Vehicle Recovery - History

History

Motor vehicles have been breaking down ever since they were invented and if a repair was not possible, then a recovery or tow was usually required. In early days, this was often achieved by attaching a horse to the casualty and pulling it home. Many of the first automobile repair shops had been bicycle repairers or blacksmiths, and they quickly adapted to recovering their customers' disabled vehicles. To do this specialised recovery vehicles were often built. As automobiles have grown more sophisticated, it has become much harder for the average vehicle owner to diagnose a fault, much less repair it. Fortunately, around the world a huge and specialised vehicle recovery industry has been created to serve and support them.

Motoring organisations or clubs have been created to sell breakdown coverage to automobile drivers, nowhere more so than in Europe. Automobile manufacturers will often purchase bulk membership from the motoring organisations, to give away with new vehicle sales. These are usually 'badged' with the manufacturer's name. A large number of these motoring organisations do not operate recovery vehicles of their own, but instead use independent recovery operators as agents. Those clubs that have their own vehicles often also use independent agents to assist with specialist work, or when their own resources are stretched. Police forces also use independent recovery operators to move vehicles, for example after a car accident, when vehicles are illegally parked and when required for examination.