The trip to Vilnius ended very sad for the Vilnius resident: he found himself in the middle of the forest, where no one could help him.

An unenviable situation: trapped in the middle of a forest where no one can help

“After the wedding ceremony, I followed a limo with newlyweds, cousins, and bridesmaids to take photos in different locations. In total, we covered about 100 kilometers, of which 60 kilometers were gravel roads. There was no internet or phone connection last, and the limo driver drove down the gravel road fairly quickly. The tires on my car are big and the tires are thin, so I knew there was a chance of a flat tire. After driving a few more kilometers, I heard a big knock on the right front wheel. I didn’t pay attention to him and kept driving, but I soon felt that when I turned the steering wheel 45 degrees to the left, he was still driving in a straight line. At the time, it turned out to be partly fun, “recalls Kaspar.

After a while, he suspected he was driving with a flat tire; When he stopped the car and went out to look, he was convinced that this was exactly what had happened. All the guests driving down the front were already far away. Since the car doesn’t have room for a spare tire at the factory, the Vilnius resident realized he was in serious trouble.

“As I mentioned, we stopped in the middle of the forest, where there is no connection, the outside temperature was 29^orC, and the nearest city is 30 kilometers away on a gravel road. We cannot call anyone, we cannot connect online, we cannot open a map, and there is no living spirit around us. After about 10 minutes, from the fields to the right, I saw an SUV in motion, waved my hands at it and approached. I explained the situation to the driver and asked if he had a compressor or a pump so he could inflate the tire and at least drive somewhere where there was a connection, “says Kaspar.

Although the driver of the SUV had the necessary equipment, the tires could not be inflated, so the Vilnius resident in the accident decided that there was no other way but to drive to the nearest town with the tire down. After asking the locals for a phone call, he called his friends. After contacting one of the bridesmaids, it was agreed that one of the cars would return to pick up the couple, and the man left the broken car, deciding to return to it later, finding a spare wheel.

“I asked one of the housewives if she could protect the car for a few hours until she found a spare wheel. She not only agreed, but also offered to approach her so as not to bake in the sun and cool off. It was strange to me as a person born and raised in the city, but I have heard of the kindness and trust of the people in the town. So, I drove the car, called my friends to ask what the situation was, and told myself to leave the car and go to the place where there would be internet connection and I could charge my mobile phone. On the way to the farm, the internet popped up on the phone, so I first posted posts on Facebook groups looking for help. I did not receive a reply to any of the posts. When I got to the farm, I had to meet the newlyweds and smile, applaud, but the only thing I thought about was my car, where I don’t know where, “says Kaspar.

One day was not enough to rescue the car

The Vilnius resident asked friends for help, but to no avail. It is true that a friend agreed to bring the circle, but the friend who appeared on Saturday night was not very happy, because he brought the wrong circle.

“The next morning I called the large and small services, the tire installers, the tire shops, and none of them was able to help because I mentioned my tire size as non-standard and one of the services said I should speak with the manager and wait for an order for up to 2 weeks. . As they explained to me, the only place that could help me with such a problem on Sunday is Gariūnai. So, picking up a friend at 9 in the morning, I asked him to go there, and I learned that around 11 o’clock I should get an answer: if everything was fine or if he called the trawl. These two hours were one of the longest in my life. Finally, a friend called, who said everything was fine, found “tires” in Gariūnai, who put a spare tire on my wheel and left the dummy for handling. So, he came to pick us up with a friend, we got in a circle and returned to Vilnius, ”says Kaspar.

“The moral of me and others is to drive a spare wheel, even if there is no room for it in the car, and after buying it, check to see if it is suitable for the car, or buy a more expensive helmet or insurance that it provides trawling services. ” And the most important thing is to have good friends who don’t turn their backs in the event of an accident, ”he advises.

When a tire breaks there are three main things

Audrius Bartnikas, the head of the roadside technical assistance company Traliukas24, claims that an exploded tire is one of the most common reasons why drivers turn to technical assistance specialists.

“Sometimes the tires explode, the car does not start or stop. Such things are generally requested. It is often the case that drivers do not have a jack or a key to start the steering wheel, “says A. Bartnik.

According to him, the only way to save in such situations is with a spare wheel, but even those who have it don’t always manage to solve the problem without help.

“No one is protected from a tire explosion: It often happens when you hit a hole somewhere or catch a nail. In such situations, you only need to have what you have with you: a spare wheel, a jack. The exploded tire could be replaced. Of course, those who can’t switch to technical support on their own, there are those who say I have everything, but that I won’t be able. In such cases, you come and help someone who just can’t do it themselves. ” explains A. Bartnik.

In what cases and how can insurance help?

According to Giedrius Petrikas, Head of Lietuvos Draudimas’ Transportation Claims Division, Lietuvos Draudimas offers free roadside assistance services to those who have insured the vehicle with compulsory liability insurance. Free assistance is provided to take the car to a service center after an accident, change a wheel if necessary, stretch or help start. A total of 10 technical support services are provided to insured clients, at an average cost of € 95 per call.

“The most common reason drivers ask for help is an accident. In the event of an accident, it is often not possible to continue driving and the car must be transported to a workshop. Such a service generally costs 180 euros and is provided free of charge with free technical assistance.

Surprises on the road do not overlook young and experienced drivers. The most common problem is around 31 percent. In some cases, drivers request technical assistance when the battery is flat, 18 percent. The call asks for help replacing a flat tire. 11 percent drivers need help unlocking doors as keys get stuck, another 5 percent. – stretch when stuck. Without insurance with technical assistance, starting with a discharged battery would cost about 58 euros, changing a tire, about 65 euros, ”says G. Petrikas.

According to him, residents of the regions are more likely to have problems due to a flat tire and a car stuck in the ground, emergency unlocking of the doors. In cities, in turn, insurers generally approach for unstable cars. Calls to transport the car after an accident are also more common here.

“The technical assistance service is committed to reaching the city within 60 minutes, in the event of an incident on motorways and expressways, on asphalt roads of national and regional importance, in 90 minutes and on other roads, in 180 minutes. ” Technical assistance is not provided free of charge if the car is simply damaged and needs to be taken to a service center. In this case, an additional technical assistance package must be purchased, ”explains G. Petrikas.