--- title: "If You Blow a Tire, Call a Tow Truck and Not Whatever This Is" date: "2025-05-13" modified: "2025-05-13" authors: - name: "Adam Ismail" job_title: "Senior Editor" link: "https://www.thedrive.com/authors/adam-ismail" url: "https://www.thedrive.com/news/if-you-blow-a-tire-call-a-tow-truck-and-not-whatever-this-is" categories: - "News" --- # If You Blow a Tire, Call a Tow Truck and Not Whatever This Is ![Screenshot of news report about car being towed with only a chain on Houston highway.]() *\ABC13 Houston via YouTube\* Treading lightly around vehicles hauling alarming loads is the kind of self-preservation instinct you need to have as a driver. In my experience, it's typically a pickup ravaged by rust, carrying loose tools in the bed. A red flag, to be sure, but it’s frankly nothing compared to this Ford Expedition ["towing"]() a Saab 9-3 convertible on the North Loop off US 290 near Houston. I put it in quotes because I don't think it should really count as towing when you use a single chain. The [Saab]() in this tandem purportedly suffered some kind of "wheel or tire issue" on Monday afternoon that resulted in its driver not calling an actual tow truck, but instead getting hauled away by the Ford SUV with only a chain—while still riding in the vehicle. *[ABC13 Houston]()* spoke to a witness who is responsible for the footage we have, and he pointed out something I frankly missed trying to figure out what the hell was going on here: There's a man in the driver seat as the convertible is swaying and swinging wildly across multiple lanes of traffic, his head jerking to and fro all the while. The witness also says the woman driving the Expedition was laughing as this played out. But hey: At least they had the sense to turn the hazards on in both cars. Safety first! Unsurprisingly, the Saab's passenger-side mirror was left dangling from the door, while the front fender on the same side was scraped pretty severely. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H2nrW9hoYMg Without knowing the condition of the individual in the Saab, we can at least say that it appears other drivers gave this chaos ample room to unfold, and thankfully, nobody else was swept up in the madness. All because of a flat, apparently! Look, I have no more information than *ABC13 Houston* shares here, and yes, I can see the bare rim on the Saab's driver-side front tire. But it's hard to believe that even the least rational person you know would choose *this* as their solution to one of the most common and benign automotive emergencies there is. It just doesn't track, much like this wayward Swedish convertible. *Got tips? Send ’em to tips@thedrive.com*[]() ## Author Adam is a Senior Editor at The Drive, concentrating on curating and developing the site's slate of daily journalism, from initial pitch to final copy edit. When he's not at his desk researching leads and working with writers, he's testing vehicles or reviewing racing games, new and old. He joined The Drive in 2023, following seven years of covering consumer technology and cars. A car lover and gamer since his earliest memories, Adam came to know the automotive world through video games. First it was Daytona USA, Sega Rally, and Ridge Racer; then came Need For Speed, which inspired an encyclopedic knowledge of '90s supercars, and, of course, Gran Turismo. If not for them, he'd assuredly be doing something else right now. Adam is based in the suburbs outside Philly, where there are ample roads for his hot hatch to stretch its legs. In his car, he's probably listening to indie rock, drum and bass, or Yankees baseball. ### Author social links [Bluesky]() [Instagram]() [LinkedIn]()