YouTuber/Live Streamer On Scene!

[TowForce]

Do you have the Experience or even training to deal with someone such as this with a camera and a mouth?

 

 

Okay, that is why you do not walk on the bed. Yet the overwhelming majority of drivers do it daily. As an Operator there are fundamentals that were ingrained into you early in your career. This is one of those! Did the guy with the camera get in the drivers head, that's a possibility as variables at an accident scene and a sense of urgency can lead to a change in proper procedure. Take the time to walk around, from a safety prospective stay off the bed as much as possible.

 

Now there are numerous other lessons which can be taken from this video. Looking for replies...

[Steve W]

OOUCH  start at 20:25 to cut out the Trash talking at the beginning. 

 

But media training is not a bad idea for a job that might regularly be performing in front of cameras. 

 

 

[yoBdaBenO]

Never had a issue with a camera yet, most are just the vehicle occupants recording the scene. Not sure how to handle someone not associated with the scene, say a bystander... I suppose the best advise is to control your scene and ignore them. If they enter your scene (space) then ask them to back up for their safety. Stress over and over from their safety. Thinking body cams at some point, cause they don't generally like to be recordsed themselves I have noticed from the video's. Anyone think there may be a touch of mental illness or lack of something driving these interrupters. I think it has more to do with a few minutes of YouTube Fame! Harassing the Cops, something to be Famous For.... NOT!

[Steve W]

>   If they enter your scene (space) then ask them to back up for their safety. 

 

Thats a good basic rule to follow but you have to stress the following.  Do not single them out because they are holding a camera.  If the general public is allowed in an area someone holding a camera is also allowed.   So how this translates to our business is if a camera person is standing on the sidewalk next to the truck and pedestrians are walking by also then you really have no leg to stand on. If you are actually concerned for thier safety then get with the police at the scene to close a sidewalk or have them put up some tape to allow an area for a flying broken winch cable.

 

And you made a designation about them being not associated with the scene.  A bystander.  in the US once a person starts gathering information with a camera, notebook or observing the scene they are now a member of the press.   And our first amendment grants them protection to do thier job.   Your employees interfering with that could run afoul of some laws in some states.  In CA for instance the Bane Act.

https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=CIV&sectionNum=52.1.

 

 

 

[yoBdaBenO]

Steve W, Thanks it seems we may need to consult our attorney of what a Safe Working Perimeter is in say feet. My thoughts have been within a range something could come strike the person such it come loose while loading the damaged vehicle. Now, how do you define that range. obviously the sidewalk would be acceptable as long as the vehicle (s) was not located there or within an unsafe distance. This is all still rather foreign to most of us having not dealt with it in the past. Being proactive is far better than being reactive.

 

A is it acceptable to permit someone into you work zone that identifies themselves as media regardless what type of media they are. What manner would you ask them to back up. Say they get in the way, lay on the ground to get a camera angle. As the tow op what is your responsibility for their safety, cause obviously they are going to sue for the smallest infringement of their rights and any injury which occurs. Say you laid a chain on the ground and they trip over it, that a lawsuit... Are we going to have to define the recovery scene using some OSHA standards? Obviously that would likely entail a work zone marked with cones and hard hats required. Do we go that far, just throwing it out there.

 

Is there an attorney in the industry that is willing to address this issue?

[GRUMPS The Towman]

My rule of thumb has always been to keep people back as far as the amount of line I have out OR the distance of the overall length of my truck in circumference . Whichever is longer or logical.

Being in a college town and performing a fair amount of ppi work at times, I get recorded all the time by people that are usually not even directly affected by the work I am performing. I have had occasions where I am heckled, called names etc.. I look at it simply, If what I am doing has nothing to do with the person talking s#!t or recording me, I just totally ignore them. As long as they stay back away from my work zone and dont touch me, my truck/gear or the vehicle I am loading, they can say or do whatever they want. It in no way hurts my feelings that they will play their little video for their friends and call me all sorts of names. I am not out there to impress anyone. If any of them there start asking me questions, I ask "is this your vehicle?' if they respond no, then I say nothing further to them. 

It is way more important to pay attention to your work to prevent damage or injury then to get all worked up because some bozo is calling you an asshole or saying your mother is a bitch etc.. The old sticks and stones thing,...

[Steve W]

Another Tow company took the bait.  Some employees facing criminal charges for sure.  Remember guys the sidewalk is not your property.

 

 

 

Edited May 18, 2021 by Steve W

[TowForce]

I suggest knowing how to deal with these individuals prior to encountering one of them. While it is not in our nature to not react to such persons at an accident scene, there are ways to deal with them on a professional level. This can make their interaction with you less worthy of their attention.

 

As annoying as some of them can be, do not let them push your buttons and I don't mean physically. They may try to mentally create a reaction, they know exactly what their goal is in attempting to build a following on their YouTube Channel. You could be a pay day for them some day and they will continue to hunt you down, stress you out and throw you off your game. In other words they could cause you to lose your mojo.

 

Always remember, once you are cleared to remove the vehicles from the accident scene. That scene is yours, does that mean you can stop them from recording you NO. does that mean you can set your work zone YES. Just as you do with anyone on scene, you direct them to a safe position while you recover/load the vehicle. Being Professional is the key, using as few words as possible (without vulgarity) to explain this to those on scene prior to loading can resolve some of the issues. Stressing this is for their safety and yours. I could do a whole class on this if I thought that it would change the manner companies address accident scenes. Teaching Tow Truck Drivers using topics such as this one we continue to build on can be quite beneficial. You just never know when an encounter will occur and someone becomes YouTube Famous.

 

Remember if they get in your face, be polite as much as it kills you. They can't use that, notice how quickly he moves on from the officers. They addressed him in a professional manner with an concerning tone of authority. Personally, at this point if their in my space I am going to take a minute. Ask them what their YouTube Channel is and who they are, it's unlikely they will tell you. I'd like to just give them my first name, but my last name is on my shirt. So, I;m going to say my name is ____ what's yours. Regardless if they answer, I'm going to fist bump them and say it's fine to video just stay back for your safety. I've already gotten past the nerves of being on camera, that occurred the first few times. Once you strike up a relationship and they feel a connection your less interesting to them. Much as a serial killer, they do not want to know their victims names until after the fact. So, they block it out as best they can. After a few attacks they never hear what the victim is saying, nor do they address it. Get the person with the video involved, even explain to them what you are doing as though you are training them. Even though you have done this before, do it again and again. You will become more annoying to them then they are to you. Remember, at this point it is your scene... Be in control.

 

 

[Steve W]

Jeesh every other video is a good example of what happens when you are walking on the bed. Triping and slipping all over the place. 

[TowForce]

Due to the Intense language this video is being posted in a Member Only Forum.

While the Video is Public on YouTube, it is more appropriate for LE, PPI, REPO

 

https://www.towforce.net/topic/14991-youtuber-verbally-attacks-tow-truck-driver/

 

[TowForce]

 

[TowZone]

WHY must I go over this type of interaction Over and Over Again?

 

I am going to assume with cell phone in hand this was a YouTuber or such at the scene of a Police Involved incident. The Tow Truck Driver lost it at some point because of being recorded and went after the person with the camera phone. Notice the distance from the actual scene. Likely it started much sooner and we do not have the video of what set the Tow Truck Driver Off.

 

Note: the police were on scene, the Tow Truck Driver took matters into his own hands. Why, well I assume because he felt the Police officers were not dealing with the situation as he thought they should. To fully understand why officers respond as they do, you need to understand policy and procedure. This is why I push companies to train their drivers. Obviously, a lack of policy combined with situation training has lead to this Tow Truck Drivers Termination. At minimum at least one assault lawsuit will be filed, we will try to follow this story as it unfolds. There are pieces of video which are missing, most important what lead up to the Tow Truck Drivers Reaction. While that does not excuse the physical confrontation with officers present, it will provide further details which will be used in the case. This is far from over with the drivers termination. Drivers get training, Owners train your Drivers. I feel many have not taken the YouTuber/Live Streamer Series presented on TowForce seriously.

 

Also, if this former Tow Truck Driver is on social media. We all feel for your situation and as Tow Truck Drivers we can relate. However, those of us who have been watching the number of these incidents increase over the past couple of years have a better understand of how to deal with them without verbal and/or physical confrontation. 

 

https://www.fox2detroit.com/news/redford-tow-truck-drivers-job-terminated-after-viral-video-shows-them-kicking-a-man-in-the-shoulder

[TowZone]

 

 

[yoBdaBenO]

Have not had one of these at our scenes yet. But, keep this topic going as I use it in our expanded training.

[TowForce]

Watch 32:00 to 35:00

 

 

[TowZone]

Tow Truck Arrives at approximately 7 minutes into the video. The scene recording is uneventful until the very end when unprovoked the the Tow Truck Driver Smart Mouths the Live Streamer

 

How many times must I preach to interactions with the person recording.within a few minutes I see at least two things that i would have done differently aside from not acknowledging the person recording. That interaction created an opportunity to use the recorded scene for a YouTube. Without the verbal comment it would have landed in the trash.

 

 

[TowForce]

It has been awhile since we have found and added one of these YouTube Video's.

 

We suspect with warmer weather the numbers will increase so learn from these scenes.

 

 

[TowZone]

Rather Uneventful, Tow Truck show up at about the 15 minute mark and ignores the youtuber. Youtuber does not interact with Tow Truck Driver who loads and goes.

 

 

[TowForce]

The Tow Truck Operator was not on scene in this video. We can only imagine how that went when the Tow Truck Operator did arive on scene. Are you training the deal with these situations and use similar restraint as the officers chose to use?

 

 

[TowForce]

This Tow Truck Driver/Operator was lucky the Police Officer stepped in. It is best not to interact with a person approaching a scene unless that person enters the scene. There are several lessons to be learned Tow Truck Driver in such an encounter. Whatching this series is a good start.

 

 

[yoBdaBenO]

This is a good topic, thanks for keeping it going.

[TowForce]

 

[TowForce]

 

[TowForce]

 

[TowForce]

Tow Truck Arrives On Scene in Video @ 40:40

 

Hoping the reason the tow truck driver loaded in a hurry. Driving On, One Strap

was to get the Hell Away from Karen with a Kamera! Nice Lights, Good Uniform!

 

What are your opinions! Skip to 40:40 as the begining just the Arrest!

 

[TowForce]

Here is a Live-streamers prospective and the reason we stress not to interact with them. Or at least not to interact with them negatively. Those who watch his channel will believe every tow truck operator and company is dishonest. The industry does need to weed these companies out, however they are a small percentage of the industry.

 

Only the first 15 minutes are regarding the Tow Truck Drivers and Companies Although with the majority of these YouTuber's they drag their video's out in order to monetize the video. Although, he is right there are unscrupulous tow trucks running the streets in some major cities. Legit Tow Companies need to force the towing associations to address these issues rather then just ignore them. The problem will only grow larger and larger, until the legit tow companies are effected by regulations. Get your head out of the sand and do not interact negatively with those with a camera. As you heard that only brings more attention in your direction.

 

I hope those watching this topic find value in it and don't say that will never happen here.

 

 

[TowForce]

Not a professional way to handle this YouTuber. Attacking them will only increase the possibility of legal issues. Thankfully, he was the only one that seems to have made actual physical contact. Notice how he leaves the property, that is because when asked to leave the property they cannot legal refuse and continue recording. The Officer knew this and so does the YouTuber.

 

Your best course of action is to Not Interact with the person holding the devise recording. You are in public, your image has already been captured.

 

 

[TowForce]

How many times must it be said Not to Interact with Livestreamers and YouTubers!

 

 

[rreschran]

Ugh ... Not again ? ? ? ? Dealing with first amentment auditors like this guy is simple. JUST IGNORE HIM ! ! !  Once you respond to anything he or they say that get's under your skin and you react, they've baited you into their misguided representation. From what the video showed, not one of the officers had anything to do with him. Sometimes it takes great fortitude to simple get the job done and walk away.        R.

[TowForce]