I went out to go to the vet this morning to have Lily vaccinated as part of the requirements needed for our travel to Spain. It´s a requirement within the EU that all animals maintain a passport that contains records of vaccinations especially rabies.
On my way, I stopped at the crossing before the red light (there were three lanes) when the car engine simply died- off, literally, it simply died-off!!! I started the engine again but it was dead. I thought it was the battery.. There was no doubt that I had a car mishap... What to do? I was in the middle lane and in front of the traffic light.
I maintained my composure, turned the warning lights on and open the rear door, got the warning triangle and placed it on the road approximately 50 meters away from the back of the car and started to give signal to car drivers that they should drive towards the right lane. Thank God, we are members of the local automobile club named ÖAMTC ( Österreichische Automobil und Touring Club) so I called them up. While waiting, a man who was sitting in his parked car waiting for his wife came out and asked whether he could help and another truck driver stopped-by..got out of his truck and helped push the car towards the gas station which was just adjacent to the big road. I was so thankful for their help..they really took out the stress in me being in the middle of that street. I waited for the club technician who came a few minutes after I called up.
The club technician came after 10 minutes and in his examination of the car... it was not the battery at fault because the car battery is new and less than 2 years old. He thought it is the faulty diesel pump that was causing the trouble and could not relay electrical power to the engine... I really don´t know what he was talking about as I have no idea about car functions, but it made sense since he was testing all the possible defects.
We have been members of the automobile club, paid membership fee and other services for more than two decades now and we did not have such breakdown. I guess it really paid-off to be members of this club...imagine all the stress I would have suffered if we were not. Since there ´s nothing he could do, he internally organized their truck to pick-up and tow the car that would bring us from the gas station to our own mechanic. Then he organized a substitute car for me to use for the next three days without extra costs. I only have to refuel and have the rental car washed when I give it back to the station near us. We got the rental car alright and me and Lily came home very very hungry.
I really don´t know what I´d do if this happened in the middle of a highway. The point is not to panic even if you´re blocking the road. I know help will come, we just have to be patient. And if not.... I would call the police and they will arrange for the safety of the road, at least that´s the way we have it here in Vienna.
