towing ppl home

Just been reading thread about 4x4 response and it got me thinking, basically I own a 4x4 and would like to offer to help ppl local to me if I'm out and about and they get stuck. What I would like if people on here don't mind is some tips on driving my freelanders in the snow and towing others ( this is the first winter of owning it). I realize its only a 1.8 petrol and therefore can't perform as well as others but if I'm driving home and someone is stuck I want to be able to offer a helping hand if I can. Thanks

Take a flask of hot tea out with you and if you're not stuck yourself you can offer those in difficulty a nice cup of tea.

For added assistance include a nice Rich Tea or Garibaldi.

If you are feeling really brave then your best option to provide assistance could be a lovely slice of cake or mug of soup.

I think this could be the limit of your vehicle with regard to winter assistance. oh and if going out in wet weather, please always remember to duct tape the doors.

make sure you don't become a victim while trying to help others

Not Freelander bashing per se, but towing people home would be really risky in anything, would you want them slithering and sliding around behind you, pulling you off the road or sliding into the back of you?

If it's so bad that cars can't make progress, perhaps the best would be to give them a lift home, especially if they're old or got kids in there?

Main problem with towing cars is the people you are towing dont know what they should be doing. The main thing is to keep the rope tight so there is not snatching as this will lead to one of two things happening you breaking one of the vehicles or snapping the tow rope.

What i was taught to do was the car in front does the pulling and the car at the back does the braking. This way it stops the person behind ploughing into the back of you especially in bad weather. Obviously there will be times that as the tow car you need to brake but should only be very lightly or in an emergency. When pulling away from a stop move away slowly until you feel the rope go tight then apply the power. But main advice is if its that bad dont tow them a long distance, give them a lift home or to nearest train station.

I am guessing you are talking about people being stuck on ice of whatever though and so only need a short tow to get off the ice, if this is the case then tell them to leave there car out of gear but running, dont try pulling them at the same time they are wheel spinning on the ice trying to get off as all that will happen is as soon as they get grip they will fly into the back of your car.

when I was towing people in the snow earlier this year in my audi I was towing them almost to the brow of the hill but not over, we would then jump out and push it the last few feet, this year I won't care if they give themselves a nato shaped bonnet dent lol

O and another thing possibly the most important, let the people you are helping connect the tow rope to their car. That way if you damage it its not your fault but theirs.

tina2709 said:

Just been reading thread about 4x4 response and it got me thinking, basically I own a 4x4 and would like to offer to help ppl local to me if I'm out and about and they get stuck. What I would like if people on here don't mind is some tips on driving my freelanders in the snow and towing others ( this is the first winter of owning it). I realize its only a 1.8 petrol and therefore can't perform as well as others but if I'm driving home and someone is stuck I want to be able to offer a helping hand if I can. Thanks

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you can read all the tips and recommendations going on here, nowt will help you with the numpty your trying to drag out.
that's where the biggest problems going to be.

fergusontom said:

O and another thing possibly the most important, let the people you are helping connect the tow rope to their car. That way if you damage it its not your fault but theirs.

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Good point but make sure you check how they attached it first before you pull off as many people haven't a clue what their tow point looks like. The amount of times I've seen people attach a rope to light cross-members for holding the rad, bumpers or undertray or even trackrods or anti-roll bars is shocking!


If your considering towing people durin the winter and not just a few one offs out of necessity, go buy a towing-bar. It'll help reduce any problems of people not knowing what to do while being towed.


Most I'll be doing if the weather is bad enough for people to skid off the road is probably just offering to pull people out of the ditches or hedges with my winch as I can see exactly what's happening to the car as it's being pulled out and then tow the car to a safe spot or out of the slippy patch of road and offer to drop them home if its its too slippy for their car for more than a half mile.

DaveM-sport said:

Most I'll be doing if the weather is bad enough for people to skid off the road is probably just offering to pull people out of the ditches or hedges with my winch as I can see exactly what's happening to the car as it's being pulled out and then tow the car to a safe spot or out of the slippy patch of road and offer to drop them home if its its too slippy for their car for more than a half mile.

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will you winch a car that's well stuck in a hedge/ditch on the towing eye?

tina2709 said:

Just been reading thread about 4x4 response and it got me thinking, basically I own a 4x4 and would like to offer to help ppl local to me if I'm out and about and they get stuck. What I would like if people on here don't mind is some tips on driving my freelanders in the snow and towing others ( this is the first winter of owning it). I realize its only a 1.8 petrol and therefore can't perform as well as others but if I'm driving home and someone is stuck I want to be able to offer a helping hand if I can. Thanks

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Never driven a freelander, so I cant comment on their capabilities.
My vehicle is very good at towing things, but I don't think I would try recovering people unless they are trusted friends. Say a high value motor gains traction while you are towing it out of somewhere, and slams into the vehicle causing damage. Do you think the insurance companies will be sympathetic to the fact you were trying to help? As posted, both towing and being towed are skills, and not everyone has them.
I applaud your wanting to help people in bad conditions, but there are safer ways to do this that may be better suited. For example, you could go round neighbours or elderly folk who may be stranded, and make sure they have access to food, fuel and comms.
I live in a steep sided valley, we rarely get icy conditions, but when we do I am the only resident whose vehicle can get out, so obviously I will help the neighbours get to shops etc. I am sure there will be similar opportunities local to you

Turboman said:

Never driven a freelander, so I cant comment on their capabilities.
My vehicle is very good at towing things, but I don't think I would try recovering people unless they are trusted friends. Say a high value motor gains traction while you are towing it out of somewhere, and slams into the vehicle causing damage. Do you think the insurance companies will be sympathetic to the fact you were trying to help? As posted, both towing and being towed are skills, and not everyone has them.
I applaud your wanting to help people in bad conditions, but there are safer ways to do this that may be better suited. For example, you could go round neighbours or elderly folk who may be stranded, and make sure they have access to food, fuel and comms.
I live in a steep sided valley, we rarely get icy conditions, but when we do I am the only resident whose vehicle can get out, so obviously I will help the neighbours get to shops etc. I am sure there will be similar opportunities local to you

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:amen:

tina2709 said:

Just been reading thread about 4x4 response and it got me thinking, basically I own a 4x4 and would like to offer to help ppl local to me if I'm out and about and they get stuck. What I would like if people on here don't mind is some tips on driving my freelanders in the snow and towing others ( this is the first winter of owning it). I realize its only a 1.8 petrol and therefore can't perform as well as others but if I'm driving home and someone is stuck I want to be able to offer a helping hand if I can. Thanks

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I would strongly suggest that you get used to the vehicle before you start getting carried away with the perceived invincibility of a 4x4 , knowing how to operate one efficiently and safely in adverse conditions is not part of the purchase package . When you have experience and if you still feel the same way then probably a 4x4 response group would be a good avenue to get some tuition and advice. That way you will not end up having a really bad day HTSH

I've pulled the ocassional vehicle out of a ditch but would never consider towing them home.
In litigation mad elf n safety UK, I'm not sure I would even do that except for a bona fide LZ member.

SteNova said:

will you winch a car that's well stuck in a hedge/ditch on the towing eye?

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Only if they understand they're car could be pulled in half if its a stupid excuse of a towing point
I like the BMW ones... I've moved one of my E30s with my track machine with a sling attached to the front tow-eye. Was able to lift the front of the car and re-position it without the tow-eye even bending

Winch is probably safer than a tow-rope anyway as at least I can see it's not going to work rather than pulling off and having no car behind me
and also can direct them to put the car in gear to help if its possible much easier without risk of them flying into a Defender cross member

Thanks all for your advice I shall probably limit myself to offering tea n biscuits and a lift home then,because it never occurred to me (me being too trusting) that if I cock up trying help someone it will possible cause more harm than good and get me sued!! I bet I get sued for my tea being too hot lol

An example of how not to do it...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YOz-huHIRC0

Defenderofthefaith said:

An example of how not to do it...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YOz-huHIRC0

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Yep that would be me

Seeing as we're turning this into towing fails, this is what happens if you take the keys out and the steering lock comes on. Land rover doing the towing too, rather quickly.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_UUdqjzOY3U

That is funny.