First Bike Crash - Advice Required | Page 2 | GTAMotorcycle.com

First Bike Crash - Advice Required

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I guess he's just trying to make his money. I actually found it really disappointing how he could say to sign the ownership over to him just like that to avoid the arbitrary $575 towing fee.
 
^ The guy pictured in that article, Greg McCracken, towed me earlier this year from Cobourg to downtown Toronto. No towing charges to me since I have CAA Plus. OP, if/when you get your bike back you might want to look into CAA Plus or some similar plan.

If Nicco at Quinn's towing is still giving you a hard time, after going in person tomorrow, perhaps you can call Valerie MacDonald from the Sun (The author of the article in the above post).

If you’ve had a towing problem, e-mail valerie.macdonald@sunmedia.ca
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Or contact Peter Silverman! He's still helping!
http://www.newstalk1010.com/Hosts/ThePeterSilvermanShow.aspx
 
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Look up how many km they towed your bike. Call around and ask towing companies how much they charge for the same distance. Don't mention you crashed or that you are stuck. Try to get a quote from CAA, however they might only deal with members.
 
daught said:
Look up how many km they towed your bike. Call around and ask towing companies how much they charge for the same distance. Don't mention you crashed or that you are stuck. Try to get a quote from CAA, however they might only deal with members.
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Most tow companies I have dealt with have a high "emergency pickup fee" or something similar. Basically if they pick you up from the side of the road, you are at a few hundred without moving. If you are in a driveway or parking lot, that pickup charge is much smaller.
 
Time to get rid of the bike.

Basically he cut you a good offer and you can't even afford that. Seriously think about this.
 
This maddens me. OP DO NOT sign your bike over to this guy or agree to any payment plan of any kind. If he doesn't drop it to $200, PM me with his full contact info. I will speak to them on your behalf.
 
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Kedo said:
Recent article on issues with the current OPP procedure.

http://www.northumberlandtoday.com/...-safety-team-reviewing-use-of-towing-industry
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A tow truck driver is killed every six days in North America? I know picking up on a 400-series highway is dangerous stuff, but that's a hell of a statistic to throw out there with no factual backup at all. That many deaths per year would imply an even larger number of serious injuries/collisions/etc. If tow-truck operators were dropping like flies, you'd think it would have made the news at some point.

daught said:
Look up how many km they towed your bike. Call around and ask towing companies how much they charge for the same distance. Don't mention you crashed or that you are stuck. Try to get a quote from CAA, however they might only deal with members.
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This seems like good knowledge to have, even if it doesn't get you anywhere. A per-km quote from motolimo is another, similar option.
 
Now a lot of the "do it by the book" pansies may not agree but next time just leave it at the side of the road preferably hidden over in the ditch if its worth more than 500 bucks even in a crashed state. Take off your plates so no one steals them, GTFO before cops show up and potentially charge you with ******** careless or something. Come back with a buddy and a pick up, put that sucker in the back and be on your way.

If you require immediate medical attention of course all that goes out the window, if you're relatively unscathed or its minor its much better than calling cops and tow trucks.
 
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In this case I think the OP did the right thing by calling 911. He sounded to be in rough shape, or at least rough enough shape that he didn't know how bad a shape he was in. Nobody hurt should ever avoid calling 911 just because they're afraid of the insurance bill or whatever.

Regardless of this towing bull****, the call was absolutely the right move and that should be said straight and clear.
 
Tow truck companies have to release a car if demanded. They cannot just "keep" it. However they can hound you with bill collectors after the fact. I would urge caution in regard to the offer to have someone else go and talk to them on your behalf. It sounded confrontational and like parking ticket writers their job often involves confrontation and has the potential to escalate.

I agree you have a problem. While it hasn't been mentioned by anyone, is there yet another fee for long-term storage of the bike after X hours?
 
Seems like the tow operator would be dumb to try and tack more charges onto a bill the OP already said they couldn't pay. Really not sure what that'd get the operator. Get the OP to write off his crash-damaged bike which was only $500 in the first place even faster?
 
Call the Tow company and ask to speak to the owner. Tell him you're a student and can't afford the bill and you need your bike to get to school. I'd be shocked if he didn't cut the bill in half. Tow truck companies do prey on the weak and vulnerable, but it's worth feeling out if the owner has a conscience or not. Tell him his name is on GTAMotorcylce.com for thousands to see the outcome of your situation.
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+1 -

UPDATE: Okay I just spoke with Nicco from Quinn's Towing. Essentially, he said either I sign the ownership of the bike over to him or he can put me on a payment plan for $375. He'd require $200 in cash and then $25 every week until I've paid it off. I told him that the most I can pay him is $200 by not buying my psychology textbook this semester. Finally, he said for me to come in person and we will talk this out tomorrow afternoon. I'm not sure, but maybe out of the goodness of his heart he will just take $200 in cash and spare my bike.
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in person is best - he wants to see if you are a poor student. let us know.
He won't care about his "rep" - most towing companies doing this kind of work are royally dissed all the time anyways. BTW do make sure Nicco is the owner.

You did the correct thing calling 911 as delayed shock etc CAN kill you ( recall that girl on the ski trip - minor head bang and then dead )

Keep an eye on how you are feeling....any headache is a bad sign - don't fool around that.

You're gonna be sore for a while.
 
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Why do you have to call OPP for that? Call a friend to drive you to a hospital and someone to pick up your bike, or a taxi. Don't waste the cop's time and potentially screw your own insurance.
 
Ok I was just about to head out and give him the $200 and retrieve my bike and go on the $25 plan that Nicco from Quinn's towing talked about. But after reading MLadin's post maybe I will wait and see if I can only pay $200 and get it back. A pm is on it's way.

Yeah guys, I don't mean to come off as a victim here but I've never been in a crash before and I've been driving for well over 8 years (turning 23 in a few days). I didn't know what my injuries were. I felt like I might drop right there and then. So I did what I thought was best and called 911. Besides one tire of the bike was on the curb and one tire touching the ramp so it was slanted. I was barely able to pull it up right... As I mentioned before my left shoulder blade is fractured.
 
F'n BS that people fear the proper authorities while in emergency. A guy on here went down in Caledon a few years back. Someone else (unbeknownst to him) called 911. The war-wagon showed up. He was fine, just a little scraped up and his bike was already upright. He got a bill for $1000 for emergency services because he's not a resident of Caledon. Something to think of before calling for help! This fear is wrong on so many levels. Get up ASAP, shake yourself off, make sure everything moves, pick your bike up and GTFO of there.
 
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Sure and then he passes out on the highway and makes it worse or way worse. >>>>> His shoulder blade is fractured, <<<< he's in shock and you want him ride on the busiest commercial traffic highway on North America.

OP did the correct thing and he HAS lived to tell about it.

Now it's just a financial issue which is monumental to a poor student.
Bet if he crowd sourced here he's get sorted.

OP comes across as honest and earnest and that often pays in face to face. Confrontation just makes things stupid. See the US Government for proof of that.

Stick on course OP - worst case it's a walk away and another bike will come along or deal with as a lesson you walked away from that could have been way way worse. and $575 is a cheap buy for your life.

Good luck

••••

That Caledon situation was very odd and the communities are dealing with that kind of nonsense.
 
Quinn's Towing:

http://toronto.kijiji.ca/c-cars-veh...crap-removal-Quinns-Towing-W0QQAdIdZ527996571

Just a quick note to say this thread ended really well. The guys at Quinn's Towing turned out to be stand-up guys. They understood the kids financial situation. The kid was given the "ok" to go and pick up his bike!

Quinn's Towing also offered that if any GTAM members in the Durham / Toronto area need a tow, if you mention "GTAMotorcycle", they will give you 15 percent off your tow! Only exclusions are HTA172 / DUI infractions. They can't on those charges as they are first responders. Great bunch of guys actually! 416-809-5635 Ask for Nikko or Joel and mention "GTAM" to get your 15 percent discount.

The kids story ends well. There are still great people in the GTA!
 
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I don't know how to describe my feelings at the moment, except to say thank-you which I know doesn't go far enough in describing how I truly feel. You guys especially have treated me like a family member and for that I once again can't thank you all enough! I will be picking up the bike in the morning. :crybaby::D
 
dolphin browser said:
I don't know how to describe my feelings at the moment, except to say thank-you which I know doesn't go far enough in describing how I truly feel. You guys especially have treated me like a family member and for that I once again can't thank you all enough! I will be picking up the bike in the morning. :crybaby::D
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Well since you asked.
Since we/they/MLadin saved you $575 you can donate $50 to the sites charity of choice RFS.
Please post your receipt to show you did.

I further suggest that member call and or send them an email to thank them for helping a fellow biker. It demonstrates that we saw their positive/supportive response
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