CEC_LDO

Interesting thread here. About 5 years ago, I got a call from one of the guys in our club concerning a non-member being in a pretty rough spot and broken. It was a full size dodge ram and he broke his front R&P trying to get up over a boulder. Anyway, myself and another guy from the club went to see what we could do. When we finally found the guy, it was amazing that he made it down to where he was at without breaking, let alone that he needed to come back the same way. Any, long story short, I started pulling him with the Harbor Freight special on the front of the wife's TJ and just as he crested the boulder the synthetic line snapped! FML Now what. Well, between the two trucks we ended up doing a tandem pull and eventually got him out. Afterwards, the tool didn't even have the decency to offer to replace the line! It took me about three weeks before he finally agreed that if I hadn't come to help his ass out, that he would have stayed there all night in the damn cold.

Moral of the story: It's your gear, so its your choice. But be prepared to assume all liability should they decide to be complete assholes.

Jeepstin12

agreed. If there is that much concern, don't help. Call a tow truck, offer a ride, something......

Jeepstin12

i would asked for their first born and to be added to the estate and will.

eslack32

I understand where the OP is coming from. I dont mind helping people out but after a while when you are constantly pulling out people you barely know or they wont return the favor I feel taken advantage of. For me, it's about the quality of friends not the quantity.

Schlieko

I stop always (4 wheeling or on road). Now, I am thinking about it? Wonder if I should... but I stop every time. Initially, it was just another karma thing. Help someone and hope for a safe hike (later that day) into the mountains. Then the Jeep got so built up, hated to drive by someone knowing I could get them out with little effort. Have everything needed and more.

Then there's the truly hopeless. I was in Estes Park for a week over the holiday. Tourists who have no business in snow were getting jammed up everywhere. The local tow companies charge a fortune because they know no one else is available. And the people are so freaking grateful. It's like you made their week... look at you like the help is impossible to believe.

Yankee

On the trail I would help anyone. On the road, not so much anymore.

Last weekend, as is usual lately, the winds were gusting 30 mph across our open fields and secondary roads drift in quick. I came across a little car with the front buried in the ditch. As I pulled up the guy standing outside the car said "great a Jeep with a winch". Wind chill of -15 so he and his wife had been waiting 2 hours for a wrecker inside the running vehicle.

There was no place on the rear of that darn plastic POS to hook up to with the gear I have without great risk of bending or breaking the car. After I told him that he said "oh I won't get mad if you do a little damage". I am thinking "sure on an almost new car". I felt bad but would not attempt to pull him out.

Went by there a couple hours later and they had been extracted, probably a tow truck with the proper hooks and strap harness they use lifted it right out.

Trail or road, if they have a decent hook point I will try to help, but the stuff I carry is designed to hook up another 4-wheeler with tow points.

Mark Doiron

^^^^Good call. A winch should be used only on proper recovery points. When people ask why, I tell them, "Because when I pull with this winch, something is coming out, even if it's only half your car!"

BigRich

X2

I have lost track how many cars trucks and even police cars I've extracted from ditches and snow banks this winter. I've turned down a lot of people too because of no safe recovery points. For the most part they understand and just thank me for stopping to make sure they were okay.

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Jersey_Devil

if someone I'm with is stuck I'll help em out, other than that, nobody ever helped me so screw u too! It's the piney way lol shouldn't have went out alone. Gotta watch out stuck in the pine barrens too not only do u have assholes piney ppl that will rob u but once they take ur vehicle and make u walk then u gotta worry about wild dogs. Sometimes stuck vehicle is a trap so most ppl here don't stop. Most ppl turn around when they see a stuck vehicle. Welcome to New Jersey! Lmao

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TreyJK

That's what I'm always afraid of. I always go on the trails with another vehicle for two reasons; 1) in case you get yourself stuck 2) for safety in case someone is setting a trap like you described.
What's the procedure that most people follow when pulling people out? Do you all lock your doors and take the keys with you when outside the jeep?