to tow or not to tow, this is the question?

did my good deed for the day yesterday, but it could have all gone wrong.
i live up in matlock, and we had snow monday, off work tuesday so after i had finnished doing bits and bobs to my defender i decided to go out and drive a few back lanes in the snow. erm just to test my new ish tyres.well thats what i told the missus.anyway iam out and about and just about to go down a very snowy lane with a fairly steep hill, as i get to the top and look down, a young chap is stuck halfway up in his fiesta.
oh yes i thought, got the tow rope in the back, turns round, low box diff locked start to ease down the hill backwards.
chap gets out thanking me and proceeds to fix the towing eye to his fiesta,as he was screwing in the eye, his motor started to slide down the hill on the ice, quickly jumping in and somehow managed to stop.this meant i had to back up to attach the strap, as i did, i got onto the icy bit the fiesta had made all nice and slippy i couldnt stop.i slid about 10 foot applying foreward drive, but i kept sliding, fortunately the guy had the sense to reverse back or i would have hit him. i only stopped by steering onto the grass verge to find traction.re attached strap strap attached i gently moved up hill as i felt the full weight of the fiesta i gently increased power when poing, towing eye came out of the fiesta and ended up under my truck. luckily it shot along the road rather than through the air and through my rear window.
i reversed back down and re-attached towing eye, the guy had only done a couple of turns when it went tight the time before so i used a wheel brace to make sure enough thread had took.
this time we made it to the top without misfortune, but it could have been a disaster, and who, if any would/could be held responsible if at a later date the lawyers were brought in?
firstly the shackle on the tow rope could have gone sailing through the air and smashed my back door in, ooh err missus, bad enough but could have ended up buried in ma napper.
secondly, as i drove down the hill and couldnt stop, could have smashed the fiestas front in.
thirdly, as i got out my truck, i could have slipped on the ice and broke an arm or smashed my skull in.
so with this in mind, next time iam out and about, whatever the weather happens to be and i see someone in trouble, iam inclined to wait till they ask me, rather than me offer to assist.make them attach to their vehicle but i will oversee/check and if it looks at all dogy, walk away if they wont sign a disclaimer and let them get the aa/rac or whoever.
your thoughts guys.

would he have paid for your bk window if towing eye smashed it?
would you have paid for damage to his car if u slid into it?

this is a very good point, didn't i see someone had done a disclaimer that we could download and print to go in the motor? Had a look can't find it now. would be very handy.

will it say " i the said idiot takes no responsibility for what damage or injury i do to you your car. To be honest you where stupid enough to get stuck so hey ho and stiff upper lip let me have fun with my beast and see if i can inflict more damage free of charge(ash tray open for your twentys)"

I think as the tow person you carry the most responsibility and risk, making sure the tow is attached properly, and whilst lining up and making the tow. I don't think a disclaimer will get you out of jack **** IMHO if you roll into someones 30,000 quid merc or whatever.

Sadly, I don't think anyone would believe you would want to rescue people for fun and weren't charging!

wiltshire landyman said:

would he have paid for your bk window if towing eye smashed it?
would you have paid for damage to his car if u slid into it?

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well thats my point really.
the guy didnt screw in the towing eye sufficiently thus pinging out, and he was stuck not me, so one could argue it was his fault.

as for me slidding down the ice to recover him???????????????
he was stationary i was moving, but then i was in the process of recovering him.
i would not have gone down the hill if it wasnt to recover him.

good point about going out in conditions your vehicle is not capable of handling, and if you do its your own daft fault.but what about the woman with kids in the back? cant really leave em to sort themselves out.

sirwingalot said:

this is a very good point, didn't i see someone had done a disclaimer that we could download and print to go in the motor? Had a look can't find it now. would be very handy.

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You're bang on. The only problem is that it takes all the good will out of it. I'd almost rather just drive on and not bother stopping at all than pull out a disclaimer form and get them to sign it.

You're absolutely right in what you stay - it's the world we live in and you have to cover your arse. But it's a bit miserable.

just a point a women offered shelter to two people after they had an accident which resulted in the roof of her car being cut off because of there back pain she was not involved in accident. Leaving her with a car with no roof and no insurance claim nice of the peeps she sheltered to pay up!!!

should have just drove past laughing

RobertOHare said:

should have just drove past laughing

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and if your gona pull someone who is stuck and its icy make new tracks, and try make them *off road on the hard grass and mud* atleast untill you get the traction

I pulled 2 vans up a steep hill yesterday and I did find myself saying to them that I take no responsibility for any damage.
I'm sure it wouldn't stand up in a court but I said it anyway.
Don't think the guys in the vans minded, they were just happy not to have to try and push their vans up the hill.

Two things
1) You saw the guy jump back into his wagon as he was fitting the tow eye. You then secured the tow rope without checking whether the eye was fitted properly.
2) You reversed down the road directly in front of the stranded car knowing that he had slipped further down on ice. Ideally you should aim for part of the road that he isnt occupying as you are likely to hit the same bit he has been slipping on.

If you are going to help someone, first make sure that YOU dont get in trouble and double check any situation that will affect you!

If you are in a helping mood, join a local 4x4 Response group who will cover you with public indemnity insurance.

thought it was mine! said:

just a point a women offered shelter to two people after they had an accident which resulted in the roof of her car being cut off because of there back pain she was not involved in accident. Leaving her with a car with no roof and no insurance claim nice of the peeps she sheltered to pay up!!!

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This story was in the paper the other day. Lookers vauxhall have given the women a 57 reg vectra to replace the 1 they had to cut the roof of