NRMA is working to implement unique identification rules for its mobile mechanics following a comedian’s terrifying encounter with a contractor in regional NSW.
While travelling to a gig late at night, Laura Johnston was confronted by an “aggressive” contractor on February 10 who she says came to provide roadside assistance but did not carry identification.
“My car wouldn’t start, so I contacted my roadside assistance company, and they said it would be a 120-minute wait,” she told Sky News.
“Twenty minutes later a random car pulled up really fast and parked directly in front of me with a dodgy back window.
“I asked for some identification, and he then gets really aggressive with me.
“He swears at me and storms back to his car and says I’ll just have to wait for the guys from Canberra to come.”
Ms Johnston said her sister, having overheard the man say “f**k you”, then called the police while she herself contacted the NRMA.
“They [NRMA] couldn’t verify that he worked for them for 22 minutes,” she said.
“He had no uniform, no branding on his car, he was aggressive with me.
“The tracking link I was provided showed the person I was waiting for was still 60 minutes away, so no part of me believed he worked for the company.
“For those 22 minutes I really thought I was in danger and that has stayed in my body.
“For the next week every time I went out to my car my heart started to race and I couldn’t think clearly.
“It’s taken a long time for me to be okay to drive by myself again which as a comedian is problematic.”
In the following months, Ms Johnston contacted several roadside assistance companies in an effort to implement a policy change but with little success until she posted a viral TikTok outlining her experience on June 28. In the video, the comedian said the experience made her fear for her life for more than 20 minutes.
NRMA CEO Carolyn Darke held a meeting with Ms Johnston on July 3 thanking her for “sharing her experience”.
“As a member organisation that is committed to going above and beyond, this meeting allowed us to hear from Laura and share ideas on how we can make the identification process on the side of the road simpler and more efficient,” a spokesman said in a statement provided to this masthead.
“We will now begin the process of implementing these enhancements.”
A petition calling for companies providing roadside assistance to ensure their contractors carry identification or registration details has gathered more than 25,000 signatures.
“I feel very correct in wanting to fight for this because there are so many comments about similar experiences,” Ms Johnston said.
“I’m certain that the code we are asking for is a good solution to make us all feel safer when we are vulnerable and broken down on the side of the road.”
There are no laws requiring companies to have their staff or contractors explicitly display branding or provide identification.
Ms Johnston has met with representatives for the Minister for Women Katy Gallagher to discuss national change.
Her office has been contacted for comment.