We went to AAA over the weekend to pick up some maps and tried to get a trip-tik. The office in Manchester was the most convenient one to go to, although it is not *technically* my “local” office. (Note: for reasons of “family membership,” my actual local office is in NJ - not convenient at ALL. My more “local” office is either Worcester or Framingham, MA, depending on if I’m at work or home.) First, I knew there would be a huge line because it was Saturday. Second, I thought it would take forever. Well, yes, there was a big line, but no, it didn’t take long at all.
The reason it didn’t take forever was the female employee we spoke with. Let me just say it: the woman was a total bitch. We are trying to plan a cross-country move and trip. I apologize if this means we need an atlas and maps, books, and whatever else you may have for practically every one of the continental states. This, however, is part of the benefits of my membership. As is requesting a trip-tik.
The trip-tik. Ah. I remember a time when my parents needed a rather simple trip-tik just from NJ to Virginia. It didn’t take much time at all; we sat down with the representative, she went over to the “trip-tik map wall,” got it all assembled, highlighted our route with construction zones, and possible detours, and handed it to us. As I remember another time when I’d started college, I went in, got my trip-tik for a friend traveling from MA to visit me, and left about 15 minutes later. The trip-tiks are one of AAA’s most useful benefits, and one of my favorite. The information they include isn’t just “map stuff,” but as I mentioned, route delays, and state information, like which states let you take a U-turn, or a right on red. They gave seatbelt laws, and let you know if you needed to pay a toll on any given highway. They also included a handy sheet for recording your trip expenditures, gas mileage, and a folder for your receipts. Since I hadn’t needed one in a few years, I wasn’t aware things had changed.
One thing that changed for sure - no prompt service. You have to “place an order” for your trip-tik. This is more convenient because you can do it online, but I could just go to mapquest, mapsonus, or yahoo maps and get maps and written directions instantly. Instead you have to wait like 2 weeks for the trip-tik to come in the mail. Even actually at AAA you have to wait to get it in the mail after you place your order with them. And there is no place to note on the website that “we would like to drive Route 66, and stop at the North Rim of the Grand Canyon.” Hopefully I was able to “trick” the website into planning our route by giving them specific cities along Route 66. We’ll see what happens when I actually get it in the mail. I hope it still comes with all the extra handy bits I’m expecting.
To finish off my story, driving around later we realized we didn’t have a map of Texas, an integral state in our journey. “Did I not specifically say ‘Texas’?” I asked Kris. I knew I had, and we needed the map, so we returned to AAA. Luckily it was still open at 12:30 (I thought they were only open to 12), and there weren’t any customers inside. I spoke with the same bitchy lady, tried to be nice, and she *seemed* nice back. I mentioned I was glad they were still there, and open to 1, not 12. She said back that she tells people on the phone they’re only open to 12:30 so they can close up early. That, in my book, even if she hadn’t had a ‘tude with us earlier, made her an instant bitch. I was still polite, but left. I hope we have everything we need so we don’t have to go back there again.
Well, we got in no problem, although I thought the crazy Harry Potter fans were going to trample us on the way in. I also don’t know what the deal was with the HUGE line they wouldn’t let in to the theater and the one random guy they actually let in early (who coincidentally was dressed up like the fictional HP), but whatever.
