Would this have been a legal draw/shoot to stop abduction?

[EEllis]

if the driver knew kids were in the car he should have called the cops, plain and simple. and it is possible the car was left running with the AC on, right?
And the neighbors that the dad asked to watch the car and kids...why didn't one of the run to get him? and/or why didn't one of them call 911? too many folks "don't want to get involved" these days until it's their cars and kids.

You did get that the wrecker did call the cops as soon as he knew the kids were there right?

[rp_photo]

if the driver knew kids were in the car he should have called the cops, plain and simple. and it is possible the car was left running with the AC on, right?
And the neighbors that the dad asked to watch the car and kids...why didn't one of the run to get him? and/or why didn't one of them call 911? too many folks "don't want to get involved" these days until it's their cars and kids.

You did get that the wrecker did call the cops as soon as he knew the kids were there right?

He should have done a pre-hookup check with a flashlight, and upon seeing the kids should have moved along.

[EEllis]

if the driver knew kids were in the car he should have called the cops, plain and simple. and it is possible the car was left running with the AC on, right?
And the neighbors that the dad asked to watch the car and kids...why didn't one of the run to get him? and/or why didn't one of them call 911? too many folks "don't want to get involved" these days until it's their cars and kids.

You did get that the wrecker did call the cops as soon as he knew the kids were there right?

He should have done a pre-hookup check with a flashlight, and upon seeing the kids should have moved along.

I don't know that he didn't just that he didn't see the kids until 2 blocks later when he called the cops. That was what I responded to not what "should" of happened. And considering the trigger happy comments even here, is it any surprise that he may of been in a bit of a hurry?

[rp_photo]

I don't know that he didn't just that he didn't see the kids until 2 blocks later when he called the cops. That was what I responded to not what "should" of happened. And considering the trigger happy comments even here, is it any surprise that he may of been in a bit of a hurry?

Sounds to me like the driver put his own safety over the safety of others in order to make a fast buck.

I'm frequently told at my own job that if there isn't time to do a job safely, then the job must not be done. The same applies to wrecker drivers.

[EEllis]

I don't know that he didn't just that he didn't see the kids until 2 blocks later when he called the cops. That was what I responded to not what "should" of happened. And considering the trigger happy comments even here, is it any surprise that he may of been in a bit of a hurry?

Sounds to me like the driver put his own safety over the safety of others in order to make a fast buck.

I'm frequently told at my own job that if there isn't time to do a job safely, then the job must not be done. The same applies to wrecker drivers.

Look should he of checked? Sure, and he prob did but you have little kids asleep, maybe laying down wrapped up in blankets who knows, reality says sometimes people will be missed no matter how diligent a wrecker driver is. How can anyone sleep thru getting hooked up and driven off? But they do. That people focus on that rather than the dad leaving the kids out there is beyond me.

[drjoker]

I dunno about y'all's experiences with tow truck drivers but mine have been horrible. I suspect that they're all mobbed up or are just simply low lifes, at least all the ones I've met.

Are you serious? Mobbed up?
Yes, many towns, certain businesses that are bid on by sealed bids beat the crap and shoot the competition to make others' bids higher than their own. I challenge you to get into an altercation with a New York city tow truck driver and live to tell the tale. You do this and provide evidence and I will pay you $1000.

I was young and stupid. If he did that to me today, I'd have video rolling so I could shoot him legally in self defense.

Or you could, you know, just take that to the cops and get him sent to jail like he deserves
Without video rolling, on what evidence? You call the cops with a "he said", "she said" thing with no evidence and I bet you nobody gets arrested. What if they LIE and say that you pulled a gun first? You have a CHL, remember? What if they ditched the shotgun before the cops got there? Then, you'd be the one arrested, not them. Besides, how do you know that the low life wlll tell the truth and not shoot you anyways? Can you trust low lifes to tell the truth or can you trust your shooting skills more? I don't know about you, but if someone points a shotgun at my head, the first thing that I reach for will not be a phone.

the property owner informed them that if they don't give me back my car and apologize, the won't be allowed to tow from the property again.

I thought they were mobbed up? Why would they back off if they were mobbed up?

READ. I said that they were EITHER MOBBED UP OR LOW LIFES. These were just your garden variety low lifes that need to be sterilized to avoid making the gene pool more shallow.

It was a brand new Volvo and their towing it probably screwed up the suspension and/or brakes.

Wait you can't even say that they did cause damage but you still want to ding every wrecker company for it anyway?
READ. I didn't ding EVERY WRECKER company, but just "ONES I"VE MET". I started with the qualifier "I dunno about y'all's experiences with tow truck drivers ", so if you have a pleasant experience with a tow truck company that involuntarily towed your vehicle, then please do share it with me.

. Many of my friends have had their cars towed WHILE THE CAR'S OCCUPANTS WERE STILL IN THE CAR. Isn't this considered kidnapping?

If they do it knowingly they go to jail that's why this is just not believable.
They don't go to jail because they're mobbed up, remember? This happened to my friends in New York city. Besides, Wikkipedia says, "In some jurisdictions, kidnapping laws may ban the towing of occupied vehicles." Notice that it did NOT say in ALL jurisdictions, it is kidnapping. The mob has great influence over graft accepting polititians, remember?

Those idiots on reality TV towing and repossessing cars are idiots.

The key word should be TV not reality. Doesn't really make for "proof" of anything.

At best, tow truck drivers are idiots. At worst, they're low lifes and varmints.

Way to overgeneralize and slander there

That's right, it doesn't prove anything. I only stated what my personal observations were and said that I didn't know what y'all's experiences were. Therefore....

P.S. If you are not a tow truck driver, then I apologize for yelling at you by typing in caps. It just makes my blood boil every time I remember that incident where I had to pay over $100 to have a shotgun pointed at my head. I felt violated, robbed, and truly feared for my life. I apologize because I am not yelling at you if you are not a tow truck driver. I am just very angry at being mugged in a tow lot by a low life. That's why I am yelling, but it was not directed at you.

INFORMATION FOR THOSE WHO WERE VICTIMS OF PREDATORY TOWING:
http://texastowingcompliance.com/index.html

[EEllis]

Since you sound like a Tow Truck Driver,

LOL, literally LOL. Why is it because I think your statements are absurd on there face I must be a wrecker driver? You made some massive unfounded statements, none of which do anything but show you in a poor light but I have to be a wrecker driver to notice? Right.

I'll offer you this ..., right?

Not a driver but, wow. So many issues.

Bottom line is, I am irritated at having a shotgun pointed at my head! I went out and bought a Glock and signed up for a CHL class the next day!

Then you should of done something about it rather than letting swell up till you can't see straight.

Look I have no doubt there are plenty of bad wrecker drivers but I've met some good ones to and spreading bile because of one event and acting like every driver and company is the same as what you dealt with, well it's anger not reality. Also hapy or not I bet most tows are totally legitimate because it's hard to go anywhere where people just whatever the heck they want no matter what the signs might say. There is a reason for a fire lane and it isn't so you don't have to walk.

[EEllis]

Without video rolling, on what evidence? You call the cops with a "he said", "she said" thing with no evidence and I bet you nobody gets arrested. What if they LIE and say that you pulled a gun first? You have a CHL, remember? What if they ditched the shotgun before the cops got there? Then, you'd be the one arrested, not them. Besides, how do you know that the low life wlll tell the truth and not shoot you anyways? Can you trust low lifes to tell the truth or can you trust your shooting skills more? I don't know about you, but if someone points a shotgun at my head, the first thing that I reach for will not be a phone.

I just want to make one point. I said take the video and go to the cops with it as an option to shooting someone when I don't think either one of us believes you would have to. I didn't say do nothing I said take what you wanted to use as an free pass to shoot someone and give it to the cops instead.

[drjoker]

I just want to make one point. I said take the video and go to the cops with it as an option to shooting someone when I don't think either one of us believes you would have to. I didn't say do nothing I said take what you wanted to use as an free pass to shoot someone and give it to the cops instead.

You're right. I apologize to any wrecker drivers out there who run a legit biz. I was just really mad at having my life threatened for no good reason. It was very stressful and I had nightmares about that for a long time. Time had buried these nightmares until reading this post dug it up again. It happened many years ago so I think I should let this chapter of my life rest in peace.

If my car gets towed, I won't even deal with it. I'll call my attorney and my personal assistant. That's what I pay them for, so I won't have to lose sleep dealing with life's potholes.

If you're a wrecker driver, I'll buy you a nice box of very hard to find 22lr ammo during this ammo shortage and I'll buy you a beer after you're done shooting it (P.M. me) I'm actually a good guy and generally amicable unless someone has a shotgun pointed at my head.