‘Alert’ driver spots big rig towing another — with chained metal pipe, CA cops say
When an “alert” driver on a freeway spotted a big rig with something odd in tow, they didn’t hesitate to call California authorities.
The driver called officers the afternoon of Tuesday, Sept. 30, to report “an unusual vehicle combination traveling on a San Francisco freeway,” California Highway Patrol — Golden Gate Division said in an Oct. 2 Facebook post.
A big rig driver was towing “another big rig tractor using nothing more than a metal pipe,” officials said.
“We know not everyone is an expert in tow truck operations, but the alert citizen was right to warn us about this rolling hazard,” officers said.
Turns out, towing a big rig with a pipe and chain is neither legal nor safe, according to officials.
CHP officers said they pulled the big rig over and soon learned the unusual towing combination was not the only issue: “The truck’s brake chambers were dragging on the ground; a clear indication that they weren’t working.”
Officers said they cited the driver, then “both vehicles were towed from the scene...by actual tow trucks.”
“A big thank you to the alert driver who picked up the phone and called 9-1-1 so that we could remove this dangerous vehicle from the road before anything bad could happen,” officials said.
This story was originally published October 3, 2025 at 12:39 PM with the headline "‘Alert’ driver spots big rig towing another — with chained metal pipe, CA cops say."
