Jersey Shore Fact of the Day 97: AAA Can't Help You on the Atlantic City Expressway

It's true, and unfortunately I found this out myself yesterday.

I left for the shore bright and early at 6am yesterday to get to a breakfast meeting at 8:15 in Cape May. Windows slightly down, gorgeous day, lalalalalaaaaaaaaaaa!

And then my radio dies. And then all the meters in my car - speed, gas level, everything - hit zero. The car is still working just fine, but something was obviously wrong ESPECIALLY since I had to have my car jumped on Saturday for no apparent reason.

I make it to the Farley Service Plaza, park by the Sunoco, turn off the car. Try to turn it on. It's dead, of course. Then I called AAA.

Turns out AAA is not allowed to help their customers who are stuck on the Atlantic City Expressway (and I have been told that this is also the case with the New Jersey Turnpike and the Garden State Parkway). My only option was to be transferred to the people who run the Expressway and have them tow me to the nearest exit and THEN call AAA to tow me home.

I N S A N I T Y

Fortunately the AC Expressway service guy was great. He ended up jumping my car again with the hopes that I would have enough juice to drive to my garage in Bellmawr. If I died again and was still on the Expressway, he said he'd just jump my car again. So I avoided that tow. But still. Really? Also, if you do get stuck, you can call AAA and they will transfer you over to the Expressway folks who can help you.

I almost canned the entire trip, but it was such a nice day, and the people I was scheduled to meet with could move their appointments back, so my mom picked me up from the garage, took me to the PATCO High Speedline, which I took into Philly, onto the subway, and to where my boyfriend's car was. Then I headed BACK down the shore. In total, the trip took 6 hours and $500 (approximate cost to replace my alternator).

Thank goodness it was a gorgeous day. Unfortunately, the whole car thing meant my plans to both run and then sit on the beach after my appointments wasn't going to work. I only had time for one of those activities.

I think I chose wisely. This is Higbee Beach if you're wondering.

ALSO! Please be extra careful in driving in traffic that's moving slightly faster than stop and go. This was the case for parts of the AC Expressway on my second drive yesterday and I saw what looked like a four car pile up happen because someone rear ended one car, which caused a chain reaction. So be careful, folks.

ALSO AGAIN! I have another piece about running in the New York Times - ran today. Click here to read along. It involves a cow....and the Asbury Park Half Marathon and the Ocean Drive 10 miler.