When it comes to driving, there's a certain etiquette that must be observed and it makes sense why driving has to be a conscious action.  As mundane as driving can be to the experienced and, in our day and age, the busyness of our daily lives can get in the way of us making sound driving decisions.  For example, if you're just cruising along in the passing lane and people behind you are trying to pass, don't expect to get a friendly response.  Especially in Pitt Meadows where there's the stretch of road that leads of Mary Hill to Maple Ridge, there's a high concentration of road rage incidents that occur there every single month.

Speed
Typically, most drivers today do not like sitting behind a slow driver so meeting the minimum speed and then some is what any driver should strive for; within reason.  But also, this doesn't mean going all out on speed.  Excessive speeding causes unnecessary property damage, takes a toll on taxes because of the emergency services that need to attend to these scenes, and even death.  Our roads aren't only for cars, they're also used by motorcycles, bicycles and not far, pedestrians.  A simple miscalculation could spell disaster for any of those subjects.

Regular Maintenance
As a towing company serving Maple Ridge and Pitt Meadows, R M Towing has seen everything you can possibly think of when it comes to a condition of a car, so you can imagine what marrying the above topic (Speed) with this can do when it comes to road safety.  This is why, it is extremely critical to your, your loved ones and our safety on the road.  Any weak link in the chain can cause a disaster that can even cost people their lives.  Make sure you stay on top of the maintenance of a vehicle.  Never assume that it's okay and deal with it another time.  This mistake could mean someone won't have any time left.

Lane Position
Being courteous on the road is one of those best practices that don't get observed too often; especially lane position.  A constant awareness of where cars are and knowing what people are trying to do in a motor vehicle can help anticipate and assist in maintaining a safe and courteous driving experience for all.  If you're in no hurry, sitting in the passing lane whistling as your drive the exact speed limit will set other drivers off so best to stay in the right hand lane for that sort of thing.  You've been warned.

Horn
In North America, using the car horn is more of an expletive to a majority of people but its uses aren't exclusive to just that.  In fact, I would argue that the duration, circumstance and timing is critical to the reaction received.  Not everyone will react this way but knowing when to use it, how long to use it for and why you're using it will keep you from getting into a sticky, often bloody situation with an angry stranger.  The weight of stress and with the way the year 2020 has gone, the world is angrier and more hopeless than past years so if there's anything that will set them off, the car horn is the perfect spark.  Our advice?  Unless you're a UFC fighter, try not to use it too much.

Timeliness
What we're talking about when we say "timeliness" is knowing what to do when your vehicle breaks down, there's an accident or a circumstance that requires you to pull over; in a timely and safe fashion.  Getting you back on the road safely is important to the safety of all.  Many times historically, even cars that have pulled over onto the shoulder are not immune to the dangers of the road.  A single dozing driver or impaired driver can veer into the shoulder and cause a major catastrophe on the roadway.  Ridge Meadows towing operators understand this danger greatly so a timely response and critical problem-solving will ensure all users are back on the road or are given help to get you back on the road as safe as possible.

We hope this blog post finds you well and though the year isn't over, we are hopeful there's no where to from here but up.  R M Towing wants to thank all our loyal customers and the warm reviews you all have given us will ultimately help us go the extra mile in helping another person in the future.

​Stronger.  Together.

Among one of life's greatest challenges for any homo-sapien throughout history has been the decision between two viable options.  For example, having to choose between eating a delicious apple pie or an equally delicious blueberry pie; there is no right answer.  Likewise, where the tire hits the road, this decision is the exact equal in dilemma.  Choosing between winter or all season tires is one of the biggest decisions one has to make throughout the year!  And depending on who you ask, there's a very wide discrepancy as to which one is best for winter driving - with good reason too.

What's the big deal?

Well, the safety of yourself and your loved ones, dummy.  It's not to say that winter tires are 100% going to keep you safe on icy roads and we'd be splitting hairs to give you what the differences in percentages are for that.  To be quite honest, even with our modern age of technology and advancement of engineering prowess, we still don't have a tire that will keep you from sliding down an decline covered in black ice.  So this is where we can base our entire blog post on the fact that winter tires will help you stop quicker and in a shorter distance on black ice.  Of course, that's not to say that all-season tires can't stop that way either.

Say what?  Okay, hear me out.

Yes, we can all agree that scientifically at a molecular level, the softer compound of a winter tire will handle black ice or snow differently in comparison to a set of all-season tires.  But in the right circumstance and proper driving awareness, a person driving on all-season tires can stop the same as a person with winter tires.  How?  Well, depending on your distance to the car in front of you, the speed at which you are travelling will help determine how safely you can come to a stoppage every single time you need to.  No-brainer right?  A person with winter tires can become confident and follow too closely at an unsafe speed and cause an accident; to no fault of the tires.  So understandably, we can see how hard it is to conduct experiments without being able to properly account for human error.

That's it?

Um, no.  Of course, depending on where one is geographically, with differing weather patterns across the globe, someone in Los Angeles probably doesn't have to even utter the words "winter tires" whereas someone in Alaska would have winter tires a majority of the year.  For us here in Ridge Meadows and seeing how last winter was quite a doozy, getting winter tires just for the winter season might actually be the best idea.  Winter tires perform well in sub-zero temperatures and the patterns on the tire enables it to handle snow and ice more handily than all-seasons.  All-seasons won't handle snow as well but when temperatures start to warm, they'll handle better and especially in the rain, will repel water and provide a better grip in the rain. 

If you are looking for safety rather than pinching pennies, getting a set of winter tires to switch in and out of will provide you the best possible driving experience regardless of what mother nature has to throw at you.  However, if you're the type to avoid the hassle of switching in and out sets of tires, then going with all-season tires and making sure to drive more conscientiously will make the decision just as viable.

That being said, don't forget to stay safe and be sure to leave a safe distance between you and the car in front of you.

Happy Winter To You All!

As if the news of summer being over isn't bad enough, looks like parts of BC is already starting to snow.  Well, so much for the Fall season; might as well start playing the Christmas music and skip Thanksgiving and Halloween altogether.  Whether you blame global warming or you believe it's a weather anomaly, experts are calling it a continuation of La Niña which is described as, "a cold event."  This event, according to the National Ocean Service, brings a colder winter in the Northwest.

It is probably a safe bet to make that this winter is going to be COLD so make sure your vehicle is in tiptop shape to avoid any problems with worsening road conditions.  If we have a longer and colder winter, we can expect to see more pot-holes, more damage to tires, more salt damage to vehicle parts and increased wear and tear on the overall life of our vehicles.  Schedule a time to get your tires changed to winter tires in advance because this season is going to be a pretty busy one.  Chances are, if you're in the thick of snowfall, you probably won't get an appointment to get your tires swapped out so be the early bird.

Remember to drive slow, maintain more distance from the car in front and pump your brakes rather than applying full pressure.  Locking your tires by fully compressing your brakes will cause your car to skid while it struggles for traction.

For all your towing needs in this coming winter season, look no further than R M Towing!

BE SAFE!

Well, of course it's included!  What do you think distracted driving means?  If you thought it was purely cellular phone use while driving as the only definition of distracted driving, you're incorrect.  Obviously anything that impedes you from safe operation of a vehicle, for example, hands are tied up, then that would constitute distracted driving.

On top of the hefty $368 fine (not sure who comes up with these exact fines), you will also be handed down a 6 point deduction on your license.  These 6 points allots to a 300 dollar annual premium (www.icbc.com/driver-licensing/tickets/Pages/Driver-Penalty-Points.aspx) so when you get insurance, expect to pay more.  Make sense because if you're unsafe, you better pay more to get insured (not that money discourages bad behavior).

Be sure to keep these things in mind when you're on your commutes leisure or occupational.  These days, with the availability and supply of drive-thrus, getting snacks is super convenient so getting caught doing this has become much easier.

​Be safe out there!

If you're still not aware, the end of August also marks the end of the tolls on Golden Ears & Port Mann Bridge.  This will no doubt help with the traffic coming into Pitt Meadows and Maple Ridge as it opens up new routes to take.  Not to mention, going to Richmond through Highway 17 is more convenient now instead of the old route of going through New West just to avoid the toll bridge.

Don't forget to pay your outstanding tolls as anything before August 31st, 11:59pm is still counted towards your bill.

And lastly, don't forget to drive safe!