I made a silly mistake on last Thursday evening. We were returning south from our Easter break on the shores of Loch Lomond via the M6. After Junction 41 the traffic was brought to a standstill by a traffic accident – a lorry had turned onto its side and was blocking all 3 lanes. We were stopped for about an hour and so I turned off the engine. I forgot that I had the headlights on. When the traffic began to move again – you’ve guessed it – I discovered the battery was flat!!!
As our Sorento is an automatic the only solution was to get a jump start. We were in the inside lane of the motorway and could not even move onto the relative safety of the hard shoulder. After a lot of hooting from the following lorries the traffic cleared.
I put out our warning triangle but I was obviously concerned at being stuck out on the carriageway. I phoned the police and Greenflag/Mayday our breakdown service. The police were very supportive even phoning me back to say that they had not forgotten us and would get a unit to us asap.
Greenflag were not so helpful despite my protestations, that all we needed was a jump start, their operator insisted on going through all the details of our car and caravan for about 10 minutes. He finished by saying that he would mark our case as “critical” and have someone with us within an HOUR!!!! That was not really very comforting. There was no traffic approaching from our rear as the motorway had been closed by the police behind us. I was, however, concerned that the motorway could be re-opened at any time.
After about 15 minutes we were pleased to see a Highways Agency Landrover approaching. The crew hitched a towing strap to our Kia and towed our outfit onto the hard shoulder. Just after we had been towed onto the hard shoulder a passing RAC breakdown man stopped to offer his assistance. He was enroute to one his members who had flattened her battery in the same way as us a little further down the motorway. He said that his member was hysterical as she could not be made to understand that the motorway was closed. Despite the fact that we are not RAC members the RAC man jumpstarted our car with a powerpack.
We cancelled the Greenflag callout. 10/10 to the RAC Nil to Greenflag.
The Highways Agency man then told us to drive down to join the queue at the accident further down the motorway but not to turn off our engine!!! I didn’t need reminding!!! We had to wait nearly another 3 hours until a mobile crane had dragged the lorry so that one lane of the motorway was clear. We then continued our journey arriving home, after dark, nearly 4 hours later than planned.
After nearly 40 years driving one would think I would remember to turn off the headlights when stopped with the engine off!!??
Ah well at least it was a happy ending thanks to the RAC and Highways Agency men.
It is a beautiful place and I do hope they do not do what they have been thinking about and that is to widen the road. It is an area outstanding beauty and to keep it. Do nothing to the road, everyone using it will just have to go slower and be patient and not use the grass verges as parking places as that is what it cutting up and tearing them to bits. That and the rubbish people dump. But then those type of people dump everywhere wherever they go. If it you tell them, you do get a mouthful of ********* and one finger salute. Oh! for a camera to catch them in what they do. The litter laws are laughable.
Glad you made it safely home Tim & Cary that is the most important ,not what time it took, safety first & look back afterwards as you have possibly taught others not to do that or be aware of not turning your engine off unless your lights can be turned off also. So thanks for info. easily done, lesson learn't.We are in the RAC but have had the AA before both the same
I do think that, the fact an RAC van was luckily passing by whereas a green flag agent must have been further away is hardly green flags fault. I assume that you had cancelled the call out within the hour?
We have used them and found them to be fine. Arrived quickly.
My annoyance with Green Flag was the time that it took for him to take down all the details of our outfit, including the length of the 'van and whether it was dry or greased hitch.
I knew for a fact that all we needed was a jump start. My MAIN CONCERN was to get our outfit either going or at least OFF the main carriageway BEFORE the traffic started moving again!
As well is two words!
How does a sage know everything about everything? or does he? or does he just think he does?
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Quote: Originally posted by blueexpo97 on 18/4/2012
T & C, I did'nt think you could tow a 4x4
Our Sorento is permanent 4 wheel drive. Having just checked the car's handbook I think you may be correct. However in the circumstances we had little choice We were only towed approximately 13 metres to get us onto the hard shoulder.
Hopefully no damage has been done to the transmission - certainly less than would have been done if someone had crashed into back of the carraigeway.
Could you remember to the keys out when you stop the car?
We have the older model Sorento and I love the fact that I can put the lights on to drive, stop the car and get out to go somewhere and the lights go out. When we first got it I couldn't understand why it didn't bleep at me when I opened the door then realised the lights had gone off.
edit to say.....................
Just read your last post and I suspect your is a newer one as you say it's permanent four wheel drive, ours isn't.
But the lighting might be the same.
I am also in green flag and i have nothing but praise for them . My husband had a blood clot last October and the caravan got left at a site in Derbyshire we were on holiday at the time,
They went out on a Sunday and met my wife at the site for 10 am to pick the van up and take to storage .
When they say recovery for £48 we think this is a good deal ..
If you had kept a pair of jump leads in the boot you could of jumped it from the leisure battery. I always keep a tow rope and jump leads in the boot as you never know when you might need them.
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Not a nice experience at all, my daughter had the same happen to her Renault Clio whilst on the M2 at night, in traffic she had her lights on whilst in traffic jam in roadworks sitting waiting to move and could not restart the car the battery had run down to far to re start it. She is only nineteen and was scared witless as when the traffic started to move slowly cars were just moving round her with her, she had her sidelights and hazards on. When the traffic came to a standstill again a kindly coach driver helped push the car on to the hard shoulder.
Like your she had to wait about nearly 2 hours for the breakdown recovery to come out and jump start the vehicle, we were on the phone to her for the whole time, between my wife and I, whilst she was standing in the dark behind the barriers of the hard shoulder as we were concerned for her safety a young girl at night stranded.
I wont mention the name of the recovery service but they took far to long to attend, despite us calling them concerned that eventually her sidelights and hazards would eventually run down. All was sorted in the end but if your head lights dont turn off with engine off, beware.
Despite a new battery being fitted she says she will never turn her engine off again whilst in traffic!
Most cars when engine is turned off, puts the cars lights on to sidelights, this saves the drain from headlights running the battery down.
Might be worth having a word with your local Kia dealer to see if they are able to adapt yours at a reasonable cost?
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Topic: A sill mistake on the motorway
