I'm sending a letter, I'll send it right to you

[venta]

Now it's getting scary...


Venta v. the AA, part 3.
(Part 1, Part 2)

I have just written a very snotty letter to the AA. The mother is busy checking it for me, to make sure I've said nothing libellous, and I was passing the time by phoning them to ask to whom I should address my grumblings.

This does, I suppose, at least make me realise that (contrary to my speculations the other day) people do call the AA for purposes other than to say "my car's broke".

However, I got my address. The spelling of building in which the AA's head office is apparently housed (Fanum House) seemed to be such a bizarre collection of letters that, ever suspicious, I thought I'd google to check.

As it happens, the spelling was right. But I found this, which is great. All hail our alien masters (who may or may not be running the AA, I'm not quite clear.)

Comments

[broadmeadow.livejournal.com]

I believe that if you send your missive about the AA to the AA (rather than a 3rd party) then you cannot libel them, as that would require that you damage their reputation in some way. So you can say pretty much what you want. Yay!

[onebyone.livejournal.com]

Except that she's shown the letter to her mother.

Without checking the website

[wimble.livejournal.com]

How do I get from Here to There
Can you get me accomodation when I arrive There? (I associate this more with the RAC, 'cos it's what my father used to do when we went on holiday.)
Can you get me insurance/breakdown cover? (My car's not broke, but it might be in future)
Can I have somebody to inspect this car? (Somebody else is selling me a car which might be broke)

And... ?

Re: Without checking the website

[venta.livejournal.com]

Er, yeah, there are a fair few reasons. It's almost like I was joking, or summat.

Re: Without checking the website

[broadmeadow.livejournal.com]

> or summat

Stop it! You have no discernable accent!

Re: Without checking the website

[venta.livejournal.com]

You mean I don't have a discerning accent. It picks up phrases/vowels from anywhere! Och aye, the noo.

Re: Without checking the website

[brrm.livejournal.com]

The RAC, when I'm unfortunate enough to have to call them, have several numbers, one of which is a breakdown line. I can't remember the first question when they answered it, though :)

Count yourself lucky with the throttle - new-fangled modern cars have throttle-by-wire, where if the engine management computer (computers? in cars? Whatever next) decides it doesn't like the inputs it's getting, disables it. :)

[phlebas.livejournal.com]

The AA's HQ is in Memphis?

[wimble.livejournal.com]

It explains why everybody is walking.

[venta.livejournal.com]

Nearly right. Basingstoke.
(I'm afraid I didn't quite follow why it's in Memphis :)

[phlebas.livejournal.com]

I'm sending a letter
I'll send it right to you

[venta.livejournal.com]

Duh!
Having written this last night, I'd forgotten the subject line ;)

[onebyone.livejournal.com]

Been there.

[lathany.livejournal.com]

I have just written a very snotty letter to the AA

Would this be:

"Dear AA,

You suck.

Yours, Venta."

[venta.livejournal.com]

Um, no. It was very polite. I went for a detailing of their muppetry and a more-in-sorrow-than-in-anger "this is not the level of service I have been lead to expect from the AA"-style conclusion.

I don't have the moral highground very often, I thought I might as well enjoy it while I had ;)

[wimble.livejournal.com]

And, with luck, your moral highground will be worth 46 squid.

[venta.livejournal.com]

Well, since I'm not buying that kit, nor claiming I'm going to, that exact figure isn't all that relevant.

[wimble.livejournal.com]

You'd be able to buy a spare carburettor, which you could then mount and send back to them?

[(Anonymous)]

Unfortunately, letters can be seen by other than the party to whom they are addressed, just as phonecalls may be overheard. There doesn't seem to have been a definitive case concerning the internet yet.

[onebyone.livejournal.com]

letters can be seen by other than the party to whom they are addressed, just as phonecalls may be overheard

Is it possible to accidentally libel/slander someone? I thought that "not malicious" was a valid defence in both cases.