They're towing us
https://streamable.com/57h2n

In the clip above, the couple are using the public telephone when their car is towed.
The woman shouts, "They're towing us" running toward the car.
Why does she say "They're towing us" when what is being towed is their car, not them?
And in another situation, a cable car suddenly stopped and someone said "We stalled out."
Why not "It stalled out"? Is it broken English?

Question

They're towing us
https://streamable.com/57h2n

In the clip above, the couple are using the public telephone when their car is towed.
The woman shouts, "They're towing us" running toward the car.
Why does she say "They're towing us" when what is being towed is their car, not them?
And in another situation,  a cable car suddenly stopped and someone said "We stalled out."
Why not "It stalled out"? Is it broken English?

Answer

"They're towing us" is the same as "They're towing our car".

"We stalled out" is the same as saying "It stalled out".  By using "we", the speaker is making the "stall" of the cable car a more personal thing and drawing attention to the fact *we* are stuck, rather than simply just the cable car.