<html> <body> Hi, Barb, WOW!  Definitely bummer-time... Still, my experience, overall, is different.  The waits can be annoying - as can the local habit of not coming to the door (if one happens to be at home)...still, I've had the "Plus" service since they came up with it and would not be without it.  My own off-the pavement resulted in a midnight wait and 100+ mile tow to civilization - I'm not sure how much longer and/or safer it would have taken. FYI - part of the reason that the locksmith (and others, to be fair) would react as your fellow did is that, in order to secure the contract with AAA, they have to give AAA a pretty heavily discounted rate for services rendered (pretty much like a good many piano teachers want for "future referrals").  For example, in this area, the local tow company may only charge the AAA ~$26 (within a certain radius of their garage) to some out and fix a flat.  If you were to call them directly, the fee would be a good deal closer to $100... There are certainly other deals - how much better they may or may not be is questionable. So, other than that, how's the D? Best. Horace At 02:48 PM 10/26/2004, Barbara Richmond wrote: <blockquote type=cite class=cite cite>Hey all,   Had one of those days.  Got a late start, drove 40 miles to the big dead hall and promptly locked my keys in the car along with the piano action and all my tools.  Called AAA, waited 45 minutes in the cool wind and spitting rain (forgot my jacket).  Called AAA again.  A while later I received a call from a local service business asking me what I needed.  Finally, after waiting a total of 1 1/2 hours, a locksmith drove up and opened my car.  The fellow said if I had called him directly he would have been there in 10 minutes.  Grrr.   Last August (on the way to a PTG picnic!), my car, my family and I ended up in a ditch to avoid a head-on collision and it took almost 3 hours for AAA to deliver on service.  Same scenario, called, waited, called again, got the call from the local folks, waited, called again.......   So, the question is, is this worth it???!!!!   Are there any better deals out there you can recommend?    Feeling a bit grumped out,   Barbara Richmond, RPT</blockquote></body> </html>