Me- Ambulance Chaser- A True Story from Chicago!

Chicago, 1981.
  I just got out of the Army and I needed a job. I found one at Majestic Towing on Pulaski and Diversey. The owner, George, simply gave me a tow-truck and said "ok, go make some money." The deal was 50/50. I had to pay half the gas and I got to keep half the money. He didn't have any kind of a following, no advertisement, no customers calling, nothing. Just a body shop and a couple of tow-trucks.
  I drove around for three days and made about $30.00. I walked in there one morning ready to quit. As I handed him the keys, he said "meet your new boss, Gary." And there was Gary, sitting at the bosses desk with his feet on it, smoking a cigar and trying to look like a big-shot. He looked like a mechanic that just got off work. He was dirty and fat. I wondered what made him so important.
He flicked an ash on the floor and said "I'm gonna show you how to make some money with a tow-truck. First thing you gotta do is clean that filthy piece of crap. Let me know when you're ready and then we'll go out and make some real money."
   I had nothing to loose, except more time, so I played along. I cleaned the truck and we hit the road. We came upon an old lady who was broke-down. She told us she needed a jump. We jumped her alright. Gary hooked the jumper cables up on the rubber part of the battery cables. That way, her car would surely NOT start! We towed her in and put a used starter on her car and then we put her old starter on the shelf, for the next victim. We collected $180.00 and he handed me $90.00!  That was real money back then. The most I ever made in one day, prior to that, was about $40.00.

Gary put a police scanner in my tow-truck and then we went out "Chasing".We drove around listening to the scanner. Everytime we heard a call for an auto-accident, we would rush to the scene. Sometimes, we would get there before the cops and the ambulance. Most times, we would find more chasers there. There was a mutual respect thing going on. First come first serve. We'd get out of our truck and mix with the crowd until we were talking to the owner of the newest smashed car. The other chasers would be racing us, mingling with the crowd. Whoever got to the owner first, got the "hook". We got to know the competition and we even became friends with some of them.

All of the chasers  were all pretty cool and respected each other. That is, all except Mike. Mike was an asshole that nobody liked. That's because he didn't respect anyone, not even the cops. Mike would tell you to leave, that he owned the cops around here and that you were wasting your time. Then, he would go talk to the cop and slip him $100.00. Then, the cop would walk up and tell you to "get out of here" before you get arrested. Mike even threatened some cops. He would tell them that he could get them fired if they didn't play ball, his way. There was even a rumor about a cop that did get fired because of him, so they believed him and they went along with his power trip. He always acted like some kind of a bigshot too. He wore a fur coat and showed up in a different sports car everytime.

Everybody hated Mike. So, one day when he was discovered shot to death, six rounds in the side of his head, no one cared. In fact, a few people laughed and high-fived over the fact.

The investigators questioned me about it too. I told them truthfully that nobody liked him and it could have been anybody that knew him. Everybody wanted to kill him. He was such an asshole. The newspapers called it a "gangland style execution".

I did have a suspect in mind, at the time. I had no proof, it was just a hunch. His name was Junior and he was from Kentucky. Everybody liked Junior. Especially the day he threw Mike down an embankment.

There was a big ten-car pile-up on the Kennedy Expressway one night. All of the chasers were there and everybody had at least one car to tow. We all stood back talking while the cops did their paperwork. There must have been ten of us. All of a sudden, Mike shows up and tells us all to get out of here, that he owns the Kennedy Expressway. Well, Junior grabbed him by the fur coat and tossed him over the guard rail and he rolled down a steep hill about a hundred feet down. Everybody was cracking up. Mike couldn't climb back up, because it was too steep and full of snow. We all laughed at him repeatedly while he tried, then gave up and walked about a mile back around. By the time he got back, we had all towed our cars and were gone. That was the only time I personally had seen anyone get over on Mike. It was usually the other way around. That made my day and everyone elses too.

Everytime I towed a car, I had to give $50.00 to the cop! I made $175. per car, so I could afford it.And if you thought you could get away without paying them, then you wouldn't be a chaser for very long. Next time you see the cop that you didn't pay, he would tell you to leave the scene. He would say something like "I don't go for all that ambulance chasing bullshit." But if you go hide around the corner, you will see another chaser show up and give him fifty bucks and then tow the car. I know this, because my brother was a chaser for about a week, then he had to quit because none of the cops would do business with him. I, on the other hand, chased for about a year. I always took care of my cops.

Here's one of the SCAMS chasers pull on you.  

The guy I used to chase for taught me this little ditty.

You just had an accident. You're still kind of shaking when I pull up. I walk up to you and say "are you alright?" 

You say "I think so, but look at my brand new car, waaah."

I say "do you need any help? I could drive you home, or call somebody for you."

You say "yeah, call my wife, here's my number."

I go call your wife and then I come back. "She's on her way, do you want me to get you something to drink?"

You say "yes" and I do. Then I say "do you want me to call a tow truck for you?"

You'd be surprised to know how many people say yes at this point, but let's say you say "no". And maybe you even add the fact that you don't have any money on you right now.

Then, I say "I know a body shop and they are right down the street. They will bill your insurance company for the tow, you wont even have to pay for it. I know the owner, he did it for me and even for a friend of mine once."

So you say "I want my uncle Joe to fix it at his body shop, but it would be nice to get it off the street for now, so ok, go ahead."

Then I tow it in, or if I don't have a tow truck, I just go call my buddy. No harm done yet, I have really been helpful. I get your information and I'm gone, with your car. You go home and sleep off that nasty bump on your head.

Then, after I fix your car, I use it for a few days and go chasing with it. After that, I call you and tell you your car is ready. You come and pick it up and you love me for the good work I did.

How can you avoid these shysters in the future?

The best way, is to never get into an accident in the first place. Sound impossible?

I know ambulance chasing is still happening.Since the cops are in on it, it's very difficult to fight it. But you can protect yourself simply by knowing it's there and taking some precautions, as mentioned above.

Every once in a while, the news will crack down on it. The chasers just lay-low for a while and then one day, they come back. I think it will never end.

The way the cops and chasers look at it, they're doing a public service. Big deal, they pay the cops $50. or $100. a car. Cops don't make enough money anyway and this is one way to help them get paid some decent money. After all, they risk their lives everyday. And for what? A measly $30-45,000 a year?

Footnote: Some ambulance chasers work for a lawyer, not a body shop. They will show up at your accident recomending a good lawyer. I suggest you find your own. Most of these guys are shysters, with no conscience. Many will even fabricate a case for you. They send you to a chiropractor who will want to see you again and again. They will create a huge medical bill and sue some poor sucker for a lot of money. This is illegal and should be reported to your local Bar Association.

Footnote of footnote: I have some crazy stories from those days. Check back often, I will be writing more and adding it every so often.

C2000 Ken Skaggs

 

 

 

C2000 Ken Skaggs

Submissions Wanted

Attention writers. I just added a blog for this site. It's not your typical blog, where you can just log in and post. But I will be accepting submissions which I will post. Of course, I will give you full credit for your submissions, placing your name prominently on the article, along with any by-line and link you'd like to put there. So far, the only guidelines I have are- keep with the theme and make it a true story or urban legend about road rage, police brutality or corruption. Please send inqiries to info@driverstory.com.

Ten Keys to Safe City Driving CD and Video

This audio CD has sold more than 40,000 copies and has taken the trucking industry by storm. Now available on Video!

Some of my other work

Those of you who know me, know I've been writing for Ten Four Magazine since 2000, where I publish a lot of articles about trucking. But I have a lot of true stories that aren't exactly, shall we say, politically correct enough to publish in a legitimate, upbeat trucking magazine like that. That's why I have this site. I started it in 2000 as well, but I put all my deep dark true stories from my corrupt upbringing in here.

Although I have had over one hundred articles published, I have yet to get an actual book published. And I have a lot of ideas I am working on. I decided to put one that's done on here for all to read for free. The others are books I'm working on or other things I've done:

Tip Jar

Thank you for visiting. Please help keep this site alive and make a donation through Paypal. No amount is too small. Send tips to info@bigcitydriver.com. Thank you!

A True Story of a Crazy Cop

This true story has it all- road rage, police brutality and corruption. If you are going to Carol Stream, Illinois, watch out for Road Rage with a Badge.

A True Story of Road Rage

I was being attacked by a club wielding thug and I had to smash his car to escape his Rage.

Other Links of Interest


Ambulance Chaser Stories

True stories of corruption in Chicago, alive and well in 2009- ambulance chasers.

Dope Addict Truckers

I expose the dark underground world of truck stops at night.

How to Drive with Class

If you ever get to watch trucks going in and out of a gravel pit, pay attention. There would never be a traffic jam if people knew Gravel Pit Etiquette.

Custom Search