TRAA Tow Bit on Dual Controls:

[TRAA]

Decrease your risk of getting struck by traffic and always use the

non-traffic side controls on wreckers and carriers whenever possible.

 

[rreschran]

Finally it's nice to see one of the industry's big trainer's posting messages to publically promote white-line safety. When it comes to tow operator survival, a message like this one is specific to the root problem of towers being killed ... not that of slow-down move-over, but towers working off the white-line whenever possible. Here's hoping tower's take heed.       R.

 

 

[Stubborn66]

Guys, If you have dual side controls use them.  As someone who does not have dual side controls that is the one thing that the next rollback will have, thankfully the wrecker does and I use them.  

 

I had my first close call a week ago, and with all of the discussion about lighting, moth to a flame effect, etc.  I can tell you that none of that made any difference in my situation.  The issue was the "me first and to hell with everyone else" attitude that is the world we live in today.

 

Night time, rain, long straight away, rural road with a posted 55mph speed limit.  I was forced to take a lane to get a breakdown up on the bed. I had not seen another car while I got the driver up in my cab and hooked up, then. Three cars coming in my lane, one coming in the opposing lane.  The first of the three cars was bound and determined to beat the car coming in the opposing lane and not have to stop and wait for that car to pass.  I actually heard her engine when she stepped on the gas to gain speed, at that point I left the controls and hopped over the bed and watched.  It was a younger girl and she beat the other car past my truck but only because the opposing car slammed on his brakes when he realized what she was up to.  The other three cars in my lane had immediately started to slow down and let the opposing car pass before going around me.  The mindset of that first driver was the difference and we have no control over that.  That was too close for comfort.

 

Stay Safe