Phil Mortimore

Patrol

"On a sunny day, there's nothing better than being out on the road. Being stuck in an office – or a garage – just isn't for me. I did start out my career in a garage though. But that was over 20 years ago now and I decided pretty quickly if I was going to get anywhere, I'd need the backing of a big company. So I decided to join the AA. After four years in the workshop, I moved into Patrols and I haven't looked back since. The thing is, you get to be your own boss. I'm self-employed in all but name. And I've got the added benefit of knowing I've got the AA behind me.

"Then there's the variety. When you're working in Patrols, you never know what's coming next. So we're trained and equipped to cope with almost anything. You can find yourself doing the straight forward stuff, like sorting out flat batteries or wheel changes, or you could be called out because someone can't reverse out of a tight parking space or they've locked their baby in the car. I've seen all sorts. The point is, you feel like you're helping people out of a spot and that's satisfaction in itself.

"You never know what state people are going to be in when you arrive – harassed, anxious, impatient, embarrassed – so you do need to be good at dealing with people. Thinking on your feet and a cool head come in handy too. All in all though, whatever situation you're dealing with, you can be pretty sure people are pleased to see you."