Nobody knocked me! When I was an apprentice mechanic, I had an evening job working for another garage that did overflow work for the AA. I’d get £2 for being on call from 6.00pm to midnight and £1 per breakdown. The good jobs were chargeable jobs not covered by AA membership for AA members, normally punctures or accidents. If we attended an accident and towed it back (and I’m talking about towing it with a Land Rover with just a winch and chain on the back as below) we got an extra £1.50. If we could get it driveable we still got the £1.50 but we had to charge the customer £10 plus vat (£10.80). No £10.80, no £1.50 bonus. Anyway, some nob was coming out of the inner Temple on the embankment in a Rolls Royce, someone crashed into him and the wing was on the front wheel. He didn’t want it towed back to East London so I tried to get the wing off the wheel with a bar but no luck. He then suggested I put the hook under the wing and give it a few tugs! Anyway, I did that, he sat in it with his foot on the brake and I put the hook under the arch and pulled away fast a few times, pulled the front off the wheel and got him driveable. When I said thats £10.80 he said he had no money on him and to send the invoice to his office. I could see my £1.50 disappearing fast so I said no way, £10.80 or I take the motor. He offered me his watch as a deposit but I refused it and made him get out of the car and give me the keys. I left him standing there calling me all sorts, lifted the car and took the it back. Anyway, next day he sent someone to our garage to pay the £10.80 and take the car. I’ll never forget the address of his office either - 26 Buckingham Palace Road. Oh, and our firm got a right *******ing from the AA and nearly lost the contract. The *******ing was passed on to me. I didn’t care, I got my £1.50
Would you want your motor lifted by one of these - if you were lucky you got an old rear seat base to protect your front valance from chain damage!
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