Trouble on Thibeault Hill: 24-Hour Towing Help Coming Into North Bay

If your brakes feel wrong or your car quits on Thibeault Hill, the steep stretch of Highway 11 coming down into North Bay, get to the shoulder as early as you can. Turn on your hazards. Stay in the car with the doors locked. If you are stuck in a live lane or anyone is hurt, call 911 first. Then call for a tow and say "Highway 11 southbound, Thibeault Hill."

Where is Thibeault Hill?

Thibeault Hill is the long drop on Highway 11 as it comes into North Bay from the north. On the way down, the highway becomes Algonquin Avenue. At the bottom, Algonquin meets Highway 17. There, Highway 17 keeps going west toward Sudbury, and Highway 11 joins it through town.

Most drivers on the hill are coming south from places like Temagami or Temiskaming Shores. Highway 11 runs north from North Bay for 370 km, all the way to Cochrane. So by the time you reach the hill, you may have driven for hours through bush and rock. A tired car and a tired driver meet the steepest part of the trip right at the end.

The Thibeault Terrace neighborhood sits west of the Algonquin Avenue part of Highway 11. It is the closest neighborhood to the Canadore and Nipissing campuses. That helps when you describe where you are.

Why does the hill have a runaway truck ramp?

The hill is steep enough that the southbound lanes have a runaway truck ramp. It is there to catch a heavy truck whose brakes give out on the way down.

That ramp tells you two things about this road:

• The grade is real. Your car's brakes work harder here than on most of Highway 11.
• Big trucks share the hill with you. Leave them room. A loaded truck needs far more road to slow down than you do.
• The ramp is not a place to stop. It is an escape lane for trucks in trouble. Use the shoulder instead.

What if your brakes feel soft on the way down?

Ontario's official driver's handbook says the brake pedal should feel firm and secure. A spongy pedal is a sign of trouble. A burning smell or a pull to one side is a warning, too. Don't try to make it to the bottom. Pull over while you still have control.

If the brakes fail completely, the handbook gives these steps:

1. Pump the brake pedal. This can bring back some brake pressure for a short time.
2. Use the parking brake if pumping fails. Pull it gently but firmly while you hold the release button.
3. Steer for the shoulder. Keep your eyes on where you want to go.
4. Once stopped, stay stopped. The handbook is clear: do not drive away. Call for help.

Total brake failure is very rare on modern cars, the handbook notes. Still, a car with bad brakes should not go another kilometer under its own power. It needs a tow to a repair shop.

Where should you stop if the car dies on the hill?

Ontario's Highway Traffic Act says not to stop on the roadway when you can stop off it. If you truly can't get off, your car must be visible from at least 125 m in each direction. On a hill with curves, that matters. If the car still rolls, coast past any bend or crest before you stop.

The handbook's freeway advice fits here, too:

• Begin to pull over at the first sign of trouble. Don't wait for the engine to stall.
• Check your mirrors, turn on your hazards and take your foot off the gas.
• Never stop in the driving lanes.
• If you must get out, use the door away from traffic. Do not raise the hood.
• Wait inside with your doors locked.

How does winter change Thibeault Hill?

A steep hill is one thing in July. It's another on a January night. Environment Canada's 1981 to 2010 normals for the North Bay airport show about 300 cm of snow a year. They also show freezing rain or drizzle on about 18 days, blowing snow on about 17 and fog on about 60. The airport sits at 358 m, well above downtown at 201 m, so what you see at the top may differ from the lakeshore.

Ontario's winter driving advice for a hill like this:

• Watch for black ice. A road that looks black and shiny may be covered in ice. Shaded spots, bridges and overpasses freeze first.
• Run four winter tires. Never mix tire types. Cold weather also drops your tire pressure, so check it often.
• Studded tires are an option. Ontario allows them on vehicles registered in Northern Ontario.
• Stay back from plows. North Bay asks drivers to keep 30 m behind a working plow. Never pass one.

If you start to skid on the way down, the handbook says to ease off the gas or the brake. Keep steering in the direction you want to go. Winter can start early in Northern Ontario, so don't wait for November to get ready.

What if you slide off the road?

A slide into the snowbank or a shallow ditch beside the hill is common in winter. If nobody is hurt and the car isn't damaged, a winch-out may pull it back onto the pavement. If the car hit something hard, or it won't steer or brake right, it needs a tow instead.

While you wait in a storm, stay with your car for warmth. The handbook says to open a window slightly and run the motor sparingly. Keep the tailpipe clear of snow.

Moose and deer are part of driving north of North Bay. Ontario's handbook warns that crashes with them are a growing problem, most of all from dusk to dawn. If you hit one, report it to the local police or the Ministry of Natural Resources.

How do you tell your driver where you are?

"North Bay" covers a lot of road. Give your driver three things:

1. The highway and direction. "Highway 11 southbound" if you were coming down into town. "Northbound" if you were climbing out.
2. Your spot on the hill. Near the top, near the truck ramp, or close to the bottom by Algonquin Avenue and Highway 17.
3. The last place you passed. A town like Temagami, or a nearby street in Thibeault Terrace.

Your phone's map can drop a pin if you are not sure. Before a winter trip, check Ontario 511 for closures and road cameras, or dial 511 for the hands-free voice service.

What do other drivers owe you while you wait?

Ontario's move-over law protects the tow truck on the shoulder. When a tow truck is stopped with its amber lights flashing, drivers on that side must slow down and pass with caution. If there are two or more lanes their way, they must move over a lane when it's safe. That protects your driver while they hook up your car on the hill. Stay in your car until they tell you it's time to move.

Ontario also gives you rights for any tow. Unless police or an official started the tow, your consent is required first. You choose the company and where the car goes. You get an itemized bill and your choice of how to pay.

How does Sentinel help near North Bay?

Sentinel Towing is a towing and roadside network that runs 24 hours. A vetted local partner tow company does the job. We text you a locked price before anyone is sent. Then we check on you by text until your driver arrives, and send their name, photo and truck. That's our Stay-With-You Promise. You can track your truck as it comes up Highway 11. For more on the roads around town, see the North Bay towing page.

Stuck right now? Call 1-888-TOW-1213, or request help online.

Thibeault Hill Questions

Rules change, so check the official source before you rely on it. Sources: MTO driver's handbook: emergencies, MTO driver's handbook: night and bad weather, MTO driver's handbook: particular situations, Ontario: winter driving, Ontario Highway Traffic Act, Ontario: your rights when getting a tow, City of North Bay: when it snows, Ontario 511, Environment Canada normals, North Bay airport.