Towing \a car: USA vs. UK methods

In the USA, towing improperly parked or disabled vehicles is done by a tow truck, using a hydraulic derrick that lifts the non-powered wheels up in the air, and then tows the vehicle away.

In the UK, it seems to be done by a platform truck that parks alongside the vehicle, with a crane that lifts the entire vehicle onto the platform at the back of the truck, and then hauls it away.

Both systems appear to work. The USA system seems to be faster (though 4-wheel drive vehicles need tow dollies for the 2nd set of powered wheels, which takes longer to set up). But why the difference between the countries?

[Note – this is all based on videos of UK & USA towing. I haven’t seen a vehicle towed in person for many years.]

In Colorado, there have been very few “classic” tow trucks around for 12-15 years. All tow companies use flat-bed trucks with a tiltable bed.

Here’s a picture of one in action.
http://ravitowingservice.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/Untitled-1.jpg

The driver hooks on to one end of the car with a chain, and then winches the car onto the bed.

I am going to make a stab at this, but essentially population density and the later industrialization of the USA.

The UK and their roads were mostly laid out in the horse and buggy area. When vehicles took over from the horse and buggy there was not anywhere near enough parking spots for all the vehicles to park so they are often parked bumper to bumper wherever possible including the side of the road.

By literally picking up the vehicle with a crane, the problems of getting access to the vehicle is a lot easier especially when parked bumper to bumper.

The USA was developed mostly after the automobile was the dominant mode of transport as a result, there are a LOT more parking spots and parking vehicles bumper to bumper is not as common and the traditional tow truck or the flat bed truck (that is more common recently) works quite well but it needs space to work.

A secondary aspect (in my opinion) is also the size if the vehicle. It is common in the USA to drive these huge SUV and pickup trucks. The UK has (on the average a lot smaller vehicles. Obviously, a smaller vehicle is easier to lift with these picker type tow trucks than the bigger vehicles in the USA. A smaller picker truck can be used in the UK that what would be required in the USA.

Also, the traditional tow truck would be less costly (in my estimation) than a picker truck.

If the car is parked bumper to bumper, the flat bed truck has to winch it out of place before it can be loaded. Much easier just to pick it up. (Never underestimate any solution that involves less work on the driver’s part

I had to laugh when I read this as I know several people who did repos. Their primary task upon finding a vehicle is to get it off the property. Their options are considerably improved when the vehicle is not on the owners property. They sneak in backwards, grab it with the dynamic and haul ass with the repossessed car’s tires squealing and smoking.

When they are far enough away and the shouting (and maybe shooting) has died down, they bring out the dolly or call the flatbed. Now you were talking about disabled or illegally parked cars which I am sure they are careful with.

Dennis

This all rings true from my Brit perspective. Unless you’re in a designated car park or driveway, getting clear access to a parked vehicle at the side if the road is going to be virtually impossible. Picking the car up from a truck parked alongside is the only option in many cases.

We use both methods over here, though I think the tow truck method is more used by roadside assistance services.

2 wheels on the ground might’ve been typical in the US at some point, but as Flyer says the winched flatbed is normal now. IIRC (very hazy memory) the manual for my AWD explicitly says 2 wheels on the ground is bad for it.

I don’t understand this – if they are actually parked that close, how does the driver get out when he wants to leave?

I’ve seen tow trucks come in from the side, lift up the vehicle, and swing it around so they can get access to either the front or back to tow it. If there’s room for the driver to get the vehicle out, there’s room for a skilled tow operator to move the vehicle to a hook-able & tow-able position.

I don’t think it meant bumpers literally touching, but just that cars were parallel parked closely enough such that a tow truck couldn’t access any way to hook it up.

But I seem to remember reading an article where Jerr-Dan has a wheel lift which can rotate and grab a car’s wheels from the side and swing it out. The truck cam literally back up to the car at a right angle, grab the wheels, and go. I’ll see if I can find it.

I remember reading about the parking problems for cars around Independence Hall when the Founding Fathers were debating and writing the Declaration of Independence and Constitution.

Developed after cars, not founded.

Doesn’t anyone here watch https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parking_Wars

I’m not familiar with what they do in the UK but, as noted, the description of what they do in the US is not accurate as both the tow and the flatbed systems are used. The flatbed systems are generally considered better for the car in terms of various sources of potential damage, but are usually larger and more costly trucks. Here in Canada I see them both, but the regular hook-and-tow jobs probably outnumber the flatbeds.

Also, I have never seen the crane type lifter you describe. The flatbeds work by tilting the platform down and then hauling the car up with a chain. That obviously requires a significant amount of room in front of the car.

That blanket statement was probably true twenty years ago, but now I see just as many flatbed tow trucks as traditional “chain and lift” tow trucks.

Say what? Every time I’ve seen a car towed this way, the powered wheels were lifted, because the non-powered ones freewheel.

Yep. And those flat beds can be difficult in tight driveways. And a problem if the driveway is too icy for them to get up. Or the road is too deep in snow for that matter.

The old style tow trucks where often 4x4’s and a lot more maneuverable. At least in the Colorado mountains.

I now have a 10,000lb winch on the back of my plow truck. It gets chained up on all 4 wheels. And I can STILL get in trouble with snow.

But I digress (this sort of pisses me off).

Yes, I am referring to cases where there is only a few inches of space between the bumpers. But I have also seen cars parked with the bumpers touching.

I did watch one guy get his vehicle out by gently pushing on the bumper of the car ahead of him until he managed to get out.

As for using a winch to pull out a car sideways before putting it on a flat bed or a tow truck. Certainly it can be done but never underestimate the for the lack of a better word, the laziness of some people.

IE, it is easier to not leave the cab of the tow truck rather than getting out, hooking up a something to pull the car sideways and then reconnecting it to put it on a flat bed or tow dolly.

In other words, given a choice of a 4 step process or a 2 step process for the same result, the 2 step process would be preferred in most cases.

That being said, tow drivers will use whatever they have to move a car.

Going back to the original question, the USA and the UK developed different systems for towing cars because differing circumstances.

here it is. The Jerr-Dan “Element”