Long's Brothers Towing RANT

I can sum them up in two words.........THEY SUCK! Let me compose myself for a few minutes and include the experience I had with them this afternoon. Give me a sec........

Ok, cooled off now lol .

Today I was taking my daughter to Pine to her friends house. Not a lot of traffic on the road and the roads were not too bad, but there was a car off the side of the road with two young guys by it. It was stuck in pretty deep snow. Well, I kept going and dropped off my daughter. On the way back I passed them again and saw that no one had stopped yet to help them. I decided to turn around and go back to see what I could do. When I got back there was one guy in a truck who stopped and another guy in a car that also stopped to help. I parked behind them and walked up to see what I could do. The two men had a tow strap and were trying to figure out where to hook in on the younger boys car as to not just pull off the bumper. They popped the hood and were in the process of figuring out where to hook it up when this TOTAL D*CK of a guy walks up. He's like all yelling at all of us and I couldn't figure out who he was and what the heck he was gripping about.

Well, it seems that he was with a towing company. I backed up into 285 a bit to see his tow truck parked behind me and saw that it was from Long Brothers. No big surprise! He was trying to tell the young guys (and all of us) that the highway patrol called him and told him to come tow the boys out and it would cost the boys $150. Hum, doubt the cops did that and we never saw anyone like that pass us or stop. When one of the guys who stopped to help asked if we could just try to pull them out first he got even more pissy and rude and said that they still owed him a trip charge even if he didn't do anything to help.

Ok, by this point I had just had enough of this creep. For those of you who might know him by description, he had a long, thick, nasty beard and looked like a bad version of a mountain man (I.ve seen some hot mountain men, but this guy was not one of them). It was time for someone to put the jerk in his place. Nicely, but VERY FIRMLY, I told him that none of us called him for help and NONE OF US would be paying him a dime!!! He left all pissed off and the guys got the car out before the tow truck even pulled away.

I know this is a business, but they truly do have one of the worst reputations of any business up here. Sometimes you should just do the right thing because it's the right thing! Kuddos to the two guys who stopped and got the young guys out. Hopefully they got home ok.

SG, i have never heard anything good about these folks...

Yes and Yes

SG, glad you were there to put him in his place. He sounds like a jerk who takes advantage of people in desperate situations and you let him know not everyone he comes into contact with is going to take that crap. You Rock!

Yep. My gal does rock. I'm so proud of her. Not sure I would have kept my composure like she did under the circumstances.

Hell, when someone is in need that is not the time to soak them. It is a time to be supportive.

Okay, I am not going to disagree with you here about this is disadvantaged "customer" served with poor roadside service. I know how hard it can be for some service professionals at times, but this is ridiculous. I am not sure who this person is, or how this person represents Long Brother's Towing. Perhaps this individual should be fired. I would hate to see another small business suffer from poor decision making from a disgruntled employee. It is a slow time for ANY automotive related business now. People are waiting for tax returns. Poor service will effect the entire business. I do not know how this business operates, but one person who is disgruntled should be terminated....not the entire business. Long Bros. Towing has been around for a long time and I'd hate to see the business be shut down. I'd report this to the management of Long Brothers. If this person is management...well, it is what it is. :Whistle

Sounds like he was trying to roll the stuck guys for the $150 or whatever they had if they caved.
i.e. pull em out and pocket some cash.
If I come across someone stuck and think I can pull them out, I'll get out the chains/ strap whatever is needed (I carry it all )
and give it a shot. I expect no money in return just a hearty thanks, that's all.
Nice Job sticking up for what's right, Sunshine !

Just wanted to offer a "possible" explanation for tow truck driver's story in regards to the State Patrol.
Very often while listening to the scanner......an RP will drive by an accident and report it.
This initiates a call to the State Patrol who then asks for a tow. This is a very common practice. Unless there is possible property damage or drugs and/or alcohol are involved....law enforcement does not always end up on scene. (especially on accident alert)
Long Brothers has been around a very long time. The owners are good folks who have served this community for many many years.
I am not doubting SG in any way. Just trying to offer an explanation from a different point of view.
Glad to hear that those young men found some great neighbors in their path that day. It's why we all live up here. SG.....you truly are a precious gift.

If you abandon your vehicle they can tow it but it will be accompanied by a tow tag (filled out by law enforcement) even if you put a note on the car saying you are getting help.

Have good friend who owns a towing company and unless the car is involved in an accident it needs the tow tag before the towing company can tow it. After reading this post I sent an email to him and granted he is in a different state but he said he thought most towing laws we pretty close to being the same no tag no tow.

The fact that the car was not abandoned and a law enforcement officer did not stop and ask the boys if they needed a tow I doubt the towing company was called.

About 10 years ago I got stuck and while waiting for the hubby to come a nice Jeffco Sherriff stopped and asked if I wanted him to call a tow truck. I told him no hubby would be there soon with a tow strap he even came back by about 15 minutes later we had just gotten the car pulled out to see if we needed any help.

While I am sure the people that own Long Brothers might be nice people in general it has been pointed out many times that the way they run their business is not good.

SG, good for you for giving them a stearn talking to!!!!

Keep in mind if your car is considered a hazzard even if it not abandoned they will tow it but law enforcement would most likely hang with the you and the vehicle until the tow truck arrives.

I have to agree with mountaindollar on the tow tag.
An RP can call an accident in and law enforcement might even contact a tow company for a tow but the individual would have the right to decline the tow. Once a tag placed by law enforcement, the tow truck co could tow at owners expense.
I have heard bad things about Long Brothers and I have heard good things about them also. My personal experience has not been bad though.