Owasso removing cars for free; elsewhere, you'll likely pay

[GG]

At least one suburban city is towing snowbound cars for free, while Tulsans continue to pay to retrieve any vehicles they abandoned on city streets during Tuesday's blizzard and during its aftermath.


The city of Owasso has been towing abandoned vehicles to two locations at the city's expense, Assistant City Manager Warren Lehr said. Vehicles are being taken to the Reasor's at 116th Street North and U.S. 169 and the school transportation lot at 76th Street North and U.S. 169.

The service has been popular with residents, and Lehr envisions it continuing until the last vehicle is cleared.

Vehicles left on Tulsa streets are being towed to Storey Wrecker, which contracts with the city to handle all "driver under arrest tows" and tows involving traffic accidents and vehicles impeding the flow of traffic.

Vehicles are taken to Storey's storage lot at 10 N. Elwood Ave. - one block west of Denver Avenue at Archer Street.

Storey also handles similar business for the city of Broken Arrow at its Broken Arrow Division, 775-H N. Redbud St..

Proof of ownership is required to claim an impounded vehicle, and fees, which are set by state statute, start at about $75.

As for whether Tulsa might consider footing the bill for abandoned-vehicle tows here, "that hasn't been discussed, and it's not something on the radar screen," Mayor Dewey Bartlett said. "We've got more important things we're dealing with right now.

Read more from this Tulsa World article at http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/article.aspx?subjectid=490&articleid=20110205_11_A17_CUTLIN247368&allcom=1#addyourcomment


Most of you know I live in Owasso, one more reason I like living here.   

[patric]

Lots of complaints about Storey wrecker, their sweetheart deal with the city and price gouging.

[Breadburner]

You should have to pay to have it removed....Just no storage fee........You were the one dumb enough to get it stuck....

[waterboy]

Yeah, well, consider the small number of vehicles in Owasso and the high per capita income. Then compare those figures with Tulsa and you realize we couldn't possibly afford to provide that service. Jenks probably could.

I don't blame people for trying to get to work. In Tulsa there are more of those hourly paid slaves that don't get paid if they don't get to work than there are in Owasso, and they are most likely the ones to get stuck in their old hoopties. To me anyone in Owasso who didn't need to get to work and went out in their SUV's anyway and got stuck should pay a fee for pickup. But alas, the freebies usually go to those who don't really need them.

I noted that Owasso ran out of milk and bread faster than we did, presumably because truckers couldn't make it out there do to abandoned Tulsa cars in their way. Are gasoline tankers making it out there?

[cannon_fodder]

You should have to pay to have it removed....Just no storage fee........You were the one dumb enough to get it stuck....

+1.

I understand some people had to get to work or had some other destination to get to, but for every one of those that got stuck there is three or four that got stuck making a smoke run or doing something else they didn't have to.  There was a travel advisory in effect.  The result of a travel advisory is -- if you DO get stuck the authorities view you as a hindrance to restoring the norm.  Makes sense to me.

Why should I have to pay because you got stuck?

Plus, by now you could have gotten back over there and dug your car out.  I've dug, pushed and towed out plenty of cars the last few days -- many have difficulty doing so because they are idiots.  "Just spinning your wheels" isn't just a clever saying.  Get some friends together, rock it, and apply steady gas.  If that doesn't work, dig some more.

I am disappointed that a certain owing company always seems to have a sweetheart deal and gets all the business in spite of repeated complaints.

[Red Arrow]

I've dug, pushed and towed out plenty of cars the last few days -- many have difficulty doing so because they are idiots.  "Just spinning your wheels" isn't just a clever saying.  Get some friends together, rock it, and apply steady gas.  If that doesn't work, dig some more.

The gas pedal makes the car go.  Pushing more on the gas pedal makes it go faster.  If you are stuck in the snow and the car isn't going, you obviously haven't pushed enough on the gas pedal.  Don't try to confuse us with things like tire traction and other irrelevant technical details.

[Hoss]

The gas pedal makes the car go.  Pushing more on the gas pedal makes it go faster.  If you are stuck in the snow and the car isn't going, you obviously haven't pushed enough on the gas pedal.  Don't try to confuse us with things like tire traction and other irrelevant technical details.

These new Yokohama Avid all-seasons I just bought are pretty damn good in the snow.  I've seen trucks and other vehicles stuck in this stuff, yet mine has done ok (when I haven't tried to high-center the damn car).  Just got them in November.  Plus, I've been driving nearly 30 years now, so I hope I know what I'm doing, even in the snow.  Reasons I don't get out in even iffy conditions are the other drivers that just don't know how to drive in this stuff.

[Red Arrow]

These new Yokohama Avid all-seasons I just bought are pretty damn good in the snow.  I've seen trucks and other vehicles stuck in this stuff, yet mine has done ok (when I haven't tried to high-center the damn car).  Just got them in November.  Plus, I've been driving nearly 30 years now, so I hope I know what I'm doing, even in the snow.  Reasons I don't get out in even iffy conditions are the other drivers that just don't know how to drive in this stuff.

I learned how to drive in snow in SE Pennsylvania in cars with rear wheel drive without positraction.  ABS and traction control were still 30 years in the future.

[custosnox]

These new Yokohama Avid all-seasons I just bought are pretty damn good in the snow.  I've seen trucks and other vehicles stuck in this stuff, yet mine has done ok (when I haven't tried to high-center the damn car).  Just got them in November.  Plus, I've been driving nearly 30 years now, so I hope I know what I'm doing, even in the snow.  Reasons I don't get out in even iffy conditions are the other drivers that just don't know how to drive in this stuff.

I just love those that say "Oh, I'm not worried about it, I've got a 4wd," like that trumps driving ability.  

[Red Arrow]

I just love those that say "Oh, I'm not worried about it, I've got a 4wd," like that trumps driving ability.  

It gets them farther from home before they get stuck.

[cannon_fodder]

Ive got 4x4 plus clearance and snow driving skills, but I still didn't leave the house without enough winter clothes to walk home if I had to, a shovel, some sand, a tow strap, and preferably someone else with me (to push!).  So long as I don't get high centered, I've never been stuck in my vehicle (I admit to trying to get through drifts that were 30+" and a little too long and failing).  Never did go faster than 35mph even on "clear" highways and I planned to avoid hills and traffic whenever possible.

I've seen more people driving poorly in the last week...  as I sit here I can hear a neighbor going vroom vroom spin spin spin to get out of their driveway.  I've pushed them 3x already and intend to sit here comfortably as they struggle this time.  Shovel you lazy bastards.

[Red Arrow]

I'll often take a sleeping bag on days when there is a high probability of getting stuck.  An igloo cooler full of water should also stay thawed for quite a while.  Be sure to put the stuff where you can get to it, not in the trunk.