Hell on the Highway

If you are looking for a true documentary about towing in winter conditions, please watch Highway Thru Hell on Discovery. It is based in Hope, BC and focuses on Jamie Davis Towing & Heavy Rescue who keep three highways clear - The Coquihalla (5), The Crowsnest (3), and the TransCanada (1). There have been two seasons so far with 8 and 13 episodes in each. It is an honest and genuine show and I can't wait for Season 3 in 2014. Next year will also include footage from highways serving the Alberta oil sands project in Fort McMurray, 400km north of Edmonton. The crew even did a job this fall to help the NRC (where I work) to lift a damaged radio telescope into place near Penticton, BC. Hopefully, this will air next year.

This 'reality' show (with the usual people trying to act-up for the cameras) is a depressing look at both the foolish & innocent motorists stranded due to weather and stupidity, and the tow-truck companies that prey on their predicament with exorbitant rates, yet still operate poorly functioning tow vehicles in many cases.

No doubt, tow truck drivers perform important, dirty and often dangerous work, but none of these businesses or the operators are "unsung heroes."

The show's producers fake such things as passing truck horns (complete with Doppler effect), CHP radio traffic over the scanner, and who knows what else.

I'm hoping the show doesn't last beyond one season.

amateur tow truck operators poor equipment all operators just interested in the money winching loaded semi with one cable while other cable hangs from boom winching cars up embankments using j-hooks just untrained tow operators always talking about a driver that was killed no wonder if he was as untrained as cowboys on show now would be more interesting if operators knew what they were doing these people would last one tow in our company if the boss seen these antics I am sure it is more difficult in the mountains than in Wisconsin all the more reason for at least some training rather than what seems like throw them in truck and let them go

Natl. Geographic calls this show a "Documentary"?? This could have been a great show if it had been truly a honest film without scripts and had focused on something besides the trials and tribulations of four tow truck operators with unprofessional drivers.

Instead they go with an over produced "Reality Show" with fake drama. Is there really a need for all of the improvised drama, scripts, and personal crisis that are truly so poorly conceived that it would not fool a 5 year old?

The tow operators are made out to be greedy, careless, individuals with money the only thing on their minds. Unsafe towing maneuvers, very poorly produced and staged tows, etc., all just add up to another typical production from a group of people that have no concept of what really goes in real life.

I tried to watch the entire show, but it just left with with a zero. So much wanted to see a quality production with the CHP, Caltrans, and tow operators fighting mother nature in the winter. Instead I see only tow operators fighting among themselves. Shame on Natl. Geographic for accepting this show. We need to define what a documentary film is and stick with the format. A poorly produced reality show is not a documentary.

Nice to see a show about the very dangerous and much needed work done by towing and recovery professionals. I'd like them to be a little better trained than what I've see so far. Use of equipment that is not up to snuff is very dangerous to operators and others in the area. Frayed cables, sub-standard lighting, empty fuel tanks are all amateur hour mistakes. Chains breaking because the working load limit has been exceeded shows a lack of proper training, or worse, a disregard for life safety. It's dangerous enough. The attitudes of some owners and operators is disappointing. No one likes a whiny employee, eh bro. Most should consider themselves lucky to be working in this economy. Considering attitudes and lack of professionalism.