rreschran

Dually noted ... and THAT'S why I prefer to be in a carrier every day of the week. R.

A local flatbed carrier with a Mercedes SUV passed me on the highway yesterday as I was headed to San Diego. The carrier was in the fast lane doing 75 or so with a single J-Hook to the rear. I really get annoyed when I see carriers and towed cars without safety straps and safety chains. Usually, like in this case, the carrier's operator has just one J-Hook to the rear and it’s full speed ahead. It happens all the time. God help the tower who has a car disconnect while in-process of moving a car across the street of across town. Recently, the news reported that a tow truck driver in Chicago was ticketed for not securing a loaded vehicle that fell off his carrier and struck another motorist’s car. The driver of the other vehicle said the vehicle fell off the tow truck, striking hers. The tow truck driver told police he thought he secured the vehicle properly and didn't expect it to come off. “I thought the vehicle was secured”, is the wrong answer when it comes to injuring or killing someone. Did you or didn’t you? With that in-mind, if you witness a carrier without straps, or a proper tie-down, should you dial the tow company’s name and mention it? Does it do any good or should you simply mind your own business and let fate take its path? R.

Hi Me+3 ... Please know that my comments made aren't intended to point fault, yet to bring heightened safety awareness to other tow operators regarding the life-saving benefits of wearing seatbelts. I too lost a family member for not wearing their seatbelt. Call it fate, call it God's choice. I have empathy and compassion for your loss because I fully have experienced the same pain of a similar like-type scenario. While this accident could have been due to other factors like a medical emergency, I don't refute that this could have been God's choice. I'm so very sorry for your loss and send prayers and condolences to you and your family. R.

Interesting Carl. I've heard of non-coverage for the lack of not wearing seatbelts. I did a little Googling asking the same question if a driver was covered if not wearing a seatbelt and was injured? From an attorney's website I found the following information: If the cause of your injuries was 51 percent or more due to the fact that you didn’t buckle up, you would have no claim for compensation against the negligent driver. If the cause of your injuries was less than 51 percent due to not wearing a seat belt, you would have a claim for compensation against the negligent driver. However, your settlement amount from him would be reduced by the percentage that you are found to be at fault. This amount could still be substantial. Even if you could not make a claim for your personal injuries, you may still be able to file a claim for your property damage against the negligent driver or your own insurance company if you purchased collision insurance. Even if you are at fault in causing your injuries, you could file a claim under your medical coverage for payment of your medical expenses if you bought that coverage. Aside from the fact that state law requires them to be worn, seatbelts have proved to increase the odds of survival to the wearer. And when I teach tow operator safety courses, this topic is thoroughly discussed. Besides, aren't we in that business to know and understand the importance of wearing seatbelts? R.

The wider dollies are set, the more flex that will occur especially under weight. I personally don't care for aluminum dolly bars even though their lighter. The dollies in your picture looks normal. That's a smart move to re-work the working moving parts. R.

As Carl4 Tow pointed out, there's a vehicle following the tow truck with its light's on. I'm thinking this is an agency tow that was authorized by the agency. I too have impounded cars for the PD and moved them several blocks away so to do an inventory WITHOUT a comfrontation by an irrate vehicle owner. The point I make is simple, to not make any attempt to tie the vehicle down or secure it in a transportation mode is something some cops love to write tickets on. That brings me to question ... Can an officer tell you to do something that's against the law? Ponder that and let's see those comments that relate to your work. R

With the news of the recent operator fatality, if you're a company owner, what is your company's seatbelt policy? There are plenty of tow owners who don't believe in seatbelts and don't have a written policy. I personally believe that seatbelts save lives, and, for any tow operator or employee driving a company car is required to wear seatbelts. Looking at my stats, I've confirmed as many as 42-operators killed in some kind of driving accident where they were ejected and killed. Although it's a vehicle code law for nearly all states, what does your company's Employee handbook say about wearing seatbelts? If the handbook doesn't require employees to wear seatbelts, how can you expect them to do so? And to that point, do you ever go looking to see if your employees are following your company's rules and have their seatbelts on? This is the second tower killed this year and within 4-months. R.

Another tower down scenario is just a few days and is reported with very little details. A tow operator in South Carolina was killed this afternoon when he drifted from highway lanes into a parked Dodge vehicle on the shoulder of SC I-26 eastbound. The tow truck then went into the tree-line, struck a tree and the tow operator was ejected as he was not wearing a seatbelt. This is another (possibly) preventable scenario if the tower was wearing a seatbelt and wasn’t somehow distracted? The news narrative doesn’t mention whether or not a cellphone was an associated factor to the crash, but a newish Peterbilt typically won’t steer its way off the highway into a parked car. Yes, I do have a bad attitude towards these kinds of repeated fatalities. Christine and I certainly send prayers to the tower’s family, but I believe these are the kinds of fatalities that are in the hands of the individual tow operator. I'm sure that some followup report will identify the operator and a potential reason for the crash. R. https://www.wltx.com/article/news/local/tow-truck-driver-killed-after-striking-parked-car-on-i26/101-5e84b750-291b-4584-8386-2d4d7ad9bc39

To what Moose said ... that podcast was a joke and a dis-service to what they nay have been trying to accomplish. I fully agree with his assessment. R.

I spent considerable time going over highway related fatality data yesterday as a result of this most recent operator fatality. In a post regarding a recent tow operator's tragic death, Moose commented, “What's It Going to Take, SLOW DOWN MOVE OVER isn't working,” and 5towman wrote, “Very sad. Just no reason this keeps happening. Thoughts and prayers.” Both questions beg an industry-wide focus. Moose is right, Slow-Down Move-Over ISN’T working … we already know that. California’s SDMO law was written into the books in 2007. Other states followed suit, but consistent tow operator and first responder fatalities only re-prove and re-demonstrate that distracted driving continues to kill pedestrian workers. 5towman’s observation is correct … it IS quite sad. But, I’m more inclined to argue that tow operators put themselves in harm’s way by choosing to work the white-line side. Of the 13x or so tow operators killed in highway events this year, more than three-quarters of those operator strikes reportedly were BECAUSE towers were standing/working or walking on the white-line side, or, walked into an active lane. And, that includes towers with many, many years of experience. For argument sake, what comes to your mind when news reports say; The operator was standing alongside the pickup truck when a car hit him, sending him an unknown distance The tow operator and the customer were standing next to the road on the driver’s side of the car. The operator died on the scene after he was struck while standing outside his tow truck The man’s vehicle then continued “up the bed” of the tow truck and hit the operator, “who was standing adjacent to the flat bed portion of the tow truck,” the state police report said. News reports like these leave little argument to suggest towers were on the traffic side of their tow trucks or their customer’s vehicles. I’ve got hundreds of other investigative statements just like these. No, I wasn’t there and I don’t know all the details, but these statements are a good indication of what I believe the problem is. So, what’s it gonna’ take? Distracted and DUI driving are here to stay. Cellphones and GPS aren't going away. SDMO laws don’t work suggesting, towers have to take their on-scene safety as a number-one priority by NOT working the white-line side. Towers - GET-OFF THE WHITE-LINE. In another post Grumps wrote; “I’d rather take getting a citation rather than being killed by a wayward motorist.” Is that 4-point tie-down worth being killed over? Fatality numbers don’t lie suggesting more than 350-operators have been killed on highways since 1954. And, yes, my numbers are an estimate only, but give an idea as to just how dangerous this line-of-work is. I believe towers should completely understand that working the white-line side is the path to a certain death. Instead, from the non-traffic-side, load the vehicle, secure it enough that it’s safe to move to a safer location; then complete securing the vehicle where you’re NOT exposed to dangerous traffic. White-Line safety certainly demands a culture change in operator mentality. That’s what I think it’s going to take. How we get there as an industry is nothing less than an individual effort. It seems so simple, but why doesn’t that message catch-on? How does that message sink and stick to each tower’s mind? To that, I extend a reality that says; "When tow operators work away from the traffic side, perhaps these repeated fatalities will go down." There are other associated factors that lead to tow operators being injured and killed. Some uncontrollable, other's not. But, working the white-line can be prevented when towers take time to consider their on-scene techniques to work quickly and eliminate time on-scene. Can operator deaths be prevented (?) Not through the actions of the motoring public, but, by towers themselves choosing to work out of harm’s way and on the non-traffic side. Make it a conscious choice and live by your words. R.

That was brutal Ron. I listened to this background noise while I worked on other writing projects. I focused on tow industry conversation if it was relevant and relating it to a non-Covid environment. From most of this narrative, there’s a comparison from the trucking/hauling industry to that of auto club or insurance companies. When they tell you, “This is the best rate and it’s the best we’re going to give you”, are you willing to do more for less? There’s an, “Us against them”, mentality where they’re dictating what they’re willing to pay BECAUSE, there’s always someone in the background to fill in instead of you because they need to earn a living, OR, they're willing to cut all rates to get the work. I personally don’t think this podcast discussed anything different than the current status of what rates are being offered. I find it moronic to work with or do business with some fool like #ThaGuv who flippantly tells me, “Fuck Off … take it or leave it.” If that’s the attitude, I’m all for letting some other company be abused. Toward the middle of the cast, the question was raised, “How much does it cost for you to run your truck?” There was talk of cost analysis, but, there was mention that many of the respondents didn’t have an accurate dollar amount as to what their operational costs were. Accordingly, if towers don’t know what their operational costs are, how can they even think of working for less money or lower rates? My conclusion to the cast was this; "Here's the going rate we're willing to pay ... take it or leave it or we'll find someone else to do it cheaper." The overall bulk of their conversation wasn’t anything new aside from their grabassed, non-professional presentation. I believe the towing and recovery industry has far more important issues that exist on a day-to-day basis Covid or not. I also think this industry is far more complicated than the trucking industry because of our operation and administration processes. R

If there's anyone that I look forward to seeing in Baltimore is you John. I really enjoy your stories that you tell and the way you tell them. While it's confirmed it won't happen this year, perhaps our paths will cross in the future. I the mean time, be safe and healthy. Hugs to Aileen. R.

From long ago, I recall a fire on a towed construction truck where an inside dually tire went flat during a long distance tow. The road's friction and weighted load destroyed the tire to the point where it was speculated the told tire's wire sidewalls threw sparks up and under the truck's wooden bed. But, look at that camper? That thing is huge. R.

Christine and I salute Steve and Doc Calitri for making this wise yet difficult decision. Keeping the populus from the eye of the proverbial storm makes perfect sense. R

Tow Operator Killed - Oklahoma: Having talked with a tow company contact in Oklahoma, I've learned that a tow operator was struck and killed near the small town of Fletcher Oklahoma on Wednesday July 8th, 2020. A news report identified the tow operator as 41-year-old Bernardo Martinez, of Sergio's Towing in Oklahoma City. Details reported that Mr. Martinez was loading a pickup onto his carrier when a female motorist came onto the shoulder and struck Mr. Martinez, and continued up the carrier's ramp, back onto the roadway, into a barrier and then out of control over the embankment. At impact, Mr. Martinez was thrown into a ditch off the shoulder and died on-scene. Christine and I send our prayers to the Martinez Family as well as Sergio's Towing. There are little details to report. Here's a news link. https://kfor.com/news/local/tow-truck-driver-killed-on-the-job-remembered-by-colleagues/ A GoFunMe account has been set-up Link: https://www.gofundme.com/f/in-loving-memory-of-bernardo-martinez

Hi Mr. E ... you're welcome for the comments. Your smart to come looking for advice versus jumping into some rolling toilet that will ultimately cost you an arm and a leg. There are plenty of towers who will put and Expedition a'top a 550 and hope something doesn't go wrong or the whole thing doesn't just tip over. Grumps said it all when it comes to your work and working your equipment ..."Know when to say NO." That's where the heavier chassis will better serve you. You'll have to make that decision based on the demographics of the area you work and the business niche you'll be serving. As a life-long Ford guy, I've had problems with Fords (headgaskets, injectors, and injector pumps). Non-air brakes wear quickly when driviers have that heavy foot. Although I've not owned a new generation Dodge 55, I personally like Cummin's for their power and longevity. My rule of thumb for buying used is nothing over 3-years old and 50,000 or less on the OD. When you look at a perspective truck, climb under it an see if there's evidence of being powerwashed ... not just two days ago, but showing the cake, crap and crud that accumulates after years of work because their owners don't give a care. I open doors to see if the door jams have been wiped clean. If you're a non-smoker, look in the ashtry. That's a first-hand clue if a truck has been loved verus hammered. Look at the bed lock and frame rails for signs of maintenence (grease) and especially the deck's tilt pin and the pivot bushing on the wheel-lift. If the truck's owner doesn't have a stack of detailed and recently dated maintenance records, or, if he won't let you bring one, or take it to your mechanic, walk away. If there's one thing that I've learned after these years is, "Buyer Beware". And, thanks for mentioning that, that "Ass Chewing", that you took was a lesson learned. Drivers don't understand that message until they become owners only to experience that first hand. Fact: No one will take care of your equipment like you because it's your dollars and hard-earned sweat. R.

Thanks for the message back. I like the cooperation that you have with your agencies. I know how fast small communities can get overwhelmed with the world is crazy and there's not enough assets to go around. You're company and your on-scene tactics are to be commended Ed. I'm hope that others see how you respond and what safety features you put in-place, especially since you introduced the arrow-board van as a support vehicle. I salute you. R.

OK ... who's up for a good debate? I just watched this TikTok video Ron posted on another thread (link below) finding it quite interesting while looking at it from the side of tower responsibility or tower recklessness. Just my opinion to suggest, while it's really cool and amazing to see just how fast a wrecker can, "Do its thing", I feel this video demonstrates what's WRONG with the towing and recovery industry. Because there's no regulation to the industry, these kinds of tactics promote the proverbial dollar over safety. I know ... this incident perhaps was an impound and authorized by an agency, but does that make it proper because the cop said it was OK? Does it demonstrate a dangerous action, "Is this a reckless action or business as usual?" Am I wrong? Let's say this tow was a repo, a regular tow, or PPI, and there were no officers or agencies involved. If a local traffic cop were to witness this action, here's what the citation's (violations) would likely read, especially in this state ... 1) Driving (backing) the wrong direction against traffic 2) Unsafe movement to the left or right 3) Driving across a painted center 4) No safety straps 5) No safety chains 6) No extention lights, AND, 7) Steering wheel not secured. For all intensive purposes, this WAS an unsafe load. These are the things that cops love to write tickets on. And, if convicted in-court, good luck finding an insurance provider as they'd drop the tow company faster than this car was towed. I believe this video demonstrates a reckless action by the tower and sends a wrong-message (especially) to the hundreds of new towers entering the towplace every year. If something were to happen and the car were to detatch injuring or killing someone, do you think the agency would claim responsibility? Sure it's cool, but look at it from a liability standpoint that's not even close to industry standard training. By the precision actions of the tow truck operator, I'd venture to say the tower had experience on-the-job. What do you think? R.

Hey Mr. Ed ... the last picture shows your arrow-board truck serving as a blocker and emergency lighting. No critism here, but, for odd requests like this one, do the local cops ever come and help out? Great pics that demonstrate the need and use of specialized equipment. Nice !! R.

Those vans looked like rentals. And, at the cost of being illegally parked or abandoned (?), I'd like to know who the renter was and if ANTIFA funds helped to pay for the turmoil? R

As usual, Mr. Ed sends great advice especially about tapping that unknown source. I started business in a small town and played dodgeball politics and favoritism that new tow businesses are always up against. So, while making my way around the Good Ole' Boy syndrome, I took any job I could to transport any items and products. I joined classic car clubs, visited boat dealerships, sheds, porta potties, moved furniture, toolboxes, hauled hay, palm trees, mattresses, even church pews. But, that was back when the largest SUV-type vehicles were Dodge Vans or perhaps Volvo wagons. Of the used trucks that are out there, the larger trucks are beat. My advice? Start with the heaviest of the 550-series as a primary truck, then, at such time affordability is possible to add a second truck, go for the larger size. Note: If your looking to get into your area's highway patrol or police rotation, know what their requirements are up-front. Accordingly, if towing for LE is an ultimate goal and your first truck is a carrier, no doubt, you'll need a wrecker as your second truck. As Ed mentioned, even new trucks with minimal miles are having huge warranty issues. One company I work with is experiencing a really loud whining problem (not the truck's owner) and there is less than 7,000 miles on the truck. There's no cooperation with the dealer and now there's a huge battle with the dealer's rep. Sure, it would be great to have that smaller truck, but heavier SUV's make up a greater percentage of the Urban Mom market these days. SInce you've been in the industry before, your educated as to what an individual truck will do, what to look for and what to stay away from. My dad used to say, "When cultivating new friends, you're bound to turn-up a few turds." The same holds true when shopping for trucks. Give yourself an adequate time-line and shop wisely. R.

Right-on Moose ! ! ! I have to remember as I participate in this forum that not all towers work in big cities and many more live in rual communities. For big city towers serving big city populations, there's sometimes the need to roll tow equipment around the clock. Depending on the way a company operates, that may require three shifts and trucks working at its max. It's those three shifts and three sets of driver personalities that takes its toll on a tow company's fleet, especially in light-duty operations. For my company, it was necessary to have two (spare) fleet trucks used to rotated to meet service and maintenance schedules. Drivers didn't like them because they weren't, "their", trucks. That created a level of persistent whining because those spare trucks weren't the newest, weren't the best, or, weren't outfitted with the newest equipment. But that's a requirement of fleet rotation ... sorry. I personally like three-shifts because it gives drivers the oppportunity to get home and get some sleep and needed rest, more so, be with their spouses and kids like real people are supposed to do. It lessens some of the office drama, company politics, and allows some of the, "more problematic", drivers to keep their jobs because they weren't so good at dealing with customers and the motoring public. To all that, I also try not to call and ask them to come-in on days-off, but only in times of emergency, nasty weather expectations, and special events. Motor clubs and the law enforcement community don't care about what size operation you're running, only that you have trucks available, your drivers are compentent, and they show up on-time. Although your equiment and personnel issues are real ... they don't want excuses, only action. R.

Good comment about the air hose not reaching; goes to the very point of having the right equipment for those odd service events. Thanks Grumps. R.

The American's have a similar bit of fun when participants attend, "Out House Races", held in cities like Ankorage, Alaska, Virginia City, Nevada, Gravel Switch, Kentucky, and others. That's right ... rolling shitter'z on wheels. They're not motorized, but take a push-crew and a driver for a sprint and foot race down hill. I've been to Virginia City's race where a historic mining town with a population of 850 regulars swells to tens of thousands during the champion finals. The town's entire main street is closed to vehicle traffic and the stree becomes a push-cart race track.The event was said to have started way back when outdoor plumbing was outlawed in Virginia City, its angry residents took to the streets with their outhouses in protect, and a tradition was born.

Thanks guys for all of your responses. As an update to this topic, here is a link of rare camera footage showing a detaching tow eye during a simple load and go request. Here is video proof why tow eyes, without the aid of a catch strap, release. Around the 8:30 mark, the Mini detaches and rolls away. The quick video shows how customers and tow operators are run over and killed in those, "OH SHIT", moment of unexpected rollaway. I personally won't allow a dealer's service writer to tell me that using towing eyes is the best and safest way to load a vehicle on a carrier's deck. Note: The operator is a seasoned, experienced tower and this happened out of the ordinary.This Cooper wasn't wrecked and it appeared to be in-neutral on a flat surface creating minimal resistance. This is the reason I teach straps and agree with those of you that use straps too ... seeing is believing. This video is a standard for every carrier class I teach. R.