The RAC is a UK breakdown company that was originally formed in 1897 to assist members with motoring services including roadside assistance. During the early 1900's the RAC started to introduce mobile patrols that saw the patrolmen wearing a uniform that was very similar to the military police of the day, they even had an rank structure very similar to the army! They rode around on motorbikes and sidecars to carry their tool kit and an array of spare parts (fan belts, engine hoses, fluids and spare petrol). The only way the controllers could contact the mobile patrol men was by telephone, so they had to wait in laybys and at major road junctions by the public telephone box so they could be contacted. This was until the advent of basic radio sets around 1930, which allowed two way contact with the local HQ.
During the 1960s the patrol men upgraded to small vans and by 1970 the last of the motorcycle patrols had been superseded. Most roadside telephones had been phased out and the advent of the mobile telephone saw the remaining roadside telephones become redundant and the last of the RAC telephones were withdrawn from service.
Since being sold by the members of the Royal Automobile Club in September 1999 to Lex Service plc, who in 2002 renamed themselves RAC plc, RAC was been acquired by Aviva plc for around £1.1 billion.
Car Journal hopes you enjoy the photos taken of our friendly local RAC patrol man in action in London one night in August 2008.