Tag Archives: winnipeg towing companies

Happy May Winnipeg – Keep it Slow

For the first time in a long time, it appears that April’s showers will indeed bring May’s flowers.

We’re going to be optimistic when we say that the weather from here on in is going to be agreeable after the cold, wet 2014 we’ve had so far. Yes, there will be rain but it’s looking better than we’ve had in past years.

With roads clear, the natural tendency with Winnipeggers will be to amp up their speed on the road and, unfortunately, play a game of ‘chicken’ with red lights now that the risk of swerving or hydroplaning has waned. One of our associates witnessed a near collision earlier today in St. James when a truck sped through a suddenly-turned red light and nearly struck a bus. Fortunately, the busdriver was acutely aware of the other motorist and slammed on the breaks in time.

Needless to say, the result could have been unfavourable – a call for roadside assistance after an accident.

Let this be a word of wisdom for you – just because you think you can beat a red light doesn’t mean you should speed up to make it. Remember – getting to your destination 2 minutes later than expected is much better than the alternative.

Stay safe Winnipeg!

Dr. Hook Gift Cards for All Seasons… and No Reasons

At long last, the gift-giving season is over.

Christmas and Valentine’s Day, unquestionably, are the two biggest present times of the year. Leaving aside birthdays and anniversaries, you’re more likely to spend money on someone else in late December and early February than any other time of the year.

Just because these seasons are finished, however, doesn’t mean that kindness stops; in fact, the best way to show someone you care is to give them a gift during one of the ‘off seasons’ when a gift is least expected.

One of those times is now, when you’re clear of the holidays and into a dreary time between Valentine’s Day and Easter, where the snowy weather is giving one last inclimate push before the mess of melt happens.

This is going to be a problematic driving time ahead for Winnipeggers, as slush and melt turn frozen overnight on a regular basis and leave an air of unpredictability when you head out in the morning or leave an event in the evening.

Arm your loved one in case a roadside emergency occurs with a Dr. Hook gift card. These refillable cards can be ordered in a variety of denominations and help you make sure those close to you have a safety net should an accident occur.

For more on Dr. Hook gift cards, click here or call 204 956 HOOK today.

Stay safe Winnipeg!

The Regrettable Perils of Winter in Winnipeg

Accidents are always regrettable, no matter whether they happen to a valued Dr. Hook customer or to a Dr. Hook employee.

The recent story of one of our employees intentionally neglecting damage he caused to a customer’s vehicle is something that we feel we must address, if only for our own peace of mind.

Dr. Hook does not employ the type of person who would ignore something like this. We consider ourselves to be a company with integrity, and the thousands of people that we help year-round can attest to the helpful and caring nature that we always strive to exhibit.

Our ratio of safety during particularly busy winters such as this one speaks for itself. Our employees do their best to assess situations in a matter of moments, knowing they have many other calls ahead of them. Our employees are only human – but we can assure you that they are not intent on making an already distressing situation worse for our customers.

This was not something that was done maliciously. This is precisely what Dr. Hook deals with on a daily basis – an accident. Never fun, never the preferred way to spend one’s day, but something that has to be dealt with nonetheless – and we feel that we did so fairly.

Avoid a Summer Tow – Prep Your Car for Storage

Alas, Summer is drawing to a close.

Yep, as much as we don’t want to admit it (and hope that the 2011-12 winter weather will return for another year), it’s just about time to start prepping your home for the cold weather.

Among the activities we’ll be doing is putting our ‘summer cars’ – the convertables and collector vehicles – in storage for another year.

For many of us, April can’t come soon enough. Melting snow means that another glorious summer is almost upon us and we’ll be ready to once again drive around in our favourite wheels with the tops down and the music blaring.

That will happen, if you properly stow your car over the winter.

We all know that for a car to best survive the blustering conditions, it is best stored indoors, or at least under a protective tarp – but if you want to avoid having to have your car ready to be towed in May, be sure to take proper care of it over the winter.

The best bet is to remove the battery before putting it in storage to ensure there is no damage suffered over the winter. Even if it freezes over the winter, some batteries can be recharged when the winter is complete. Head to a local battery professional for more information.

Also, if at all possible, find indoor storage for your car and, of course, outfit it with a proper tarp to avoid dust and other collection over the cold season.

What to do While You Wait

While the weather over the last couple days hasn’t felt like it, summer is indeed still here and with that comes a lot of potential for careless driving as people zip through the city en route to a lakeside destination or local festival.

This activity unfortunately can lead to car accidents, and with busy streets it can mean a wait for your tow.

If this does happen to you (and certainly we hope it doesn’t), there are things you should do in the interim:

1> Take photos of your damage. Having photographs that show the damage to your car and the location of your incident will help you if you have to make an Autopac claim. The more evidence you have the better.

2> Take out any necessities. It’s natural to panic, but be sure to remove anything from your car that you may need over the period when you won’t have it, including garage door openers, phone chargers etc.

3> Stay with your car. In worst-case scenarios you may have to go into a business to use their phone or be outside your vehicle if it has been in a severe accident; but you should stay in the vicinity (or inside) your automobile, rather than watching it from afar or thinking that you can duck into a coffee shop. Dr. Hook drivers get to the location of a crash as quickly as possible, so be sure to stay nearby.

Dr. Hook In the Community: Relay for Life

 

 

Dr Hook Winnipeg Relay For Life Letter

When a call comes from the Winnipeg community, Dr. Hook Towing answers with enthusiasm. We consider it an honour to help organizations throughout our city with their charitable projects that help others.

There is no other way to put it – cancer is one of, if not the most scary diseases that one can ever be diagnosed with. Over 200 different strains of cancer have been identified, ranging from prostate, to breast to skin cancer.

It perhaps comes as no surprise then that cancer research is a focus for so many Manitobans, and why the Canadian Cancer Society’s Relay for Life has become one of the primary fundraising events of the year.

As described on the Society’s website, Relay for Life ” is an inspirational, non-competitive, 12-hour overnight fundraising event that brings you and your community together to celebrate life and fight cancer. Relay has a festival-like atmosphere that your family, friends and co-workers can enjoy regardless of age or fitness level!”

Just how big is this event? 2012 saw more than $51 million raised across Canada by over 17,000 teams – a phenomenal number, no matter how you slice it.

Dr. Hook was pleased to provide our trucks to deliver gators to the Winnipeg Relay for Life, which took place on May 24. It’s satisfying to know that we played a part in making the event an enjoyable one for all participants, who all told raised in excess of $255,000!

We are extremely proud of our team and the help they gave to the Winnipeg Relay for Life event, and honoured to be given the opportunity to once again provide assistance for a Winnipeg community event.

Call Us Before the Cops

Walking out of a restaurant, shopping mall or even your office, there’s always that breath of relief when you can find your car waiting for you.

It’s a natural reaction. Given the number of auto thefts in Winnipeg, we are always on alert for our vehicles to be sitting safely where we left them.

At times though, we find that our vehicle isn’t where we parked, and the panic sets in. Even if there isn’t evidence of a theft like broken glass or a discarded break-in device, it’s natural to assume that your car has been stolen.

This isn’t always the case though. Your car may have been towed without you knowing it.

Determining if your car has been towed is fairly easy.

First, look for any signs indicating you’re in a tow-away zone. Signage may be obstructed by trees, faded past readability or have been vandalized, so you should do a thorough check to see if any warnings are in your parking area.

Second, check for any reserved parking signs. You may have accidentally parked in an owned space. Contact the property owners to see if they would have had any reports of improper parking. They may have called Manitoba’s leading towing company to remove your vehicle.

Finally, if you don’t see any signage, or don’t believe you have violated any parking laws, then it is still best to call Dr. Hook. We may have information on your vehicle even if you have reason to believe your car was indeed stolen.

Remember – nothing can be resolved by panic, and alerting the police may not be necessary. Take all the steps possible to ensure that your vehicle is indeed secure before calling Manitoba’s finest.

Invading Your Privacy – How to Take Back Your Parking Spot

While we live and breathe by a credo of being “Friendly Manitoba”, Winnipeg drivers will attest that when it comes to cars, you’re stepping into unfriendly waters (and we’re not just talking about changing lanes without “the wave”).

The reason for this is completely unknown, but its evidence is seen everywhere from office banter to call-in radio shows.

Perhaps the most aggravating element to Winnipeg drivers is when they invade one’s private space – the proverbial sacred ground that is the reserved parking spot.

If you ever had this happen to you, you know the frustration. The high price you or your company pays for this space certainly gives valid reason for said emotions – how you react though, depends on your comfort in dealing with a frequent erroneous parker.

Solutions can range from the simple leaving a note on the dash of the offending vehicle, to the more demonstrative case of ordering a tow; but generally, there are a few pieces to keep in mind:

1> Lot owners – The problem may not be with a driver, but with awareness of the parking space reservation. Signage may not reflect what the state of the spot is, or the offending vehicle owner may be confused as to which space belongs to whom. The lot owner may be able to help resolve this confusion.

2> Know the tow – Should you choose to go the tow-the-car route, check for signage in the parking lot. Usually, the parking lot owner will have a contract with a particular Manitoba towing company for you to contact for matters such as this.

If you have any other towing issues that require assistance, contact Dr. Hook Towing today.

We’re Ready This Easter Weekend

We’re in the midst of one of the most unique weeks in Winnipeg’s recent history.

Not only is it spring break for schools across Manitoba, but it’s also Good Friday and Easter weekend upcoming, not to mention Passover.

In combination, this means that traffic patterns are going to, quite literally, be all over the place. Our normal driving routines of 8:30 to work, 5:00 home will be almost non-existent as we go forward with an unusual set of paths – taking kids to the Museum, loading the family in the minivan to head to grandma’s… yep, it’s certainly not business as usual.

Add to this the recent snowfall and melt (hopefully the last for us!), and you’ve got a real mess on our streets and highways, even before the potential for accidents that can stall traffic and make you late for your various events.

At this point we do want to note to you that if you find yourself in an emergency and require roadside assistance from Dr. Hook, we will be available. We are on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for your needs.

We wish you and your family all the best during this season. Enjoy this time of year with your family.

Emergency Preparedness: Keep Yourself Charged on the Road

There’s a classic scene that has been rendered somewhat cliche in Hollywood. A young couple is stranded on the highway with their hood up. The male is seated on a gas jug while the female stands with her thumb out hoping that a noble stranger will help them in their time of need.

This scenario was certainly the case for Manitobans just a couple decades ago, but thanks to cell phones, all it takes is a call to Dr. Hook, and the case for a happenstance handsome stranger to play the hero is obsolete.

Obsolete, that is, as long as you have your phone charged up and ready.

Let’s admit it to ourselves – as careful as we are with our smartphones, we can get caught up in our “other” activities like web browsing and gaming that drain our batteries and we’re at times left without being able to communicate; and whether you’re in the city or out on the highway, this is not an ideal situation.

With this in mind, it’s important that as part of your emergency preparedness, especially when you are embarking on a long highway travel, to have your phone fully charged and ready to go. Having a charger in your car and even a spare power source is a great way to ensure that you are good to go and are more than ready should an emergency happen with your car or truck.

Remember – your roadside assistance experts are always just one phone call away.