rreschran

Hey John ... thanks for sending me your HERO nomination for Ian Wallace. His actions to save a life are truly admirable. See you in Chattanooga. Best Regards.     R.

I taught a white-line safety class this weekend with 55-tow operators in attendance. The room was darkened because of lights down and to better see the slides in the PowerPoint presentation. Towards the end of the presentation, three towers, seated in the back of the room, were watching their cell-phones instead of paying attention to what was being presented. I ordered them to put their cellphones away. This is a great example showing that not all towers are committed to their individual safety. While I know that some towers get locked into that, "Been there done that", mentality, it confirms to me that some towers simply don't care about survival. And, THAT'S a really sad reality.     R.

Bubblenose wreckers are getting really hard to find ... thanks for sharing.     R.

Flares are that international color of distress or caution and there should be no doubt that a lit flare means something, anything is going on. Unfortunately, flares are expensive and may tow owners don't like their cost. On a safety note, California is a burn-to-the-ground state where improper use or accidental roll-away that could start a wildfire means the unfortunate user could get a huge bill. On the other hand, reflective cones are replaceable and don't need to be recharged. Both obviously take time to set-up where the user has to face dangerous on-coming traffic. I personally like to use flares with cones as GoodMichael mentioned for the safety value they add to night-time scenes.     R.

Once again Ron ... you've hit the proverbial nail on the head. After 25-years of recording tow operator fatalities, I've grown tired of doing so. I'm not in it to sensationalize nothing, but it's provided me a path in looking towards the causes of tow operator fatalities. Lessons learned provide the who, what, when, why, and how details to hopefully learn ways to promote survival, but towers oftentimes ignore the clear-cut signs that are so obvious. So, based on asking the question that you present, "How to you bring (operator survival) to the attention of every tower?" It's really baffling to me that we, as an industry, aren't effectively doing enough to help curtail operator fatalities as a collective unit of owners, operators, state tow associations and those so-called lobbyists. I'll present this question ... "Why do we towers respond to work the killing fields if we don't have the federal and state support and tools to do so?" Anybody game?     R.

To answer your question abut the number of towers killed this year, so far, I've recorded 50x towers killed in the US, Canada and other international places around the world, 6x of those shot or stabbed, 7x Industrial accidents, 17x in driving related crashes, 25x in highway related crashes or shoulder incidents. There are other lists by other individuals where the numbers may be plus or minus that may include towers who were killed off-duty. My approximated list doesn't include towers who passed away from (natural) medical reasons or killed in traffic crashes off-duty. None-the-less, my current count is one-less tower killed than last year's totaling of 51x operators killed ...  with another 3-months left this year in this year, I pray that we don't add any more to the list.     R.

These  videos are the reason why the motoring public doesn't like tow truck companies. It's also the reason that escalation of violence is why so may towers are involved in physical assaults that oftentimes leads to towers and vehicle owners being shot and killed. Accordingly, I've recorded as many as 120x tow operators killed as they were shot, beaten, or stabbed. When towers take an aggressive stand against an aggressive vehicle owner, no good can come of it. At some point, I believe that towers should understand the psychology behinds an ignorant, aggressive vehicle owner with a certain amount of entitlement to think they can park anywhere they want. And, making matters worse, everyone has a camera these days to film the actions of the tower, even thought they're admittedly in-the-wrong ... we tend to be  though of as the bad guys. There's a really good reason to not do PPIs and repos', but business is business where proper practices should be the driving force of this industry. Unfortunately, tearing an invoice book isn't one of em'.    R.

TTOUT ...I agree that many heavies only have controls on the traffic side and you have yours outfitted with remote controls. And, for rural, smaller, or busy companies like yours, having a blocker truck respond may be nil-to-none. My only suggestion to your added safety and your courtroom defense (if someone is struck working the shoulder) is to set cones, flares, triangles and/or signs placed to the forward of the load site as required by CFR Title 49 Section 392.22, Emergency Signals for Stopped Commercial Motor Vehicles. Good for you for stirring the pot. Your questions are proactive in nature where you have the proper awareness of roadside safety. This Saturday, I'm teaching 60x tow operators and 5x CHP officers from California's Freeway Service Patrol and you can bet that I'll be referring to this article and these photos as a topic of discussion. Thanks guys for all of your positive comments herein.   R.

The motoring public has a hand in this too. If I provide you a business card with Donald Trump and Bill Gates' picture on the back ... does that make be a bazillionaire? Tow trucks typically have names, phone numbers and license plates. If they weren't called, make it a point to tell them, "No Go", and then file a complaint. We've had formal rotation contracts here for years and they've eliminated much of the illicit practices. Law enforcement has stepped up their presence to actually approach those tow trucks that mysteriously arrive, but weren't called to the scene.

Formal rotations here aren't 100-percent fool-proof, but they certainly have cut the incidents of poaching, cruising and aggressive expediting.   R. 

I just posted this response to the TowForce topic minutes ago on the same problem in the USA. If you review it ... you'll see the same problem exists in Canada. I'll change my response to those in Canada who are interested in this. Perhaps CAA and the Canada's Tow Association should be putting some collective pressure on LE with the aid of the media to formalize a list of approved towers. If OPP doesn't respond to your liking,  then there should be forward action on the association's part to demand a better answer. Some cities and states' across the US have vehicle code laws against scanning and cruising for hire. In California, Section 22513 a and b is specific to tow trucks on-scene. Example, California Vehicle Code:

22513.  (a) Except as provided in subdivision (b) or (c), the owner or operator of a tow truck who complies with the requirements of this
code relating to tow trucks may stop or park the tow truck upon a highway for the purpose of rendering assistance to a disabled
vehicle.

   (b) It is a misdemeanor for the owner or operator of a tow truck to stop at the scene of an accident or near a disabled vehicle for
the purpose of soliciting an engagement for towing services, either directly or indirectly, or to furnish any towing services, unless
summoned to the scene, requested to stop, or flagged down by the owner or operator of a disabled vehicle or requested to perform the
service by a law enforcement officer or public agency pursuant to that agency's procedures.

At some point, public sentiment should be the primary driving factor in helping to make these kinds of illegal practices just that ... illegal. And, if I'm a fully legit tow company, I'd want to see an end to rogue practices. This kind of tow scenario has been going on for as long as I can remember, but until action is taken, nothing will change. Note: Section B is a, "misdemeanor", meaning, the violating tow operator can be arrested, taken to jail and the tow truck impounded for evidence. So .. if court doesn't go to trial for two months and a tow truck is evidence of that case, what's to say that the tow truck stays in impound until it goes to court? Accordingly, how much will an attorney cost to fight this kind of arrest? Read California's section carefully as it's worded specifically toward towers not working in the up and up. I'm sure that if more cops were to be involved and monitor those arriving tow trucks .. the tow truck was either called, requested or dispatched (?) those are questions cops need to ask before the tow truck departs. If a local tower goes to jail ... you can bet that WORD will travel fast.    R.

The video is right on when it comes to just how the motoring public views this industry. However, chill out lady ... it's my opinion that your car wasn't stolen, but your car was towed under some questionable pretenses. You weren't there to know what was said or transpired. Perhaps the Illinois Tow Truck Association should be putting some collective pressure on LE with the aid of the media to formalize a list of approved towers. If the police chief says, ... (stalling) "We don't do it", then there should be forward action on the association's part to demand a better answer. Some cities and states' across the nation have vehicle code laws against scanning and cruising for hire. In California, Section 22513 a and b is specific to tow trucks on-scene.

22513.  (a) Except as provided in subdivision (b) or (c), the owner or operator of a tow truck who complies with the requirements of this
code relating to tow trucks may stop or park the tow truck upon a highway for the purpose of rendering assistance to a disabled
vehicle.

   (b) It is a misdemeanor for the owner or operator of a tow truck to stop at the scene of an accident or near a disabled vehicle for
the purpose of soliciting an engagement for towing services, either directly or indirectly, or to furnish any towing services, unless
summoned to the scene, requested to stop, or flagged down by the owner or operator of a disabled vehicle or requested to perform the
service by a law enforcement officer or public agency pursuant to that agency's procedures.

At some point, public sentiment should be the primary driving factor in helping to make these kinds of illegal practices just that ... illegal. And, if I'm a fully legit tow company, I'd want to see an end to rogue practices. This kind of tow scenario has been going on for as long as I can remember, but until action is taken, nothing will change. Note: Section B is a, "misdemeanor", meaning, the violating tow operator can be arrested, taken to jail and the tow truck impounded for evidence. So .. if court doesn't go to trial for two months and a tow truck is evidence of that case, what's to say that the tow truck stays in impound until it goes to court? Accordingly, how much will an attorney cost to fight this kind of arrest? Read California's section carefully as it's worded specifically toward towers not working in the up and up. I'm sure that if more cops were to be involved and monitor those arriving tow trucks .. the tow truck was either called, requested or dispatched (?) those are questions cops need to ask before the tow truck departs. If a local tower goes to jail ... you can bet that WORD will travel fast.    R.

You are congratulated for getting that message out to the motoring public as a memorial ... not a ceremony. May I ask, what is the total number of this display and are these industry wide? Great work.

Hi John ... I really like you sharing what's going on across the great pond. But, I have a question to ask that's directly related to this smog issue ... what is being done, what has been done to curtail the excessive smoke, smog and soot problem created by stovepipes throughout the land. Has the government taken to restricting wood stove to have an expensive and intricate regeneration burner for wood stove particulates or are they simply picking on the trucking industry there?    R.

It sounds like new technology, but, George Jetson was waaaaaay ahead of our time ... flying space-cars, moving sidewalks, robotic maids, talking dogs named Astro, sight on sound telephones, jet-packs for personal flight ... come on. Does this mean the company's drone will subsequently fly/patrol the highways and city streets looking for disabled vehicles? So, fast forward to 50-companies looking for disabled vehicles in the same areas. Will there become the need for air-traffic control to avoid collision? And when two drone (flying over the highway) crash into one another and then drop into moving highway lanes, what's the liability there? The industry has seen its share of towers being creative in attempts to add charges to invoices where insurance companies already balk at paying. So, what will a, "drone scene survey", cost per hour to include the operator's cut? Who's gonna' pay for drone services?  Are drones a necessity or simply another way to add excessive charges to a tower's invoice. Personally, I know that much of heavy recovery work that's being conducted occurs to the underside of a truck's frame when attaching chain and cable, so, how will a drone be able to provide assessment shots from the underside of a destroyed semi?  I do see a value when a casualty is over a steep embankment though as an aide to photo and video the complexity of a tow or recovery scene, but not as a means to assess a disabled vehicle that's suddenly broke-down. But, like technology that's used in other industries, they're may be a few instances where drone use is proper. To do so (fly commercially) for business purposes, the drone's operators will have to register and take a FAA approved knowledge test to get a remote pilot's license and pass a TSA security background investigation. That's just another form of licensing and going through another background application that has to be passed. Not to be flippant here, but it's hard enough to get towers to attend FREE TIM training or formal industry training, yet alone go through the hassle of attaining a drone pilot's license. At the moment, I personally don't see drones adding anything positive in creating tow operator safety, but keep those ideas coming guys.     R.

and .... nowhere does it mention that new smog laws for large trucks will generate millions of dollars into the state's coffers ... Hey ... maybe we could build a bullet train?     R.

Great comments here guys ... I appreciate your response. And, YES Ben ... hiring for other positions within the company is valuable, office, sales, parts puller, forklift operator, and tow operators etc., not responding to law enforcement calls unless cleared by the agency's background process.    R.

In the world of water hydrology, as little of 6-inches of rushing water has the power to move an automobile. Once that 6-inches reaches the lower portion of a door's seam, water that enters the vehicle's cab adds to its sinkability. If you go back to the 1970 El Nino storms in California's history, more than one full-sized RV was washed down the LA River Basin when vehicle drivers attempted to cross flowing roadways. As much as two-feet of standing can float a semi and trailer.  Not to mention, you would never see that the roadway under you has been completely washed out or there's a giant sink hole. I'mm adding a YouTube link of a semi truck and trailer that's taken on a riverboat like quality.   R. 

I have to ask this of anyone reading these great responses and Tow Force forums ... if there are 4,000 to as many as 6,000 members of the Force, why (?) are only the same handful of participants reacting to these posts? I really like and appreciate seeing new ideas, new attitudes and new mind-sets to help distribute the messages of tow operator safety. The reason I actively participate is to help me learn what towers are thinking and experiencing in-hopes to make me a better instructor for the future. I may sometimes be aggressive and pointed in the way I think, but I firmly believe that we towers can learn solid, life-saving messages to pass-on to our employees, the next generation of tow operators, and most importantly, we old dogs might learn some new tricks. In all honesty, I'll be the first to step-up and admit I don't know everything there is to know about the towing and recovery industry, even after 50-some years in law enforcement,  towing and recovery, and as a military contractor. To that I'll say, these forums help to keep me educated and involved. And, not to miss the opportunity to recognize these solid participants, I appreciate all of you who are actively involved in a proactive and professional manner.     R.

No matter what California does to fight clean-air ... the fact is ... it's simply killing all tow and trucking companies who are forced to re-new their  truck fleets, not just those Mom n' Pop tow companies. Even to go the route of re-powering a California truck with a wrecked out-of-state truck, that too takes time, money and huge effort. But note, the same California smog-crap has been endorsed by as many as 13x additional states where they too are adapting to California standards.   R.

... and if you're in the mood for good, clean, stupid fun, watch the 1970 cult-movie, "Brewster McCloud", where an AMC Gremlin was stuffed with a 390. This link is part of the movie ... the Gremlin appears for a brief couple of moments past 1:43 in the clip. The chase scene in the movie was awesome and shows the actions of some great muscle Camaro's, Road Runner's and the Gremlin.     R.

The message to the motoring public,. in southern California is, "Don't drown, drive around".     R.

This video represents a great courtroom illustration in showing questionable on-scene safety techniques.

BLAM ... that could have been a fatal strike for sure. So, may I ask, where were blocker (police) vehicles, cones, flares and all that "advanced emergency warning" stuff?

Although TIM is a big push for cops, towers and first responders ... why wasn't early warning used to its fullest advantage?

It's not a cure-all in this day and age of distracted driving, but it sets-up an easy defense in a fatality scenario. From my observation, this crash was a Lookie Lou incident, with no move over action, that could have started with LE parked waaaay back and not tucked-in at the early taper of the off-ramp. No doubt the motorist may have hit a blocker vehicle, but the same rules apply right? Either way the white SUV was going to impact the rear of the Chevy pickup, but swerved to the shoulder to avoid impact. If there was sufficient advanced notice,  perhaps the odds would have changed the outcome.I know ... it takes too long ... we weren't told to set cones ... it's not my job  ... we were only there a few minutes ... yada, yada, yada. These are just excuses that help create a "perception" of wrong doing on the tower's part, even though they were there in a work mode.

The message is clear, but what's it take to get tower's to use these proper tools of safety?

Also not, after impact, look how far forward the carrier moved even if the E brake was fully engaged.

This is a great video to discuss at your next drivers meeting.   R

I believe that driving and winching from high ground is a solid safety practice not to be ignored. Tow truck and carriers are not submarines where it only takes one bad decision to destroy or lose a truck.   R

Now, that's  tow truck story that doesn't happen very often. I covered this topic in American Towman year's ago regarding snakes, spiders, and other creepers that are always in and near tow truck environments we tower's serve. Rattlesnake bites are common here in Southern California. And, especially now that fall (cooler) weather is coming, rattlesnakes tend to hide in dark, shady places to get out of the sun, and then on-top of rocks and surfaces as weather is cooler in the evenings. Way to go Mike in remaining cool so to keep that heart rate down. I personally never have heard of a rattlesnake letting air out of a tow truck's tires, but stranger things have happened right? Mike ... we're hoping for your speedy and full recovery.    R.

Kids certainly have a fascination for big trucks ... especially tow trucks. My grand-kids love em'. These videos are good clean fun. Way to go Becky ... bring on some more.    R.