Roadside assistance for bikes?

[Shadows]

Last thing you want is a towie turning up to pick up your bike. He's likely to attach a couple of ratchet tie downs to the hoist, loop them around your bike, and then crank your bike up into the air letting it swing backwards and forwards. Into the hoist and tailgate most likely. Destroying fairings and exhaust systems in the process.

I'm with the AA. The membership I hold is supposed to entitle me to a room in a hotel, a rental car, and transport for my bike - either to my home, or to a workshop nominated by me.
Thanks for the heads up Jim, if I need their help I will be demanding that they bring a flat deck or a trailer. I can't believe they even considered employing a conventional tow truck, let alone actually doing it!

[Ixion]

It may depend on where you are, perhaps? In a large city there are flat bed transporter type trucks. But out in the country, the only salvage service for many miles may be Joes Garage, with an old converted Bedford and hoist.

[RT527]

It may depend on where you are, perhaps? In a large city there are flat bed transporter type trucks. But out in the country, the only salvage service for many miles may be Joes Garage, with an old converted Bedford and hoist.

Actually not true Ixion, most places will have a flat deck now, I know maramarua does, Ngatea, Keripehi,Thames ,Whitianga whangamata,waihi, coromandel,katikati, just to mention some.....they are everywhere. most reputable guys just have to have them, you will usually only find hook trucks in inner city centres as its easier to get around the tight spots!!!.

[rwh]

Thanks for all the useful tips. Think I'll stick with KB and the AA (with caution) for now. I imagine AA could often be easier, since they only require a phone call, and I don't usually carry my laptop on my bike.

The other idea I thought of, though, was having a method by which text messages sent to a given number would appear on a special 'I need help in this location' thread - I don't know how much it would cost or how hard it would be to integrate it into the KB site, though. I could possibly investigate some of it through work; we deal with both Vodafone and Telecom for text message services already.

Richard

[xwhatsit]

...The other idea I thought of, though, was having a method by which text messages sent to a given number would appear on a special 'I need help in this location' thread - I don't know how much it would cost or how hard it would be to integrate it into the KB site, though. I could possibly investigate some of it through work; we deal with both Vodafone and Telecom for text message services already.

Richard

I like that idea a lot, actually! It's definitely technically possible, just use an SMS gateway or something in the server. You'd still have to pay Vodafone I'd imagine. The other low-budget rigged-up version I'd want to try would be to get an old phone that supports serial transfer -- some of those old Ericssons with the key-cover do -- and simply get a pre-paid card for it, plug the phone into the server, and write some software to communicate (somebody's probably already written that). Then all you need to do is post the message up there, possibly match the received number against database of usernames, so you could put the whole profile up.

Sweet idea!

[Ixion]

We do exactly that at werk , to alert technicians of a problem. I didn't code it myself, but it wasn't complicated. From memory I authorised buying a cheapish third party control .

For a simple alert on the board no cost would be incurred , except for the standard SMS txt charge, paid by the sender (in this case the person seeking assistance, so that is fair enough - it's only a few cents anyway).

If we wanted to get more clever and forward the SMS to other phones , that culd get costly.

[notme]

I have one of the aforementioned ericsson's and a serial cable for it....and experience with something similar.....and the AT command manual.....

All can be willingly donated to this cause.

[notme]

OOps also a prepay sim card to go with the phone....

[klingon]

oooh excellent idea! That would have simplified the following story...

I only have second-hand experience with AA rescuing a bike. Dave C got a puncture somewhere up North... will have to ask him for the details. Anyway he had AA Plus membership so they sent out a (flat bed) tow truck to pick up him and his bike.

The AA had the option of getting the truck to deliver him and his bike to home (Auckland) or putting him up in a motel overnight and arranging a repair for the following day. They chose the second one, and delivered his bike to a safe lock-up for the night. The following day (Sunday) they got the puncture repaired and he rode home. All very satisfactory.

Unfortunately he was left in a strange city overnight (Whangarei is pretty strange) just dressed in his leathers, with no toothbrush etc. And of course he had to find his own food for dinner and breakfast, so had to go walking to look for somewhere to eat late at night in boots that really weren't made for walking. That's when the Kiwibiker connection is really valuable.

Dave called me and told me what was happening, so I PMed some of the Norfland Crew on here. They PMed me their mobile phone numbers and I txted them to Dave. Soon he didn't feel so alone any more! Local KBers offered him help and company and even invited him to a BBQ How cool is that?! He said no thanks, but was really impressed at the offers.

So yeah, if he had been able to txt directly to KB it would have probably had the same result, but quicker. Great idea.

[xwhatsit]

Neat story, Klingon. Actually I kind of relish the idea of wandering around a strange city... of course if I was hungry and couldn't find anywhere to eat, that would suck lol.

The only thing you'd have to worry about with that cellphone idea would be noise to signal ratio. You can imagine a whole lot of random shit being posted there, and if anybody was actually in trouble you'd be hard pressed to find it. You'd have to make sure it was strictly moderated for emergencies only, just posting details and a phone number so you can be contacted (as from a phone you couldn't read any replying posts). The other option is to implement a more general system, where you can post in any forum, but to post in the emergency forum you put a certain string of characters before your message, such as `Emergency:' or something.

It'd be fun to play around with, though.

[rwh]

The only thing you'd have to worry about with that cellphone idea would be noise to signal ratio. You can imagine a whole lot of random shit being posted there, and if anybody was actually in trouble you'd be hard pressed to find it. You'd have to make sure it was strictly moderated for emergencies only, just posting details and a phone number so you can be contacted (as from a phone you couldn't read any replying posts). The other option is to implement a more general system, where you can post in any forum, but to post in the emergency forum you put a certain string of characters before your message, such as `Emergency:' or something.

I was hoping that the cost of a text message would limit the amount of noise, but it's possibly not high enough.

The trouble with moderating it is delay; if you want a moderator to preview any posts then the post will take too long; if you rely on pruning them after the fact then the noise will still be there.

The other concern I have, this being a public forum (this applies using the normal posting method as well), is that if I post saying I need my bike picked up ... someone may just go and do that without any intention to drop it of to me ...

Richard

[jetboy]

I can arrange roadside assistance in a package with motorcycle insurance. The company I use will attempt to get the bike going following a breakdown and if this is not possible a tow will be arranged. They also offer accident co-ordination so if you do bin your bike these guys will come help you out, make sure you and the bike are alright and notify us so we can get a claim underway for you.

[James Deuce]

Do you work for the Mongrel Mob, Highway 61, or Black Power, jetboy?

[Squeak the Rat]

I can arrange roadside assistance in a package with motorcycle insurance. The company I use will attempt to get the bike going following a breakdown and if this is not possible a tow will be arranged. They also offer accident co-ordination so if you do bin your bike these guys will come help you out, make sure you and the bike are alright and notify us so we can get a claim underway for you.

Is this the same SOS roadside assist that didn't know what I was talking about when I told them they covered motorcycles aswell as cars? Luckily I was saved by a very helpful fellow biker.....

[jetboy]

Do you work for the Mongrel Mob, Highway 61, or Black Power, jetboy?

haha no, we make sure the rider is actually with the bike before we try to get it going! Plus I doubt my boss wears a patch or sports a full facial tattoo.