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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.

Watch The Road, not the Phone

Part of driving in the modern era, or doing anything for that matter, is avoiding the temptation to look at your cell phone.

Whether you’re using it to stream music to your car speakers via Bluetooth, answering calls on speaker or using a map app to find our way to our destination.

Now all of these uses are, to an extent, practical and even necessary for travel in the summer; but having said that, the distracted driving factor isn’t worth the risk of having your phone open beside you.

Wherever possible, have a navigator with you who can handle your phone responsibilities. Yes, it’s hard to cut the virtual chord and we’ll eternally joke about backseat drivers, but we have with our cells but its so pertinent that you are properly driving with your eyes ahead on the action that lies ahead.

At the same time, don’t become dependent on others to guide you – if you’re worried about your ride mate falling asleep during your travels, be sure to have proper apps in place. Make sure your GPS has speech capabilities, that your music app is set with all of your playlists, and for your own sanity put your phone on ‘airplane’ mode. We know it’s hard to ignore the beep of a text or an incoming mail, so best is to completely shut off communication streams – it can wait.

Enjoy the summer weekend and drive responsibly.

What Does Roadside Assistance From Dr. Hook Do For You?

We never plan to need roadside assistance – we just have it for when we need it.

But do you know what your Roadside Assistance with Dr. Hook Towing covers? It’s a lot more than you probably think:

Fix that Flat – More common than you think, a flat tire can put a damper on your day or weekend. But don’t panic! A call to Dr. Hook will be all you need to get back on the road.

Running on Empty -We all do it – the gas light pops up brightly on our dashboad and we say to ourselves , “I’ve got plenty left in the tank – I can wait to fill up.” Maybe we’re desensitized to that light too much. If you find yourself in a gasless bind though, Dr. Hook can help.

Key Retrieval – This one is one we’ve all done, but will never admit to (especially to our kids) – locking your keys in the ignition or sitting on your driver seat happens. A quick call to Dr. Hook (as long as you didn’t lock your cell in your car also…) is a simple solution to getting your key back from the worries of your sealed car.

Along with these services, we can also help you with battery troubles, but more often that is associated with cold weather, and we don’t want to think about that just yet.

For more information on Dr. Hook’s Roadside Assistance, click here.

Enjoy the Long Weekend but Drive Responsibly

With Canada Day’s long weekend upon us, there’s going to be a lot of traffic both within Winnipeg and heading out to cottage country.

Whether you’re heading north to the Interlake or east to Seven Sisters, converging at The Forks or Kildonan Park, you’re bound to enjoy not only your destination point, but the travel as well. There’s something about the long weekend that relaxes us in a way that just can’t be explained.

With this in mind, however, it is important to caution that this is one of the heaviest weekends for driving. Roads will be congested, and its important to have your head on your shoulders. As much as we will at times joke about bad Winnipeg drivers, there is a touch of reality – not everyone uses turn signals, not everyone has their eyes focused on the path in front of them.

To ensure your family arrives to and from your celebration points safely, and doesn’t have to call us for a tow, please take the following precautions:

1. Don’t drink and drive – We can’t emphasize this one enough. With hotter conditions and potential rainfall, impaired driving becomes even more dangerous. Even if you think you’re below the legal limit, don’t get behind the wheel or plan in advance to have someone be your designated driver.

2. Watch out for cyclists – Bicycles are out in droves now and there will be even more this weekend, especially if weather is optimal. This includes on residential roads, main streets and highways. Be cautious and share the road.

3. Distribute before you drive – What distracts you most while driving? It’s actually your kids (check out this story from ABC). Make sure they have their food and drinks beside them before you head on the road so you’re not passing back and forth while driving.

From all of us at Dr. Hook, Happy Canada Day!

Dr. Hook In The Community – Safeway Father’s Day Walk/Run

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.

One of the common choruses that we hear in Winnipeg is how fathers aren’t as celebrated as mom’s are.

Think about it for a moment – Father’s Day recently passed and what did you do for dear old dad? Did you make as big a fuss, spending hours roaming Winnipeg’s shopping centres for the perfect gift and calling every restaurant in Winnipeg to find the right spot for a brunch or dinner?

More likely, your family huddled around the barbeque (which of course he was stationed at) and shared jabs at the old man before passing along a greeting card.

In recent years, however, Father’s Day has become more than just a source for steak and drinks – it’s become a time to rally around the male cause of prostate cancer research.

This has taken the form of the Safeway Father’s Day Walk/Run, benefiting Prostate Cancer Canada. Headquartered at Assiniboine Park, the event was extremely successful, raising over $529,000.

Dr. Hook was proud to be part of the Safeway Father’s Day Walk/Run as we assisted in the transport of tents, Kubotas and other items for this event. It pleases us to no end to be able to say thanks to our dads in a meaningful way.

Dr. Hook In the Community: Relay for Life

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.

Dr. Hook In The Community – Teddy Bears Picnic

We all remember the song from our childhood about teddy bears picnic – hundreds of our favourite stuffed animals gathering in a wooded area for a joyous celebration.

Of course, with Winnipeg being the home of arguably the world’s most famous tubby little cubby all stuffed with fluff, it’s only natural that we would also be home to an actual Teddy Bears’ Picnic, and for more than 20 years the Children’s Hospital Foundation of Manitoba has been the beneficiary of this unique event which brings kids of all ages together with their favourite bedtime buddies.

This year, the Teddy Bears’ Picnic took place on Sunday, May 26 with activities running all day for kids and families for free. It’s certainly one of, if not the most unique event on our calendar.

This is easily one of the best charities we support. Be it from personal experience or via family members, we all have ties to care for the younger members of the Winnipeg community, and we’re all excited to be part of the Picnic year in and year out.

And in case you need a reminder of the song we talked about off the top, check out this video of Anne Murray singing the childhood favourite.

Call Us Before the Cops

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. Call us first 956-HOOK (4665).

Tow Your Camper With Caution

Ahh the serenity of summer. Nothing like a trip up Manitoba’s highways with a portion of home tugging behind.

Yes friends, it’s camper season. Our mini mobile homes are ready to get hitched up and tugged to your camp site for another summer of usage.

Of course, the last thing anyone wants is for an accident to strike. As much as it might be satirized in Hollywood, a detached camper that separates from your car or truck mid-haul is a major hazard on the road. Imagine, for example, getting detached on Highway 8 on one of the long stretches of one-lane road. Definitely something to avoid.

So before you load up and hitch up, keep these pieces of advice in mind:

1. Know Your Capacity – not all cars are created equal. There may be weight restrictions on how much your car can tow.

2. Know Your Hitch – Having a stabalizing bar as part of your hitch-up will help you avoid swaying. If you’re like many of us and have tossed the owner’s manual a long time ago, do a quick Google search for it to know what hitch will work best for your car or truck.

And if the worst happens, know that Dr. Hook is just a phone call away. Keep our toll-free number – 1-800-561-4665 – in your contacts list just in case you run into trouble.

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.

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.