Recovery - Helping others - when and when not?

Tonkatuff

Adventurer
I had a recovery go bad here trying to pull a guy out of sand at a party, every time I snatched him he would just bog again. Final time he floored it an ran straight in to the back of my hilux. Luckily for me (and unlucky for him) the hilux has a pretty heavy rear protection bar which lost a little paint as he destroyed the rear of his car. I unhitched the strap and left him to dig himself out.

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Tonkatuff

Adventurer
Ps I still try to help anyone I find.

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Garbinator

SeekTheMoneyTree
Having a cabin once brought on many situations such as these. In order to get in, we'd be flagged down numerous times as stranded folks would see winch and automatically start frantically waving for us to stop and winch them out. Over the many winter months doing this, spending as much as six hours pulling numerous vehicles out, I finally gave up unless it was at night going up to our cabin. It was that irritating. And boy-howdy did I break equipment, theres and mine. I recall this fella begging me to pull him out of a virtual mud pit, a situation so bad I would never of attempted myself, but some folks wisdom seriously lacks much of their time on this earth. Having explained to this upset fella the sitcheeation, he insisted he'd hook up the strap, if I supply the mush, I did even after insisting his bumper would be damaged. As I applied power, I saw the lil bumper give way, but he kept yelling don't stop keep going. "get me outta here!". After I got him to pavement, began disconnecting my strap, he suddenly changed his demeanor explaining the Little Beetle was a restore project his father completed, that he did not know how to explain the damage. I looked at him merely shrugging my shoulder, too bad, so sad, oh well, so swell, You insisted bud I replied... He then said, "well, someone's gotta be responsible" I replied yes, I agree, I'm looking at him right now, you are the one responsible.

2008 that was, I decided to purchase a Polaris Ranger, I've used only that to go into my cabin passing all the yo-yo's stuck on the road. Over the years, the first snow is the worst time as dozens head up so lil Sissy wearing nothing but summer cloths and shoes can slide down a hill with her WalMart snow Disk. Yes, often times it is pitiful, then theres always the monster pickups that get hung-up really bad, break axels etc etc.

While I work my way around them smiling away, thinking, gee fellas, hope ya-all figure it out.

California, the land of Fruits and Nuts. And those kind abound.

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When we get snow here in DFW, I've made it routine to go out in my area to help whomever I find in the ditches. I'll actually go out on patrol.

I use the common sense method. My first question is "Are you hurt?" My second question is " Where are you going after I assist you?"
I haven't come across an injury, but I would immediately provide whatever first aid I'm capable of. For my second question, if they say anything other than "home" or "hotel" I leave them to the vultures (tow truck drivers).

I also have a policy of safety first and I usually will not hook up a strap for a few minutes. I'll assess the situation thoroughly then discuss with the driver the plan of action. I go for simplest option first. Pushing, then strap, then calling a tow truck. If I can't easily pull with a kinetic strap then its not happening.

I'll update this post with pics in a little while....

Pics as promised:

I guess it started here. Coming from Louisiana, the only time I'd ever had the opportunity to drive on snow and ice was when we'd go to Colorado for vacation or when we were working up in the north east. Living in DFW now for 4 years, we've had at least one decent snow event each year. My first was a pretty good one. I measure 18" of snow on my front sidewalk at the peak of the event.

Like I said in my previous post, I go patrolling for folks who are stuck in the nasty weather. This guy was my very first one and the article making it in the paper fueled my desire to help.
167006_589587884611_204371_n.jpg

The next day I went back out. I only took a few pics....
181077_589893063031_299283_n.jpg


And this gentlemen is what happens when PEOPLE DON'T THINK THINGS THROUGH!

179889_589955777351_1726359_n.jpg
I literally showed up 10 seconds too late. The guy was simply on the shoulder spinning his tires. No big deal. Guy in a big lifted f250 hooks up a strap (big trucker ratchet strap!!!)and starts pulling the guy within about 45 seconds of jumping out of his truck. I was getting out of my truck when he pulled the car forward and it slid into the ditch.... The @$$4013 in the f250 cut the strap and took off right after I took this pic!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The Lexus sustained quite a bit of damage to the undercarriage of the car as it slide over the concrete ledge of the culvert. I didn't get the license number, but stuck around to give a witness report to the cops.

Moral of the story. Do it right and use common sense and do not make the situation worse!
 
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larcie

Member
I am dumbfounded at the attitude of most of you guys.
You don't give a **** as to where the other guy attaches the strap to his stuck vehicle,
coz then "it's not your fault" ******?
I make damn sure that the strap is attached to something significant on the recovered vehicle,
if there is nothing significant to attach to, NO recovery is happening.

The last thing I want is some pice of rusted subframe, transit tiedown point, coming thru my back window under significant force!
Fkn unbeilievable.
I hope many of you never find yourselves in a position that you may need assistance!

Many of you, however, I would be glad to assist or seek assistance from you.

Hey but thats just me!
 

Tonkatuff

Adventurer
Larcie has a point ( if a little aggressive) in oz as truck (Australian truck) driver it is your responsibility to ensure your load is secured even if you didn't load it, I can't see how it is any different when you are effectively towing someone in a 4x4

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txfactor76

Observer
I stop every time, but I hook up everything myself, my way. I'm not trying to protect their bumper; I'm protecting my $100 strap.

You're not "helping" if you're making them hook up the gear themselves, simply because you want it to be their fault when **** hits the fan.
 

Garbinator

SeekTheMoneyTree
In my state, one has to be on guard at all times. Assessing any situation involving public must be looked at closely before jumping in. I bed most of you have no idea exactly how much fraud is committed in your states each and every year. I have been sued multiple times and have lost count of the number of audio video depositions I have had to give. Scamming insurance companies is at an all time high. I believe we exist in an entirely new age, an age where too many folks wish to transfer their liability/s unto someone other than them. It is also not below folks to use their children as bait. Exploring the byways and backroads can no longer assure one will be free from harm (physically/Civilly. I am not going to write a lengthy essay describing exact details. Suffice it to say, when confronted with a situation, I look very damned closely at who, what, and where I am.

Cuss me if you will, I can take it, our world is not as it was back in the 50's 60's even the 70's.

About all I have to say on this topic, I'll let the rest chime in.


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rshuckfinn

Adventurer
I make sure it's done right. Then I have nothing to worry about. Anyways I have good insurance if something did happen.
 

jscusmcvet

Explorer
In my state, one has to be on guard at all times. Assessing any situation involving public must be looked at closely before jumping in. I bed most of you have no idea exactly how much fraud is committed in your states each and every year. I have been sued multiple times and have lost count of the number of audio video depositions I have had to give. Scamming insurance companies is at an all time high. I believe we exist in an entirely new age, an age where too many folks wish to transfer their liability/s unto someone other than them. It is also not below folks to use their children as bait. Exploring the byways and backroads can no longer assure one will be free from harm (physically/Civilly. I am not going to write a lengthy essay describing exact details. Suffice it to say, when confronted with a situation, I look very damned closely at who, what, and where I am.

Cuss me if you will, I can take it, our world is not as it was back in the 50's 60's even the 70's.

About all I have to say on this topic, I'll let the rest chime in.


<<<

Ditto and well said. Be careful. Be aware. Help when you can/should. Consider safety and worst possible circumstance if you choose to stop.
 
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craig333

Expedition Leader
I"m freshly back from a trip from Sacramento to OR, NW NV, alvord desert, black rock country, very remote stuff. Uneventful but had I had a problem I'd have hoped someone would have at least have slowed down (not that I saw more than half a dozen vehicles, even on the paved sections) and asked if I was okay. I"m 99% sure if I'd have run across anyone in trouble they wouldn't have been scammers. use your instinct yes but can you imagine passing by someone you didn't think was in trouble and reading later (family dies in desert mishap)? Maybe I'm old, I'm cautious but when in doubt I lean toward helping.
 

mtnbike28

Expedition Leader
On the "if you damage your truck, would they pay?" note.... I ran into a young family with kids in a hot car and dead battery and agreed to jump start the car, the young man said he would hook up the cables to his car, so I said "Red is positive" he said yep, I hooked up my truck and using throttle body cable increased my RPMs, I smelt something and noticed he crossed the cables.... black was positive.... I did some searching and I guess it was lucky I didn't fry my ECU. I doubt if it did, he would have offered (or been able to pay for it) so at least on batteries, I control all the connections. I do like the strap idea of letting the stuck person attach it to their vehicle.
 

robert

Expedition Leader
It depends. I used to pull folks out without too much thought but these days I'm a lot more selective. A simple tug or some shoveling I may do, but anything else I'm probably going to call them a wrecker; this obviously excludes friends and family and group outings where I'll do whatever I can. I also travel alone a lot so if I come up on another vehicle further out I'm more inclined to help.

I've had idiots break my shovel handle, swing my ax into gravel, grind dirt and gravel into my strap and run over my winch cable. On the other hand, if they seem to be reasonably prepared and seem to have some idea what they're doing I may help. It's a sad state of affairs, but I really don't want my truck or equipment damaged (which they never offer to pay for) nor do I want to risk having some idiot blame me for tearing up his vehicle.
 

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