Paco Facullo
Super Nomad
Posts: 1301
Registered: 1-21-2017
Location: Here now
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Mood: Abiding ..........
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To tow or not to tow ??
To tow or not to tow ??
OK folks. On my last trip I came upon a stranded group of people ( two adults and 3 young men) on Hwy 1 . Their mini van was stuck on the hwy as you
all know there's not a shoulder so the van was taking up most of the lane. They were frantically trying to flag someone down, so I did stop to see if
I could help.
Ends up what they need is a tow to a mechanic. They have a tow strap but it is made up of many old seat belt straps all tied together. ( quite
ingenious ).
I ask then how far they need to be towed and they say "um poco" So I say OK and we get hooked up. Although their strap isn't vary long so I dig mine
out and we install it.
We just get started going ( less than a mile) and I see a guy, by some houses that we are passing, running and waving at us . I pull over and it is
the owner that had gone ahead to try and find a mechanic. Ends up the closest mechanic is at Catavina , which is about 35 km away. A lot farther than
I wanted to tow but I'm kinda trapped at this point. So off we go, luckily the driver in the other van knew how to be towed and we didn't crash
together. That was my worry as IF we did crash, I doubt my insurance would cover me and I'm sure they had no money.
I was lucky and everything went fine but in the future I will only use my tow strap for pulling someone out of being stuck.
Talking to others I was told that the Federal Police can ticket you for that type of towing also ?
Another thing that was interesting was that I asked how long they were trying to flag down help? Almost 4 hours !
Anyone else have any towing stories or want to comment ?
Since I've given up all hope, I feel much better
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AguaDulce
Junior Nomad
Posts: 73
Registered: 3-28-2014
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I owe someone a tow. I was towed last week with my tow strap 20 or so miles to San Felipe.The man then let me keep the car in his yard. I then got a
trailer in California and returned a few days later. Great guy.
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4x4abc
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 4165
Registered: 4-24-2009
Location: La Paz, BCS
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Mood: happy - always
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I have done it many times
Harald Pietschmann
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64488
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
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Mood: Have Baja Fever
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I towed a friend in a VW from San Felipe to San Ysidro back in 1983. A fun story, that I will share later!
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amigobaja
Nomad
Posts: 151
Registered: 6-3-2009
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I stopped for a stranded guy about 40 miles north of Loreto and neither of us had a tow rope. He climbed in his car and came out with one seat belt
strap. Towed him all the way thru the hills and vados to Loreto without a problem. Love telling the story because it proved that at least one local in
Mexico did use a seat belt.
I personally would never drive past anyone on Mex 1 that needed a tow.
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Archie
Nomad
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Registered: 4-23-2012
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I like better the method the Angeles Verdes use... they put an old tire in their front bumper and push the vehicle.
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AKgringo
Elite Nomad
Posts: 5815
Registered: 9-20-2014
Location: Anchorage, AK (no mas!)
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Mood: Retireded
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Over the last couple of years, I have pulled two Baja drivers out of holes (one of them a produce truck) and I have towed a broken down pick up far
enough to get off a dangerous stretch of highway.
None of those were a great distance, so Karma dictates that I still owe for the time I was rescued in Alaska. A guy headed north to Fairbanks turned
around and pulled me 50 miles to a place where I could get my truck fixed!
He wouldn't even take gas money for his hundred mile detour!
If you are not living on the edge, you are taking up too much space!
"Could do better if he tried!" Report card comments from most of my grade school teachers. Sadly, still true!
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mjs
Nomad
Posts: 305
Registered: 2-20-2013
Location: Off grid in San Felipe
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Towed a few four wheeled vehicles over the years.
Once towed a motorcycle with my motorcycle from Gonzaga to BoLA. But my longest motorcycle tow was from Mazatlan to Tucson. Two days and 800 miles or
so IIRC.
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fishbuck
Banned
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Registered: 8-31-2006
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I'm might drag them off the hiway... and send a tow truck when I get to town...
Unless we are part off a caravan... in that case...
"Never (ever) leave your wingman..."
"A ship in harbor is safe, but that is not what ships are built for." J. A. Shedd.
A clever person solves a problem. A wise person avoids it. – Albert Einstein
"Life's a Beach... and then you Fly!" Fishbuck
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fishbuck
Banned
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Registered: 8-31-2006
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Quote: Originally posted by Archie  | I like better the method the Angeles Verdes use... they put an old tire in their front bumper and push the vehicle.
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I like it...
Note to self: Keep old tire in back...
"A ship in harbor is safe, but that is not what ships are built for." J. A. Shedd.
A clever person solves a problem. A wise person avoids it. – Albert Einstein
"Life's a Beach... and then you Fly!" Fishbuck
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fishbuck
Banned
Posts: 5318
Registered: 8-31-2006
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And a spare gallon maybe.
I've seen that mostly...
"A ship in harbor is safe, but that is not what ships are built for." J. A. Shedd.
A clever person solves a problem. A wise person avoids it. – Albert Einstein
"Life's a Beach... and then you Fly!" Fishbuck
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Lee
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3455
Registered: 10-2-2006
Location: High in the Colorado Rockies
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You did the right thing and I would have done the same thing. But like you, the lesson for me would be I'll tow you off the road, but not that far.
My CRV is limited at 1,500 pounds so the decision might be made for me.
US Marines: providing enemies of America an opportunity to die for their country since 1775.
What I say before any important decision.
F*ck it.
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