Emergency Towing Question

[groundcover]

All good points but the biggest one is, as Ductape mentioned, your own safety, I have yanked plenty of stuff out of the snow but not on a main road. If it was bad enough for one to skid off there is a real good chance that another one will and you don't want to be in their path ! One of our local recovery companys takes pictures of the car before touching it to document the damage before and after. We are adding reflective vests over our fire turnout gear and still close the road to limit our people getting hit. Make a call when you can do so safely and let the pros do it, they need to eat too.

 

[Charlesaf3]

more good points. Is my girlfriend paying y'all to talk me out of this?

Last time I stopped was a bit of a worry. Car ahead of me spun out and went off on black ice, and I wiggled a bit myself before pulling back into the straight and narrrow. I was worried enough to stop past the other car, figured it was already in difficulties and could be a barrier.

Tough not to stop if you see someone go off just to check on them though.

 

[workinallthetime]

I m bad about pulling people out of the ditch, but as a mechanic for years i have a pretty good idea of what to grab BUT i always tell them to hook the chain to whatever they want to come out of the ditch. I watch them thought just to make sure, i pulled a honda out of the ditch the other day and the guy drove right back in. deedadeee

 

[MikeD74T]

As an EMT I have ample oppertunity to respond to motor vehicle accidents. My vehicle has been hit on 3 occasions hard enough to require it to be towed & twice where it was still drivable. When traveling outside of my response area I won't stop unless I see likelyhood of a serious injury.
The son of a coworker runs a towing business. He says there aren't compartments enough on his trucks to carry all the manufacturers recommended towing adapters. MikeD74T

 

[ultrarunner]

I think if BMW were really concened they'd store the tow adapter the same place my Toyota does - welded to the frame

What... that would ruin the exquisite styling.

At least no one has to get under the car... the hook attaches at bumper height through the bumper... and I understand it is now required in Europe...

http://www.samstagsales.com/bmw/bmw72158108670.jpg

 

[Eagleview]

As those cars should not be driven in those conditions i'd offer them a lift or a use of my cell but that's about it . With todays litagation , if something went wrong they would not hesitate to shaft you . And if they got out of the car holding their neck because you give the car a bit of a jerk you may as well hand over the keys to your house . JM2cents .

 

[schmism]

Very Good point...

BMW is so concerned about damage that they provide the tow hook adaptor as part of the factory tool kit...

It screws into a spot on the bumper underneath a small 2" x 2" painted cover...

Even the tow experts get it wrong sometimes... my former neighbor owns a repair garage and would tell me stories of cars badly damaged from being towed in to the shop...

Ya my E39 540i has Aluminum trailing arms. Bend one of those because the tow truck driver was stupid and your looking at $$. as a uni-body it has not little notches in any "frame" underneath. You have to use the supplied tow hook adapter.

BMW isnt alone in useing Aluminum suspension parts. youll find them on most upper end cars.