Jalopnik: tow truck

They Wouldn't Really Tow My Car, Would They?

Murilee Martin — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 18:00:00 EST

As you know, I collect heartfelt notes to the mean ol' tow-truck driver, as found in junkyards. Unfortunately, I can't find a way to peel off the ominous "red tag" stickers applied by angry apartment-building managers.

Here's what happens when you write a note asking for just a little more time and slap it on your parked-where-it-don't-belong car. Welcome to the boneyard!

"Car is broke. Will pick it up tomorrow." No, you won't!

Texting-While-Driving Tow Truck Driver Plows Into Pool

Matt Hardigree — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 15:00:00 EDT

Texting-while-driving is unsafe and often illegal, and yet this tow truck driver confessed to texting with one phone and talking on another. The result? He plowed through one car and landed in someone's pool. [FoxNews]

Is This Really The Best Way To Display A New Camaro?

The Auto Insider — Mon, 11 May 2009 09:30:00 EDT

Lou Fusz Chevrolet received their very first Camaro over the weekend, apparently following their recall bulletins to the letter by displaying it on the back of this flatbed tow truck. Guys? You're doing it wrong.

(Hat Tip To The Kellys!)

Tow Truck Gets Shanghai'd By Angry Driver

Ben Wojdyla — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 12:00:00 EST

This may or may not be a staged video, but it's still funny to us. A Shanghai lady was not about to let some orange-clad tow truck driver take off with her beloved Chevy SUV so she hopped in and drove away — with the tow truck in tow. The best part is watching the truck driver realize he's gone from the tow-er to the tow-ee. [ChinaSmack]

Saudi Arabia Needs A Lesson In Vehicle Towing

Travis Hudson — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 18:40:00 EDT

We tried hard to think of a situation where we would be in Saudi Arabia with a broken down car in need of a tow. After watching this shaky "Blair Witch Project" style video from Riyadh, we're glad it's not an occasion we're likely to see. If you somehow find yourself needing a tow from a Saudi local, you might be better off just pushing. Wonder if the driver knows he's doing it wrong? [via Neatorama]

March Madness Narrowed To Sweet 16, Round 2 Of Voting Today

Mark Arnold — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 13:00:00 EDT

Well here we are, Round 2 of Jalopnik-style madness. After the first round of voting, we've eliminated half of the 32-car field. And there sure were some upsets; Parnelli Jones' Big Oly Bronco losing to some white Italian car being perhaps the most shocking. We even had a last minute buzzer-beater, with "Billy" beating out the Rolls Limo by only 2 votes! But, now it's time to vote our sweet 16 down to an elite 8. We'll be one step closer to figuring out which car you think is the coolest on-screen in the 1974 film Gone In 60 Seconds. Update: Polls have closed, voting for Round Three here.

March Madness Begins, First Round Of Voting

Mark Arnold — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 13:00:00 EDT

Yesterday, we gave you the brackets. Today, the voting begins and Jalopnik-style March Madness ensues. If you haven't finalized your own bracket for the office pool just yet, hurry up! The field of 32 cars from the original 1974 film Gone In 60 Seconds is about to get narrowed down by your votes. At the end this round, we'll be down to 16 sweet rides. Ultimately, we want to find out what you think the coolest car in the movie is. Now some cars are cool all by themselves, but you also have to consider what role they played on screen. So who knows what the results will look like? Update: Polls for Round 1 are closed. Vote in Round 2 here.

March Madness, Jalopnik Style

Mark Arnold — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 13:30:00 EDT

Interested in all the March madness tournament bracketry, but not really into college hoops? Maybe you're looking for a way to redeem yourself after penciling-in Duke to go all the way? Whatever the case, we've decided to throw our own Jalopnik-style bracket-madness party! Instead of basketball, we've got cars! And don't think this isn't some randomly-selected field of Consumer Reports top choices. What we have is a 32-car selection from one of the coolest car movies ever made: the original Gone In 60 Seconds from 1974. Through the rest of this week and part of next, your votes will be tallied to decide the winners of each face-off. Polls will open tomorrow, so that gives you today to print out your own bracket, fill in your predictions, tell your buddies, and make up your own office pool. It also gives you time to go watch the movie, but if you want just a quick refresher, we've provided that too.

This is the star of the show; the top seed. A seemingly indestructible 1973 Ford Mustang Mach 1 that runs from the law in a glorious 40-minute chase scene.
The local country radio reporter's ride, a Ford that might as well have "dorky" painted all over it.

A drop-top Ford with questionable structural rigidity that gets hit in the side so hard it splits neatly in half. Ridiculous, but funny.
The Belvedere rent-a-cop with a German Shepard. Attempts to chase down a tow-truck stealing a Challenger, and fails.

A burgundy Roller stolen in broad daylight from the airport drop-off curb; chauffeur left the key in it.
A Fleetwood serving as personal transportation for the ring-leader of the operation. An arranged assortment of sunglasses on the dash, and enough room for the whole crew to cruise around.

Stole a Challenger right off a dealership lot, then outran security even with the Challenger still attached. The star of the second best chase in the movie.
A poor little Type 3 that got flipped on its roof by Eleanor, starting a huge pileup. Cute car, humiliating role.

The Dodge carries the flag for all the cop cars in the movie. They're cool rides burdened by somewhat inept drivers.
One of the "girls" on the hit list, though it only appears on film for a moment. Not a hearse, but a custom station wagon.

License plate reads "OOO GAL." The Dodge was a stolen car wearing VIN tags from a wrecked donor; An identity thief before it was popular. Sadly, it had to go to the crusher once people started getting wise.
A new Plymouth out on a test drive gets smashed by a cop in pursuit of Eleanor.

Lyle Waggoner's Intermeccanica Italia swiped from spaced-out stoner cleaning it.
A stolen Corvette in a sizzling color. Not on film very long, but it leaves an impression.

The undercover cop that started the epic chase with Eleanor. It Went toe-to-toe with the Mustang, but couldn't quite keep up.
A nice bright green Dodge that suffered the fate of being crushed by a garbage truck rolling onto it.

An old sedan DeVille ridin' low. Occupants seemed to enjoy smokin' the herb so much that they drove the Caddy to self-destruction.
A Rolls limo big enough to carry a fully-assembled bicycle in the back seat with room to spare. Just wait for the chauffeur to leave the car unattended, insert the bike you rode up on, and drive away. Petty theft made high-class.

Don't get distracted by the girl, this DeTomaso is what you really want. She's just askin' for it, leaving the keys in the car like that.
This Jensen Interceptor is practically good enough for JFG, and it's apparently good enough to make the South American client's, list as well.

Fantastically obscure Manta Mirage stolen during a test drive. Salesman gets out to switch seats, thief slides behind the wheel and takes off.
The Maserati is another car on the list only appearing for a moment, but it's pure style.

A Cadillac filled with drugs, one of the few things to survive in the remake movie from 2000. How do you get rid of all that white powder? Burn it. Who cares if it's worth a million bucks on the street; these are responsible criminals.
The hopped-up Plymouth was on the screen for only a quick flash, but we're sure it's even quicker down the strip.

Parnelli Jones' Baja Bronco is the icon of off-road racing. But that didn't stop anyone from stealing it in the movie.
The Lamborghini is elegantly beautiful, but forgettable in this context.

Epic cool car and JFG resident, but it's too bad we can't see it's wacky suspension in action.
Who needs a high-tech anti-theft system? Just keep a tiger in your Cadillac.

Another limo left unattended and vulnerable. All the coolness factor of death with none of the emotional struggle.
Hard to say what exactly has been done to this Chevy Vega, but it sure ain't stock. Another one we'd like to see actually driving.

It looks plain on the outside because it's supposed to. There were two identical Fords used for scouting out all the cars on the to-be-stolen list before the day of the big hit. Equipped with walkie-talkies too!
Nothing says "Malaise Era" more than a Stutz. And this one was stolen right in front of a confused old lady. Classy.

[Screenshots are property of the movie's copyright holders; not Jalopnik]

Maybe A Sincere Note Will Dissuade The Tow Truck Guy!

Murilee Martin — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 16:00:00 EDT

One of the fun things about the junkyard is that you often find items in cars that tell an interesting, though often sad, story. As I've mentioned before, I love cool found objects from cars, and one of my very favorite junkyard finds is a heartfelt, pleading note left on a car by an owner desperate to avoid the towing-away process they (correctly) sense is approaching. I've got a pretty decent collection of such unsuccessful notes found beneath the wipers of junked cars, and today I'm sharing a few. The one written in blue crayon looks as if it served its intended purpose (get the owner out of paying tickets and fines), but it was also a failure- I found the car at a different junkyard than the one referred to in the blurred-out text.

Angry Tow Truck Driver Attempts to Tow Cop Car

Matt Hardigree — Fri, 14 Dec 2007 10:15:00 EST

Upset over getting ticketed, a tow truck driver in Gresham, Oregon decided to take his revenge out on the first police cruiser he could find. Turns out there was an unmarked police car responding to a domestic disturbance call that was a fairly easy target. The angry driver was able to get the interceptor hooked up to his rig when a police officer noticed what was going on. After a few tense moments, the driver released the officer's car, but then he locked himself in the cab of his truck.

It wasn't until the manager of the tow company arrived that the man finally surrendered. The driver was charged with unlawful use of a vehicle, obstructing governmental administration, interfering with a peace officer and criminal mischief. Hope it was worth it guy. [AP]

Schnockered Napervillians Can Get a Tow Home

Murilee Martin — Mon, 07 May 2007 17:30:25 EDT

So you and your buddies in Naperville, Illinois, drive the Chrysler over to the nearest watering hole on Dollar Sidecar Night. Next thing you know, all that Cointreau has you using parking meters as walking sticks, the whole bit. In the old days, your options were limited: Take a cab home and come back the next day to pick up your car, or crawl behind the wheel and risk death and/or jail time on your swervy course home. But now there's a third option: a local tow-truck company offers a service called NDUIT (No DUI Tonight), and for $85 ($65 if you reserve ahead of time) they'll take you and your vehicle home. Wait, doesn't AAA already do this? – Murilee Martin

Bar patrons can get a tow home [Courier-News]

Related:
Drunk Dad Passes Out While Pumping Gas [internal]

Bye, Bye, Rockin' Supercar: A Tercel's Last Ride

Murilee Martin — Tue, 27 Feb 2007 08:40:46 EST

A few years ago I sold an ugly-but-running '86 Tercel wagon to a friend. She's a single mother on a tight budget, so the car worked out great for her. Her little girl named it the "Rockin' Supercar" and much Tercel-enabled happiness ensued... until the fateful day when the oil ran out and a rod was thrown. Here's the heartbreaking video of the car being towed away to The Crusher and its poor sad 6-year-old friend running after the tow truck. The Rockin' Supercar is in heaven now, kid. – Murilee Martin

Related:
French Muddin' in a Tercel 4WD! [internal]

Auto Return Has Nothing To Hide

Murilee Martin — Thu, 15 Feb 2007 16:00:00 EST

It's the same in every American city: cars get towed away for unpaid parking fines, a Franz Kafka-scripted drama ensues for the erstwhile car owners, and the cars are auctioned off. But somehow San Francisco, where you'd better be sure to wear some goddamn flowers in your hair, adds that extra bit of pain to the whole process. Since City Tow lost their contract to handle the towing/auctioning process after a slew of alleged improprieties a few years back, their successor, Auto Return, has attempted to head off accusations of shill bidders, insider dealing, concealment of revenue, etc., by publishing lists of the cars in upcoming auctions and the results of previous auctions, with prices. Interesting stuff. But I still miss the Wild West feel of the old City Tow auctions. – Murilee Martin

San Francisco Weekly Vehicle Auctions [Auto Return]

Related:
Former SF Tow Company Settles Fraud Suit [internal]

Moto Tow: A Honda Goldwing Wrecker

Mike Spinelli — Thu, 01 Jun 2006 09:19:47 EDT

When we were just a wee lad starting out in business, Grandpa used to say, "Kid, find a need and fill it." At the time, we were loathe to listen, mainly because he was referring to his highball glass. Nowadays, we revere inventors, like these Swedish guys who solved a vexing problem: How do you get a tow truck through traffic caused by the car that needs towing? (Also known as Cooter's Paradox). They built a Honda Goldwing that carries all the kit needed to tow a car. Yep, we're serious.

The Two Wheeled Tow Truck [Gizmag]

Related:
You Made a Tow Truck Out of a DeLorean? [internal]