After 15 years operating flatbed tow trucks and heavy recovery vehicles in the UK, I’ve seen just about everything on our roads. Whether providing basic truck towing services or handling complex recoveries, each day brings new challenges. Here are some of the most demanding situations I’ve faced, showing why professional tow truck service requires equal measures of engineering knowledge, problem-solving skills, and pure determination.
The Capsized Lorry
One of my most memorable recoveries involved an articulated lorry that rolled in bad weather on an exposed section of the M62. While many trucks towed by our service are simply broken down, this one required our largest flatbed tow truck and specialist equipment. The vehicle was fully loaded with paper rolls, each weighing several tonnes, and was lying on its side partially down an embankment.
We needed two heavy recovery units for this one: my 100-tonne rotator and a supporting 80-tonne unit. The real challenge wasn’t just the weight; it was ensuring the load didn’t shift during the lift. We spent nearly two hours setting up our rigging points, using multiple winch lines and lifting straps. The actual lift took just 20 minutes, but that preliminary work was crucial for safety.
The Muddy Mess
Agricultural truck towing can be some of the trickiest work. I once had to recover a large tractor that had sunk into a waterlogged field. The farmer had already tried using other tractors to pull it out, which had only made things worse.
The key to this recovery was spreading the load. We laid out ground mats to create a temporary road and used our heavy-duty winch with multiple snatch blocks to distribute the pulling force. It took five hours of careful winching, constantly checking our anchor points, and adjusting the rigging, but we eventually got it back onto solid ground without any damage.
The Multi-Car Puzzle
Winter brings its own challenges for any tow truck service. Last year, I attended a scene where five vehicles had slid on black ice and become entangled on a narrow country road. It was like a game of automotive Jenga—we had to figure out exactly the right order to remove each vehicle without causing further damage to any of them.
Working with the police, we had to document the position of every vehicle before we started. Then we used our spec lift for some vehicles and the flatbed tow truck for others. The whole operation took nearly four hours, but we managed to recover all vehicles without adding a single scratch to the preexisting damage.
The Underground Challenge
One of my most technical recoveries involved a delivery van that had partially fallen into a hidden cellar beneath a city street. Many people don’t realise that truck towing isn’t just about hooking up and pulling; sometimes it requires complex problem-solving skills.
This recovery required careful coordination with structural engineers to ensure we didn’t damage the building’s foundations. We used airbags to initially stabilise the vehicle, then employed our crane with precisely calculated lift points to avoid any further structural damage. The confined space meant we had to work with millimetre precision.
The Motorway Marathon
Perhaps the most pressured recoveries are on smart motorways. I once had to recover a broken-down HGV in a live lane during rush hour. With no hard shoulder available, we were working in a closed lane with traffic passing at speed just feet away.
A Common Question: Do I Tip a Tow Truck Driver?
Many customers ask about tipping etiquette for tow truck drivers. While tipping isn’t expected in the UK as it might be in other countries, it’s always appreciated when customers recognise exceptional service, particularly in challenging conditions or during unsociable hours. The focus should be on the quality of service provided rather than feeling obligated to tip.
Lessons Learnt
What I’ve learnt over years of providing tow truck service is that every recovery is unique. You need a deep understanding of physics and mechanics, but you also need adaptability and patience. Sometimes the obvious solution isn’t the best one, and rushing never helps.
Modern truck towing is becoming increasingly technical, especially with the rise of electric vehicles and advanced driver assistance systems. But at its heart, it remains a job that requires practical problem-solving skills and a cool head under pressure. Whether you’re operating a flatbed tow truck or a heavy recovery vehicle, every day brings a new challenge, and that’s what keeps this job interesting, even after all these years.
For both operators and customers, understanding the complexity of recovery work helps build respect for the profession. While many trucks towed are simple breakdowns, others require sophisticated equipment and techniques to ensure safe recovery. This understanding helps explain why professional tow truck service is an investment in safety and expertise rather than just a simple transportation solution.
Darren has owned several companies in the automotive, advertising and education industries. He has run driving theory educational websites since 2010.