Towing stuck vehicles out this winter?

[RangerMtnHigh]

I've been towing people out left and right this winter...
Every time I drive down the road theres either a dumb kid that slid off the road because he was speeding or texting, who knows maybe both.. or its just some poor guy with 2wd and is burning up his tires
so my ranger and I have been busy.. how about you?

 

[donaldcon]

until you get the one dumb kid whos car gets a scratch while you pull him out and then his parents sue you becuase you didnt have insurance to cover the damage during a commercial recovery.

 

[Surrey]

until you get the one dumb kid whos car gets a scratch while you pull him out and then his parents sue you becuase you didnt have insurance to cover the damage during a commercial recovery.

Can it be considered a commercial recovery if he isn't charging, nor runs a company? Seems kinda fishy to me...
Plus couldn't you probably argue the good Samaritan act? lol

 

[rangerbum]

Just read everyone a little disclaimer. Maybe even print up some written agreements for people to sign. Gotta cover the ol backside!

 

[02RangerXLT]

until you get the one dumb kid whos car gets a scratch while you pull him out and then his parents sue you becuase you didnt have insurance to cover the damage during a commercial recovery.

Ain't a commercial recovery if he ain't charging a fee. He can happily accept a donation for his time, but unless he straight up says "Pay me $20 and I'll pull you out," then he's free and clear.

 

[master hec0]

yep pulled out a few cars this winter. just recoved a honda civic that spun out on the highway.

 

[racsan]

until you get the one dumb kid whos car gets a scratch while you pull him out and then his parents sue you becuase you didnt have insurance to cover the damage during a commercial recovery.

i dont charge and anyways if its that bad out my rear licence plate is obstructed by snow buildup on the back bumper. i dont identify myself and theres about 3 other rangers in the area similar to mine. havent pulled many people out this winter, last winter i was doing more of that. even walked home once to get my ranger to tow the wife's taurus out-after i slid off the road and into a ditch.

 

[RangerMtnHigh]

Everyone I pulled out was blocking the road and they were desperate so if they wanna try and sue me I will just drive away with their car still attached to my tow strap

 

[bobbywalter]

until you get the one dumb kid whos car gets a scratch while you pull him out and then his parents sue you becuase you didnt have insurance to cover the damage during a commercial recovery.

i dunno don, it all depends on where your at as to the specific rules, but lawsuits can happen no matter the fault, or rules, in a damage or injury case.

even in a no fault state like mi.

one thing that always needs to be pointed out is the safety issues. i myself am highly experienced. yet the plain and simple fact of the matter is, i am very lucky i am not long dead due to some mechanical failures of various types doing extractions. shit i just never expected...but i know solidly now i dont know what can fail on my vehicle that i know stem to stern let alone on any vehicle not known to me.

i fawked up a raptor pretty bad last deer season. pulled 3 of those out.

guy had it all ready to go as there were several other attempts prior to my arrival. just hooked on to my hitch and had realized after the initial tug i was going to have to get serious with it...cleared it with the owner what i was thinking and had at it... and pow, his strap let go and wrinkled his tailgate and the tailight was cracked and boogered up a bit of the bedside above the taillight. brand new raptor, like 4 months old.... dude didnt even say a word as the truck moved for the first time backwards finally but still slid back in its holes because of the failure...he was making a knot to try again when i pulled my gear out. had i just used my longer and larger 4 in to begin with it would not have happened. ....he gave me his strap as a souvenir and took a piece of my grill that got ripped off when i slid out of the groove into some trees pulling him out of a different hole on the way out.


i have been in trouble and had to go to court before for related issues in the past, but it was more because i had covered for someone that should not have been driving in the first place, and there was damage to private property as a result of the extraction.



the most trouble i get into is with the ol lady.....get home and the tranny is barfing all over the driveway or powersteering...or busted pinion etc etc etc....its one thing to be putting life and limb in harms way, but it sometimes costs me alot of money to be a "good samaritan".....that always pisses her off. makes dealing with lawyers a little less intimidating.



i do not rush out like i used too though, as i would rather see my friends with the recovery outfits get paid by those that can afford so...

like the raptor and z71/fx4 clowns.

 

[gwaii]

i do not rush out like i used too though...

same here...i used to go looking for people to save,it made me feel good about myself and my truck.age and experience have made me more reluctant,plus i feel pretty good about myself and my rigs even if i'm not the hero.

won't turn down someone who asks,though.unless it's a dangerous one that really should have a wrecker doing it.then i tell them that,most are pretty appreciative of the honesty-and not having their car torn up.

 

[jeffw920]

a slightly lifted, barely stuck k10, and a cherokee. The cherokee was stuck pretty good, it tried to go up an unplowed section of road got stuck and attempted to back out, in backing out he spun sideways and got stuck in a very large snow bank, about 6-8ft.

Its a rather difficult scenarios to describe but basically he had the ass end stuck in a big snowbank sideways on a hill. I had to dig out around his receiver, put a chain to the safety chain loops then attached my 30ft strap. i was on the downhill on wet but snow free pavement, still it took 4lo with some tires squealing to get him out. he came crashing through the snow bank haha

the cherokee was probably a late 90's early 00's 4.0 with a 4in lift and 33" swampers, pretty nice truck and definitely more capable offroad than the ranger. he was stuck bad if i wasnt on pavement i don't think i would have gotten him out without some serious yanking which i dont like to do.

anyway he was grateful i ran into him, i pulled him out, we talked for a few min and he was on his way

 

[bobbywalter]

yeah GWAII , i find it is tough not to get asked driving around in my truck, its self inflicted, just like the frequent inspections from the police.

i actually reset my suspension so the fuggin ugly thing will fit in the garage with the 42's on......yeah...i am fargin hiding it




for some reason i feel comfortable saying, i know...YOU KNOW.....what i am saying with that...

total strangers at have beat on the door looking for help at 2 am, usually assuming that is what the thing exists for when the big tires are on it. especially when it is really dirty.

of course, those usually are the times i am willing to accept donations

 

[donaldcon]

Ive drug my fair share out, including county trucks but I dont go around offering help becuase of the sue happiness. I will almost always stop and I'll always have my gear in the back. I stop and ask them if they need help getting a tow truck called or something and then theyll typically ask me for help. I'll hook em up and gently pull, if I have to jerk it, I tell them to call a tow truck.

 

[schaffer]

Usually if I see someone stuck ill offer to help,because id hope someone else would stop and offer.


I pulled 2 cars out,just pulled a jeep out earlier and a trailblazer about a month ago.


The trailblazer was stuck bad out the mountain. Guy was following his hunting dog and broke through the ice into a mud hole. They had a tow truck that they couldn't winch it out with cause it kept sliding.

I got my ranger around to the front and yanked it out.

 

[--weezl--]

Can it be considered a commercial recovery if he isn't charging, nor runs a company? Seems kinda fishy to me...
Plus couldn't you probably argue the good Samaritan act? lol

nope, good samaritan act will do NOTHING to protect you in this situation, it only protects those attempting to assist others in a medical aspect

though as long as you act in good faith, there shouldn't be any court that would find you at fault for damage to someone's vehicle, as the result of trying to assist them when you are not asking for money, that being said, it doesn't stop you from being liable for 3rd party damage...