I once pulled a tj out from a ditch with my f250 diesel. I had the owner attach it to his Jeep. I warned him that he was not putting it in a good spot, he had it wrapped around tie rod and drag link. He told me it was good so I proceeded to pull him out. It totally messed up his rig. I told him to call a wrecker and he was glad I got him out so he didn’t get fined for illegal off-roading.
Helping stuck cars in the snow?
- Thread starter Equilibrium31
- Start date
Guess it also depends on what you have to lose and what you are willing to risk it for.
I gotta' say that 99% of stuck in the snow recovery situations aren't life saving events.
If the situation isn't ideal I am not willing to put my wife and children or our hard earned assets in harms way for some idiot stuck in a ditch.
Last edited:
Not really. If I am helping someone, I don't let them do stupid things if I happen to know better. A simple "I won't help you if you tie onto your steering. Find a better solution" is all that would have needed.
I see your point, but I would still do what I could to help someone out. If I can. "No man left behind"
I guess it is easy for me to say because I have winched a lot of people out of precarious situations and yet to have been sued. Maybe if I do, I will change my tune, but although I have read stories on the news, I have never seen that happen to me nor anybody I hang with.
I have seen friends get tickets for not helping stranded boaters, but they were not sued just had to pay fines. Did you know it was illegal in the state of Washington to not help boaters with issues? That is probably for a different forum, but in the situation of not helping people, you are kind of damned if you do and damned if you don't, so if I have to choose I help, because I don't ever want to be that stranded dude that nobody helps.
You may also live in a better area than me. Here even if you are karma king (help everyone), chances are no one is stopping for you. But doubt you would need the help because it seems like you go prepared and aren't doing 100 MPH in the snow in the first place.
I am not really talking about just legal issues & monetary penalites here.
I am talking about you getting killed/severely maimed because of morons; your family/people that depend on you having to live with the consequences of that.
There is an insane amount of dumb shit going on when the roads are bad, the probability of you getting hit by another vehicle while on the side of the road is probably never higher in your life.
I have been in some seriously wreckless situations in the snow, some potentially life threatening to myself.
I like this conversation, it covers both ends of mentality.
How much snow do you get in Arizona?
We get a decent amount here, 3-4 feet from a larger storm in under a day is not uncommon.
Last edited:
Liberated
TJ Enthusiast
In my area, most people won't stop, but that won't stop me. If I die, then it was my time. I take bigger risks going to work every single day. But for all I know, that car in the ditch could be a 90 year old widow, or a 19 year old single mother with an infant in the back seat.
I refuse to let fear keep me from helping those in need. Whether I lose life, limb or fortune, it will not go unrewarded in the eternal.
I refuse to let fear keep me from helping those in need. Whether I lose life, limb or fortune, it will not go unrewarded in the eternal.
I take plenty of risks at work myself, but they are necessary risks (key point) that I take to directly provide for my family and ensure their well being.
Family comes first, they are my priority and my life long responsibility. I owe it to them to provide and be alive as long as I can be to do so. This boils down to not doing dumb shit if I actually have control over the situation.
There is a difference between fear and making intelligent choices (business decisions), do not mix the two.
A difference between an act of god and a fate that you can control by making well thought out decisions.
I am not going to get into what I believe religiously; lets just say I don't plan on getting rewarded with 69 virgins for pulling someone out of a ditch after I get creamed by a run away Toyota Camry.
Barring an absolute disaster or serious wreck these aren't emergency/life threatening situations we are talking about here.
I will not leave my wife to be single mother and our kids to grow up without their dad because some idiot that was driving to fast/lost control & took me out. All while I was trying to yank someones car out to save them a tow bill... It's not worth it.
Leave it up to the professional wrecker crew with real trucks and insurance for that kind of work, they will most likely be on scene within 30 minutes.
I won't pollute this thread anymore because I think all points have been made.
But I urge people to evaluate the situation, some things are better left to professional crews with the right gear and traffic control (unless they are immanently life threatening).
Darwinism is real, nature does not function or operate under the honor system or karma/kudo points.
The strong and the intelligent survive.
Family comes first, they are my priority and my life long responsibility. I owe it to them to provide and be alive as long as I can be to do so. This boils down to not doing dumb shit if I actually have control over the situation.
There is a difference between fear and making intelligent choices (business decisions), do not mix the two.
A difference between an act of god and a fate that you can control by making well thought out decisions.
I am not going to get into what I believe religiously; lets just say I don't plan on getting rewarded with 69 virgins for pulling someone out of a ditch after I get creamed by a run away Toyota Camry.
Barring an absolute disaster or serious wreck these aren't emergency/life threatening situations we are talking about here.
I will not leave my wife to be single mother and our kids to grow up without their dad because some idiot that was driving to fast/lost control & took me out. All while I was trying to yank someones car out to save them a tow bill... It's not worth it.
Leave it up to the professional wrecker crew with real trucks and insurance for that kind of work, they will most likely be on scene within 30 minutes.
I won't pollute this thread anymore because I think all points have been made.
But I urge people to evaluate the situation, some things are better left to professional crews with the right gear and traffic control (unless they are immanently life threatening).
Darwinism is real, nature does not function or operate under the honor system or karma/kudo points.
The strong and the intelligent survive.
Last edited:
Flib
TJ Enthusiast
Flib
TJ Enthusiast
I've pulled many people out of snow banks (not with the TJ but other vehicles). We are not as litigious a society here in Canada so the risk of getting sued does not even cross my mind.
As far as being concerned with other vehicles, all the times I have helped someone was during a snowstorm with little to no traffic, so the fear of someone hitting me is almost nil, however that is a valid concern for some so just be diligent and have some keep an eye out for other traffic.
As far as being concerned with other vehicles, all the times I have helped someone was during a snowstorm with little to no traffic, so the fear of someone hitting me is almost nil, however that is a valid concern for some so just be diligent and have some keep an eye out for other traffic.
If someone rips up on you quick and loses control a lookout does nothing, its anyone's game. I have stood in the woods behind a bunch of large trees watching trucks, buses, and cars fly off the road one after another LOL!
But you raise a good point, out in the country with one car per hour on a good day there is a much lower risk.
In more suburban areas there are a ton of cars on the road in the snow.
Xposure
TJ Enthusiast
I don’t know, I’ve seen and had many many good decisions end up in disaster. Ive had decades of excellent decisions end up in disaster. I’ve come to believe that life isn’t about making good decisions, it’s about making loving and caring decisions...which often appear as terrible decisions rather than good decisions lol
Xposure
TJ Enthusiast
Our society isn’t as litigious as our media makes it out....at least person to person....person to corporate is a different story. America’s problem is our media that takes a story and runs and runs with it as if it’s some kind of common occurrence.
Well we do get snow in Arizona, but not usually, and within a hour and half drive I can be in the hills that have snow, but in my first post i mentioned growing up in the Northwest where there is actually a lot of snow. I was mostly talking about those times.
I would actually stop to help with my kid. We considered safety, and we never had issues.
I guess, I just don't want to be left behind, even f I did something that someone considered a dumbass thing. I believe even dumbasses should be rescued. I have been known to do a bone head maneuver from time to time.
I am sad for your area. Here is a true story from my area just yesterday.
I met this guy, I want to look at his truck, I am considering buying. My girlfriend is standing next to him because he happens to be deaf. So he is writing to her on his phone and she is relaying the message to me as I am trying to explore the running engine. The truck is so tall I am standing on the tire and looking over the fender at the motor. When this older lady pulled up in a white LTD and yelled out her window "Are you OK?" That is the kind of cool people we deal with here.
Also we have the extreme opposite issue here. Although if you are stuck in the snow with no supplies you can die of exposure, but here when your car breaks down in 118 degree weather, You can die as fast or faster if you don't have water. If all I can do is run somewhere to get someone something cold to drink that is something.
I am not saying I stop for every broke down car, but if we are out in the elements and I can help I will.
I respect your beliefs. I do wish I could make a difference to your area, it is scary to think that people wont help you because they are afraid of litigation. I am definitely not saying to jump into danger or do anything stupid and there are cases when you just can't help, but if I can I will. Mostly because I want someone to do it for me. I am selfish that way.
Similar threads
