Whole Network Most Recent TOP10 Automobilia Automotive Art German Cars Great Drives

 

Tow Trucks: Museum Justifies a Scary Profession

Filed in archive Museums by Philip Powell on March 07, 2007

VW Model Tow Truck

It never occurred to me that someone might create a museum for tow trucks, especially as their reputation has been diminished by those whose job is to haul away our parked vehicles: you return to your car, find it gone, figure it's been stolen, take a taxi to some faraway lot where you'll be charged a small fortune to get it back. An indignity that's happened to many of us.

Surprisingly the International Towing & Recovery Hall Of Fame and Museum turns out to be a fascinating place. Located in Chattanoogalinks, Tennessee, it features restored antique wreckers and equipment, industry-related displays of collectible toys, tools, unique equipment, and pictorial histories of manufacturers who pioneered a worldwide industry. Equally anxious to honour the people who made it so, the museum includes a Hall of Fame "to display the roots of the profession." But what really caught my eye when checking the Web site was "The Wall of the Fallen," a monument dedicated to men and women in the towing industry who have lost their lives in the line of service.

Think about it. They toil 24 hours a day and when the weather's at its worst, that's when they're busiest. They endure gruesome accident scenes. Their workplace is often the very edge of a busy expressway, cars whizzing by within inches. They suffer considerable abuse, sometimes physical, from car owners incensed at having their vehicles towed. It's a dangerous occupation.

On the lighter side, I couldn't resist illustrating the article with a model VW tow truck from my own collection. I bought it for my sons during a period when we lived in Europe and somehow it survived. Thanks to Nigel for making me aware of the International Towing & Recovery Hall Of Fame and Museum, and if you're ever in Chattanooga put the museum on your list of places to visit. Just be careful where you park.






Permalink: Tow Trucks: Museum Justifies a Scary Profession
Tags: tow  truck  trucks  museum  VW  classic  vintage  antique  collector  old  car  cars  auto  automotive  automobile 

Trackback: http://www.creative-weblogging.com/cgi-bin/mt-tb.pl/57018



Advertisement


Advertisement


RSSrss   | See all blog subscribe options
Googlegoogle   |   What is RSS?
Yahoo!yahoo
AddthisAddThis Feed Button
BloglinesBloglines
Newsletter

Use the search to look for other interesting posts



 
  • Advertise with us

  • Learn more about our advertising options or email advertising - at - creative-weblogging.com or give Luis a call at +1 (650) 331 8047.


  • Other blogs in the same channel in the Creative Weblogging Network







 
Tagcloud: 1980's Cars AC Cars Alfa Romeo American Independents American Specials Antique Autos As We See Things Auctions Austin Healey Auto Shows Automobilia Automotive Art Aviation Barn Finds Bentley BMW Books British Cars Buick Cadillac Canadian Cars Catalogs Chevrolet Chrysler Classic Boats Classic Rentals Concours Design Deusenberg Electric Cars European Specials Famous Drivers Fashion Items Ferrari Ford French Cars Fun Events General Motors German Cars Gifts Great Drives Great Gifts Historic Transportation Hot Rods Italian Cars Jaguar Japanese Oldies Lincoln Media Sites Mercedes MG Model Cars Morgan Movies Muscle Cars Museums Oddball Autos Oldsmobile Our Story Photographs Plymouth Pontiac Pony Cars Porsche Private Collections Racers Rally/Retro-Rally Rare Europeans Record Breakers Replicas Restoration Roads to Remember Rolls-Royce Romantic Notions Sponsored Post Station Wagons Tech Stuff Test Drives Vintage Racing Vintage Rentals Vintage Vans