Author Archives: penny

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!

Our Trucks Are Ready For You All Easter Weekend

Winnipeg, congratulations – you’ve reached the hallmark moment of the winter/spring turnover – Easter Weekend.

Over the past number of years, we’ve received such a variance in conditions outdoors that we can’t label any single day as the ‘unofficial’ start of the warm season; yet even in this, the coldest winter since the late 1800s, we’re looking great for this weekend with warmer temperatures and almost a full dissipation of snow.

Having said all this, there is a cautionary note – Winnipeg streets have fallen victim to the freeze/thaw/repeat cycle that we’ve had over the last couple weeks, continued problems are surfacing on Winnipeg roads. The result is that driving over the next few weeks will still involve some bobbing and weaving to avoid.

If you do hit one of Winnipeg’s potholes this weekend though, don’t fret – help is on the way and will indeed be here for you throughout the Easter weekend. That’s right. Our trucks will be in service throughout Good Friday, Easter Sunday and Easter Monday, just as we are each and every day of the year, regardless of holidays.

Our mission is to help Manitobans in need when automotive issues arise. Whether you’ve been in an accident, run out of gas or simply locked yourself out of your car, we’re available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for your roadside assistance needs.

Have a safe holiday weekend Winnipeg. Stay alert when driving!

Have a New Driver? Make Sure They Are Protected

Ahh to be 16 again.

We can remember the excitement of finally being old enough to be behind the wheel of our parents’ car or truck. Sure, the ‘milkman van’ wasn’t the funkiest four-tire transportation we had to drive, but it served its purpose – it gave us freedom to go out on
Manitoba roads, riding high with our cronies.

Of course, we can all remember incidents that happened during those carefree days that all the sudden made them not-so-care-free. From running out of gas (and not having cash) to our first fender benders, we went through that all-important rite of passage and came out on the other end that much wiser for it.

That rite of passage continues today for teens in Winnipeg and across the province. Inevitably, something will happen  either to you new driver of one of their friends. It’s the unfortunate reality that new drivers face.

Of course, as parents, we want to do all we can to protect our kids, and short of giving them hockey helmets to wear in the car (which we all know they wouldn’t be caught dead wearing), the best we can do is to arm them in case there an emergency arises.

This is where Dr. Hook comes in. Our pre-paid, rechargeable gift cards will help your new driver out when they’re in a pinch without them having to resort to the credit card with a tight spending limit.

Shop online now for your rechargeable Dr. Hook gift cards and let your teen start driving with a little piece of mind.

Winnipeg Street Clearing, But….

If you saw a deluge of snowplows on the way to work this morning, there’s good reason – as of 7am today, Winnipeg has enacted a city-wide operation to clear residential streets.

As reported by the Winnipeg Free Press, clearing began with the plan to clear in anticipation of the spring melt. This plan will be moving forward over the next few weeks.

With this news comes questions by motorists, naturally, of whether their cars need to be moved from the street in advance of their zone being plowed. Some may have thrown up their arms in defeat to Mother Nature which blanketed Winnipeg once again Sunday night with a large sheet of snow and not shovelled off carpads or driveways, figuring the streets were just fine.

The good news is that an overnight parking ban is not in effect. Cars will not be ticketed or towed if they are found on residential streets while clearing operations are running.

That’s the good news. The bad news, however, is that by not removing your car you are hampering the city’s progress; so we still advise Winnipeg vehicle owners to move their ride, especially if you are parked in front of any drainage spots.

Pothole Season has Started! Beware!

Good news Winnipeg, the overnight parking ban has been lifted!

Bad news Winnipeg, pothole season has officially begun.

After a pre-season that already proved hazardous thanks to a couple days in and around 0, the Winnipeg road landscape now looks to be fully picked apart by the remnants of a soon-to-be-departed winter (once the snow stops falling of course, but more on this in a moment).

Potholes are unfortunately unavoidable as a phenomenon, and can be downright treacherous for drivers. Depending on the size of a pothole, the speed of the driver and the condition of tires, damage can occur with nary a moment’s notice and be as severe as busting tires, cracking bumpers and throwing off wheel alignment.

What makes potholes worse, now, is that with the snowfall we experienced over the last couple days, they’ve been unfortunately hidden from plain sight, and with slush developing from the melt we’ll have with above-0 temperatures on Sunday and Monday, pools will start to form in these spots, making them hard to differentiate from a paved road.

We strongly advise all drivers to stay calm on the streets and keep your speed levels down. While you may have the temptation to plow through streets at higher speeds after cutting your km/hr by 10 or 15 during the slippery snow-coated conditions of the past few months, we’re not in a safe zone yet.

Drive Safe Manitoba!

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!

Pay Dr. Hook Online!

Dr. Hook Towing is committed to making your customer experience as easy and as smooth as possible.

As part of this pledge, we’re pleased to announce that you can now pay online for your service from Dr. Hook. Simply follow this link to head over to our online payment system, securely powered by TD Canada Trust, and you’re done.

The great part about using Dr. Hook Towing’s online payment is that you can pay not only for your own services, but for others as well! That’s right parents, if your teen has an unfortunate incident on a Manitoba highway and requires our roadside assistance, you can pay their bill right away. All you need is the payment amount and the call number.

So if you or a loved one has had an incident that needed Dr. Hook’s attention, click here now to pay online.

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.

Colder Temperatures Return – Adjust Your Driving Winnipeg!

Chances are you awoke this morning to a bit of a chill – that’s because Winter has come back to Winnipeg.

While the last week has had more moderate temperatures, which even allowed for some slush and melt to develop, this week we are back to freeze-over temperatures.

Unfortunately, this means that slick roads can develop again, right after a snowfall like we saw last night and can cause some havoc on Winnipeg roads.

Perhaps more importantly, it also means that drivers need to adjust back to ‘winter driving’ habits. For a period we were able to zip down streets at higher speeds, not worrying as much about fishtailing. At least for the next week, that can’t happen, lest you end up needing roadside assistance.

Remember Winnipeg – driving alert to the conditions and the vehicles around you is the number one way to ensure your travels are safe and sound.

Stay warm Winnipeg!

Dr. Hook Will Be Out in Winnipeg Tonight for New Years Service

While tonight’s festivities roll on, we do want to remind Winnipeg that New Year’s Eve comes with its challenges on the road, especially for 2013.

Most Winnipeggers, by now, know that there is an inherent caution that comes with travel on NYE 2013 – people for whatever reason will err in their judgement and unfortunately pull-overs by Winnipeg Police do occur due to intoxication.

We say this every year but it certainly bears repeating – if you have any, and we mean any trepidation of getting behind the wheel tonight, then we strongly encourage cabbing, using Operation Red Nose or finding a designated driver who has not consumed a single ounce of alcohol.

But the greater concern this year is the unseasonably cold temperatures. The unfortunate reality is that heading out to a party could mean not being able to plug in your car and coming out, at say 1:30am, to a car that won’t start.

If this situation does happen to you, don’t hesitate to contact Dr. Hook Towing in Winnipeg. We will be on call for you tonight should you run into any problems and require our roadside assistance.

Have a Happy and Safe New Year celebration!