On Fri, 07 Oct 2011 13:58:19 +0100, Dave Plowman (News) wrote:

The big snag is most vehicles have both power steering and brakes. One
being towed with the engine stopped will have neither.

Well it will, I don't think a vechicle that had absolutely no
steering or brakes without the engine running would be allowed on the
road. How ever the effort required to turn the steering wheel and get
effective braking is huge. I wouldn't want to be towed in a modern
car via rope unless the route was straight and flat or just a very
short distance.

I guess many people get caught by the fact the first application of
the brakes after the engine is stopped is normally fairly normal from
stored vacuum. It's the second and subsequent ones when you have
literally stand on the pedal...

So towing with a rope should be done with great caution - and only if
both drivers have experience of doing so.

I have towed and have been towed by rope, I prefer to be the tug.
When being towed you are *very* close to the tug and really have to
concentrate looking past the tug so you can anticipate the tug
slowing and keep the rope taught. The tug just (ha!) has to remember
that the rope might be slack and pull off very gently until they feel
the weight come on or can see that the towed vehicle is moving.

--
Cheers
Dave.