Freedom Outdoors

Yesterday was a horrible day. Period.

It started with my waking up, unable to do much of anything at all with my right hand. I even needed help putting on a shirt. I got up a bit late, and started off by speaking with our secretary to find out what needed to be done regarding my car & phone.
It didn’t take long before I was reminded that I was in Israel, the land of terrible service. You see, in order for Avis to give me a temporary replacement car, I needed to fax to them authorization from the police to release my trashed car from the police impound yard where it was towed. I’d tried to get this done last night after I was released from the hospital, but the person who answered the phone at the Afula police station told me that I needed a traffic investigator, and they don’t work in the evening. Ok, this isn’t too bad. I should be able to go to my local police station, make a statement, and have them speak with Afula in order to get the release. Not in Israel. I tried every way to plead with the officer who answered the phone in Afula to allow me to go to a local station. Aside from being injured, I had no car due to Avis’ policies. I even mentioned the fact that I volunteer with the SAR team since it is under the command of the police in the hopes that may at least sway him. His answer: “take the bus, bike or walk”. Sure…walk from Tel Aviv to Afula (it’s a 1-1.5hr drive). Thanks for your wonderful help there!

Avis started to make noiess that they could get me a car, but were taking too long. It was 1pm, and the traffic inspectors are only there until 3pm. In the end, I had to take a taxi. After the taxi took me to Afula at significant cost to my company, I had the paperwork completed with the police in 10 minutes to release the car. The woman who filled out the form claimed that in her opinion I could have done it in Tel Aviv. *grrr*

Ok, so that is done and faxed to Avis. Now, the hard part. I’d determined that I did not trust anyone who would be handling my car, and having left a ton of gear that included a few fleeces, hiking boots, Montrail shoes, SPD cycling shoes, a Schoeller softshell, Nalgenes (which are not sold in Israel) and I felt it was unlikely I’d ever see it again if I allowed someone else to remove the car from police impound and start towing it around the country. Avis promised to send someone from their Tiberias office be at the police station 40 minutes after I got there, and based on this promise I released the taxi driver who would have been more than happy to stay. That was at 2pm. At 3:30, I suddenly realized that the impound lot closes at 4pm, and I was fast running out of time. I called Avis, and was told that the driver would be arriving “within an hour”. WHAT??!?!?!?! I suddenly started to think about contingencies, such as getting a taxi to take me to the impound lot. After all, the police not only told me the address, but drew me a small map which showed exactly how to get there. It was just outside Afula.

Surprise! The Avis rep told me that the car was not at the lot in Afula, but was towed to Tiberias which is a 40 minute drive away. Sure he’s working off bad information, I tried to reassure him that the car was in Afula. I had a map the police drew for me. He then told me he had my house keys and cell phone in his hand, that he’d just removed from my car in Tiberias. Ok, you win. How the heck did it get to Tiberias? He doesn’t know, but this means that there is no way at all for me to get there in time for the 4pm closing time. After some rather loud convincing, he went quickly to the lot to empty my car himself and would have the entire contents waiting for me in Tiberias at their office. Now I have to go to Tiberias, 40 minutes in the wrong direction. Fine.

At about 4:20, I’m finally picked up by Avis. Not only is one of their young employees in the car, but the manager of the Tiberias office is there. He assured me that his employee already got in serious trouble for the bad service I received. Throughout my waiting time, our secretary who was also in contact with him assured me I was being too hard on him and that he was really trying to help. His manager told me another story. Apparently, at 2pm when we promised he’d have a driver there in 40 minutes, he knew then and there that this was not possible. He knowingly committed to something he could not follow through with, and on this basis I’d sent the taxi home. I was livid! Such crap service is so typical for Israel. It drives me crazy.

I finally got to Tiberias, picked up my things he’d removed and drove home. Driving with one hand, even in an automatic, is an interesting challenge. My arm hurt from the slightest strain on the wrist or arm. I got home at about 9pm, and started to inventory the things he’d retrieved. Thankfully, almost everything was there except for a large Maglite (3 C cell), my 1L Nalgene, and a hand-crank mobile phone charger I’d received from a friend for my birthday.

Now for today…

I was told my car would arrive in Lod at 3pm, and that I’d have all the time in the world to pick up my things from there. Because of this, a lot of people were as usual calling me excessive and other such things. Well, I arrived a bit late today at 3:30. I found the car quite easily. The staff at first didn’t realize who I was. They tried to ask why I was bothering with a few small items - was the driver even alive? Once they realized I was the driver, they were very shocked considering the condition of the car. Anyway, I found my Nalgene. The missing items are the Maglite and the charger. There was no chance they fell out, so this means they were intentionally removed and were not given to me either intentionally (theft) or by accident by the guy who took out my stuff and may have forgotten this. I really hope it’s the later, but given the lack of respect for other people’s property here, I fear it’s the former.

Remember the part where they told me I’d have all the time in the world? Not 20 minutes after I got there, a tow truck came to take the car to the scrap yard. If I had not shown up, it would have gone with all of my gear in it. This just disgusts me!!!! How can an entire country have such little respect or care for other people’s property?

Anyway, my arm hurts. I can’t climb, can’t work out, can’t do much. My co-worker has pains throughout his body that are keeping him from sleeping. Hopefully none of it is permanent.

Update: On re-reading this, I realize that I came accross rather critical of the rental company. I’d like to clarify, that while the actions of the clerk were terrible and one of the worst examples of service, his manager acknowledges this and repremanded him for it. The location manager also bumped up the interrim car they gave me to make up for it. I have no problem being critical, but I also want to point out good service too.

[tags]israel, afula, accident, collision, hospital, injury[/tags]