Why do some tow truck drivers take forever to arrive when you're stuck in the heat?

[orwinkael]

Hi everyone, I'm writing this still feeling annoyed and honestly a bit disappointed with how things went down yesterday afternoon. I was leaving a shopping center in Abu Dhabi around 3pm, which as you all know is probably the hottest time of the day, and my car just wouldn't start at all. The battery seemed fine because the lights came on but when I turned the key there was this horrible clicking noise and then nothing. I figured maybe it was the starter motor or something else electrical. I called my insurance roadside assistance first because that's what I pay them for right? Well after being on hold for nearly fifteen minutes they told me someone would be there within two hours. Two hours in that heat with no shade was just not something I could do. So I started calling around to local companies I found online and most of them either didn't answer or quoted me prices that seemed way too high for a simple tow. Then I came across what looked like a professional car towing service Abu Dhabi and the person on the phone was actually very polite and efficient. He gave me a clear price upfront which I really appreciated and said a driver would be there in about forty minutes. I thought okay that's not amazing but it's better than two hours. Well forty minutes came and went and I called back to ask for an update. The dispatcher said the driver was finishing up another job and would be another thirty minutes. I was already sweating through my shirt at this point and running out of phone battery. The driver finally showed up after almost an hour and a half from my initial call. When I asked him why he was so late he just shrugged and said traffic was bad. I understand delays happen but what I don't understand is why companies give you an optimistic estimate when they know there's no way they can make it in that time. Why not just tell me an hour and a half from the beginning so I could have arranged proper shade or called someone else? Has anyone else dealt with this kind of thing or have you found a towing company that actually shows up when they say they will? I'd really love some recommendations because I don't want to go through this again. Thanks everyone.