DIY Towing and Why You Shouldn’t Attempt It
Repairing your own leaky faucet, learning to change your own oil, doing your own taxes. These are all things we are encouraged to learn if we want to save money on basic services. There’s certainly a DIY spirit to all of these things and we would even recommend you to learn them for the sake of it. Many people get the idea that they can translate this DIY spirit to towing vehicles. After all, many people own trucks that have powerful engines that are designed to tow whatever you’ve hitched. Of those things hitched that Ford, Chevy, or Dodge designed for, we can tell you that cars were not one of them!
DIY Towing is Risky and Can Damage Your Other Vehicle
Towing is a service unto itself. There are many different vehicles of different sizes, dimensions, weight, etc. Having the proper equipment to tow all of these different vehicles is part of what makes a Towing and Recovery company like Shenandoah worth their salt. We provide specialized services to help people recover their vehicles from sometimes hard to reach spots. One of the ways that this is facilitated is through using special connectors if required.
If all that was needed was some rope and hitching, then towing companies would not be as in demand as they are. The fact of the matter is, DIY towing is not something people should attempt because it can cause extensive damage to one or both vehicles. I think we’ve all seen a few funny videos online where the entire front or rear bumper gets ripped off when someone attempts to tow something. You probably would not have the same reaction when if it were to happen to you! We also would not want that to happen to you.
Fear of Mishandled Property Makes People Hesitant to Tow
It is strange, some folk would rather attempt to tow their own vehicle and potentially damage both vehicles rather than letting a professional towing company do it. In other words, many people believe that the towing process is sloppy or that precautions are not taken to prevent your vehicle from being dinked, scratched, or otherwise damaged in some way during the recovery process.
A tow company is completely specialized in getting your vehicle to a shop or other location safely and unharmed, so this fear is unfounded. The risk for damage to your vehicle is much, much higher when attempting DIY towing.
Driving While Towing is Completely Different
The requirements vary per state, but driving with a load requires different licensure to establish that you are a qualified and safe driver who is trained in driving with heavy loads. While most cases of a truck towing another small vehicle can fall under regular use of your standard driver’s license, the fact of the matter is that as the load size increases, so too does required certifications.
While you won’t be towing huge loads, it still doesn’t change the fact that driving with a load is completely different than unencumbered. You have to account for less acceleration, greater braking times, and being aware of the extra vehicle length and sway that accompanies towing. Many people are not well-practiced in this and it is a road and safety hazard to attempt it without practice.
Towing and Recovery Shenandoah County
Professional towers know how to hitch a load safely and with little risk of damage, then transport that load safely with a tow truck that is specialized for hitching heavy loads. Most importantly, all of our drivers are highly qualified and have years of experience on the road.
Shenandoah Towing and Recovery was founded on hard work, faith, and a desire to help our fellow neighbors. Contact us today if you have any questions about our many services.