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Beach Ettiquette

Submitted: Thursday, Jul 01, 2004 at 20:20

Swerv

Here's one for all those people who just luv taking the 4by up onto the beach.

When I got my first 4by back in '82 I took it up to Rainbow Beach and at the time you would have been lucky to see maybe 500 vehicles in a day (compared to now, especially public holidays you see roughly five thousand) give or take.

What I have noticed is that when travelling along the beach way back then, there was an unwritten rule to indicate to warn the vehicle that you were approaching that you would be either passing left(more likely) or right of his intended path.

Just lately, the few times that I have been up around that way, this seems to be a dying art. Is it because people are not educated in the old ways anymore or do people see it as an inconvienience.

I personally do indicate as well as turn my headlights on when travelling along the beach even in daylight. This is another thing that people often forget. I find that it is easier to see a vehicle coming down the beach in daylight with the headlights on especially when there is a heavy mist coming off the surf.

Okay here is the question that you've all been waiting for..... am I being overly safety conscious or is it a point of telling someone who cares.

Lets hear your thoughts

Swerv.......
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AnswerID: 66035   Submitted: Thursday, Jul 01, 2004 at 20:27

Member - Jiarna (SA) replied:

Sounds like common sense to me. Unfortunately that's becoming less common these days!!

Cheers
John
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Reply 1 of 10
FollowupID: 326867   Submitted: Thursday, Jul 01, 2004 at 20:34

Member - Pesty (SA) posted:

Common sense is needed everwhere, but unfortunatley some leave it at home so they dont wear it out !!

Is that how it is at the beach at Oodna these days John, ah well at least you have the sand !! LOL

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FollowupID: 326871   Submitted: Thursday, Jul 01, 2004 at 20:42

Member - Jiarna (SA) posted:

Our beach is at Alberga Creek 50km N of Oodnadatta. It's a great place for kids as it has a sandy bottom, unlike most waterholes up here which are sticky clay. Now that we've had some rain, the waterholes have water in them!!

As for coping with traffic, I've never seen anyone else when I've camped there. It's not on tourist maps. Just have to give way to the cattle!!

Cheers
John
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AnswerID: 66042   Submitted: Thursday, Jul 01, 2004 at 20:43

Willem replied:

Geez I am pleased I went up Rainbow Beach in '77...saw maybe 5 vehicles. Went again in 82 and there were a few more around. I remember something of the beach etiquette. Today, basically, people are uneducated in etiquette...just look at table manners or other manners for that matter.

Maybe if you point the beach etiquette out to other beach users it might catch on again. There is nothing like getting on the band wagon
Karoo Jackal
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Willem

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Reply 2 of 10
AnswerID: 66044   Submitted: Thursday, Jul 01, 2004 at 20:48

Allan Mac (VIC) replied:

Like you Willem,
We were on Rainbow 2 years ago and it was like the drag strips at the back of Dandenong Industrial Estates. It was so bad I packed my bags & got off the place. Next time I'm up that way I wont be bothering about Rainbow Beach
Reply 3 of 10
FollowupID: 326886   Submitted: Thursday, Jul 01, 2004 at 21:01

Swerv posted:

Gidday Allen

As I said I was up there just recently and the first night I camped up on Teewah Sands. I actually stayed there a few days and was literally gobsmacked at the number of 4WD's up on the beach. The ferry that goes across the Noosa River takes roughly 5 mins to load up with anything up to ten vehicles and to get across to the other side. Where I was camped, you could tell how the ferry was travelling. Approximately every five minutes there was a convoy of anywhere between 5 and 10 vehicles going past. This kept on until midnight.

The day I moved on from that spot, I drove north along the campground and to my surprise there was only about 10 to 15 feet separating each group of happy campers. I though this was ridiculous and got the hell out there.

The thing that amazed me the most was the amount of people who were driving along the beach with a stubby in hand. The whole time I was there I didn't see on copper.....

Merv
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AnswerID: 66048   Submitted: Thursday, Jul 01, 2004 at 20:53

Sparkie replied:

Just today I was driving on a sandtrack in Burrum Coast National Park and someone came flying around the corner in a bigarse 4wd driving like the devil himself was after him. As he went around the corner( sand extremely soft) the sand grabbed his tyres and sent him directly in my path( only stopped just in time).He gave a quick wave and Tried racing off again.While my heart was coming down to normal it seemed that although I am a Newbie at this I was going to be more carefull about driving these tracks. My point is I did not think to turn my lights on or indicating which way I am going to go on the track.

Consider me a person who cares and will take this little bit of knowledge as a quick lesson on beach behaviour.

Sparkie(IE not Y) ;-)
Reply 4 of 10
FollowupID: 326887   Submitted: Thursday, Jul 01, 2004 at 21:02

Member - Jiarna (SA) posted:

Reminds me of my close call on the way home from my last trip. Coming up the Oodnadatta Track and came within a bee's whisker of being cleaned up head-on by a relieving copper who was returning from Oodnadatta to Marree. He was going 'a little briskly' and got it nicely sideways getting over to his side of the track on a crest. Didn't use indicators either! Wonder about skid marks 8-)

Cheers
John
Crossing the Palmer River on Cape York
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Those who say something cannot be done should not interrupt the person doing it.
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FollowupID: 326889   Submitted: Thursday, Jul 01, 2004 at 21:06

Swerv posted:

Sparkie

The hard won lessons are the ones you never forget.

Speaking from experience....

Merv
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FollowupID: 327079   Submitted: Saturday, Jul 03, 2004 at 00:22

Tim HJ61 posted:

Isn't experience something you get just after you needed it? :-)

Tim
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AnswerID: 66053   Submitted: Thursday, Jul 01, 2004 at 21:11

jp replied:

Swerve, Problem is that every hoon is now able to buy a 4x4 and that gives them the right to drive thru camp sites , speed on the beach,do doughnuts and upset the tru 4x4ers and camper. Mr Plod,is under resourced, as is the National Parks Guys.
As regular campers and users of Cooloola Beach and Rainbow, we now only go ,mid month and not on holidays, including School. What is needed is more resources to maintain our beautifull outback. Not 6 speed cameras between Brisbane and Eumund ,Aprox 100 Ks, last month when we went up there .
Cheers
John.
Reply 5 of 10
AnswerID: 66066   Submitted: Thursday, Jul 01, 2004 at 22:02

Member - Camper (SA) replied:

Swerve,
I'm with you. Defensive driving is the key.
I'd use every means to keep myself safe. Safe that is from ruining my day by running over someones's kid or colliding with some dope who doesn't know the etiquette.
Camper
Reply 6 of 10
AnswerID: 66095   Submitted: Friday, Jul 02, 2004 at 06:55

geoff replied:

Hi Swerv,
I have found that at rainbow beach you are right and on fraser Is it is less of a problem I think because at rainbow people can just drive on the beach from the road very easy for people that dont have a clue how to drive a 4x4 on the road let a lone on the beach and on fraser Is you have to pay to get there so it keeps some of them away.

Regards Geoff
Reply 7 of 10
AnswerID: 66115   Submitted: Friday, Jul 02, 2004 at 09:43

Member - Chris M (QLD) replied:

Swerv,

Was at Rainbow 2 weeks ago and agree that the indication is a dying art. I always indicate on the beach, even if it's obvious which way you may be going...There was some really stupid Suzi drivers up there when were were there wanting to race up the beach on the way back to Tewantin. One guy must have been running a fairly quick setup and was knocking it back to second fishy'in all over the place. Guys like that give guys like us a bad name!

Trouble is, people on remember what the minority do, not the majority.

Cheers

Chris.

Reply 8 of 10
AnswerID: 66118   Submitted: Friday, Jul 02, 2004 at 09:47

Coops (Pilbara) replied:

people in general are lacking in etiquette these days.
The younger they are, the ruder, more arrogant they appear to be.

A sad reflection on society me thinks

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Reply 9 of 10
FollowupID: 326959   Submitted: Friday, Jul 02, 2004 at 10:23

Member - Wim (Bris) posted:

Coops.
I have to agree with the general lack of etiquette these days.
However I am constantly suprised a the rudeness of older people these days. I am on may way to that age group myself.

regards

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AnswerID: 66131   Submitted: Friday, Jul 02, 2004 at 12:02

Member - Jeff M (WA) replied:

I must admit I hadn't heard of the indicate thing, and on some of these beachs around WA you'd need to just leave the bugger on all the time! LOL
I always stay to the left as I thought it was the done thing. Just like walking or riding a bike on a footpath!
I do agree with "lights on". I drive with lights on all the time, whenever the engine is going, the lights are on. I think you're mad if you don't!
I think that people very much under estimate the importance of having a flag on your vehicle. With the amount of traffic on beeches and dunes now days having a tall flag on your vehicle while driving in these areas is very important.

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FollowupID: 327000   Submitted: Friday, Jul 02, 2004 at 16:52

Member - Bernard posted:

I'm with you ... headlights on all the time. It's now habit ... as soon as start up engine, turn on headlights ... city or off-road.

On the black top there are too many dark cars which are often hard to see and make it even more difficult to overtake semis and caravans.

Enjoy the the weekend everybody.
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