Dr. Hook | Dr. Hook News Blog | Page 2

Category Archives: Dr. Hook

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.

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: 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.

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.

Thanks are Unneccessary but Appreciated

It’s often been said that a smile is all the thanks someone needs after doing a good deed; at Dr. Hook we believe this to be very true.

We often hear tales of this sort of gratitude from our clients after they have been helped from an unfortunate incident, but occasionally our drivers will also go above and beyond the call of duty – not for just rewards but because it is the right thing to do for the citizens of Winnipeg.

Such was the case last night.

This morning, Winnipeggers tuned into FAB 94.3 and heard Kelly Parker retell the story of one of our drivers who had knocked on his and other doors up and down his street, alerting him of the overnight parking ban while the city cleared residential streets of ice and snow.

Naturally, we were happy to hear that our operator had gone above and beyond in helping our city. We always like to see stories of our drivers doing a good deed in Winnipeg.

We would like to take this opportunity to remind Winnipeggers to be conscious of the overnight parking bans. If you’re not sure when your neighbourhood’s streets will be cleared, for an updated schedule from the City of Winnipeg and click here to find out which zone your home is situated in.

Dr. Hook in the Community – Winnipeg Santa Claus Parade

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. Over course of the next few blogs, we’ll be sharing with you the stories of organizations who we’re happy to support in Manitoba.

There may be no annual event in Winnipeg that is more anticipated by children of all ages than the Santa Claus Parade.

As one would expect, the Parade was attended by thousands of Winnipeg families, with fathers and sons, mothers and daughters and children and grandparents taking in the festivities.

Being part of the Santa Claus Parade was a unique honour for Dr. Hook. As you’ve seen over the last few weeks, we enjoy taking part in activities for the community, be they public or private events; but nothing compares to taking part in the parade. It warms our hearts to have had the opportunity to join with other Winnipeg businesses and organizations for this once-a-year occasion.

Fun Fact

Did you know that the Winnipeg Santa Claus Parade has been running for over a century? It’s true. The first Winnipeg Santa Claus Parade was held in 1909 and was put on by Eaton’s. Along with a parade in Montreal, it was the second in Canada, following the first Santa Clause Parade in Toronto in 1904.

Dr. Hook in the Community – Breast Cancer Awareness

Answering the call of duty is more than just an opportunity to help a Winnipegger in need of a tow – it also gives us the chance to give back to our community and loved ones.

Such an opportunity exists for us this month.

As you may already be aware, October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Breast cancer currently ranks #2 in leading causes of death amongst women in Canada, accounting for 5,100 passings in 2012 alone. It is also the number one incedence rank. (All statistics courtesy the Canadian Cancer Society.)

Dr. Hook is proud to be part of the fight against this deadly disease. In October, we will have our special pink Dr. Hook trucks on the road. Each time a Dr. Hook pink truck is sent out to assist someone in Winnipeg, a portion of its revenue will be donated to breast cancer research.

So be sure to look out for our special pink Dr. Hook trucks – each time you see it, know that our work is for a good cause.

Dr. Hook in the Community – Red River College

There’s no question – education comes at a price.

As we’ve seen recently, the rising costs for post-secondary education are not going to slow down, so the opportunity to help students out is one we couldn’t pass up.

That’s why, this past February, Dr. Hook was a sponsor for Red River College’s entry into a skills Canada Manitoba competition, which saw students in skilled trades and technology to build a modified 1933 Ford car.

The car would go on to provide valuable experience for the participating students, while also serving as a fundraiser – lottery tickets were distributed for the opportunity to own the revamped ’33 model. The work by the students was also on display at World of Wheels and at several events over the summer.

“Our motto at Skills Canada Manitoba is supporting career development through education and technology, and we’re really excited that the students are going to be able use their education and skills working on this project,” said Maria Pacella, executive director of Skills Canada Manitoba, in an interview with Red River College.

To learn more about Skills Canada Manitoba, click here.

What to do if the “Check Engine” Light Comes On

Today’s automobiles are sophisticated machines. The engine might provide the power, but at the heart of the vehicle is a computer monitoring numerous systems, making compensations for everything from engine temperature to exhaust temperature to the habits of the driver.

When the computer detects a condition that it cannot correct, it will inform the driver, usually by displaying the “Check Engine” light.

Many people don’t notice this indicator on their dashboards, or worse, they ignore it. “Check Engine” could be displayed for anything from a loose gas cap to failure of a critical engine component that could, if not addressed, destroy the engine.

If your car displays this warning, find out why! Check any other gauges or warning lights that your car has for other signs of trouble, especially concerning temperature or oil pressure. Drive the car to a safe location and check to make sure there’s no smoke, steam, leaking liquid, or other signs of trouble. If you’re comfortable doing so, check the oil level. Be careful, components under the hood can be extremely hot, especially if there’s been a malfunction.

If you don’t find any signs of immediate problems, it’s likely okay to drive the car (preferably to a mechanic for service). If you’ve found any of the above problems, or anything else that suggests that something’s not right with your car (noises, smells, etc.) then don’t risk damage – call the experts at Dr. Hook Towing and Recovery for roadside assistance. A uniformed, trained professional will be dispatched to your location, and will be able to help diagnose the problem further. If possible, you can continue your journey. Should your vehicle require towing, Dr. Hook can arrange for speedy and safe transport for your vehicle to wherever you choose. To reach Dr. Hook, Call 956-HOOK (4665) or Toll Free 1-800-561-4665. To enroll in the Guaranteed Roadside Assistance Program, which assures speedy service even peak usage times, visit this link.