AAA Today

I know what you’re thinking, oftentimes pulling out your AAA card means you need help on the road. But I want you to think of AAA for all the fun stuff we offer…like a FREE hour of early access to SeaWorld or Busch Gardens during AAA Member Days, plus you can receive a second day FREE. Early entry means you’ll beat the crowds to ride your favorite coasters or attractions. Or how about a FREE appetizer from Outback? Florida residents simply present this certificate and their card and receive a free Bloomin’ Onion, Aussie Cheese Fries or Kookaburra Wings! Check out more FREE stuff exclusively for AAA members!

One of the most interesting things about working for AAA is that it seems everyone has a story about us. I’ll go to an event and mention that I work here, and almost immediately a conversation starts about someone’s experience with our road service. One guy told me he was running into a 7-11 and left the car running…without thinking about it, he also instinctively hit the lock button. As he stood there, peering in the window, he realized he was also almost out of gas, a triple whammy. But, he said he called AAA who unlocked his car and gave him some fuel. Crisis solved. I like that.

Are you using your AAA card for all its worth? Many members tell me that they only think of AAA when their car breaks down or they lock their keys in their car. But, you may be missing out on one of the most valuable benefits of membership—everyday discounts at restaurants, retail stores, online and more.  These discounts are yours just by showing your card. Yep, it’s that easy. 

I wanted to give you an early heads up about some exciting news from AAA. We know we have a lot of members who ride, but you may not know that we also have a lot of AAA employees that love their bikes as well. So when we started talking about offering road assistance specifically for motorcycles, we turned to the experts—our own riders.

This new coverage will offer four 100 mile tows, fuel delivery and much more. Plus the best part is that it’s only $35 dollars a year for members.

I was chatting with one of the writer’s of our magazine about a series of articles we did on celebrities with AAA. She recalled her interview with the effervescent Dolly Parton…yes, by gosh…She absolutely has AAA!   Dolly’s assistant set up the phone interview.

Apparently there was a little confusion, when we called her hotel at the designated time, she said, “Come on up!”

We explained that this was a phone interview and apologized for the confusion. Always unflappable and down-to-earth, she exclaimed, “Well, shoot, if I known that, I wouldn’t have put my hair and make-up on!”

If you’ve ever had to call for road service, you’ll probably be greeted by a friendly and helpful driver who’ll change your flat, give you a jump, deliver gas or provide a number of other services that will help you get you on your way. We’re proud of our drivers and AAA receives hundreds of letters each year about those that go above and beyond the call of duty. Here's a wonderful story about a driver who saved the day by rescuing someone from a burning building!

I've always been an avid RV enthusiast. My hubby and I have traveled around the southeast to spend time at some wonderful fishing and camping sites. It's been a big part of our family time together. Having AAA's RV roadside assistance protection is a no-brainer. Who wants their RV stuck on the side of the road with no idea how to get it towed? 

As the Vice President of Membership here at AAA, I felt that members who not only have RVs, but pull trailers, should also be covered. We've all got our toys, right? So now, whether you're pulling a boat, ATV, utility trailer, motorcycle-you name it-you'll never be stuck again.

I love to hear stories from members on how they use their membership, who they are and why they joined in the first place. Share your story. I'd love to feature you in an upcoming blog.

VelmaK, a member for over ten years, shared with me her birding story. An avid photographer, she travels around the state and to other destinations to capture the perfect shot of her feathered friends. (Check out a slideshow of her photographs.)

QUESTION: Take a look at the following statement and see if you can identify who authored it: "We rely on U.S. supplies of coal, oil, natural gas, renewable energy and other sources to meet this demand, in addition to drawing from a global marketplace—where demand is projected to rise by close to 35 percent from 2005 to 2030. To achieve energy security in this environment of growing demand at home and abroad, America will need to continue developing all its economic energy options.

At Christmastime it could be challenging for a guy writing a blog about gasoline, crude oil, roads and refineries to offer anything relevant, insightful or appropriate to the holiday season. And indeed it was...until I thought about the most energy-efficient transportation system the world has ever known. That would be Santa and his sleigh, drawn by Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner and Blitzen—led, of course, by Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.

While we all want to see the U.S. reduce its reliance on imported oil, it's important to recognize that sweeping change does not happen quickly. There are many options available today to obtain oil both domestically and internationally, but the options for refining that oil are extremely limited.

Has this happened to you? How often have you been driving in your car, not necessarily thinking about anything, and all of a sudden—BAM!!!—you hear a line in a song you've heard 1,000 times before and NOW it gets your attention?

Conventional wisdom has long held that oil is a fossil fuel, a finite resource. As the world's population of motorists consumes it, we should—at some point—be approaching the bottom of the well. Anybody disagree? It's been a fairly well-kept secret that hasn't received much exposure on the networks or CNN, but as a matter of fact, there's another perspective—"abiotic theory"—which holds that perhaps oil is not finite after all.

Perhaps more than 40 million Americans will be traveling considerable distances to be with family this Thanksgiving.  As with every holiday, the vast majority of us (80% or so) will be traveling by car via the Interstate. We'll enjoy safe, speedy and efficient travel across the U.S. no matter where we're going.  

Only once in the past 30 years have retail gasoline prices increased from October through December. The year was 2007. Unfortunately, gasoline prices today look like they could outpace the Q4 price hikes of 2007. 

The answer, depending on whom you trust, is “yes” and “no” and “it depends.” Logic tells you that if we consistently consume a finite resource for 50 or 60 years, there ought to be less of it.

Hurricanes visit Florida from time to time and its residents know well what often happens next.  Almost like clockwork, gasoline prices go up. Sometimes there’s a solid rationale for the increase, based on supply and demand, and sometimes there isn’t.

What brand of gasoline do you put in your car? Does it matter? Or do you just go to whichever gas station / convenience store outlet is closest or cheapest?

We all like to see the price at the pump in decline, and I especially liked filling up for $2.25 per gallon earlier this week. Reporters ask: "Are gas prices headed below $2 per gasoline? Will we ever see gas that low again?"

You swipe your card, pump the gas into your car, and you're on your way. But have you ever stopped to think about where the money goes? Contrary to popular opinion, it's not all going to 'Big Oil' barons in Texas, or sheiks and dictators in Saudi Arabia or Venezuela.

Don't hold your breath if you're waiting for logic to enter the debate about drilling off Florida's shores for oil. Tune in to the evening news or read any U.S. newspaper and there are only two sides to this debate.

When hurricane season arrives, consumers and many reporters understandably ask, “How high can the gas prices go?” There’s no simple answer, but it’s important to note that while hurricanes can diminish access to the available fuel supply, they also significantly diminish demand, too.

Gasoline prices follow consistent seasonal patterns.  Every spring they go up, every summer they reach a peak, and just about every autumn they come back down…