The people who report bad luck in the morning are first sent to the track. That is a conscious decision, says team manager Maarten Sparnaij. “Our people are still working on getting everyone safely onto the track, so the unlucky people will have to wait a while before a mechanic arrives. As a result, they might miss the race and that’s a shame.” After the race, all mechanics are ready to get the breakdowns back on the road. “We then go with the people to their vehicle and solve the problem.”
Today you do not have to be a member to be helped by the ANWB. “No, today it is our mission to get everyone back on the road. So if we have to cut your lock and you are not a member, we really don’t bother about it,” says Sparnaij. If your motorcycle or car is really so broken that it has to be towed, you can become a member on the spot and it will be arranged for you.
For the TT-goers this is of course a nice day or even weekend out, but that also applies to the mechanics. “Yes, this is something different from the daily grind. And everyone is happy and cheerful. Great to do,” says mechanic Adriaan Autsema. He also has a few tips for next year. “If you end up in a traffic jam, turn off your lights to save the battery. And make sure you stay above two thousand rpm, then your battery remains full. We also see that people park their motorcycle and accidentally switch on the parking light , then your battery will be empty after an hour, so turn it off properly.”
And finally the key to your lock. “Please put it in your wallet. Too often we see people put it in their pocket, then they sit down and it falls out.”
The Wegenwacht was last at full power on the TT Circuit in 2019. Then in three days it helped 185 people with breakdowns back on the road. The service also seems to be reaching that number this weekend. The Roadside Assistance hopes to have the parking spaces empty again around 7:30 this evening.