RAC Breakdown Service

An article was published in the Autumn edition of 'Motorsport Now!', explaining that the RAC would still recover members' cars from private ground 'where access is permitted and specialist equipment is not required'.

That article was printed in good faith and followed extensive research by three people here at Motor Sports House. Nevertheless, it appears that the answers given to MSA were wrong and that RAC recovery from motor sport events on private land has, indeed, been withdrawn.

According to a letter from RAC Motoring Services, 'RAC have moved to reaffirm that it does not regard certain 'off road' activities as a reasonable scenario within which a member should always 'expect' to receive service under their terms of membership. 'RAC believe it unreasonable to recover competitors taking part in race meetings or stage rallies where the expectation of damage to a vehicle is known and the competitor could be expected to manage this eventuality in preparing for the event. 'Vehicles which have broken down whilst taking part in a motor sport event which takes place off the road and/or is not subject to the normal rules of the road are excluded from cover'.

The same letter does offer a crumb of comfort with respect to events on the public highway: 'In respect of the 2000 events taking place on a Public Highway or in a public place where all vehicles comply fully with The Road Traffic Act, I confirm that breakdown cover would be provided. Examples of such events being Navigational Road Rallies, Touring Assemblies and Treasure Hunts.'

If any motor club member has been refused service in a situation where service appears to be on offer, they are asked to forward details to David Bromwich at RAC Feltham (tel 020 8917 2885, fax 020 8917 2879), who 'will investigate the requests for assistance in each case and establish whether the breakdown scenario fell within the "reasonable expectation of damage" description.'

A separate issue involves the RAC's payment of commission to motor clubs for enrolling members in the breakdown service. RAC Motoring Services confirms that no commission on enrolment or renewal will be payable to any club for members with a membership date of 1 December 2000 or beyond.

For the record, RAC Motoring Services is wholly owned by the Lex Group and no longer has any legal or commercial connection with The Royal Automobile Club or MSA.