$48,835.00 Offroad Tow Bill

[Java]

http://www.myfoxboston.com/story/30354823/local-man-stuck-with-48000-towing-bill

http://wfxt.images.worldnow.com/images/9107075_G.jpg

[gm4x4lover]

He should just let the tow company keep it. I have never heard of such industry standards regarding power lines. It's not like they were using a crane to remove if. How on earth did it take 12 hours to remove it? With air bags and a winch I could see 2-3 hours. Maybe rent a front end loader and pick it up with that to pop the suction and pull it out that way.

[Chris]

I'm going to look for a job as an on-scene supervisor for that company.

[Tom]

Pays to know and drive only where one is allowed and legal.

[MultiScuf]

Yea I just about died seeing this.... I dont want the car haha

[JFjeld]

I'm a huge advocate for responsible wheeling, and the dude is clearly at fault. But those charges and fees are simply preposterous and the reality of the situation completely blown out of proportion.

[Rick]

keep it!!!!

[Brad]

And for about $3k you can replace it. Total BS bill.

[dieseldoc]

Wow....so hazmat....for what? No way...the jeep doesnt carry enough fluids to quantify hazmat. The electrical limes are way over head.
Realy its over charge the guy for a job that the rotator truck could handle in 10 minutes.

Years ago out in chanango there was a ford f350 highboy on 44's stuck over the hood in mud.
He had to have a crane and a low ground pressure track hoe come dig it out......
In all it was less then 10 grand for 2 days work.....
The engine is worth that in that truck......


Wow more stupid.....

[The StRanger]

Now ya know why I dont wana live back east !!!!

[sdswingr]

That is absurd...I guess they get to keep a used jeep...

[BLOODBANE]

Plus they claim that the frame is bent, the driveshaft (dont remember which one) is busted and there was something else, that they "claim" was already done (sounds shady as hell to me)

I guess I have been short changing myself all these years extracting people with my winch (we do it to keep the trails clear and to help someone out). If they can charge 1250.00 an hour, mine ought to be worth at least a couple of hundred.....

[AccordRanger]

To me it just seems like the tow company took advantage of the vehicle owner not being there and taking their sweet ass time to get it out.

[Java]

looking at the pics it seems to me that with some boards or maxtrax, a shovel and another vehicle with a winch you could have gotten it out. I've seen worse posted in trip reports. I would have given him a shovel and some Gatorade, set up the camera, come back in a few hours...

It seems to me that everyone is losing, IDK what the tow company thinks they'll realistically get from that guy but the way they are going it's looking like $0.00 + a POS XJ. If they had come in at $8000.00 no one would bat an eye except the guy who did it, and they'd still make good money for a day's work. Is it possible they're making an example of him?

[BLOODBANE]

To me it just seems like the tow company took advantage of the vehicle owner not being there and taking their sweet ass time to get it out.
He was there until the Police arrested him and his girlfriend for tresspassing. According to the owner the tow company was out there in their UTV's and called themselves and the Police/sheriff. Seen some more on it last night and the towing agency that watches tow companies said that the figures seemed over inflated (1250 for supervisor where 175 to 325 is normal) and some of the charges they had never heard of(the dangerous liability insurance charge). Someone was just being an idiot and it has backfired big time....

[96EXXLTinCO]

I think the tow company was in over their head, had no friggin clue what they were doing, and is only making themselves look like morons. Hopefully this puts them out of business, especially if it's true that they were impersonating law enforcement.


looking at the pics it seems to me that with some boards or maxtrax, a shovel and another vehicle with a winch you could have gotten it out

Hard to say without being there, but judging from the pics, I would agree!!

[trint99]

I've heard of couple of campfire stories about idiots driving up mountain sides above tree line (off trail) and the Forest Service forcing them to pay for helicopter extractions. When I saw the title, I figured this was one of those.

Anyone have any links to an actual helicopter extraction? Like I said, "campfire stories," so I have no idea if there's any truth to it.

[dieseldoc]

Never heard of a heli extraction for a wheeler.....

I have seen someone half to pay 65k to replace to moose he shoot.....
The flew one down from Alaska!

[theluke19]

Tough lesson lol