VIDEO: Unhappy Shanghai lady tows the tow truck
by Frank Filipponio on Dec 10th 2008 at 7:58PM 
Click above to watch video after the jump
It may be viral, but it's too hilarious not to post. We just came across a YouTube video in which a Chinese woman, who the internet has lovingly dubbed "Shanghai Lady", finds her beloved Chevrolet Captiva held captive by a tow truck driver. The South Korean-made CUV is on the hook, tail held high with its front wheels planted, when the lady confronts the tow truck operator. After a short spat she decides she's had enough, gets into her vehicle and starts it up. The tow truck driver gives the rear wheel of the Captiva an angry kick, but that doesn't stop her. She puts it in gear and proceeds to drive off, tow truck in tow. Like any great comedy, the driver is left to chase his truck on foot. It's good for a nice chuckle before you sign off for the night and expresses what a lot of us hope we might have the intestinal fortitude to do if caught in this same situation. Follow the jump to see the clip.
[Source: Automobiles De Luxe]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 4)
Torrent 8:12PM (12/10/2008)
Hilarious!!
Yeah, um.....There's no video. I'm sure it will be funny, though...
*waits*
Reply
SPF 8:18PM (12/10/2008)
Here you go.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=chBRSH5-dSQ
Torrent 8:24PM (12/10/2008)
haha thanks!
Kotse 12:05PM (12/11/2008)
You gotta hand it to the Shanghai-nese...like my gf from up north (port city of Tianjin) had said...that they are a headstrong group of folks.
Mark 8:15PM (12/10/2008)
The Chevrolet Captiva sold in Asia is not a Saturn VUE, it is a Daewoo Winstorm.
The Saturn VUE is an Opel Antara; however the Opel Antara is sold as the Chevrolet Captiva in Latin America.
Reply
futurama 9:14PM (12/10/2008)
GMdaewoo Windstorm MAXX is Sature Vue is Opel Antara is Chevy Captiva
how many names does this car have!
P.V. 9:40PM (12/10/2008)
Here's the thing. The sheetmetal and some dimensions are somewhat different; however, both the Saturn Vue and Daewoo Winstorm share the GM Theta platform.
While it is not entirely accurate to refer to the Chevrolet Captiva (Winstorm) as the Vue, the reference is not totally wrong; it's similar to the Toyota Camry vs. Lexus ES (slightly different dimensions, different sheetmetal, same platform).
futurama 8:15PM (12/10/2008)
that is so hilarious! haha... two thumbs up for the 'shanghai woman'! i will have to try that next time...
oh.. and that is precisely why you should lift up the drivetrain axle.
Reply
iknowjack 8:13PM (12/12/2008)
not precisely why your supposed to lift the driving axle to prevent damage to transmissions(autos or manuals) or remove the drive shaft but that is not possible on a front drive vehicle nor an all wheel drive
Conundrum 8:20PM (12/10/2008)
Curious how it ends.
Front brakes only with an additional 8 tons to stop.
Reply
Saheed 8:52PM (12/10/2008)
Wow, that is a lot of strain on the front axel, and stopping the pick-up truck's extra weight won't exactly be a walk in the park for the two front brakes. I'm curious to know... Shouldn't the tow truck have been in "Park"??? Even if it was in Neutral, the E-brake would have been applied, and thus the 4 cylinder CUV would not have been able to move it! Whats going on here??? I'm confused!!!
Serge K. 9:39PM (12/10/2008)
Definitely staged.
letstakeawalk 9:48PM (12/10/2008)
There's no way that tow-truck weighs 8 tons.
Conundrum 10:06PM (12/10/2008)
@letstakeawalk...
You're right, that tow truck is rather puny. Likely closer to 8 tons with the tow truck and captiva combined. Still alot of weight for 1 axle worth of brakes. Good thing the video was not in San Fransico!
letstakeawalk 12:17AM (12/11/2008)
@ Conundrum
The Captiva's curb weight is approximately 4,000 lbs (two tons).
There's no way that tow truck weighs six tons.
I'm not doubting that there will be serious damage to the engine and drive train, I just think you're over estimating the weight. I'm thinking the tow truck is closer to three tons, based on the COE light truck chassis.
Torrent 12:24PM (12/11/2008)
I noticed these things after about 20 times of watching it.
The tow truck lifted the wrong wheels
The tow truck was pointing against traffic
The tow truck was in neutral
-All things a tow truck driver wouldn't do.
carcomptoy 8:29PM (12/10/2008)
Wow she's definitely got guts! Although I would imagine the axle or the wheel would break off from that much additional weight, wouldn't you?? I mean, even if the tow truck were in neutral...
Reply
Conundrum 9:33PM (12/10/2008)
@carcomptoy...
The tow truck is suporting the rear of the Captiva, so the weight is not the issue. The strain of pulling that tow truck around would definitely heat up the transmission in short order. No "low" range in the Captiva would make it tough to even budge that tow truck on dry pavement unless it was in nuetral with no parking brake applied. I smell a fish. Do you notice the tow truck driver seemingly waving the woman on as she is looking back at him?
P.V. 8:33PM (12/10/2008)
Wow. That's pretty funny.
Reply
Tsunami Racer 8:34PM (12/10/2008)
can't do that with AWD!!! nee how mah!
Reply