These Vehicles Can't Go ANYWHERE in this weather...

[Golf Cart]

A 3 foot piece of chain wrapped around the strap at midpoint works well, takes up less room, and doesnt require fabric softener.

[Green1]

the first person I helped was trying to get in to a back alley, which was simply not going to work... she had been a little bit stupid, but she realized her mistake and parked on the street once we got her out.

The second person was avoiding an idiot who cut her off and slammed on the brakes, she wisely chose the snowbank over the other vehicle, I felt sorry for her, not so much for the idiot she nearly creamed.

There was another reason though to stop and help, beyond helping these people, it helps the next person along, the one was half blocking the street and completely blocking the alley, the second was blocking 3/4 of a lane on a relatively busy road. Both were a hazard not just to themselves, but to other vehicles and to the flow of traffic.

As for the wheight in the middle of the strap... I have to admit, that I do know that, and still haven't actually done anything about it (I know... shame on me!) I'm not sure what to put there, but I really need to start carrying something for that purpose.

[Jaz]

Even just a wool sweater works well Green, doesn't need to be anything too specific!

Although it's not like you're putting as much strain on the strap as guys pulling trucks out of frame deep mud, so much lower likelihood of actually snapping the sucker... just a matter of using your common sense I guess!

If you have to back right up so your bumpers are touching, then drive at full pace in the hope of extracting them, that's the point where some sort of damper is definitely required!

[Green1]

If you have to back right up so your bumpers are touching, then drive at full pace in the hope of extracting them, that's the point where some sort of damper is definitely required!

I'm not sure I'm brave/crazy enough to try that anyway... on both of these I took up all the slack and then pulled slowly, no jerks or snaps, just a gentle pull out, nothing that caused me to worry too much.

[Erebus]

If you have to back right up so your bumpers are touching, then drive at full pace in the hope of extracting them, that's the point where some sort of damper is definitely required!

If you are going to do that, you need a snatch strap, which is very elastic and stretches a lot, so that it isn't a sharp jerk.

Tow straps or recovery straps (as far as I know) don't have that kind of stretch and you shouldn't try that kind of pull.

[Jaz]

My bad actually, we regularly just used snatch straps for towing as well... not particularly cool, but works well and means you don't need an extra piece of equipment, particularly if you're only doing short pulls.