The Automobile Association taking part in the Lord Mayors Show 2009
The Automobile Association taking part in the Lord Mayors Show 2009. The Automobile Association (The AA) is a British company providing car insurance, breakdown cover, loans and motoring advice. It was a former motoring association that became a private limited company in 1999, and is owned by two private equity firms. On June 29, 1905 a group of motoring enthusiasts met at the Trocadero restaurant in the West End of London. This was the inauguration of the Automobile Association, formed to help motorists avoid police speed traps. By 1906 the AA took a stand on road safety issues, and erected thousands of roadside warning signs. In 1908 the AA published the AA Members' Special Handbook, a list of nationwide agents and mechanics. The following year saw the introduction of the AA's free legal system. Between 1910 and 1929 the AA introduced AA Routes, and it continues to produce travel guides and maps. AA Publishing has grown to be an important UK publisher of travel literature. From 1912 the AA began inspecting hotels and restaurants, issuing the coveted AA Star Classification to those deemed to be of sufficient quality. By 1914, the AA had grown to 83,000 members. In the 1920s it introduced pre-purchase and post-accident repair checks. By 1939 the AA's membership had grown to 725,000, a number equivalent to 35% of all cars in the United Kingdom. When World War II ended the AA began to protest about wartime petrol rationing. The campaign was successful and rationing was repealed in 1950. This was the first of many campaigns that were aimed at championing the rights of British motorists. Other AA campaigns include the compulsory wearing of seat belts, and the introduction of lead-free petrol. Seat belt legislation became law in the UK in 1983. 1949 saw the launch of the AA's breakdown and recovery service. Initially available in only London and the surrounding districts, it has been extended to cover most of the UK.
Size: 3359px × 5048px
Location: Victoria Embankment, London, England
Photo credit: © John Gaffen 2 / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: 2009, aa, british, carnival, celebration, enretainment, historic, pageant, parade, tradition
