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Daily Mail, Wednesday, January 4, 2006
It proclaims itself as the fourth emergency service. But the voice on the end of the line could not have been more callous when a family called the AA in their hour of need.
David Barker's relatives had just heard the dreadful news that he had collapsed and died at the wheel of his car.
When his devastated brother-in-law Leonard Douglas arrived at the roadside spot to collect the car, he could not start the engine.
Fearing the battery was flat, he rang the AA for help, using Mr Barker's membership card. But the operator refused assistance, saying: “If he's dead he is not a member anymore.”
She then insisted the car could be moved only if Mr Douglas agreed to join the AA instead.
“We were speechless. We couldn't believe they could be so cruel,” Mr Douglas said. “David's AA membership card was in the glove compartment so I rang them to see if they would come out and start the car. But they told me we would have to rejoin as David had died. Then the operator said she was going to speak to a manager and hung up on me.”
Mr Barker, a 58-year-old widower, had left his home in Sheffield to collect a family member who was to join him at a Sheffield Wednesday match. But three miles from his home, he is thought to have had a massive heart attack at the wheel of his Renault Scenic. When he failed to arrive, family members went out looking for him.
They learnt of the tragedy after speaking to emergency services workers at the scene as Mr Barker, a retired steel-worker was being taken to hospital. His sister-in-law Joan, said: “David was on his way to watch Wednesday. He should have been picking up another relative who went looking for him when he was late, thinking he might have broken down. It was a big shock to eventually discover that David had suffered a massive heart attack and had died at the wheel. The AA is supposed to be the fourth emergency service. David had been a member for years and this is how they treat members. Eventually my husband and other members of the family managed to get the car back. It took some doing because it's a foreign car they couldn't find the battery – eventually they found it under the seat.”
An AA spokesman said: “We apologise unreservedly for the distress caused to Mr Barker's family at what was already an extremely difficult time. The AA was wrong to refuse service and not show the compassion and sensitivity we expect in what was clearly an emotional situation. Customer service is our number one priority and we aim to treat members with care and courtesy at all times. This incident is not typical of the high standards of service that we normally provide. We have contacted the family and apologised for our mistake and the distress caused. Our procedures allow for compassion and discretion and we should have provided service on this occasion when a call has been made for service. It is inevitable in large organisations that sometimes we don't meet our own high standards and we are taking the issue up with the operator involved.”
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