Ditching AAA for Better World Club
on
July 22, 2007
Ditching AAA for Better World Club
About two week ago I was listening to Inside Renewable Energy (my favorite podcast, because I'm a geek like that!) and host Stephen Lacey interviewed Mitch Rofsky, President of the Better World Club, a different kind of auto club (like Automobile Association of America).
Mitch explained how AAA actually spends your membership dollars, not on road side assistance, rather on lobbying congress to keep gas prices and gas taxes low, lobbying against mass transit improvements, and lobbying against increases in CAFE standards.
Now I don't own a car anymore, but back when I had one, I joined AAA, and I never canceled my membership because I figured it would be good to have in case of an emergency. Well after hearing this program, and doing a little reading, I canceled my AAA membership and I joined Better World Club. Not only do they provide comparable roadside service, they also provide roadside service for bicycles! And of course plenty of discounts and partner programs.
So if you are an AAA member, I suggest you check out BWC and switch your membership!
drewtiss November 28, 2008
Sometomes, AAA doesn't have a great work/life balance. I also agree that they doesn't use some pretty tools for the fair recognition of staffs. My friend working at the parts bin shares the same situation.
Mirasol Mercado July 24, 2007
This is good to know! It's great AAA lobbies to keep gas prices/taxes low... but the bigger picture here is the limited resources of fossil fuels. Also, I did not realize they lobby against increases in CAFE standards. AAA sounds more like a political arm under the guise of a road side service & insurance company. Hmmmm are my membership dollars being used to lobby for/against something I may not agree with? AAA is a major player with a huge membership -- something I'm sure works to their favor when they enter the political arena, and unfortunately I don't think the majority of their membership realizes the political moves they make may not align with their beliefs. Afterall, most of us signed on to AAA for road side assistance and not for a political voice!
