# Tipping a tow truck driver - Please read OP for specifics **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [June 17, 2018, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tipping-a-tow-truck-driver-please-read-op-for-specifics/816240 "2018-06-17T01:23:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2018, 10:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tipping-a-tow-truck-driver-please-read-op-for-specifics/816240/21 "2018-06-18T10:27:26Z")
> [@FoieGrasIsEvil](#): > > He has a AAA membership so there wouldn’t be a bill for the tow, “X” amount of tows per year within “X” distances are covered depending on the level of paid membership dues (“Gold” versus “Premium”, etc). > > Do tow truck drivers really make that much money? A quick google shows the average salary for them nationally is in the $25-40k range…not what I would call a “shit ton of money” for sure. Obviously busier drivers in more urban areas likely make more than rural ones, but cost of living so YMMV? > > OP: this may be a stupid question, but when the driver jumped your car to close the window, did anyone think of trying to start it? I am sure you probably did, but I was just curious. The version of AAA I have allows for a free 5-mile tow with a $6 charge per mile above that. I did consider trying to start it when he jumped it, but it was already parked at the repair shop. I didn’t really see a reason to crank it. mmm ---
**Author:** ![Slash1972](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slash1972/32/6461_2.png) [@Slash1972](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slash1972)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2018, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tipping-a-tow-truck-driver-please-read-op-for-specifics/816240/22 "2018-06-18T14:52:31Z")
If I had cash on me, sure $20 seems about right. However, I rarely carry cash, so I probably wouldn’t tip him anything. ---
**Author:** ![Inigo\_Montoya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inigo_montoya/32/124_2.png) [@Inigo\_Montoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inigo_Montoya)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2018, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tipping-a-tow-truck-driver-please-read-op-for-specifics/816240/23 "2018-06-18T14:58:44Z")
My friends and I used to tip tow truck drivers when we were younger. We thought it was funny but looking back the drivers never looked too happy as they were getting back up. I don’t do it anymore. ---
**Author:** ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2018, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tipping-a-tow-truck-driver-please-read-op-for-specifics/816240/24 "2018-06-18T16:29:25Z")
> [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](#): > > The version of AAA I have allows for a free 5-mile tow with a $6 charge per mile above that. > > I did consider trying to start it when he jumped it, but it was already parked at the repair shop. I didn’t really see a reason to crank it. > mmm Weird. My AAA membership allows for 3 tows per year up to 96 miles apiece, with $2 per mile after that. I’ve only used it once, but it’s something my father has insisted my brother and I have since we were teen drivers, so he pays for it every year. And the reason I asked about starting it is because if the vehicle started, it may have only needed a battery, which would just have required you to drive to your local AutoZone or someplace similar, and have them install a battery for you. Cheaper than taking it to the shop for a diagnostic. Of course, the problem(s) could be elsewhere. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2018, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tipping-a-tow-truck-driver-please-read-op-for-specifics/816240/25 "2018-06-18T16:36:06Z")
> [@Inigo\_Montoya](#): > > My friends and I used to tip tow truck drivers when we were younger. We thought it was funny but looking back the drivers never looked too happy as they were getting back up. I don’t do it anymore. Sounds like you had them confused with cows. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![cornflakes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9d8465/32.png) [@cornflakes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cornflakes)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2018, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tipping-a-tow-truck-driver-please-read-op-for-specifics/816240/26 "2018-06-18T16:43:45Z")
> [@Inigo\_Montoya](#): > > My friends and I used to tip tow truck drivers when we were younger. We thought it was funny but looking back the drivers never looked too happy as they were getting back up. I don’t do it anymore. > [@RTFirefly](#): > > Sounds like you had them confused with cows. 😃 Must be the day for it, and like usual I’m a couple hours too late to be first. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Hari\_Seldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hari_seldon/32/5173_2.png) [@Hari\_Seldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hari_Seldon)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2018, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tipping-a-tow-truck-driver-please-read-op-for-specifics/816240/27 "2018-06-18T18:11:48Z")
My first reaction was that I would have given him $20 for the extra service. My one experience with AAA was that they were utterly useless, utterly, so any service at all might deserve a tip. ---
**Author:** ![amarinth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3be4f8/32.png) [@amarinth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amarinth)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2018, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tipping-a-tow-truck-driver-please-read-op-for-specifics/816240/28 "2018-06-18T20:27:13Z")
I would tip him - if I had cash on hand. (you can’t tip via credit card and I don’t carry checks these days). If I didn’t have cash (which happens a lot), I would feel bad about not being able to tip him. $15 sounds about right, but $10 doesn’t sound too low, and $20 doesn’t sound too high. > [@RTFirefly](#): > > No, what I hate about tipping is the surprise situations. What - you’re supposed to tip your freakin’ _tow truck driver_? Who knew? And what are the rules? What’s a good/medium/poor tip, and how the hell would I know? That’s the problem with a lot of tips - I tip between medium and well when I know what the range is. But sometimes, I have no idea what a good tip is… it’s even worse when someone won’t tell you. (I had that situation while overseas. I asked “so, what’s a good tip?” the guy could have named his price and gotten it. But instead he got coy and said “whatever you think.” I had no idea so I offered something (in a currency and economy that I don’t understand. It was less than I would have offered in the US - but _everything_ cost less than it did in the US to varying degrees). He declined saying that it was an insult.) ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2018, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tipping-a-tow-truck-driver-please-read-op-for-specifics/816240/29 "2018-06-18T20:41:15Z")
For the record, the vehicle is back on the road. It was the alternator. mmm ---
**Author:** ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2018, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tipping-a-tow-truck-driver-please-read-op-for-specifics/816240/30 "2018-06-18T21:33:12Z")
> [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](#): > > For the record, the vehicle is back on the road. It was the alternator. > mmm Good deal! I’m glad it was resolved so quickly for you, and I think you did the right thing tipping the guy for his good service above and beyond what he “had” to do. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2018, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tipping-a-tow-truck-driver-please-read-op-for-specifics/816240/31 "2018-06-18T22:15:25Z")
> [@](#): > > Quoth **amarinth** : > > That’s the problem with a lot of tips - I tip between medium and well when I know what the range is. But sometimes, I have no idea what a good tip is… it’s even worse when someone won’t tell you. (I had that situation while overseas. I asked “so, what’s a good tip?” the guy could have named his price and gotten it. But instead he got coy and said “whatever you think.” I had no idea so I offered something (in a currency and economy that I don’t understand. It was less than I would have offered in the US - but everything cost less than it did in the US to varying degrees). He declined saying that it was an insult.) I do sort of respect the chutzpah of one waiter… We were visiting Ireland, and on our first restaurant visit, we were unsure what the local protocol was, so we asked the waiter. He said “I would generally just advise people to do whatever they would do at home”. Which sounds sensible, but also got him a _much_ higher tip than local custom would have dictated. Which he probably knew, because it wasn’t exactly a secret that we were Americans. The next day, we wised up, and asked about restaurant tipping before we left the B&B. ---
**Author:** ![cmkeller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmkeller/32/118_2.png) [@cmkeller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmkeller)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2018, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tipping-a-tow-truck-driver-please-read-op-for-specifics/816240/32 "2018-06-19T00:40:07Z")
I was in a situation three years ago in which the tow truck driver went way above and beyond. You better believe I offered a tip…I don’t recall how much I offered, but it definitely wasn’t less than 10…but he declined it. ---
**Author:** ![Manduck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/manduck/32/256_2.png) [@Manduck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Manduck)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2018, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tipping-a-tow-truck-driver-please-read-op-for-specifics/816240/33 "2018-06-19T00:41:49Z")
I think it would take five or six people to tip a tow truck. But to tip just the driver, you could probably do that yourself if you sneak up on him. ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2018, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tipping-a-tow-truck-driver-please-read-op-for-specifics/816240/34 "2018-06-19T01:19:16Z")
> [@Manduck](#): > > I think it would take five or six people to tip a tow truck. But to tip just the driver, you could probably do that yourself if you sneak up on him. **Inigo** beat you to the joke: > [@Inigo\_Montoya](#): > > My friends and I used to tip tow truck drivers when we were younger. We thought it was funny but looking back the drivers never looked too happy as they were getting back up. I don’t do it anymore. Maybe read the thread next time. mmm ---
**Author:** ![Manduck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/manduck/32/256_2.png) [@Manduck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Manduck)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2018, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tipping-a-tow-truck-driver-please-read-op-for-specifics/816240/35 "2018-06-19T23:58:24Z")
I skimmed it. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tipping-a-tow-truck-driver-please-read-op-for-specifics/816240.md?page=1)