Good deed for the day...

[Sporky McGuffin]

Who mentioned qualifications or top trumps?

You did, with your "I've worked in H&S for 14 years" thing, while perpetuating a tabloid myth that the HSE themselves say is nonsense. I was parodying your attempt to use an argument from authority (a well established logical fallacy).

[muddyboots]

I would encourage every one to do a First Aid course, and if possible a First on Scene as well 

Just did my requal a few weeks ago

 

I volunteered to be a first aider at work, because it was a way of getting the training for free, as I wanted the skills to be ale to try and help family/friends if the need arose.

[billhook]

I was following the bus home one morning, when i had to stop behind it as it let a passenger get off.

As the bus pulled away from the stop it threw up some road debris which hit the guy who had just got off squarly in the face, throwing him backwards about six foot and rendering him unconscious.

The two cars immediately behind the bus must have seen the incident but carried on. I stopped to help the guy who was still in an unconscious state. I checked that he was still breathing, then phoned for an ambulance. Fifty cars must have rubbernecked past but offered no assistance. An off duty police officer then stoped to help. He thought the guy was dead !

Thankfully by the time the ambulance arrived he was coming round. And what was it hit him in the face? It was a brush off a road sweeper, it flicked up off the back wheel off the bus.

I caught the whole incident on my dash camera, I told the police who was going to collect a copy, but sadly I am still waiting.

The incident happened in a rural area and if it was a month or so later ho would have been out of sight because of the long grass and hedgerow.

[Anzio]

Who pays if you damage your car while towing someone out of a ditch?

[Llanigraham]

Who pays if you damage your car while towing someone out of a ditch?

 

You do, as you do it at your own risk.

 

Simple test: If in doubt, don't!!

[Huskoda]

As winter is coming, I thought I'd have a look and check everything is there in my car and how the tow eye connects. When I took the cover off at the rear, I saw that the tow bar I have has no hole for the tow eye to screw into. Good job I checked and it may be worth some others do too.

 

My solution was to get a load rated shackle (3T SWL) that is wide enough to go around the neck of the tow bar but wont fit over the ball.

 

I don't intend to pull people out, but sometimes needs must or I might need recovery myself.

 

For the record, I have always stopped at every fresh accident I've seen to make sure everyone is ok. Good on you!

[muddyboots]

My solution was to get a load rated shackle (3T SWL) that is wide enough to go around the neck of the tow bar but wont fit over the ball.

This is the one I bought:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Tow-Rope-Towing-Road-Recovery-Strap-with-Two-Shackles-4-Metre-8-Ton-SM009-/121491941275?

 

It looks and feels like it could tow a truck!

 

On the subject of recovery with a towball, have a google of "tow ball recovery gone wrong".

Worth bearing in mind...

[Huskoda]

I am aware, I would never attempt a snatch recovery with it, which is what they're almost always doing when it goes wrong. But lacking anything else to attach to at the rear, I thought I'd at least make it as safe as possible (eliminate chance of it slipping off). If I can get one for a reasonable price, I can get a ball and pin replacement as I went for a flange type.

[Llanigraham]

3 tonne is too low. You should have a shackle that is at least double the weight of the car, so 4 tonne minimum, and the higher the better.

 

Personally if mounting on the tow ball I prefer a strop with a loop on the end to go over it, and a shackle for the other vehicle. 

[muddyboots]

That one I linked to should be OK then ?

 

You should be able to take the shackle out of one end to leave a loop, but from memory I couldn't tell you if the loop is big enough to go over a towball.

[Llanigraham]

Yours looks fine, and yes it does look like it has a big enough loop to fit over the ball.

The one thing to make sure of is that the "pull" is not upwards from the ball, otherwise the loop can pull off.

[muddyboots]

Yours looks fine, and yes it does look like it has a big enough loop to fit over the ball.

The one thing to make sure of is that the "pull" is not upwards from the ball, otherwise the loop can pull off.

Just been out to check, yes I could fit my arm right through the loop so definitely OK to go over a towball !

 

Attached is a photo, the shackles are pretty big. The £1 coin is a crude attempt to give some scale...

[Huskoda]

I have a loop I can put over the hook, but I wanted it to be secure. The shackles I have are about as meaty as muddyboots' (the D one for going around the towbar . Ill get a picture of the assembly.

 

I've checked and they're tested to 6 tons with a 12 ton minimum break limit.

[Llanigraham]

The problem with using shackles on tow balls is if they can fit over the top of the ball. If they can it could mean that with an upward pull they could fly off. If they only fit by undoing the thread that is better.

At least if just a strop comes off it won't hurt as much!

[ben4012]

This is the one I bought:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Tow-Rope-Towing-Road-Recovery-Strap-with-Two-Shackles-4-Metre-8-Ton-SM009-/121491941275?

It looks and feels like it could tow a truck!

On the subject of recovery with a towball, have a google of "tow ball recovery gone wrong".

Worth bearing in mind...

These shackles are untested. Tested ones have the rating forged into the bow and generally have a painted pin. Edited 24 November, 2014 by ben4012

[Huskoda]

The problem with using shackles on tow balls is if they can fit over the top of the ball. If they can it could mean that with an upward pull they could fly off. If they only fit by undoing the thread that is better.

At least if just a strop comes off it won't hurt as much!

Thats why I went for a shackle thats smaller than a towball. It slides around the neck, but its too narrow for the ball.

[Toxicvrs]

Good work that man. The reason I keep chains and tow straps in the Clio

[silver1011]

The two cars immediately behind the bus must have seen the incident but carried on. I stopped to help the guy who was still in an unconscious state. I checked that he was still breathing, then phoned for an ambulance. Fifty cars must have rubbernecked past but offered no assistance.

 

Just playing devils advocate, there is no excuse for the first two cars behind the bus not stopping to assist, but by the same token if all of the next 50 cars passing the scene had stopped, jumped out and got involved then the situation suddenly gets a whole lot more complicated and it could be argued that the welfare of the injured gentleman could be compromised.

 

I can't say I've been in many situations whereby I've witnessed someone in distress whilst in my car, however if I can see that there is help on the scene then me stopping might only make things more difficult, either for the flow of traffic or emergency service vehicles, adding to the confusion or simply diverting the focus of the person providing first aid from their primary task.

 

The point I'm trying to make is that sometimes there is good reason not to stop and therefore not everyone driving past the scence of an accident before the emergency services arrive are heartless.

 

A hands-free 999 phone call to ensure help is on the way and to offer yourself as a witness (where applicable) could be just as helpful as stopping and jumping in.

[Huskoda]

The shackle:

[muddyboots]

Where did you get it from ?

[billhook]

Just playing devils advocate, there is no excuse for the first two cars behind the bus not stopping to assist, but by the same token if all of the next 50 cars passing the scene had stopped, jumped out and got involved then the situation suddenly gets a whole lot more complicated and it could be argued that the welfare of the injured gentleman could be compromised.

 

I can't say I've been in many situations whereby I've witnessed someone in distress whilst in my car, however if I can see that there is help on the scene then me stopping might only make things more difficult, either for the flow of traffic or emergency service vehicles, adding to the confusion or simply diverting the focus of the person providing first aid from their primary task.

 

The point I'm trying to make is that sometimes there is good reason not to stop and therefore not everyone driving past the scence of an accident before the emergency services arrive are heartless.

 

A hands-free 999 phone call to ensure help is on the way and to offer yourself as a witness (where applicable) could be just as helpful

as stopping and jumping in.

True. But a little bit of assistance would have been good. As it happens the off duty police officer was a real help.