JeepingNet

The Good Samaritan law varies depending on where you live. For example it doesn't exist in my neck of the woods but it is especially bad here we ranked one of the lowest in the world.. China was above us and their laws on Good Samarithan are backwards..

I had the exact same feelings as you and still do.. It kills me to not help but it also kills me that my insurance went up because I helped someone who took advantage of the situation. I've even considered getting one of those dash cameras they have in Russia now.

LOST

I don't mind stopping to help someone stuck in the snow. 4 minutes out of my day with a tow strap to save them hours waiting for a tow truck is no big deal.

This lady posted this picture on the local news asking who I was so she could bake cookies for me.

webejeepin

^this

When people see a Jeep they think cool it never gets stuck I'm sure the jeep can do anything

But ya not worth it stop offer a shovel a push even to call a tow.

If it was a fellow Jeeper maybe it would be different...too and I think Jeepers just like to help out.


Keep calm and jeep on everyone

Jonathan_JK

There is too much liability in pulling a stranger out. If you want to help people in need I suggest volunteering at a local soup kitchen. At least they cant sue you from serving bad soup.

Its sad that this society has come to this but people have turned for the worse everything is someone else's fault and not their own... "The state should have had more plows out" or "The roads should have had more salt on them before the storm hit"

My dad once told me this... "No good deed go's unpunished" just Keep that in mind before you end up paying for their repairs if anything go's wrong.

A lifeguard at Florida's Hallandale Beach was rewarded for saving a drowning swimmer by being fired from his job. Lifeguard Tomas Lopez, 21, rushed to the aid of a man in an area where people are warned that they are swimming at their own risk — a slice of ocean outside of Lopez's designated patrol territory. Lopez's employer says coming to the aid of someone outside the area that the company is paid to patrol is a liability, puts swimmers within Lopez's zone at risk, and is therefore prohibited.

5150cliff

That "Good Samaritan" law you mention is not a written law and is not going to save you when someone sues. Yes, it's the right thing to help folks out......the 'right' thing.....but it doesn't mean it's the wise thing. I've helped many out in these situation but have always realized that there is a measure of liability involved by doing so. Getting involved when someone's life is in danger is different than just helping get someone out of a snowbank or soft sand etc. I wouldn't ever hesitate jumping in with both feet to save a life but am very aware of the consequences of any other assistance. Hate to sound negative but it's just the way the world is, like was said in prior posts.

Jeepstin12

incorrect. Sort of. Good Samaritan laws do exist how,ever, only apply when a person helps another in peril. Someone, simply being stuck, say, in a ditch, snow bank, etc., would not fall under these laws. Not to mention, they differ from one jurisdiction to another. With that said, in one locality, you may be doing CPR, the person dies anyway, you are protected. In another locality, you do CPR, break ribs but save a life. The person you saved could sue you for bodily harm.

Either way, a stuck vehicle wouldn't fall under this premise. Best to call the tow truck......

Yankee

There was a time I would pull anyone out. If course that was way back when most vehicles had frames and were not made of plastic.

It is much trickier now to get the right angles and connection to a modern vehicle, and pull it out without risk of messing up plastic, or worse.

In addition, unsticking a vehicle properly and safely often involves prep work, such as digging snow/mud out from under it to free the body and sometimes even hook up. Sometimes making some path in front of the wheels. Many people do not do this because it is hard work, and break stuff on vehicles, or themselves.

Anyway, I am too old to be out crawling around with a shovel in crazy wind chill weather unless it is an emergency. A stuck vehicle along a traveled road is not normally going to qualify as that for me. Out in the boonies on a trail I would help.

Tow truck operators have the proper harnesses, hopefully experience, and can lift the stuck vehicle.

So now I agree with the text quoted above.

Matthewd5

Thanks again for all the feedback, it really did help confirm what I expected...

Biggest problem is how the hell do you safely hook up a tow strap to 98% of the vehicles out there!

With a jeep it's a no brainer...I'll probably just use my gut instinct and not get overly involved unless it's a jeeper or something like a mom with a couple of kids in the middle of nowhere...

Matthew

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Yankee

It is my understanding that there are special hookup harnesses that tow truck drivers use which fit most cars underbody hook points. They are hooks with straps as to not damage the airdams and other plastic junk.

Matthewd5

I'm sure they have all sorts of special gear, trading and experience

Another good reason to stay away from rescuing cars short of a true first responder emergency!