![\"What\u2019s](\"https:\/\/namgar.com\/NAMGAR2020\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Ow71-v35n03-mga-mazazine_img_54_1-111x166-1.jpg\")
Following is an article which recently appeared in the MGA! magazine written by Roger Bailey, NAMGAR Member.<\/p>\nFollowing is an article which recently appeared in the MGA! magazine written by Roger Bailey, NAMGAR Member.<\/p>\n
Many enthusiasts like to make their MGs just that bit more \u2018British\u2019 by equipping \u2018the old girl\u2019 with badges of the two British motoring clubs. Displaying such badges is very appropriate: the AA and RAC have been an important part of British motoring for over a century and remain so to this day. At the time our MGAs were made, rescue call boxes had long been a \ufb01xture of the countryside, along with the uniformed servicemen they summoned. Increasingly reliable cars and better communications began to reduce the need for the boxes, the \ufb01nal demise brought on by the advent of mobile phones. But, motorists still rely on the clubs\u2019 roadside assistance, along with a vast array of other services. AA and RAC logos appear on everything the traveler sees, from hotel signs to repair garages, on maps and special event signs and even on some early legacy signposts.<\/p>\n
Other than our favorite octagon, which has never needed its image or message refreshed, most symbols seem to undergo a periodic \u2018facelift,\u2019 and even Rolls Royce\u2019s \u201cSpirit of Ecstasy\u201d had her shapely form restyled. Similarly, club logos have changed over the years, with badges attracting both vintage car owners and automobilia collectors. Fortunately, you don\u2019t have to worry about \u2018correctness\u2019 when adding a club badge to your MGA because drivers sometimes maintained their club memberships for decades, transferring the badge from car to car, so an outdated badge was not that uncommon. Furthermore, a newly joined member might well place his or her new badge onto an older car. So, in the words of Cole Porter \u201cAnything Goes.\u201d<\/p>\n
Anyone familiar with the post-war British driving scene might assume that roadside rescue was the primary purpose of motoring clubs. Indeed, a motorist not adept at repairing his car could expect to be stranded miles from anywhere. But, maintaining an e\ufb00ective roadside service requires a huge investment in well-staged facilities, service vehicles, trained manpower, and communications \u2013 something only a large membership could fund, and although a primitive roadside recovery system was devised as early as 1901, roadside rescue boxes didn\u2019t make their appearance until 1912.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, the Automobile Club began lobbying for increased speed limits in 1903, and pressing to alter regulations created in the age of the horse. In 1905, it pioneered driving \u2018certi\ufb01cates,\u2019 the practice enduring for thirty years until made obsolete by government-issued licenses. Changing regulations and re-directing taxes to fund road projects require considerable social \u2018leverage,\u2019 and only people \u2018of means\u2019 could achieve such things. Indeed, early drivers\/ club members typically came from well connected and well o\ufb00 families with just such in\ufb02uence. Nevertheless, altering laws is one thing, funding comprehensive services is quite another.<\/p>\n
The Automobile Club of Great Britain was founded in 1897 by Messrs Simms and Moore, who based its constitution on that of the Automobile Club of France. The new constitution also became the basis for an equivalent club in Ireland, later amalgamated to form the Automobile Club of Great Britain and Ireland. Since the \u2018players\u2019 of the day must have been able to \u2018pay,\u2019 it is not surprising the club enjoyed some pretty fancy \u2018digs\u2019 in London. Initially located in Whitehall, it was never far from the seat of government, and, after relocating to Piccadilly in 1902, it made its \ufb01nal move in 1911, occupying some disused war o\ufb03ces in Pall Mall within sight of the Palace!<\/p>\n
At the time, even if the common man could have a\ufb00orded a car, and been able to a\ufb00ord the price of admission to the club, probably had little chance of acceptance: hob-knobbing with members of the ultimate in exclusivity, \u2018the Victorian ruling class\u2019 was \u2018just not on [the cards], old chap.\u2019 WWI would change all that, but, meanwhile, the fascination with automobiles was growing at all levels of society.<\/p>\n
As a point of interest, the North American \u201cTriple A\u201d developed quite di\ufb00erently: founded in 1902 by a consortium of nine independent clubs seeking road development and improvement, AAA grew by af\ufb01liating numerous independents, including the Canadian Automobile Association.<\/p>\n
![\"RAC](\"https:\/\/namgar.com\/NAMGAR2020\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/rac-logo-splash.jpg\"){kind=logo}
Automobile Club member Claude Johnson organized the \ufb01rst 1000-mile trial in 1900, thereby demonstrating the reliability of the new \u2018horseless carriage.\u2019 Five years later the club sponsored the \ufb01rst Tourist Trophy (TT) race, further capturing the interest of King Edward VII, a great motoring enthusiast. Famously, cars were one of two maor interests in Edward\u2019s life (the other being the ladies) and in 1907 the king gave the royal assent to the Automobile club, following which it was known as the Royal Automobile Club. By 1928, a growing number of people could afford a car (which could soon included an MG), and public interest had become strong enough for the RAC to sponsor the first British Grand Prix at the now-famous Brooklands Racetrack. If you consult Michael Ellman-Brown\u2019s marvelous Complete Guide to MG Collectables, on page 154, you can see the medallion issued by the RAC in 1931 to commemorate the first Irish Tourist Trophy, won in that year by MG driver S.A. Crabtree, at a speed of 67.62mph! The RAC\u2019s influence on MG, and on motor sports in general, is well described in the excellent DVD Inside the Octagon.<\/p>\n
All motorists share similar needs and interests, and as larger membership rolls were the key to higher revenues and expanded services \u2013 not to mention pressure from any competitor organizations \u2013 it became obvious that RAC must allow two classes of membership; full members and, well, not full members; those who desired only travel-related services. The London club was not for everyone: even if a middle-class driver lived within range of \u2018the city\u2019 and could afford London club amenities, he might well feel out of place.<\/p>\n
You get a feel for what things must have been like decades ago at RAC by reading the London club\u2019s brochure. If deemed worthy and having made it o\ufb00 the waiting list, the joining fee in 2003 was about $2,500, which entitled you to buy dinner at the club, sport your radiator badge and purchase, with any pocket-change left over after the $1,300 annual membership fees, any of the other club o\ufb00erings. For example, having secured an annual mid-week gol\ufb01ng pass for $750, you could join the waiting list for the all-week pass, available for only $250 more. Naturally, as with any exclusive club, \u2018being deemed worthy\u2019 requires that you know how to, and are willing to, abide by all the rules, regulations, and customs. For instance: \u201cJacket and tie will be worn \u2013 absolutely NO cravats (\u2018windsors\u2019) are permitted\u201d! There is no need to elaborate further, as this entire scene is, doubtless, quite familiar to most members of NAMGAR!<\/p>\n
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The member\u2019s handbook mapped all numbered call box locations from which, with the aid of a club key, the driver could telephone for help. If the car couldn\u2019t be driven to the box, a passing fellow member would often oblige, but, failing all else \u2013 provided you were on a major road \u2013 you could expect a serviceman to come along within an hour or two.<\/p>\n
Breakdown service patrols relied on small vans and motorcycle-sidecars \ufb01lled to capacity with spare parts and equipment. Rescue boxes were larger than the standard red telephone box, being designed to o\ufb00er limited shelter from the weather, yet smaller than the blue police box made famous by the TV series Dr. Who (come to think of it, they were many orders of magnitude smaller than the interior of the Tardis!). Sadly, all of these iconic boxes have virtually disappeared from Britain.<\/p>\n
Created at a time when one\u2019s chau\ufb00eur would be dressed in quasi-military dress, the clubs dressed their personnel in military-style uniforms. Distinctive colors di\ufb00erentiated the servicemen and their equipment from the competition: the RAC adopted a blue similar to the RAF uniform, whilst the AA adopted a tan color evocative of the army, and having yellow accents. Just as the family chau\ufb00eur would touch his cap in deference to his employers, the servicemen were trained to honor passing members with a salute smart enough for the \ufb01ercest regimental sergeant major. It was all part of the mystique.<\/p>\n
Even in older, slower, days servicemen were occasionally injured or killed while performing their duties, so, given the speed and density of UK tra\ufb03c, one can\u2019t begrudge the serviceman his \ufb02uorescent jacket. But even if smart uniforms have given way to serviceable (and inexpensive) garb, it appears from Internet chatter that members still expect a salute and tend to \u2018carry on something awful\u2019 if they don\u2019t get one. The fact that they do this is con\ufb01rmation that deferential treatment is as highly prized as ever, with drivers still enjoying the boosting of both batteries and egos!<\/p>\n
Although servicemen would be watching primarily for any club members in distress, there were many press reports of them lending a hand to non-members. In fact, my family was treated to such help when our Austin Cambridge broke down with ignition problems and we were \u2018rescued\u2019 by a passing AA serviceman. Faulty condenser replaced, the man politely declined dad\u2019s offer of \u2018have one on me,\u2019 responding instead with the counter-o\ufb00er of a membership form and brochure!<\/p>\n
The structure of RAC has changed dramatically over the last decade: its service business had grown large and pro\ufb01table, and expanded beyond simply listing driving schools to actually buying out BSM, Britain\u2019s most recognized driving school. Meanwhile, Lex Services, a \ufb01rm involved in everything from parking garages to rental \ufb02eet operations acquired Multi-Part, and thereafter decided that auto parts and products should be their core business. RAC, with its array of services was a natural target for Lex, so in 1999, Lex bought the motoring services division from The Royal Automobile Club, naming their purchase \u201cRAC Plc.\u201d The London club, presumably with its coffers now as full as its wince cellars, continued on, rather confusingly, using their original chartered name: \u201cThe Royal Automobile Club.\u201d<\/p>\n
In 2005 RAC Plc was sold to the Aviva insurance giant for \u00a31.1 billion, providing club members with an array of insurance services, and the parent company with a large pool of potential clients. At the time, the BBC reported that RAC plc had \u201cabout 6.7 million roadside assistance customers, and about 275,000 motor and home policy-holders under the RAC Insurance brand.\u201d Along the way, the RAC roadside rescue vans changed color from blue to orange.<\/p>\n
Together with its continuing involvement in motor-sports, RAC Plc pursues topics of importance to drivers of vintage cars, lobbying for continued availability of leaded petrol whilst simultaneously, in partnership with the Federation of British Historic Vehicle Clubs (FBVHC), the testing of lead replacement products. Their travel services continued to expand in both scale and scope, now encompassing hotel rating, location, and reservations, legal services, registration checking, and travel advisories; stolen vehicle recovery, brokerage services for the transfer of \u2018desirable\u2019 license plates, driver training, insurance, \ufb01nancing, leasing, and issuing advisories on crucial topics. The latter activities include the infamous London Congestion Charge and, more recently, the promotion of \u201cGreen Wave\u201d traf\ufb01c light sequencing. Other activities include environmental matters, safety, and courteous driving campaigns.<\/p>\n
The RAC\u2019s competitor, The Automobile Association, was founded in 1905, partially in reaction to an increasing number of \ufb01nes due to measured-mile speed traps which it attacked by publishing their locations. By 1908, AA was certifying and listing repair shops (garages), promoting safety, and seeking to provide services not available from the RAC, including legal assistance for members accused of motoring o\ufb00enses. Just as the RAC had provided road signposting, the AA became known for its temporary signage to special events, as shown in \u201cAA Event Signage.\u201d The new club became popular very quickly, with membership rising to 83,000, in just nine years!<\/p>\n
During the 1920s, pre-purchase and post-accident inspection services were added, and AA roadside rescue also became increasingly competitive with RAC. Soon the AA was generating over 250,000 route guides and maps a year \u2013 some complete with hand-written notes \u2013 and, like their competitor, rating hotels and restaurants. This has continued to the present day, with AA claiming to be the U.K.\u2019s largest travel publisher, having more than 10,000 hotel and restaurant listings.<\/p>\n
After WWII, it was the AA who lobbied for an end to petrol rationing, until that goal was achieved in 1950. A year later, with some \u2018free ink\u2019 provided by The Illustrated London News, the club rolled out (sorry!) another service \u2018coup:\u2019 radio-controlled (dispatched) service vans! The club continues its involvement in a variety of motoring issues-de-jour, from the use of seatbelts, to opposing \u2018unfair\u2019 motoring taxes and lobbying for road improvements.<\/p>\n
As with the RAC, AA\u2019s success became a business opportunity for Centrica Corp., which purchased the club in 1999 for \u20a41.2 billion. In 2000, they also acquired Halfords, a nationwide parts retailer, thereby creating 150 branded products, and then creating an on-line car buying service. Although the era of roadside boxes has passed, AA continued to improve its service response time and the e\ufb00ectiveness of its breakdown services, recently receiving \u201c #1\u201d ratings by both J.D. Power and Which magazine (the U.K.\u2019s version of Consumer Reports). AA membership currently stands at around 15 million! High-tech, on-line services, blogging and twittering, does not, in my opinion, replace personal contact, particularly in the form of the iconic roadside rescue.<\/p>\n
High quality original club badges can command a good price, with rare, early badges such as the RAC Full Member badge costing hundreds of dollars. As good original badges become harder to \ufb01nd, reproductions have become available – not all of which are authentic in appearance. You can check for authenticity and compare badge designs from the Beaulieu photos shown in \u201cAA Badges,\u201d \u201cMGA onwards badges,\u201d and \u201cEarlier RAC badges.\u201d The club badges issued during MGA production years are isolated in \u201cMGA period badges.\u201d<\/p>\n
The two major British motoring clubs, The RAC and the Automobile Association endure as they have for more than a century by adapting to the needs of the motorist. So, you can proudly display their badges on your MG, knowing the contribution these two clubs have made to motoring over the last 100 years, not to mention the many MG owners that must have been rescued in that time!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Following is an article which recently appeared in the MGA! magazine written by Roger Bailey,<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":44399,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"nf_dc_page":"","ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[13],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-42334","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-featured-mga-articles"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/namgar.com\/NAMGARMAIN\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/42334","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/namgar.com\/NAMGARMAIN\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/namgar.com\/NAMGARMAIN\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/namgar.com\/NAMGARMAIN\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/namgar.com\/NAMGARMAIN\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=42334"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/namgar.com\/NAMGARMAIN\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/42334\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/namgar.com\/NAMGARMAIN\/wp-json\/"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/namgar.com\/NAMGARMAIN\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=42334"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/namgar.com\/NAMGARMAIN\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=42334"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/namgar.com\/NAMGARMAIN\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=42334"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}