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How To Cope When Your Classic Car Breaks Down During A Journey
While you may feel like shedding a few tears when your beloved vintage car runs into a problem, what really matters here is dealing with a breakdown in the safest way possible.
Indeed, although parts on a vintage car can be hard to source, they can be replaced, and it is never worth risking your health or the wellbeing of passengers and other road users. In fact, there are some clear rules you need to follow to ensure you stay safe if you find yourself in this situation. Keep reading to discover what they are.
Make use of the hard shoulder
If you have the bad luck to break down on the motorway, then you must remember to make use of the hard shoulder. In fact, pulling into the hard shoulder as soon as possible can help keep you away from the other traffic and so ensure that everyone stays as safe as possible.
Of course, there is a specific protocol that must be followed when it comes to using the hard shoulder. In particular, this means putting on your hazard lights as this makes it clear to other drivers that you are there. Although, it is worth noting that not every classic car has hazard lights, and if this is the case for yours, it’s best to turn on your sidelights instead.
It’s also important to point your wheels away from the road as this will stop you from rolling into traffic if something goes wrong with your brakes.
Be sure to exit your vehicle
Unless something is preventing you from safely exiting your vehicle you must do this as soon as feasible. You should always do this on the left, so you are as far from moving traffic as possible.
Also, be sure to move up the embankment, and past the barrier. This will provide important space between you and your car in case another vehicle hits it. Of course, passengers should follow the same advice as well. Indeed, it can be useful to keep waterproof jackets in the car for this reason, as they can help make it easier to stand at a safe distance when the weather is poor. Just be sure to wear any high-vis over these.
Contact a breakdown provider
Once you have exited your vehicle you can safely call your breakdown provider. Be sure to choose a provider that offers a towing service as well as one that can do repairs in situ. The reason being that if your classic car does need to be taken back to the garage for additional repairs it will save you lots of time and hassle.
Continue on your trip
Last of all, if your breakdown service provider does get your vehicle back up and running again you will be free to continue on with your journey. Of course, when getting back on the motorway from the hard shoulder you need to ensure you leva enough time between you and the next cars to get up to speed.
However, do not be tempted to rush any part of your journey because you have lost time while being broken down, as this could put you, your passengers, and your classic car at further risk.
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