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TomTexan,

One of the differences in the way tow truck drivers drive is how the police work in the area. In cities that use a specific contract wrecker company, or maintain a rotation list, the drivers usually are fairly good about obeying traffic laws. They do not feel the competition pressure to get to a police call to get the job. In cities where the police put out a call and the first driver who gets there gets the tow, they can drive like crazy. There is an incentive to get there more quickly which translates into pressure to drive crazy.

I did not like the single contract wrecker system in San Antonio because of the corruption that goes along with a contract like that. But I don't think I could work in Houston where it is a free for all (or was last time I talked with an officer from there about this). The best compromise I have worked with was a rotation system. Each company was put on the list and the next one up got the call. Seemed like a fair way to split the police tows among the companies. But that was Caldwell County and Luling, rural areas with few jobs (maybe one a day or sometimes less) and only a few companies (4 in the Luling area for the rotation).

Mel wrote:

PBratton wrote:I've noticed this as well. Could they be relying on the new law that requires drivers to slow down or leave the lane?

This law is misunderstood often. The law does not give you the option of slowing down or moving over.
As I understand the law, it says you MUST move over to leave an empty lane between you and the emergency vehicle.
If that is not possible, THEN you must slow to 20 mph below the posted speed limit. But it does not give you the option of slowing down if it is possible to move over.

I disagree Mel. The law does not give a preference to one action or the other. It simply says you must do one or the other. Incidentally, it applies to tow trucks now, as well as police, fire, and EMS.

Sec. 545.157. PASSING AUTHORIZED EMERGENCY VEHICLE.
(a) On approaching a stationary authorized emergency vehicle using visual signals that meet the requirements of Sections 547.305 and 547.702, or a
stationary tow truck using equipment authorized by Section 547.305(d), an operator, unless otherwise directed by a police officer, shall:
(1) vacate the lane closest to the emergency vehicle or tow truck when driving on a highway with two or more lanes traveling in the direction of the
emergency vehicle or tow truck; or
(2) slow to a speed not to exceed:
(A) 20 miles per hour less than the posted speed limit when the posted speed limit is 25 miles per hour or more; or
(B) five miles per hour when the posted speed limit is less than 25 miles per hour.

I agree with speedsix and gigag04. The actual location of the stop is determined first by the violator when the officer hits the reds. After they stop, the officer MAY be able to ask them to move to a safer location but not always. And the officer is taught to use his car to protect himself and the violator. when I was first taught how to make a traffic stop, we used the car straight on behind the violator but half offset to the left. This gave us a three foot safe area by the car where we could talk to the violator but an idiot would hit our car instead of us. Later we went with the "J" stop where the patrol car is stopped at an angle instead of straight. This meant the front corner of the car would be the part sticking out and if it got hit the car would be knocked sideways instead of straight into the violator's car. I haven't used the right hand side approach so I don't know how that affects the stop position.

I do know we would leave the doors open to help give us some possible protection if the violator was a bad guy and opened fire. It also had an amazing psychological effect on the other cars to give us more room from them.

And I was taught not to ask the violator to move after they stopped since it was an invitation for them to try to run. Also, if they were DWI, you just allowed a drunk to drive, even if you only intended it to be a few feet. I don't remember the last time I asked a person to move their car instead of calling for extra backup if I thought we were in a dangerous spot.

But the other posters also had the answer I suggest for your concerns. Call the department and ask to speak to a supervisor or community relations officer and tell them what you are worried about. Concern for the safety of the officers and the community should only be taken as a good thing.