me on the phone! I also doubt I'd be the person he'd call in this scenario - I got this call as I'm the "car guy" at work.

[Dr Interceptor]

Providing I hadn't had a beer, I'd have gone and helped.

I couldn't sleep knowing I'd left somebody stranded.

[TheBALDpuma]

Dr Interceptor said:

Providing I hadn't had a beer, I'd have gone and helped.

I couldn't sleep knowing I'd left somebody stranded.

Worst thing is, by the time I'd got there last night a passer by had stopped and was helping them out! So I got all the hassle and time wasting of going, but none of the glory for helping! Literally the worst case scenario!

[anonymous-user]

mikerons88 said:

One can buy breakdown cover whilst broken down

I tried this. I was told that I couldn't join, and then use the service immediately, I would have to have a call-out charge regardless. Over £100 too. You can't join and then call them out if your car has a pre-existing condition which means it's undriveable.

They have you over a barrel.

[Dr Interceptor]

TheBALDpuma said:

Worst thing is, by the time I'd got there last night a passer by had stopped and was helping them out! So I got all the hassle and time wasting of going, but none of the glory for helping! Literally the worst case scenario!

At least you didn't have to get your hands dirty.

[Blaster72]

TheBALDpuma said:

The friend was a mate from work, who I get on well with but don't see outside of work. He's a nice guy, and not the "take take take" kind, and pretty sure he'd have done the same (not that I'd need him too as I have the knowhow, tools to change a wheel, as well as RAC cover!)

As long as you keep going out to help he won't bother getting any breakdown cover, he sounds quite selfish and not really a nice guy.

I wouldn't dream of calling a "mate" from work that late for something so trivial.

[anonymous-user]

TheBALDpuma said:

Ha, no idea. Depends on why he's crying at me on the phone! I also doubt I'd be the person he'd call in this scenario - I got this call as I'm the "car guy" at work.

I missed this. I voted "Go and Help" but didn't realise it was a colleague. No way. "Sorry mate, too late. Get a cab or join the AA. See you in the office in the morning."

[daddy cool]

Depends on how good a friend they are, but i probably would have gone.

TheBALDpuma said:

Worst thing is, by the time I'd got there last night a passer by had stopped and was helping them out! So I got all the hassle and time wasting of going, but none of the glory for helping! Literally the worst case scenario!

...But that would have pissed me right off. I would have expected that they called as soon as alternative help was found.

[TheBALDpuma]

OpulentBob said:

I missed this. I voted "Go and Help" but didn't realise it was a colleague. No way. "Sorry mate, too late. Get a cab or join the AA. See you in the office in the morning."

He's a friend too, just because I work with him doesn't mean he's not a mate.

daddy cool said:

...But that would have pissed me right off. I would have expected that they called as soon as alternative help was found.

They called just as I got there. It was awful timing!

[LeoSayer]

Go and help.

Why miss a great opportunity for relentless piss taking?

[anonymous-user]

TheBALDpuma said:

OpulentBob said:

I missed this. I voted "Go and Help" but didn't realise it was a colleague. No way. "Sorry mate, too late. Get a cab or join the AA. See you in the office in the morning."

He's a friend too, just because I work with him doesn't mean he's not a mate.

Fair enough