Skip to Content

How Do Tow Trucks Tow Parallel Parked Cars?

How Do Tow Trucks Tow Parallel Parked Cars?

Parallel parking seems challenging due to a consecutive row of cars. Self-loaders have wheel lift that can pivot 90° and catches the tires. 

How Do Tow Trucks Tow Parallel Parked Cars? Tow trucks tow parallel parked cars by using dollies to displace the wheel angle, parking the truck near it, adjusting the Dollies under the wheels, lifting them from the ground, and securing them with tow straps. They do it through a rotating crane with 3D hooks, keep the truck away, extend the crane which holds the wheels, lift the car and shift it on a flatbed.

A sideway removal of the parallel parked automobile is one of the best and safest methods. Furthermore, the procedures do not disturb the surrounding vehicles and traffic. 

What is the method by which tow truck drivers tow parallel parked cars?

Several drivers prefer self-loaded dollies for these vehicles. Following are two different and prominent methods to tow a car in parallel parking. 

Through dollies and angle displacement

They use dollies to displace the angles of wheels and tow a parallel parked car. They are heavy frames and adjust under the tires and raise them off the ground surface. 

The high-speed dollies have larger wheels to defend the road obstacles. On the other hand, the self-loading dollies have smaller wheels under them. They usually have four wheels, and the number varies according to manufacturing specifications. 

For the procedure, they access the vehicle through its slightly turned wheels. Next, they park the truck near the car at a distance. 

The front and rear wheel drive affect the setup of these dollies. They adjust the self-loading dolly under the rear or front wheels. 

For 4WD cars, they adjust it under all wheels of the vehicle. Next, they attach the strap to the car, connect the hooks and make a stable connection. 

They change the angle of the tires, lift them from the ground and grab the car from the parallel parking. 

Dollies connect through a ball joint and can haul heavier automobiles with reliable results. First, they check its compatibility; attach the Dolly with the car’s hitch, and adjust the hitch ball under the dolly tongue. 

The handle lowers the tongue of the dollies and connects it with a hitch. For the vehicles with 4WD, use self-loading dollies. They place them under the disabled tires and load the other two tires on the Dolly. 

They use specific straps and secure the vehicle with a Dolly. They will need your keys to properly move your vehicle.

For better protection, they cross the straps on the front tires. Then, the truck drivers pull the straps and tighten them with a ratchet method. During hauling, keep the truck slow because the car has no driver inside it. 

With a crane for distant car

With an extended moveable crane, tow truck drivers can approach a car at a distance. As a result, they can remove vehicles from the parallel parking without disturbing the surrounding traffic.

For a car parked, they find the vehicle according to color, design, and other mentioned specifications. During the approach, they keep the hauling truck away from the automobile.

Then, they park the truck at a specific distance from the vehicle. Next, the drive rotates the three-dimensional and moveable cranes.

The hooks and attachment points approach the frame of an automobile. In the parking, the crane captures the automobile with hooks on each handle.  

It holds the frame of the automobile firmly to protect them from sudden falling. Then, the crane lifts it through the control units in the cabin. 

It lifts it at a specific height and moves towards the side bed. Next, it stabilizes it over the flatbed, and the workers secure it with straps. 

Why Do Tow Trucks Tow Parallel Parked Cars?

They remove the incorrectly parked automobiles from a parallel parking spot. 

According to complaints

Sometimes people complain about the incorrectly adjusted cars in a row. For example, they block the reversing area due to close adjustment. Also, they do not leave a space on their front or rear.

A sudden movement vehicle results in bumping and damage. In such circumstances, people search for the driver of incorrectly placed automobiles.

Then, they call the hauling service, explain their situation, and complain about the driver. Finally, the truck drivers approach the location and try to find the vehicle owner.

They haul the car through sideway removal, dollies of cranes when they do not approach the driver.

Non-functional vehicles

Several vehicles break down due to prolong parking in rain and snow. As a result, their engine malfunctions, and the drivers cannot start them.

In these conditions, they cannot remove the vehicles from the parallel parking and annoys the other drivers.

For help, they access the nearest hauling service. The tow truckers remove their automobiles and transfer them to the nearest service station. 

Clear the area

The towing service hauls and transfers the vehicles to clear the parking area. They make the parking spot empty for the maximum crossing of traffic. 

People park their cars parallel alongside the road. According to regional rules, such parking is illegal in a few states because they disturb the traffic flow. Tow trucks pick them through cranes, shift and inform the owners. 

Illegal cars/parking

You can parallel park your vehicle by adjusting it to 2 to 3 feet away from the front car. Next, reverse the automobile at the middle point and match it with the rear bumper of the front automobile.

Then, slowly move it and turn on the rear indicators. Align it with the front bumper of the rear vehicle. Access the adjustment through the rearview mirror and slowly turn the steering wheel at 45 degrees.

Then, move the vehicle forward, keep the speed slow, get it back in the middle, and park. Any violation of the procedure results in immediate towing of the automobile. 

Do tow trucks tow parallel parked cars with locked wheels?

They can haul cars with locked wheels without an interfering obstacle. In automobiles, a steering lock is a small component that restricts automatic driving.

It attaches to the steering wheel, locks it in one place, and makes it immovable.

With locked steering, tow trucks can lift and remove cars from parallel parking spots. Dollies are unsafe because they detach from the truck.

Also, people can steal vehicles from the rear side. Locked wheels and steering are beneficial for avoiding theft. It has a key or token to unlock the tires of an automobile.

However, thieves can bypass the locking mechanism. But, they get minimum time for this complicated activity during towing procedures.

Related Articles:

Can a Tow Truck Tow Your Car with You in it?