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This is my rollback, but can't take credit for the photos, A friend has taken these photos

Last winter we got a call to remove 2 old trucks from a property that was being sold. My guys pulled a Chevy van & a GMC pick up out of the weeds & brought them in. After inspecting them, I told the owner that there wasn't much there to work with and there would be substantial costs to repair them. I ended up buying them for a couple hundred bucks. We decided to make something out of the truck to flip it but it turned in to something much more complex... The bed was terrible so it was removed only to find the chassis had seen better days. Typical GM crossmember damage on the frame. We media blasted the chassis & installed/fabricated new structure pieces & crossmembers. The cab got new front sheet metal and we welded in new inner & outer rocker panels on both sides. We do a couple of these type cab repairs a month... Now since this was a dually pick up, the frame is wider then the cab & chassis 34' so i made a custom sub frame that mounted to the existing bed mounts and allowed a standard body to be attached... Then the truck got a new paint job... We built a hitch plate & tied it in to the chassis for structural support. The hoist sub frame assembly were installed while we waited for a custom body to come in... Finally the body came in. We had it made a little shorter then normal due to the shorter "cab to axle" & very little overhang on this chassis... Once installed & hooked up, it was back in for a new front suspension that was completely adjustable in order to get our height up. We had custom 19.5 wheels made to accommodate taller, heavier rubber. Also installed stainless tool boxes and full fenders to fill in some of the "void" under the bed... All new LED lighting, and accessories to round it out... In the middle between A-Z, we also installed a new transmission, transfer case, full brake system, went through the motor with all new cooling system, accessories & electronics. Then it was sent out for a wrap to top it off... We have a custom light bar being built, all new emergency lighting and a new Fisher V Plow coming in for it. I had a couple of Ash side boards refinished for the body and then I think we are done! This project was used through the last 11 months as fill in work , especially during the 1st few months of Covid to keep guys busy. I wouldn't lay anyone off... But in the end, it goes down the road nice and I'm sure it will work well for our Property Damage clean up jobs as well as maintenance for our property company & what not. It was a lot of coin to put in to a 15 year old truck but it can earn when necessary and sit quietly in the shop for free when not needed! Not sure how you guys feel but In uncertain times, I don't need another payment...

Thank you to Essex Police for coming out and protecting me on a recovery on a duel carriage way called the A131 in Essex UK. The vehicle I was recovering was on the grass as we have no hard shoulder on most of our roads in the area, and if I pulled on to the grass I would sink as it has been raining a lot. Managed the situation and took the keys off he lady for her Dodge Nitro with a banging noise from the engine as she could get a lift home in another car. This little clip is 15 minutes squashed to 60 seconds! Its from the rolling road block load and to a place of safety to strap the vehicle down. (there is music to the video) Be safe as you can out there people

Hey everybody Haven't been on here in years. Great seeing old familiar usernames and awesome to see so many new ones. Just wanted to say howdy.

This unit is owned by: Rózsár György

Got a call for a crash 4:30 this morning where a guy was traveling at a substantially higher rate then the posted 25mph...and failed to negotiate the turn... Audi A6 Supercharged....Was a nice ride...a few hours ago... Narrowly missed the home owner's Dodge pick up... And took out 4 or 5 trees as well as a bunch of landscaping... The car ended up in the middle of the cross street. We went back up in the daylight with our incident van, the dump truck & mini excavator and due to the excessive debris an additional rollback... The new girl earning her keep...the dump truck iI mean...LoL Once done, we blow off the whole area... Dumped all the debris in the back of our property where we will burn pretty soon... Isn't that a pretty fish...? Made for a nice day, all inhouse labor so very lucrative for us.

Took a call from city parking enforcement for a vehicle parked in a "Car Share" space. ( Long story short, car share is a city funded vehicle "loan" program. Basically, you sign up, get the app then you can "borrow" any one of the stratigically placed vehicles throughout the city as long as it stays in the city and is returned within 24 hours.) Some skates, a quick snatch block to straighten it up on the deck and off we went. The customer called to claim the vehicle and stated they couldnt understand the signage. What do you think?

Every time, in addition I secure the steering wheel in the straight ahead position. I am in an area where we have narrow winding country roads with a high center crown & if you do not strap or secure the steering wheel the dollies will wander with the road crown or while going around a sharp turn at speed. I use the same ratchet & 2" laso strap on the dollies as the strap pictured on the wheel lift. I run Collins & ITD, they all get straps.

Hey Guys, My name is Micah from micahdoodles.com . I’m a CARtoonist and was invited to this page to share my art. I have a bunch of COLORING BOOKS with tooned up cars and trucks...a great stocking stuffer idea for only $10. order at micahdoodles.com In 2021, I will have my 11th book done called “tooned-out WRECKERS”...20 pages of cartooned wreckers and roll offs combined in a coloring book. You can check out some samples on my Micah Claycamp fb page. feel free to message me for more info. Micah Claycamp

Well said. Replace the tow operators with policemen and then see what kind of charges are brought against the offender. Personally I think my life is just as valuable as a policeman’s. Stricter enforcement of the law is a must. As has been stated before, after a tow operator gets killed, then there seems to be plenty of law enforcement available to “protect the scene”. And the highway gets shut down. Please, provide us with some protection before we get killed.

In all due respect to tow companies that have rotators, in the big picture of the towing and recovery industry, to me, rotators aren't, "old school". Recoveries like this are common in small, rural towns where roadways are narrow and windy. And, there are many, many, many, rural tow companies that don't have the luxury of having rotators in their Mom n' Pop fleets'. For small companies that don't have rotators or available big rigs, competent training for these kinds of "over-the-rail" recoveries should be taught ... that's old school. In my CHP light-duty recovery classes, towers are taught how-to recover old school especially when rotators aren't available or respond from a considerable distance away. My photo simply shows two competitor companies working together to get the job done when rotators aren't available. (The cones represent a Jersey Wall or crash rail). Especially when casualty vehicles are totalled like the one shown above, two wreckers, working side-by-side gets the job done in the same amount of time. If you're company has rotator equipment, keep that monster working. But, if you don't have a rotator, the same recovery can be worked with light-duty wreckers and competent operator skills. R.

This guy drove about 1 mile with this under his trailer I'm so glad it didn't come out and someone hit it . The rock weighed 4 thousand pounds crazy glad nobody go hurt.

Got this call from the county Sheriffs office this evening. Dispatch stated they had a "white sedan" in the ditch on a rural road. On arrival I was informed that not only was the car IN the ditch, but the driver apparently "ditched" the scene as well. The vehicle turned out to be this 2020 Bmw M340i with only 5,500 miles on it. The car went off the road and rode the ditch about 40' before slamming into a large rock / steel pipe culvert across a womans driveway. The impact broke the left front wheel into a dozen pieces, tore the suspension out, shattered the front bumper and carbon fiber lip and sprayed parts and large stones everywhere. The recovery was rather straight forward and came right up and out with little effort. Clean up was quite involved. all parts and pieces were collected, the large stones were set back in place in the culvert and the driveway was raked smooth. During the extensive clean up, I found the drivers wallet in the culvert pipe and turned it over to the Deputy. The "missing" vehicle driver is currently being sought by the sheriffs dept and a law enforcement "hold" has been placed on the car. I even repaired the property owners Biden sign and placed it back in her yard. That was the hardest part of the whole job. 😯

Topic Originally Created on Tow411 in May of 2011: After 2 weeks trying to get permits, carted this Tauranga to Auckland on Sat night to fit with motorway closure 130T total train weight, beam 78.6T, total train length 45.2m, beam length 28.0m 5 hrs for 220km, a sigh of relief all round when we got there, was first serious workout for "JINKA", handled it well netowman said: That rear tractor is wild!!! can we get more pics of it? nice move. meggala said: the poor bugger driving the jinker would of had a stiff neck. great move btw trucks are looking great newtotow said: super set up there mushspeed said: That's some cool chop job on the back Western Star !!! What sort of engine is in there? Thanks for sharing Rowes said: On old Western Star logger, fitted with Hino turbo 300HP, 13sp Road Ranger, original diffs. Cab all built inhouse, has all the toys, aircon etc Only problem is stones etc chucked up from front trailer, a set of mudflaps will solve this although haven't struck a wet weather job yet, that may be a different story!!!! HEFFY004 said: That's really a neat set-up. I am sure that U keep busy with it. HEFFY WheelLiftWarrior said: Lol I love this down under board...more cool things to look at....keep the pics coming Note: There were numerous other replies that were not copied over to the new board.

Towed this to the frame shop today. Pretty fresh truck.

I was able to wait in a laybye down the road for about 45 minute for the Traffic Police to assist. They called me when they were on route and we discussed the best option. It worked like clock work and more safe than people trying to go round the police car when they are fending off.

Thanks for sharing the mini-video Zoogie. Did you put in a urgent request for them to help you? A rolling block is a great way to slow traffic to managable speeds to allow towers to work quickly with a better chance of NOT being struck. That's good to see LE working together to help towers. R.

Randall ...thank you for your kind comments...much appreciated !! Further to our discussion about additional costs and your very valid and emotive point about the helplessness of the deceased family ....... Trust me ...I really get it !! I have attended countless industry meetings with work providers and govt transport officials .....and the majority in the room are completely supportive with all the safety and best practice initiatives discussed and a lot of progress has been made and is continuing...albeit slowly ... Time after time..... the same old objections are made by a few individuals using the argument " how can we afford all these extra costs when we dont get paid enough for the job in the first place " " we dont need all this extra stuff " THAT makes my blood boil !!! At one meeting I lost it..... and retorted ...." how bloody blinkered can you guys be ???? If our proposals save one serious injury or life then it HAS to be worthwhile...!! Perhaps standing up in a coroners court ....or being prosecuted by the health and safety executive...may focus your minds...... I know ...I have been there !!! " Rear facing reflectivity on tow trucks is something that can be improved considerably..... For the cost of a tank of diesel....good quality red or yellow adhesive reflective tape can be applied to most rear facing panels including transom panels, cab backs, drop down marker boards etc I know that the rear of towtrucks are often bristling with equipment and on many occasions difficult to apply ....but it can be done ... a little bit of coverage is better than none ... on Van's it is possible to achieve up to 90% coverage .... It is legislation in Europe that all trucks and trailers have to be fitted with red reflective marking depicting the Whole rearward outline of the vehicle .... A bit difficult on a mixer truck..... but they must have rear reflective marker boards fitted both sides and across the under run bar ... Highways maintenance vehicles are required to have yellow and red reflective chevrons across the rear panels ... It's all about increasing awareness and noticability ...

Topic Originally Created by Liensailor on Tow411 in July of 2010: CLEM said: Is that a holmes 440? RedPete said: Got anymore Haddicks pictures... They looked great when they where silver.. Thanks for those old pictures Mountjoy 79 said: i believe that is a weildbuilt 5 ton unit model 5a i think if so then its a very capable unit. townhooker said: nice truck...looks like its a shop built unit.... but looks good! EnergizerBear said: Very cool, thanks for sharing. Vulcanuk said: Nice truck Liensailor said; Found this old one of a silver truck. When I started they were all red. But there's an old TowTimes magazine that did a story on Haddick's and on the cover of the magazine is a whole fleet of silver trucks. Danny Cassello said: Love that cab over!!!!! very nice thank you for sharing. Derek Gould said: The cabover looks to be identical to the one that Haddicks brought all the way to the Toronto Canada tow show in the mid 1970's. That was one very long ride to support the show (California to Ontario Canada). I have a number of photos of it in white. What is Haddicks doing today? Do they have a web site and where is that truck now? Derek RedPete said: I always liked their midsize GMC, I think it was a century with custom body...

Thanks to all veterans who served our US military, and noting that include Lawrence Brooks, of New Orleans, is currently the oldest living World War II Army veteran at over 111-years old. He was born in 1909. Thank you for your service Grumps and to all of the vets turned tower. That was the path that my dad took after 30-years and retiring as a Warrant Officer 4, he started a tow company in San Diego. R.

As Grumps said, it is a violation to modify emissions systems, even on private trucks, just more likely to get caught in a commercial truck. There are a number of issues that arise with using programmers. You will also need to know what the actual code is that's triggering the light. Some of the "cheap" programs lead to this TCM issue and there is sometimes a secondary programing of the TCM that needs to be done. Do you have or did you install an EGT gauge? I would not run any modification without having an EGT gauge. Getting more horse power is great for towing but you also are shortening the life of the engine potentially. Reinstalling the brain leads me to believe you had the PCM re-flashed or a chip installed. I would be contacting whoever did the chip or re-flash and asking a lot of questions. Unfortunately, most of these companies have specific disclaimers that they are not responsible if their units fail or do damage to your PCM. If it is an add on chip that was installed on the PCM I would recommend you have it uninstalled, they are known to be problematic down the road due to vibration and corrosion. If you had the PCM re-written, you will need to send it back to whoever did the re-write. If it is a plug and play, I would also reprogram it back to the stock setting. Be sure to have a charger on the battery when doing the programming.

Actually I did... The deputy on scene was giving out hersey's kisses to all the kids standing by and watching us. Naturally I just had to scoff a few from her LOL.

I got called out for this one yesterday evening. This customer was going a bit too fast for the roadway and as he crested the hilltop, there was a group of trick n treaters crossing the road. Thankfully he did not hit anyone But He ended up upside down in the ditch. The driver was not injured but did receive multiple tickets for driving infractions. I was only able to get the two quick pics. We used my partners 2012 Ram / Chevron to perform the quick roll then loaded the casualty on my 2017 Ram / Jerr-dan rollback. I towed the vehicle to the customers home, Collected payment and was back home in an hour and a half.

Nice work Grumps ....but didja' get any candy?

@Lbdani out of respect for the female passenger whose name was not released. The decision was made no to include the her rescue. Perhaps that decision was no appropriate as Tow Truck Operators we Leave No One Behind. I would imagine the Tow Truck Operator in shock did all he could for his passenger. As Tow Truck Operators we do our best to protect those in our care. When possible we have them stand away from the scene over a barrier such as a guardrail. In this location it is easy to see that there was no other option then the cab of the truck. None of us could foresee a semi driving up the bed and over the cab, it is generally passenger vehicles. Only in the last 10 years have the number of semis incidents with tow trucks increased. The trucking industries safety standards instead of becoming safer with all the regulations has become increasingly more dangerous from this tow operators prospective. Please send our Thoughts and Prayers for a full and speedy recovery from TowForce and it's Membership. Keep us advised of her condition, we do care!

A lecturer when explaining stress management to an audience, raised a glass of water and asked "How heavy is this glass of water?" Answers called out ranged from 20g to 500g. The lecturer replied, "The absolute weight doesn't matter. It depends on how long you try to hold it. If I hold it for a minute, that's not a problem. If I hold it for an hour, I'll have an ache in my right arm. If I hold it for a day, you'll have to call an ambulance. In each case, it's the same weight, but the longer I hold it, the heavier it becomes." He continued, "And that's the way it is with stress management. ]If we carry our burdens all the time, sooner or later, as the burden becomes increasingly heavy, we won't be able to carry on." "As with the glass of water, you have to put it down for a while and rest before holding it again. When we're refreshed, we can carry on with the burden." "So, before you return home tonight, put the burden of work down. Don't carry it home. You can pick it up tomorrow. Whatever burdens you're carrying now, let them down for a moment if you can."[ So, my friend, put down anything that may be a burden to you right now. Don't pick it up again until after you've rested a while. Copied from a Tow411 Post Titled "Word of Wisdom" created in October of 2008

I found this on the old 411 site, COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. -- Allen Rose, 35, died Wednesday in Colorado Springs after being dragged by a car for more than a mile. Witnesses say it began when Rose, a tow truck driver, tried to move an illegally parked car. Rose was identified by his business partner, John Stellabotte. The pair were co-owners of J&J Towing in Colorado Springs, Stellabotte said. In an interview with KRDO, Stellabotte said, "[Allen] was not only a co-worker, but a friend." "It's tragic when somebody has to lose their life for something as stupid as getting your car towed," said Stellabotte. Sadly, he said, it's becoming a dangerous business. The incident began in the parking lot of the Hill Park Apartments at 360 N. Murray Blvd. around 11 a.m. An SUV was being towed because it was illegally parked, according to police. Witnesses told KRDO the owner of the SUV hopped into the vehicle, threw the SUV into reverse, and took off. Witnesses said Rose's legs got entangled in the chain, which was already attached to the SUV. Rose was dragged for more than a mile. Police were able to locate the SUV in a neighborhood northeast of Platte Avenue and Murray Boulevard a short time later. It wasn't immediately clear whether the driver of the SUV was aware if the 35-year-old was caught in the chain. Colorado Springs police said they were interviewing several persons of interest. No arrests have been made, police said. Several sources told TARGET 13 the suspect is a girl, who is a juvenile. Police have not released the name of the driver. Rose died at the hospital, police said. UPDATED, Despite conflicting reports to the contrary, Springs police say that no arrests have been made in the tragic death of a man dragged nearly two miles by an SUV Wednesday. Despite conflicting reports to the contrary, Springs police say that no arrests have been made in the tragic death of a man dragged nearly two miles by an SUV Wednesday. CSPD Public Information Officer Steve Noblitt told 11 News that they are still investigating this case, and have not made any arrests. Detectives continue to investigate what transpired in the moments leading up to the moment the SUV pulled away from the tow truck, including what the suspect did or did not know while driving the SUV. Detectives are still conducting interviews Thursday with the driver, who has not been charged with anything at this time. Colorado Springs police say a tow truck driver was preparing to tow a black GMC sport utility vehicle from the 300 block of N. Murray at the Hill Park Apartments, when the owner of the vehicle came out and started driving off in the vehicle. As the vehicle drove off, this caused the tow truck driver, Allen Rose, a husband and father of two, to get caught in the cables. At times the scene unfolded in front of horrified and helpless onlookers. "I saw customers and my sister just [covering their faces]," said one witness, Moses Morales. Rose, was dragged all the way to Babcock and Platte, nearly two miles away, where he came off the cable. He was taken to the hospital but soon died from his injuries. Moses Morales works at the 7-Eleven on the corner of Platte and Murray. He tried to chase after the driver but the vehicle, a GMC SUV, did not stop. When Morales finally got to the victim, he was covered in blood and clearly in a lot of pain. Victor Garcia also works in the area at a Tamale stand. He says he heard a lot of people yelling and screaming. All of the witnesses who spoke to 11 News say it's an image they'll never forget. Neighbors of Rose were among the many shocked by this story. "When I heard the name of the tow truck, I figured it was him," said Terry VanTassel, who lives next door. VanTassel only knew Rose a few months and described him a quiet man who sometimes brought his tow truck from work to the home he shared with his family. "It's hard to believe especially because they just moved in," VanTassel said. The vehicle being investigated was found parked in a neighborhood on the corners of Bridger Place and Bridger Drive, although homeowners in the area say they've never seen that vehicle before. The driver of the SUV is in police custody, but has not yet been arrested. Police will have to determine whether or not the driver realized a person was being dragged, or exactly what the intent was. "What exactly happened here? That's the question. It's going to take us a little bit of time to put the pieces together," said Sgt. Steve Noblitt with the Colorado Springs Police Department. Police say they will use surveillance video from businesses along Platte, as well as traffic cameras in the area for their investigation. The Colorado Rocky Mountain Repossessors Association, the RMRA, put out a statement Wednesday evening, extending its sympathies to the Allen Rose family and friends for "the loss of a father, husband, friend, and fellow towing professional who lost his life in the line of duty." The statement goes on to say "The RMRA works to educate and promote adherence of all the legal requirements of the Profession so that the public interest is at all times served and protected by those engaged in the Profession." Rose, 35, worked for J& J Towing. The company confirmed his identity to 11 News. We're told that Allen worked with the company since it started up which wasn’t very long ago. He also told 11 News that Rose was married and had two children, ages 12 and 13.

Ok, pulled the old sensor out but had the wrong new one, soooo back to the drawing board. Gonna look at the crank sensor next I guess. I'm beginning to think I should retitle this "Old Dude Worked On Truck, Haven't Seen Him Since" !! 😳

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At most of the lots I drop cars at, you do business at a window/drawer arrangement similar to a convenience store in a bad neighborhood! Many of these windows outside, with just barely an awning to keep you out of the rain. Reasonable comfort??? Gotta be kidding me...but I believe it, it does indeed sound like Kalifornia. First pic is a lot I drop at frequently. Second is one I hope to never drop at again.......... Richard

I think your's Grumps is kind of the norm for tow companies, especially when they're rural or one-owner. I guess there's an entitlement with customers who think that tow companies must provide seating, magazines, a restroom and refreshments. I understand Dave's set-up being he has a repair business that supports his tow operation (or visa versa). When I saw the complaint, the complainant was ripping the tow company on a half a dozen things. But, in all reality, the complainant's car was impounded by the police. He even filed a complaint against the officer impounding his car. Next time, perhaps they should park where it's legal and not a tow-away zone.

My impound lot is a remote location that I rent downtown. It is located behind a repair shop so I dont have any office space or anything there. ( I have considered putting a office trailer or old camper in there ) I meet my customers at the gate and handle business out of the cab of my truck. I clearly explain what the customer needs with them when they call to inquire how they can retrieve their vehicles and the process only takes a couple minutes. All the companies here have remote yards so It is common knowledge for the locals to call and schedule a time to meet.

Addressing the SDMO should be no different from the efforts made to get motorist to wear their seat belt. While every life matters, those not wearing seat belts are killing themselves. Those not slowing down and moving over when possible are killing others. The exact number of signs about Click or Ticket should be up for SDMO or pay a Huge Fine! These fines seem to range from $300 to $2000 across the country, yet in many states not one motorist cited has paid that citation fine. They all have appeared in court and plead ignorance to the law. Claiming it's a new law and they did not know. My reply is "You have a drivers license, it is your responsibly in maintaining that privilege to operate a motor vehicle is to keep up with changes and laws".. So many do not feel that is their responsibility, just as it is not their responsibility to slow down and move over when they see emergency/warning lights.

Crashes — because the word “accidents” implies it was no one’s fault — in rural areas kill thousands of people every year, and the proportion of fatal rural crashes compared to fatal urban crashes far exceeds the proportion of people who live in rural areas. Written By: Jenny Schlecht | Nov 4th 2020 - 5am. I got a news alert recently from my hometown newspaper. That’s nothing new. It seems something awful has happened there at a steady clip lately. This particular awful thing barely registered right away. Two tow truck operators had been killed on Interstate 90 in Montana early in the morning when someone failed to pay heed to emergency signs and lights and tried to pass a semi at the scene of a wreck. Later that day, through a variety of acquaintances’ social media posts, I realized I knew one of the people killed. He and his five siblings were in my 4-H club, and he graduated a year ahead of me from the same high school. Later, he worked on a feedlot for a friend of my dad, and he had a reputation as a good guy and a good worker who was raising five children with his wife. His younger sister was a middle hitter on my volleyball team. His mom was a vocal fan at those volleyball games and also was my 4-H sewing leader; her instruction likely is the part of the reason my mom and I get along so well today since someone else was able to watch me sew my crooked hems and struggle with putting in zippers. I can’t imagine the devastation the families involved are feeling right now, and my heart goes out to them. Being able to put a face and a family to one of the victims brought it home all the more. But the reality is, many families will face that same devastation every day across the country. Crashes — because the word “accidents” implies it was no one’s fault — in rural areas kill thousands of people every year, and the proportion of fatal rural crashes compared to fatal urban crashes far exceeds the proportion of people who live in rural areas. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the fatality rate per 100 million vehicle miles traveled on rural roads was 1.79 in 2017, compared to 0.85 in urban areas. Why such a disparity? Well, for starters, like this crash, many occur on interstates and highways that weave through open land and allow faster speeds. Investigators, according to news reports, have labeled speed as a likely factor in the crash that killed the two tow truck drivers. It was a snowy, icy morning, and going too fast makes stopping difficult. That speed also can be a factor in the rural crashes that aren’t on highways and interstates. Going too fast on a gravel road can lead to nothing but trouble. And then, we can’t forget the use of alcohol and drugs. That wasn’t a factor in the Montana crash, but it is a significant factor in many rural and urban crashes. NHTSA stats show that in 2017, the alcohol-impaired driving fatality rate per 100 million vehicle miles traveled in rural areas was 0.51 — more than double the urban rate of 0.25. There are many other factors, too — seat belt use, large equipment on roads, road conditions, vehicle types. But the bottom line is, it’s more dangerous to drive on rural roads than around town. So, as you’re driving around, whether on backroads or down the highway, remember to be responsible, slow down and watch for problems. You could save your own life or the life of someone else. And, in particular, if you see warning lights or signs or indications of problems, slow down and watch out for unusual obstacles. The tow truck operators, law enforcement and other emergency personnel serve a vital purpose and deserve a safe workplace. I think we all can agree that there’s been enough devastation in the region lately without adding to it. RESOURCE LINK Jenny Schlecht is Agweek's content manager. She lives on a farm and ranch in Medina, N.D., with her husband and two daughters. She can be reached at jschlecht@agweek.com or 701-595-0425.

It looks like the carrier's deck is jacked up. But, how many of you would use the wheel lift to walk the truck out of situations like this? R.

There was also a 27 year old woman who has a little boy who was in the tow truck and is actually severely hurt. But John glad your ok. Just don’t forget about the girl who was sitting in your truck and was stuck in there for 45 minutes and almost died.

My prayers and thoughts are with the families of these men. May they rest easy. As a business owner, I couldnt imagine losing one man, let alone TWO on the same job. I would be devastated. This has gotten PAST the point of ridiculous... Is it time to start completely closing a roadway for any type of roadside incident? What else is there?? SDMO laws are a complete JOKE. Imagine if we all demanded that a roadway, ANY roadway be completely shut down before we enter to perform a tow or recovery. Maybe that is the only way that we will stop getting murdered by these knuckle dragging morons...

Man oh man! This Jerr-Dan is spoiling me with the reach. We didn’t spin but we got it, old school.

This police cam video is a great example of one of those, "OH SHIT", moments where tower's chase their trucks and sometimes wind-up being run-over and killed. In many years, I've archived as many as 15x tow operators who were killed by their rolling/runaway tow trucks or carriers when the E-Brakes weren't set or they failed to hold the truck in-place. I'm glad this tower wasn't hurt To that point, in EVERY 16-hour tow truck course I teach, I count at least four or five tower's who "forget" to put E-Brakes on, especially in wreckers and carriers that have automatic transmissions ... how embarassing ... how incredibally dangerous. And, I'll bet you this tow operator wasn't cited for failing to set the Emergency brake? In California, Vehicle Code Section 26450 states, "Every motor vehicle shall equipped with a service brake system and every motor vehicle, other than a motorcycle, shall be equipped with a parking brake system. Both the service brake and parking brake shall be separately applied." Like wearing seatbelts, I believe E-Brakes should be part of every tower's routine. R.

Dolly job for multiple reasons.. super low ride height, steering turned a little and locked, bent driver front wheel, and the value of the vehicle made it a no-brainer anyway. Bumper so low I had to roll the front up on my skates just to make clearance for the dolly axle to go under. No straps or tow lights, still on scene and needed to get my pics and get moving. Suction cups used on the windshield for the tow lights once I wiped some dust off. Richard

RIP Operator Martinez. Prayers for strength for the the family, friends, coworkers and company. It would probably be deemed an invasion of privacy, but it would be interesting if big tech could release data showing whether or not drivers were on the phone prior to these incidents, and if so, what they were doing on their phone. There seems to be a correlation between the numbers of roadside workers getting struck and peoples’ addiction to their smartphones. Imagine if this data was accessible by LEO and the driver was found to be browsing Instagram or watching YouTube prior to the incident. It sounds crazy, but I’ve seen it. I’m not sure how to implement it in a way that would separate drivers from passengers, but I think all apps should be blocked when driving a vehicle. The only exception would be map/GPS apps. Phone and text would also be available, but only when connected via Bluetooth to the car or a headset so as to allow hands free, and more importantly EYEBALL free operation. That way you could talk/text via voice, and there would be no reason to be staring down at your phone. Siri and Google Assistant allow us to do this, and I feel it’s time we use them to save lives. Not just roadside workers, but every fatality that was due to distracted driving. It’s obvious the honor system isn’t working. Big tech created the problem of distracted driving, I feel it’s time they fix it. Now, I am not saying this particular driver was on the phone prior to striking Martinez, but there does seem to be some correlation between roadside workers getting struck and people’s complete inability to go more than 5 minutes without checking their phone.

I'm teaching a seminar at the Baltimore Tow Show, Friday, November 16, 9-10 AM, Room 343, on the topic of, "Towers Coping with PTSD", and invite you to attend. PTSD isn't just for the military, fire and law enforcement, but there's lots to know if you're a tow business owner. For towers working severe incident and accident, finding ways to disassociate the visions and unpleasantness is key to actively managing the mental rigors of the recovery industry. And NO ... I'm NOT a doctor with a world's cure-all; this hour is about how-towers are effected, recognition of symptoms, and how to go about day-to-day challenges on an informationa; basis. Sorry ... no diagnosing. R.