Patent ID: 8364115
Filing Date: 2013-01-29
Classification: B60D

Abstract:
1. A computerized method of reporting a hazardous towing condition, the method comprising, in response to a first telephone call placed to a first telephone number by a first user from a second telephone number that has viewed a hazardous condition associated with a vehicle being towed by a member: receiving from the first user during the first telephone call an identifier displayed on a sign affixed to the vehicle, wherein the sign additionally displays the first telephone number and an instruction to call the first telephone number in the event of a hazardous towing condition; using the identifier to retrieve a second user information associated with the member from a computer database, wherein the second user information includes a third telephone number associated with the member and a vehicle identifier associated with the vehicle; prompting the first user to leave a voice message using a prompt that includes the vehicle identifier associated with the vehicle; receiving a voice message from the first user during the first telephone call that describes the hazardous towing condition; electronically storing the voice message; automatically placing a second telephone call to the third telephone number retrieved from the computer database in response to receiving the voice message; playing the electronically stored voice message to the member during the second telephone call to alert the member of the hazardous towing condition; and inhibiting access to the second telephone number by the member and inhibiting access to the third telephone number by the first user to maintain anonymity for each of the first user and the member.