Like for HTA172 charges?
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why so much hate for tow truck drivers?
- Thread starter SunnY S
- Start date
Like for HTA172 charges?
Having known head drivers for more than one of these ambulance-chaser outfits, you had NO idea what money and shenanigans goes on under the surface of this profession.
It takes a certain type to make it in the ambulance chaser scene...
By contrast Abram's (or other CAA contractors), are pretty vanilla.
Aside from that, as a 2-wheeler, I have no idea why anyone with a bike would not have CAA...
It takes a certain type to make it in the ambulance chaser scene...
By contrast Abram's (or other CAA contractors), are pretty vanilla.
Aside from that, as a 2-wheeler, I have no idea why anyone with a bike would not have CAA...
My father was a tow truck operator for about a year in Caledonia back in the '90's (pre terrorist occupation). He didn't mind it, but there was only him and the owner/boss in the whole town.
I have a buddy that used to be one and he got out of it because it got too violent for him, but he still has a bunch of them as buddies in the Brampton area. Also, one of my wife's cousin is one here and, while he seems like a nice guy, I would hate to have to fight him over a tow.
But yeah, in general they are no better than a bunch of vultures fighting over a carcass.
As far as the cop ordered tow's are concerned. I broke down in the left turning lane from Hurontario southbound to Steeles and a cop came up behind me and put his flashers on to keep people off my arse while I waited for CAA. About 20mins go by and he comes up to me to inform me that if CAA wasn't there in 10mins he would have to call his own truck to get me off the road. About 3 or 4 vultures came by including one guy that pulled right in front of me as if he was going to hook me up. I went up to him and asked him if he was from CAA, after he said no, I told him to get out of there because I was waiting for them only.
I have a buddy that used to be one and he got out of it because it got too violent for him, but he still has a bunch of them as buddies in the Brampton area. Also, one of my wife's cousin is one here and, while he seems like a nice guy, I would hate to have to fight him over a tow.
But yeah, in general they are no better than a bunch of vultures fighting over a carcass.
As far as the cop ordered tow's are concerned. I broke down in the left turning lane from Hurontario southbound to Steeles and a cop came up behind me and put his flashers on to keep people off my arse while I waited for CAA. About 20mins go by and he comes up to me to inform me that if CAA wasn't there in 10mins he would have to call his own truck to get me off the road. About 3 or 4 vultures came by including one guy that pulled right in front of me as if he was going to hook me up. I went up to him and asked him if he was from CAA, after he said no, I told him to get out of there because I was waiting for them only.
I don't, but I have a pick up that my wife could grab to pick me up. I figure that a bike pushed off the road isn't top priority for the cops to get off the road, therefore I can wait.
My point was more to effect that I wouldn't want to be sitting 200k away from home, waiting for a relative to show up... Peace of mind and convenience.
The relative may show up sooner. took 4 hours for a tow truck to show for me once...
Oh yeah, for sure. When I start touring, I will have CAA no doubt.
Never that long for me, but close to two hours on a few occasions.
how long did you wait before submitting the forms ? you have only something like 20 days to do it ... its something ridiculously low number of days
Yep.
Just because you have CAA or Roadside Assistance from a major auto maker, doesn't mean you will get instant service.
I've used the free BMW Roadside Assistance on two occasions. Once for a flat tire on my bike, and once for another rider who crashed his BMW bike.
Both occasions, it took at least 2 hours min for a tow. But it was free, so it was ok.
I have a friend who broke down on the way back from Parry Sound this past summer and didn't have CAA Plus.
I believe he broke down around 3 PM and was stuck at the side of the road with his wife until near midnight before they could find a tow truck driver who would respond to the call (40 km south of Parry Sound) and even then it was only because a police officer called the tow truck once, then swung by a couple hours later to find that the tow hadn't responded - then the cop called the tow in again and waited with them until the tow showed up ... $300 to flat-bed a bike back to Parry Sound. Forget trying to get it all the way to his home in the GTA.
I ended up making a road trip with my car and trailer to go get him the next day.
Lesson ... have CAA Plus. I think he would have been just outside the 200 km distance that they allow for, but even at that, the extra charge for the excess mileage wouldn't have been a big deal.
I have CAA Plus with RV coverage - to cover towing my trailer. Last year my car blew a heater hose on the QEW on the way to Cayuga with the trailer in tow. Car and trailer were both brought back to my house (where I jury-rigged a fix to bypass the hose in question and made it to Cayuga the next morning). The CAA tow truck driver was a great guy.
I'm not saying don't have coverage, just saying some times it can be more trouble to use them... When I called them they said it would be an hour, 45 min later they called and said it would be another hour.... that hour passed and i had to call them to find out it would be another two hours... and i was only 1 hour outside of toronto, I wasn't happy.
i know a mechanic who used to tow. Kick backs to cops and kick backs from body shops / garages.
The roadside vultures have no choice but to overcharge because of the costs and too many trucks in the same place at the same time. People need to schedule their crashs more carefully.
The roadside vultures have no choice but to overcharge because of the costs and too many trucks in the same place at the same time. People need to schedule their crashs more carefully.
I'd rather wait 2-3 hrs (even though it would not make me happy), rather than not having coverage at all.
LoneRonin
Well-known member
yep....One time my cousin and I got pulled over, we had two cars, coppers were gonna get us towed if we couldn't get someone to move our cars off the road, we couldn't because we had been drinking.
Porky Tow trucker mofo comes and the least we could talk him down to was 150 each just for moving the damn cars across the street to a parking lot, we're like f u we don't got that on us nor would we pay that much...so we're **** outta luck...Try to play nice and ask him to just drive them into the parking lot for us and the cops are cool with that but the fat ****er refuses citing insurance this and liability that, this is 3am and the roads are dead quiet.
We flag down a passing cabbie tell him our situation and buddy parks up both our cars for 20 bucks total...shoulda seen the look on Porky's face
i broke down twice interior south dakota aug 2003 ,, tow company said 2 weeks wait... both times a truck pulled over and helped out,, both trucks were chev avalanche ,, both from Arkansas.. the one driver wouldnt accept any payment.. as they would null his samaritan badge .. and offered to take me anywhere to get parts,, even home to Ontario... and no charge! very samaritan!
That is during the Sturgis Rally ... thing was,, the sherrif called his ah,, connection,, er, local company,, and they told me,, 2 weeks ! Later in Rapid City, they told me 3 weeks to get it in the shop.. I found it myselft..
turned out it was a fuel line that collapsed after 10min, then would go to normal as soon as the fuel draw was nill or the line was opened to check for flow,,
That is during the Sturgis Rally ... thing was,, the sherrif called his ah,, connection,, er, local company,, and they told me,, 2 weeks ! Later in Rapid City, they told me 3 weeks to get it in the shop.. I found it myselft..
turned out it was a fuel line that collapsed after 10min, then would go to normal as soon as the fuel draw was nill or the line was opened to check for flow,,
LoneRonin
Well-known member
after the Sturgis Rally I can't understand wtf you're talkin about....
MadPoet
Well-known member
They said I have 15 days to submit it, so I did it the very next business day. I never heard back.
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