TowZone

MY WORST FEAR REALIZED.... How many times have I preached about entering water? Tow Truck Driver Falls Into Flooded Sinkhole After Car Hits Fire Hydrant There was extensive flooding in Bourne on Friday after a car crashed into a fire hydrant on Williams Ave., subsequently creating a sinkhole. Video shows the tow truck driver attempting to get the car onto a flatbed truck when he accidentally steps into the sinkhole, falling into water up to his neck. The man can be seen grabbing onto the open car door as he struggles to get out of the sinkhole. Police say both the driver and tow driver are uninjured. RESOURCE LINK with video RESOURCE LINK 2

We have them on most of the trucks. They are beneficial on older equipment, have not seen the need for this on the newer equipment. My biggest issue is, if the driver is not following proper procedures and taking the proper precautions. What makes anyone think they are going to use the brake lock. Looking back most companies added these on equipment that was poorly maintained or just worn out. Did the MICO LEVER LOCK do more than Proper Procedures, Proper Procedures, Proper Maintenance?

Ok, I am confused as I notice the painted lines on the pavement. Is this a merge lane? If so then why do the broken lines continue. We do not generally find this in the US, Is this common in Canada?

I would sure rather it be 3" more than listed rather then the other way around. I don't my then and than are right, no time to check right now.

Randall that is the way the initial report made it sound. Since I have not seen any other reports of the incident nothing has been confirmed.

I did consider that when I first saw the wrap, then I thought well that would likely get my attention. Not, sure it gets my attention is a good way or a bad way.

Yeah, I hear... However once I begin to use a new system I quickly forget what the old system did that cuased me to want to hold out. It's sorta like the old guys in towing industry that held on to the mechanical wreckers when the popularity on hydraulics was growing. I recall companies putting those guys in a hydraulic when their truck was down. A couple of runs without pulling the bumpers and they didn't look back. Oh yeah, they complained it just didn't pull like the mechanical wrecker. In the end it was just different and as they aged they were able to keep working longer. Sadly at the end more than half had already beaten their bodies up to the point they couldn't work past 65 or 70 years of age. LOL and newbies want to retire at 55 knowing all along it ain't gonna happen. If you need assistance with those images just send them to me.

sweetk30 have you uploaded the images to Tow.Photos already? Currently only Supporters can upload images directly the the topics. We're working on funding more storage to increase the number of images members can upload.

"how the driver knew that the owner wanted it in that hole" The vehicle owner was there and shot the video seen in the news report. So, he watched and made a video as the driver was unloading the vehicle into the fence. It is likely that being late the driver was listening the the cars owner and did not check for or see the fence. That is no excuse, but it does put the vehicles owner at fault for not being involved in the vehicles placement. The fix is easy and the car is totaled, it will likely sit there for quite sometime as I am going to assume he did not had proper coverage to repair it or total it. Posting this to Social Media was likely his claim to a couple of minutes national attention. TikTok YouTube etc. generates plenty of this, must have been a slow news cycle for the workingforyou series. Otherwise this was a nothing burger, the tow company owner dealt with it in a professional manner. Literally decimating the story and reducing it to impactful...

I posted this in ATHS FB Public Group: I will be posting the replies that are not made here. Clark N said: Cool. I've seen a few of them over the years. Looks like it has a bit of rust. If you pop the hoods, you'll probably see the cowl with significant rust. Still it's not too bad. They in theory can make neat campers. I'd say you could sell it as is to the right buyer for 1500. Jessie W said: If the inside of the horse van is in good shape and it's running, it might interest a horse person. The dually/gooseneck is the enemy of these horse vans. Vans rode better than bumper pulls and horses liked them better on trips. Firends had one for a while - IH is truly a "gas burner" and most did not have the nice seats and A/C that modern duallys would have. Laurence G said: We have one, that we put on the back of a '93 GMC Topkick. Whilst not common - they are not rare either - there are a few for sale in PA (where we bought ours). http://www.frankdibella.com/vans_search The old international is the key to the buy - not so much the horse compartment.

I see it all the time! I find drivers and their passengers standing in the driving lanes. I have drivers hit objects (most often deer) in the roadway and just stop. They do not try to get out of harms way. I find Tow Truck Operators behind vehicles in the drive lanes. While there are numerous reasons, quite often the vehicle(s) could have been safely moved over under quick clearance which many states have now. This Iowa State Sheriff Deputy has a message as well.

Chad, the Military has had this for years. While there must be some reason similar technology has not been incorporated into civilian vehicles. It is something the towing industry has been bought baffled by and endangered by for years. I'm not referring as much to the hassle of the drive line as I am to the dangers. Roadside safety being one of those dangers. Flipping a switch or pulling a pin would reduce the risks greatly. But, instead we've gotten new designs that make towing more challenging from front axles to aerodynamics. I doubt a petition is going to make a difference, since getting a few tow companies onboard is easy. Getting a minimum of 10% of the industry to sign on much more difficult. Then again I do not know how many Heavy Duty Tow Companies there are in say North America. I only know there are reported to be between 40,000 & 41,000 US Tow Companies.

OK, who do we have that is good at wording such a petition. Possibly Brian Riker, Jeffrey Godwin, Scott Burrows, Rudy Smith, Mike Pool, Michael McGovern, etc. Cause I know I am missing others, these are just member that have been around the message board longer. I know I can write it, if only I had the collective knowledge of the membership. Let's give it a try and we'll send it in the right direction. I got that part figured out! Problem is we will need more than 4000 verified tow companies participating. @brian991219 @FTI Groups @Scott Burrows @Rudy Smith @MNPOOL @Michael McGovern

I have blocked an given light to several of these service trucks over the years. My question is, why do tow companies put such few warning lights on their service vehicles. They have 1/3rd or 1 half size light bars or full size older style light bars. Few have strobes on the corner. It's the Pay, vehicle and lights equal about what the motor club is paying for a service call. If that is the case then we're all doomed. At minimum the Hazardous situation they are cause will catch up to them and I'll sadly be sending out yet another tower down. This was the First in our Safety discussion series. Check them all out in this forum and add your thoughts.

Tow truck driver killed while assisting stranded driver near Port Perry Ontario Provincial Police say a tow truck driver was killed following a collision near Port Perry this morning. The crash occurred on Highway 12 between Scugog Line 2 and Scugog Line 3. “Early reports indicate that there was a tow truck that was there assisting a stranded motorist, a motorist who either lost control or hit the ditch,” OPP Sgt. Kerry Schmidt said Thursday. “The tow truck driver was on scene. Another motorist apparently came into a collision with this person.” The tow truck driver subsequently died from injuries he sustained in the collision. Police have not released any details about the victim or confirmed if any charges will be laid in connection with the deadly crash. Schmidt advised motorists to be cautious around emergency vehicles, particularly in poor weather conditions. “Anytime you are driving in conditions that are less than ideal… slow down, drive to the conditions,” Schmidt said. “When you see flashing lights… slow down, move over, give them space. They are trying to clear the scenes, clear the highways, and make it safe for everybody else.” RESOURCE LINK Tow truck driver dies after collision near Port Perry A tow truck driver has died following a collision on Highway 12 near Port Perry, Ont on Thursday morning. The incident occurred between Scugog Line 2 and Scugog Line 3. Ontario Provincial Police Sgt. Kerry Schmidt said that a tow truck was on scene assisting a stranded motorist, who had driven into a ditch in the area. Scmidt said that the driver had pulled out the truck's cables and was winching the other car out of the ditch when another vehicle lost control and struck him. The 56-year-old man was pronounced dead at the scene. The truck's amber lights were flashing and the vehicle was off on the shoulder at the time of the incident, Schmidt said. "We've got to have people slowing down, driving to the conditions and watching out when you see those amber lights on a tow truck or emergency lights off of a police car, fire truck or ambulance. Slow down as you approach." No further information has been released regarding the circumstances of the collision. The Greater Toronto Area was hit with its first snowfall on Thursday, which may have resulted in icy or slippery driving conditions. RESOURCE LINK with video Sgt Kerry Schmidt with the Ontario Provisional Police - Safety Division has received more than 1000 replies to this video on his page in the past 5 hours. Check It Out Here Sgt Kerry Schmidt with the Ontario Provisional Police - Safety Division has received more than 1000 replies to this video on his page in the past 5 hours. Check It Out Here A GoFundMe account in Memory of Todd Burgess has been set up for funeral expenses. (seems legit) The message posted is "Today we lost a very good friend while he and myself were helping assist a motorist out of a ditch. Unfortunately a young driver lost control of their car and slammed into the accident scene striking Todd and killing him instantly. Todd was 56 yrs old and was well known in the Scugog and Bowmanville area for driving taxi and working with Rays Towing. He most recently resided in Oshawa with his Mother. We’re setting up this go fund me account in hopes of being able to raise enough money to give him a proper send off as he so much deserves. Todd would have given anyone the shirt off his back even before they asked.... Rest in Paradise my friend...until we meet again... and as you would say “no problem, on my way”... https://www.gofundme.com/f/in-memory-of-todd-burgess