Darwin Award - Towing And Recovery Division.........

[hwoods]

Here's a true story from this past weekend: We get a call for an auto accident, reported Truck into a Tree. Engine arrives first, advises no injuries, no need for Fire Dept, all units are cancelled. My wife and I are about 2 miles away, and on a route that takes us past the accident scene. We approach the accident about 3-4 minutes after the engine cleared and see a SUV in the middle of the road, blocking traffic, and a pickup into a tree. The pickup is pulling a trailer.

The SUV Driver hooks up a tow strap to the back bumper of the pickup, disregarding the trailer. The SUV Pulls and the truck is pulled back from the tree, jacknifing the trailer which strikes the SUV broadside. The people involved are running around in a panic, except the SUV driver who can't get out of his vehicle because the trailer is against it. The truck driver tries to pull forward, but the strap is tight and the trailer is blocking the SUV. Big Mess, all tied together It appeared to us that they were trying to get away before the cops arrived. They Didn't make it. 4 Police cars pulled up. We left before things got worse. If I ever need a tow, I will not be calling the guy with the SUV. :D :D

[arhaney]

Harve, would there have been alcoholic beverages involved? :D :D :D

Rednecks abound everywhere, not just in the deep south!

[spearsm]

The famous "Hey ya'll, watch this" routine. DOH!:D

[nmfire]

There is an art to vehicle recovery. This is why people get killed trying to self-recover vehicles that don't know what they are doing.

[martinm]

As nmfire states, there is an art to vehicle recovery.

My service was called to a collison a few months ago, where someone had broken down in one lane of a two lane carriagway, and "phoned a friend" to come get him with his trailer. Said friend arrived and placed his vehicle to the rear of the broken down vehicle and went to speak to the other driver, on an unlit road and we believe, switched off all the lights.

14 cars were involved in the resulting collison and two people were seriously injured.

[fireguy919]

Did you get any of that on tape. America’s Funniest Home Video’s could make you some cash.

[Eng34FF]

This reminds me of my favorite towing story.

I was camping with my parents and watched this event. The truck emptying the septic tanks has gotten stuck in the mud. A good samaritan decided to pull him out with his pick-up. The pick-up driver proceeded to fasten the tow rope to the septic truck and around his axel. Since he was pulling such a big truck out of the mud, he decieded he needed a running start. He backed up bumper to bumper with the septic truck and hit the gas. I'll let you guess what happened next::p

[Rayr49]

We were dispatched to a three vehicle MVA at dusk.

We found three cars involved. As the IC, the position of the vehicles immeadiately caught my attention. No one was hurt and all were out of the vehicles walking around.

Vehicle #1 was facing east.

Vehicle #2 was facing west with its rear bumper wedged tightly against the rear bumper of vehicle #1.

Vehicle #3 was facing east with its front bumper locked with vehicle #2's front bumper.

Closer investigation revealed a long (approx 50') tow strap hooked to vehicles #1 and #3.

Vehicle 1 was towing vehicle 3 heading north and turning east at the intersection. Vehicle 2 was headed south and tried to turn east between vehicle 1 and 3. He didn't see the tow strap.

The driver of vehicle 2 was cited for failure to yield.

The biggest problem experienced by the trooper and the firefighters was trying to keep a straight face during the whole operation.

We had to cut the tow strap to get the vehicles unhooked.

Stay Safe
IACOJ