# Breaking down on the A16 - be warned!!!!



## fatbuddha (Aug 7, 2006)

we were driving back to Calais yesterday on the A16 from the west and just before we got to Calais on the non-peage section (near Jct 39), we had a rear wheel puncture - no idea what caused it but it shredded the tyre big time!

anyway, we managed to pull onto the hard shoulder next to a SOS box which we thought was very handy BUT it did not work - and it seems from the recovery service who came to our aid, that none of them on this stretch of autoroute work since the management of these has been taken over by the department, and is no longer managed by SANEF. the cash strapped department has stopped maintaining them.

we had to resort to using the French emergency service number - 17 - who patched us through to a recovery service. 

the hard shoulders are also very narrow - barely wider than our Hymer Van - so trying to effect a repair would also have been dangerous with trucks speeding by, some of them very very close to the vehicle. fortunately the recovery service came out with a lowloader so towed us off to their garage in Calais to get the problem sorted. (new tyre cost €300.....although insurance covered the recovery itself)

so - take care if on the A16 and don't breakdown!!!

and - it was my bloody birthday as well......

:evil: :evil: :evil:


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## coppo (May 27, 2009)

300 euros for 1 tyre?

Good job all 4 didn't burst :roll, 1200 euros  

Paul.


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## zulurita (May 9, 2005)

Thanks for the info.

A bit costly for one tyre!!!

I wonder what France are doing about this, the SOS phones must surely be a legal requirement.


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## fatbuddha (Aug 7, 2006)

yeh - I thought it was a bit steep at €300 (just under actually) but I had 2 options

1. use the spare and get a new tyre on return to Blighty - which would have left me spareless and (I think) illegal. and you know what would happen if I did that - I'd get another puncture!

2. get a new tyre, and keep the spare as it is - which is what I decided to do.

ho hum - ****e happens :roll:


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## Stanner (Aug 17, 2006)

An alternative would have been to just use the spare and get a replacement from Norauto near the Auchan at Calais.

It isn't illegal not to have a spare - if it was you'd be illegal as soon as you had a puncture and put the spare on.


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## fatbuddha (Aug 7, 2006)

thanks Stanner - but when you're in a hurry to get a ferry back as well you tend to go with the quickest option rather than the cheapest. 

as it happened we missed our ferry booking and had to blag a later one, so got home very late last night which wasn't the plan for my birthday........


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## Stanner (Aug 17, 2006)

fatbuddha said:


> thanks Stanner - but when you're in a hurry to get a ferry back as well you tend to go with the quickest option rather than the cheapest.
> 
> as it happened we missed our ferry booking and had to blag a later one, so got home very late last night which wasn't the plan for my birthday........


Did you warn the ferry company you might be late due to a breakdown? I've found that provided you warn them and can prove it was a genuine breakdown with the paperwork, they are a lot more understanding.


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## pippin (Nov 15, 2007)

That certainly would not work with EasyFerry!


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## Motorhomersimpson (May 9, 2005)

fatbuddha said:


> thanks Stanner - but when you're in a hurry to get a ferry back as well you tend to go with the quickest option rather than the cheapest.
> 
> as it happened we missed our ferry booking and had to blag a later one, so got home very late last night which wasn't the plan for my birthday........


Hi,

I know where you're coming from have no fear, if I were in the same position I would have done the same :wink: Sometimes we have to chuck money at problem if we need it to go away quickly.

Anyway, we're drifting away from what it is important information about the lack of emergency telephones working on that stretch of road, thanks for the warning to the members.

Oh, belated birthday greetings 

MHS...Rob


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## wakk44 (Jun 15, 2006)

Hmm,what bad luck that is,I would have done the same I think as the hard shoulder is not the place to be on a busy route.

Hard Shoulder Safety

Sounds like you got fleeced for the new tyre as well 8O

You won't forget that birthday in a hurry. :roll:


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## fatbuddha (Aug 7, 2006)

Stanner - yes I did let the ferry company (P&O) know we would be late and they were fine as it was by no means busy so plenty of spaces.



> You won't forget that birthday in a hurry


my birthdays tend to be quite interesting these days - my Mum died on it 4 years ago! I reckon she keeps haunting me now every birthday with some form of bad luck....... :lol:


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## Stanner (Aug 17, 2006)

Motorhomersimpson said:


> I know where you're coming from have no fear, if I were in the same position I would have done the same :wink: Sometimes we have to chuck money at problem if we need it to go away quickly.


But you do have to draw the line somewhere and mine would be lower than buying 3 or 4 tyres to replace 1.

That said I agree with your second point - back on subject.


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