Should I have tipped the recovery truck driver?
Discussion
A very long afternoon yesterday when my car broke down near Southampton and needed recovering back home to Coventry. Made the call to the AA from the side of the M27 at about 2.50pm and didn't hop out of the cab of a recovery truck and get the car put away until about 10.30pm, after various waits on both the hard shoulder (1.5 hours) and a nearby services (2.5 hours). Needless to say it was a long day.
Overall the process went smoothly if extremely slowly, but the recovery driver who actually did the run home was a great guy, very careful with my car and had a good chat the entire way home which made the drive pass quite quickly. He signed the paperwork, etc and headed on his way but I immediately felt guilty for not giving him a tenner or similar.
What's the protocol on this? Should I have tipped him? Or was he just doing his job?
Overall the process went smoothly if extremely slowly, but the recovery driver who actually did the run home was a great guy, very careful with my car and had a good chat the entire way home which made the drive pass quite quickly. He signed the paperwork, etc and headed on his way but I immediately felt guilty for not giving him a tenner or similar.
What's the protocol on this? Should I have tipped him? Or was he just doing his job?
Chicane-UK said:
A very long afternoon yesterday when my car broke down near Southampton and needed recovering back home to Coventry. Made the call to the AA from the side of the M27 at about 2.50pm and didn't hop out of the cab of a recovery truck and get the car put away until about 10.30pm, after various waits on both the hard shoulder (1.5 hours) and a nearby services (2.5 hours). Needless to say it was a long day.
Overall the process went smoothly if extremely slowly, but the recovery driver who actually did the run home was a great guy, very careful with my car and had a good chat the entire way home which made the drive pass quite quickly. He signed the paperwork, etc and headed on his way but I immediately felt guilty for not giving him a tenner or similar.
What's the protocol on this? Should I have tipped him? Or was he just doing his job?
write a nice letter to his M.D, I'm sure he would appreciate itOverall the process went smoothly if extremely slowly, but the recovery driver who actually did the run home was a great guy, very careful with my car and had a good chat the entire way home which made the drive pass quite quickly. He signed the paperwork, etc and headed on his way but I immediately felt guilty for not giving him a tenner or similar.
What's the protocol on this? Should I have tipped him? Or was he just doing his job?
Yes you should have.
Signed
An ex recovery driver...
Lol. Depends on the service and attitude delivered tbh. I always went out of my way to help people, not to get a tip, but just to make their crappy day a bit better. A drink was always appreciated mind you.
Wages in the towing trade are a bit crap now, unless you're a driver for one of the main clubs so every bit helps!
Usually, the people where you really go out of your way to help always seem to have the longest pockets! Best one was £50 for doing a wheel change quick for a guy late for a wedding. It wasn't even his!
Signed
An ex recovery driver...
Lol. Depends on the service and attitude delivered tbh. I always went out of my way to help people, not to get a tip, but just to make their crappy day a bit better. A drink was always appreciated mind you.
Wages in the towing trade are a bit crap now, unless you're a driver for one of the main clubs so every bit helps!
Usually, the people where you really go out of your way to help always seem to have the longest pockets! Best one was £50 for doing a wheel change quick for a guy late for a wedding. It wasn't even his!
If they provide exceptional service (some do) then I will. I mean for instance going out of their way eg taking me to someone to get it fixed then driving me home or solving some other kind of logistics problem that seems to be a PITA but they do it without complaining.
dave_s13 said:
It took you 8 hours to get home.
They should be tipping you!
"Don't drive so far away from home next time."They should be tipping you!
A couple years ago I was involved in an non-fault accident a fair distance from home. The recovery driver who picked the car up was a great bloke, and as it was late at night I paid for all of the refreshments on the way back.
Only cost me a few rounds of motorway services coffee but it was the least I could do as he had a hell of a return journey to look forward to - 150+ miles at 62mph...
Only cost me a few rounds of motorway services coffee but it was the least I could do as he had a hell of a return journey to look forward to - 150+ miles at 62mph...
I once had a calliper seize just outside Exeter, it took about 2 hours for the RAC man to get there... only to tell me that the calliper was seized and it would need a recovery truck. Another hour and half and the recovery truck driver turns up. By this time its about 21:00. He didn't flinch when i told him i needed to get home to Surrey. I didn't get back until about 01:30 am and he still had to drive back to tiverton!
I tipped him about £20, but it didn't actually cost me anything as the fuel to drive home would have been more than that!
I tipped him about £20, but it didn't actually cost me anything as the fuel to drive home would have been more than that!
I already have paid for the service, why should I pay extra? If a guy goes out of his normal job requirements then fair enough but otherwise no.
Contractor for greenflag damaged my car by not fitting wheel securing straps correctly and caused fabric straps to rub on lower quarters of car .
Just so other people don't have the same hassle that I had always check around the car when on the truck before journey and after, don't just sign the paperwork or electronic device until you have checked your car is not damaged or that something will not damage it.if it's dark when you get dropped off do not sign the device!!!
I was so pre occupied by the situation I failed to notice the mistake the truck driver made.
Contractor for greenflag damaged my car by not fitting wheel securing straps correctly and caused fabric straps to rub on lower quarters of car .
Just so other people don't have the same hassle that I had always check around the car when on the truck before journey and after, don't just sign the paperwork or electronic device until you have checked your car is not damaged or that something will not damage it.if it's dark when you get dropped off do not sign the device!!!
I was so pre occupied by the situation I failed to notice the mistake the truck driver made.
Last time I had to get recovered home by a lovely chap who even let me whip the front bumper off my car with his tools because it was too low to get on his truck, I gave him some kebabs and rice that the missus had made, I would have offered him a tenner but I reckon the gesture with food was somewhat better lol
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