Emergency Services

[amarshall]

Crikey! It's only taken 10 years for it to become a good idea

Thanks for all the PMs. Unfortunately, I don't have the time to maintain the list. Could someone volunteer (or nominate a "volunteer") to run the scheme please ?

I'm tempted to suggest Bash since it was his post that resurrected this concept.

[bash]

Ok.
Im willing to get involved but i think we all need to think about the security of this sort of system and some strong guidelines to stop people taking the piss. we have all had experience of some very needy types on this forum that make alot of noise before discovering that what they really need to know is that they are out of thier depth in the first place, once they discover this they soon disappear from the forum. None of us want to be pestered by these types.
So, some questions need answering and some ideas put forward.
My view is that this service is a LAST RESORT SERVICE ONLY, not a source of free help / parts, once all the normal lines of getting out of trouble have been exhausted, for instance at weekends when a long way from home and you are desperate. I dont think any of us want to woken up at silly aclock in the night either.
how do we allow access to the information.
Personally I dont walk around with a alleged smart phone glued to my hand, Ive got better things to do, so any ' social media ' type of access is out because I dont think Im alone in this aspect, and cos Im an old get and its beyond my ability anyway.
Angus thinks a word doc with some basic info is the way forward, summat to keep in the glovebox perhaps.
Also, should this be restricted to people who are on the list only so that we all have some common ground on how this should be policed. Or, access to all members ? We only need one bad experience to lose someone from any such system and we need to be wary of that. On top of all that we need to keep the list up to date so regular contact will be required.
Also it needs to have a contact telephone number and a very rough guide as to where you live, nothing specific for security reasons and some common sense when it comes to replacing any valuable parts donated that are used to get someone mobile again (money / replacement with a new bit for the old 'get you moving' bit etc. This sould stop anyone thinking its a source of cheap bits )

Sorry to be so direct, but we need some feedback before intialising such a system.

Bash

[Pete Boole]

What he said!!

Pete

[CHRISYD]

What he said!!

Pete

[bash]

Ok, I may have put some people off by being direct but I think the following is most popular.
Its going to be a word doc that I can email back to participants.
Speaking of which, the list should be restricted to fellow helpers.
Even though I spent many hours recently waiting for a recovery company I think we need a cut off time for contacting each other, personally Im in bed for 10pm for work reasons.
We will need a rough location as we would all not want to be travelling long distances to help, and a contact telephone number.
If we are not in a position to help for whatever reason that should be respected if rang.
And, above all ringing is an act of desperation as already outlined.

If willing participants can pm me I will put a list together and distribute it.

Many thanks

Bash
( john Bashforth )

[Hawaiis0]

Should the inclusion of your "usual emergency service" details ( ie RAC AA etc.) be a prerequisite to get on the list as a user?

That could exclude poachers with no normal cover from abusing good Samaritans !

[barker_001]

Ok, I may have put some people off by being direct

Not at all, I think you have laid down some excellent guidelines, which needed defining.
I think the prerequisite of having existing breakdown cover as per Hawaiis0's suggestion is sensible too.

On the basis of what has been proposed, I'm happy to join the list covering the Pontypridd / Cardiff / South Wales area.

Services offered: Tea, sympathy, use of tools and some spannering skills, level off-road parking suitable for jacking (and there's not much of that once you head up into the Valleys!).

PM sent...

[tonypoll]

What details do you want in the PM?
Name
Location (post code?)
phone
what's available? Tools, spares(ish), workshop manual? Bed?
Tony

[bash]

Cheers everybody.
I think we would all expect a normal recovery type of policy to be in place and exhausted, this is NOT a replacement for normal means of help, its a last resort for possible help. For instance, if the same fault develops twice some recovery companies can get pissy about a second turn out.
Another thing to bear in mind is that although I have full RAC membership I also have recovery built into my insurance policy.... did I carry the details of this in my little incident... no. I do now. Also, I dont have any facility on my cars for towing and I personally wouldnt expect anyone else to tow either.
I dont think we need specific addresses for security reasons and I wont be publishing any, a rough area guide is fine.

Bash

[richardw]

I believe the most efficient, most secure and least labour intensive way of managing this would be via a text messaging service. Members requiring assistance would text an 'emergency' number whereupon the message is distributed to the mobiles of members who have offered to provide this support. The text should include an indication of location, of the type of problem and their own mobile number. Recipients of the text would then be in a position to offer support based on this information and their own availability.

There would be a cost for using this type of service - normally levied on a per message basis - so we'd need to decide how this would be met. This is the only major downside I can see, and I'd rather use this system than relying on a printout of the details of members potentially providing support, which has its own security issues.

If you'd like me to do further research into options for this kind of service let me know so I can identify potential suppliers and get a better understanding of costs. I'd be happy to administer such a service.

ATB Richard

[bash]

All options are open, its a members service not mine, such a message wouldnt get to me if I was at home i live in a no signal area but Im a bit probably unique in this ( odd ? ). Im putting a list together but I am a technological black spot anyway and Im not very savvy with computers or posh phones, as for costs ?
Bash

[TrevorK]

Is this still a thing? If so, I'm willing to put my name down for helping anyone having trouble in the Northampton area.