rreschran

I sat in one of those early Vette's once and had to make scary noises to get back out. But, that's one of my favorite years. Thanks for sharing the pics. R.

I really like those lo-loaders for calls like the Bentley, especially when there's room to spread out. Thanks for sharing the pics. R.

Wow Ron ... I never realized you were that fluent in international conversation? Welcome to all international towers. It's exciting to see how you conduct work outside Canada and America. R

If this were to happen in San Diego, the tow truck most likely would have been impounded. How many of you have impounded another tow company's tow truck or carrier at the request of your local PD or highway patrol? R

OK Eric ... impromptu test for you ... what's the title of the song one sings when performing the compression pace for active CPR?

In the Grande scheme of things, I don't know if Slow Down and Move Over laws will ever lead to an entirely safe working environment for first responders, tow operators and highway workers. That's a reality that especially shows an increase of operator strikes over the years combined with towers working the white-line. To your point, even Click it or Ticket reaches only a certain percentage of the motoring public and not the whole of it in the same manner the law requires tow truck operators to wear seatbelts ... not all operators comply. So, it bears the question, "How does the tow industry, or, a tow company ensure that tow operators were seatbelts 100-percent of the time?" I'm not so sure if that's even possible. R.

I agree Ron that some people don't like being told to wear a seatbelt. Perhaps the message should be changes to take out the human element by saying .... "seatbelts are required by law." This reminder isn't directed at any single individual, it's directed at what the law required. Correct? R

Whether the tow company owner allows his employee to carry or not, the company assumes a huge level of legal responsibility should the employee be involved in an on-the-job shooting or other violent action. The tow company's. "vicarious liability". should always be their number one priority. In 1997, I wrote and article in American Towman having to do with towers falling victim of, "Truck Jack". That possibility is more true now than every with the political climate being what it is. Towers are always an easy mark for robbery. So, choices have to be made. While I personally don't advocate towers carrying sidearms, I belive in the right to personal protection. R.

Hi Eric ... no criticisms here ... just asking ... if you didn't have a light duty, low-profile wrecker available for this recovery (?) knowing certain parking garages have height issues. SO, if this was an auto club response, what invoice suggestions would you make to get paid for the equipment you sent and used beyond the initial carrier? Thank for sharing your photos to show other towers what options are in the proverbial tool box. R.

This is another example of a preventable injury had the tow driver had their seatbelt on. Seatbelts don't save every life, but they've save far many more lives. From years of collecting tow operator fatalities, I've gathered as many as 39x towers killed because the did NOT have a seatbelt on and 32x of those ejected from their trucks. Although it's a personal and conscious choice, it's also so simple to get into a habit of wearing seatbelts. Although I prayed for this tower's full recovery, today, 10-6-2020, I've since learned that he passed away due to his injuries. R.

Ron posted another warning as a reminder to towers to be safe and aware of their surroundings. Last year, 9x tow operators died in the month of October 2019 and 7x in October 2018. The world is getting increasingly more stupid each day so please heed the words of safety and apply 110-percent focus on everything you do. And for the highway, stay OFF the white-line. R.

Thanks John ... you put alot of time into sharing your visual presentation. I remember when Jim Blakely from Allied Garden's towing built the first Eka wrecker here in southern California. It now sits rotting away in a tow company's mothball fleet. Hope you and Aieleen are in good health as well as the rest of your family. Best Regards. R.

On my archived data, as many as 150 towers have been killed by crimes of violence ... even Netflix TV had a feature segment of a tow operator ambushed and killed in a robbery gone bad.. Within the right to carry come responsibilities where more than one tower is serving time for their wrong decision. R

The old school “suck it up”, mentality is a questionable consideration, today’s generation is more that of entitlement where comfort wasn’t really part of the job description year’s back. I recall one driver’s interview where I offered an applicant a driver’s position with above average pay, benefits and a take home truck. After the interview and job offer was on the table, he decided that he wouldn’t work for a company that didn’t have a newer truck for him to drive. He made the right choice and showed his true colors. He could have been that Diva from hell that I didn’t want working for me. From that moment on, I learned a valuable lesson to suggest, "Ya' can't please all the people all the time." R.

Good comments guys. My policy and procedure says no trucks in standing or swift moving water. And, that goes for police calls too until the water receeds. It may mean the loss of $150 job, but doesn't result in thousands of potential dollars in truck or equipment damages, AND, in the best interest of an operator's safety. R.

To me, it looks as though the tower has safety gear, an eight-point tie-down and extension lights applied (extension light cord centered across the roof). I can see the safety chains but it look's like there are ratchet and straps applied to the towed vehicle's rear tire. I agree with Grump that reading angle's is part of learning to drive a commercial vehicle and far-different that that of the average size car. That approach is a hard-angle to read and perhaps the better, alternate route would have been ... "Right turn Clyde." This is one of those instances where recognizing GOAL might have decided that going straight was the incorrect choice. Because left turn was blocked or under construction right turn was the better choice. But, I could image that, if the tower went that way before with the carrier loaded with only a single vehicle on the deck with ease, perhaps the mentality of, "no problem", came to mind. For this tow scenario, the heavier SUV up-top and a somewhat low-to-the-ground Acura added to the weight and tow-ability, the combined weight could have changed the level of clearance, especially causing the carrier's underside foot and the nose of the towed car to drag. The tower was able to adjust and correct his clearance problem and powered through, but I have two queestions, 1. how much damage was done to the nose of the carrier and 2. Did he report the damage to the company or the towed car's owner? Reading streets like this one isn't something that is learned from a textbook using professional semi-truck trailer drivers who get stuck on low-clearance roadways all the time, especially when a semit railer is loaded with product. Schitt happens right? R.

Aside from whatever tow bill is charged to the vehicle's owner, the city should issue an additional violation, especially when a roadway has blockade & signage. Perhaps a $500, "You shouldn't have gone around the barricade", is a way to send a lesson to drivers who should know better. I also don't like to see rescuer's with boats and kyaks offering a dry ride to shore. They should get out of their cars and walk though knee-deep or ankle-deep water. I'm sorry, but outward stupidity shouldn't be treated with belevolence when their ignorant actions put first responders and tower's in harm's way. R.

They're coming along nicly Uzek. Thanks for sharing. R.

Hi Uzek ... I admire your creativity and ideas like your are why great tow and recovery products are developed. But, Esc's trick is one that's been around forever during the old pole and pan dolly days. With jack stands ... the "teeter totter", technique is quick and easy, but obviously requires the wrecker to be equipped with a pair of stands. But, there is a downside where the application might make an OSHA investigator cry. R.

Mr. Black makes a great point regarding the use of white-lights to the rear and there are some really solid lessons to be learned. In this case, the approaching driver could claim "white-blindness" as their defense against the crash. In the grand scheme of things, I believe early wreckers were equipped with work lights for the recovery work they conducted. Work lights on carriers have created great hazards as determined in several other fatality cases. As suggested by Grumps, "flooding down the deck", is far safer than flooding an approaching motorist's eyes with blinding white-light. I'm glad the trooper and the tower were OK. Thanks for sharing the video and it will make it into my training library for future referral. R.

No matter if you thought Scooby marched to a different drum ... I believe Scooby was one of the LARGEST personalities in the towing and recovery industry. He was everyone's friend whether you wanted him to be or not. He loved fine cigars, a deep glass of cognac, and the chance to blow smoke in your face as he watched with that mischievous boyish grin. A man of many talents, he'd always make it a point to cross the floor and tell you one of his really bad jokes. Truly a jokester himself, Scooby lived life on his terms and made that painfully clear when he bought his Goldwing. We spoke about him riding once the effects of Chemo and radiation subsided, saying he would meet half-way. He said, "I'm on a mission to ride with or without my illness." I'll never forget that and will forever remember his elation for life. The impact he made on me will be a great loss and this is indeed a sad day. You will be missed and there will NEVER ... EVER be anyone to fill your shoes. Here's to your ride on that Goldwing to God's Kingdom. R

A little humor in this day is age is well worth it. Thanks Moose. R.

Last week’s news calamity reported several California Highway Patrol officers and a tow operator being expose to fentanyl. It caused a really big stink and a media frenzy. Whether or not it was the media dumping another huge load of crap into the headlines, I believe raises a valid question that has to do with dealing with motorists and their potentially drug-tainted vehicles. Obviously, to approach the possibility of having to deal with fentanayl means more training and providing drivers and yard staff with expensive PPEs necessary to work around those "what-if-risks" involved in towing and storing towed vehicles. These are simply a few realities that the industry might be facing for the future. Like any illegal substance or drug of choice ... the product isn't going away. To the average city cop, highway patrol officer, firefighter, paramedic and (us) tow operators; to recognize what, “white-powers”, are potentially deadly versus non-debilitating is virtually possible. It’s my guess that even the most astute and highly aware tow operator would EVER be able to tell the difference between that of plain old, kitchen counter, cooking flour and what constitutes a deadly does of fentanyl? Obviously, one would be dead before they could make any effort in trying to identify the product. To that, I say, “Good luck”, determining whether or not you should enter any vehicle even if it is to release the handbrake or shift into neutral? Could that white-powder have come from some white, dried battery acid or alkaline that dusted the top of a dead battery lying on the vehicle’s backseat floor? Should the industry go into panic-mode because of this one unconfirmed story? For the future, if there’s an increased possibility of fentanyl poisoning, perhaps the industry’s immediate focus should be how to load and off-load vehicles without ever having to go inside? What’s next? Paper suits and full-blown breathing apparatus required for the average tow? Try charging the customer by listing on the invoice, “Precautionary Chemical Safety”, and then, listen to em’ scream and holler. R.

I recall many average height males and 5-foot two-inch female police recruits trying to scale the agility course's six-foot wall. With upper-body strength lacking in many men and women, those who could climb the wall smartly developed a combination of approach, hitting and jumping on the wall with acceleration, hooking an ankle over the top, and then using leg-strength and grunt determination to muscle over the wall to the wall's back side. The hood of a Pete's 379 weighs somewhere around #500-pounds, yet this woman put body technique into her hood-opening ability. Nice technique. I see the same wall-attacking process (mentality) was used to open the hood of that Peterbilt or even to lift a rack of dollies off the top-deck of a wrecker. I think that's cool for her to have mastered a task that some would easily would quit doing. R.

... well ... that's a minute I'll never get back. Some things are believeable and this one I ain't buying. Sorry. Entertaining, "Yes". Believeable ... Naaaah. R.