Comedian Laura Johnston, 27, has recounted a harrowing experience that left her fearing for her safety after her car broke down in a rural area at night. Johnston was en route to a gig in February when her vehicle stopped working in a small country town. After calling a roadside assistance company, she reported that a man arrived approximately 20 minutes later in a dilapidated vehicle, demanding she unlock her car door.
Johnston stated the man, who did not offer identification, aggressively insisted she open the door. She recounted asking for proof of identification before complying. According to Johnston, the man responded with expletives and then, as he left, told her she would have to wait for "the guys from Canberra" to arrive. This comment, along with the man's erratic behavior and the vehicle's condition, raised her suspicions.
She contacted the roadside assistance company again to verify the man's identity and check the estimated arrival time for their official technician. Johnston reported that the company's tracker indicated their actual representative was still over 80 minutes away. She expressed concern that an individual may have targeted her car simply because her hazard lights were on and that her refusal to open the door might have prevented a dangerous encounter. She also worried the man knew she was stranded and might return.
Later, Johnston claims she was informed by the company that the man was indeed a contractor and that roadside assistance personnel are not required to carry identification or wear uniforms, especially in rural areas. She drew a comparison, stating that food delivery services have more robust safety protocols for verifying recipients than roadside assistance companies.
In response to her experience, Johnston has launched a petition advocating for enhanced safety procedures within roadside assistance companies. She proposes a system where both the customer and the contractor are provided with unique codes to compare upon arrival as a verification measure. Johnston argues that requiring customers to open their car doors to unverified individuals in isolated situations is an unsafe practice.
Her account has resonated with many, with social media users expressing shock that such a verification system is not already standard. Several individuals have voiced support for implementing a straightforward verification process, emphasizing the need for customers to feel secure when utilizing roadside assistance services, regardless of location.