Please think of others when on the road

Same thoughts as Brian. How tempting is it to go to 110 when sign posted in NSW.

hi noosa fox
i agree with your theory went to busselton yesterday and the same thing is happening here wa
one of those hippy wicked hire type vans was tootling along at 80 on the single lane each way section and there was a great line of traffic built up for nearly 1 km
behind it and as soon as he got to the double overtake section he wound it up to 110 and only those that went to fast got past him and then he slowed right back down again for the narrow section
like you said there seems to be a lack of confidence in their ability to drive on the single lane rd
or else they just like giving everyone the sh-ir----+++its
cheers

Let's face it, they do the same thing every day to / from work or to the shops on a weekend. Thoughtless is a mindset, not something reserved for holidays. Either that or they haven't found the rear view mirror yet.
Cheers,
Vicki

Di and Bruce

Unfortunatly you appear to be the minority,
I know there may be several follow-ups of others also doing the right thing but this is not evident on the open road. On my travels I see sooo many caravanners sitting on 80 or 90 with zero regad for the que behind them! Also on our outback Qld travels, we so often see an open and safe road, but they are sitting on 80 with frustrated road trains behind them!
CJ

My point really was there are many caravaners who can travel at the speed limit and seem to do so quite safely (obviously they slow up for hills etc..). The good caravaners seem to also not have a problem finding somewhere safe to pull over to the side, to allow a build up of traffic behind them to pass.

Perhaps those that feel unsafe travelling with the traffic flow should have a hard look at their driving skills and perhaps do a towing course. Alternately travel on routes or at times that don't disrupt traffic.

Those that speed up on passing lanes are just fools.

You raise a very good point about lack of places to pull over. The problem is made worse by the excessive use of the unbroken dividing lines at the centre of the road. Unless you can pull far enough to the left to provide a full vehicle width you are only inviting other drivers to break the law. We need a whole lot more passing lanes on single lane roads - and more rest areas that are not in towns.
Cheers,
Kevin

Another factor is that in most states a caravan and tow vehicle with a mass of 4.5 tonnes cannot travel at more then 100km per hour. So even if the posted speed limit is 110km/hour the driver would be breaking the law.

It's also surprising how many drivers do not realise that if a caravan is displaying a sign, DO NOT OVERTAKE TURNING VEHICLE, that is exactly what it means and the law allows them to use more than one lane if necessary. Of course they have to be 7.5 metres or more combined length.

Di and Bruce

But there is no expectation that they travel at more than 100km/hour. It is travelling at 70k in 100 zones and not having the manners to allow traffic to pass when possible.

110 limits are either dual carrage way or long straight country roads so who cares what speed they do.

I agree Rod, recently travelled The Thunderbolts Way from Walcha to Gloucester, NSW, pulling a 20 ft caravan. This a mainly narrow single lane road in each direction, with no overtaking lanes on the south bound lane and no rest areas.
There are very few opportunities to pull off the road safely to let vehicles pass.
On a section of winding road with double lines most of the time I was travelling at about 85 km/hr and had a build up of six vehicles behind me, then a small section of no more than 500 meters of broken line where I slowed a little to let a couple of cars past, guess what idiot!! in car seven came from the rear and over took all just making it back over the double line in front of me and missing an oncoming car by meters?
Why do people risks their lives and others for a few minutes, fortunately I managed to find a farm entrance and pulled in to let the rest pass with many toots and waves from more sensible drivers.
cheers,
JJ

Why?
Because they get frustrated byon belief by slow drivers causing this in the first place.
Not condoning the actions of that driver, but you opened the door. Read the original post again - not having a go at you but fact is it causes frustration to all following
CJ

Good point Rod
One of my rigs (towing veh and van) weighs 8t. On flat open roads with sweeping curves, I travel at 95 to 100 kph, slowing and at times pulling off where appropriate and possible to facilitate overtaking. On hilly and winding roads, my speed is often far less than the speed limit and if possible, I pull over part way up and/or at the top of the hill to let people pass.
I rarely, if ever, get any acknowledgement from those I assist in this way (trucks excepted), with drivers from some states worse than others. Despite this and muttering under my breath, I continue to do it.
Now to a possible contentious point. We have a choice how we react to being delayed. For example, we could accept the situation and take the opportunity to just relax a bit and wait for an opportunity to pass. Or pull over for a unscheduled and maybe earlier break. Or whatever. Because frustration/anger can lead to high blood pressure, aggresive behaviour and impaired judgement - this in turn could lead to an accident with serious injury or death.
When I find myself in this situation - yes, I find myself delayed by slower vehicles at times - I say to myself, is it really worth it for, say at the worst, a 10 minute delay in an 8 hour drive?
Cheers
Andrew

PS when i was in the police we were not concerned about slow drivers but we were very aware of the stupid, inconsiderate and down right dangerous things impatient thoughtless drivers do to get get past.

Sorry mate, but that is why so many people get offside with the highway patrol...
Concentrate on the speeders....but don't understand ( or care ) why they do it ?
Other countries fine slow drivers....here we almost encourage it ??

Sure there are always ratbags on the roads, but I think you'll find there is a clause in the rules relating to holding up the traffic and the need to pull over and let them pass !!!......have you ever booked someone for that ??? I'll bet not !! far easier to get the quota for booking a speedster !!

If someone can't travel at the speed limit due to weight or power of their tow vehicle, then that's OK, but when someone doesn't want to travel at the limit cause they just don't want to....then that is selfish..

By the way, I tow a small van, but I'll sit on the speed limit, and if someone comes up behind exeeding the limit, I'll do my best to let him past as best I can..

Hi Gronk,
Their is NO excuse for speeding. And their is no law that says you must travel at the speed limit.
If you live in Sydney, I'd like you to try and do the speed limit down the M4 at say 7.30 am and see how far you get. Drive to the conditions not the limit.
Andy

Thank God finally some common sense from Terra'Mer and Andy

So the limit, I repeat LIMIT, is 100 and someone who for whatever reason, maybe feel that particular piece of road is safer for them at 80 or 90 has to speed up just to meet your expectations.
Would you rather get yourself into such a state that overtaking in an unsafe place is better than waiting for a better area.

Chill out.

Pop

Andy
Yes it is your prerogative to sit at 10 to 20 km/hr under the speed limit, but it is my prerogative to drive at the speed limit, and when others wanting to do that queue up behind you let them pass!
Thats all.

I agree with you, it is the maximum at which you are allowed to drive & is not mandatory.
This subject has almost become a weekly rant!

Yeah, right on Shaker.

Yes CseaJay not sure about prerogative but you certainly have the right to travel at the speed limit. Providing that road, weather, traffic conditions or whatever are favourable. The speed limit is posted to suit optimal conditions.
I agree that those who wish/need/have no choice but to travel slower should give following traffic every opportunity to pass, it's the curtious thing to do.

Cheers
Pop

What right do you have to determine what speed I travel on the road. It is this attitude that I am complaining about. there are many many more drivers who want and expect to be able to drive at the speed limit but are prevented by fool like you.

Why should I have to drive along "smelling the roses" and arrive later than I need to just because of you lack of driving ability.

Why can lots of drivers with caravans travel at the speed limit but you are unwilling or unable to do so.

I suspect that it has nothing to do with driving safely just you are such tight ar..ses that you want to save on fuel costs and bugger everyone else on the road. again I repeat many drivers with caravans can drive quite comfortably at the sped limit why cant you?????

I think it is just utter selfishness.

bks,
I have every right to drive on the road. I hold a HR licence and if you don't like the speed I'm doing well you can overtake me.
What right do you have to tell me what speed I travel at.
So your statement that we are all fools if we don't drive at the speed limit, well their are a lot of fools out there at 7.00am on the M4 doing around 25 to 30 kph on a freeway with a speed limit 110kph. Please explain why they are not doing 110kph.
I have the right to drive at the speed that I determined to be safe and if you want to overtake under the road rules you can as long as it is done safely. I have no problem with someone wanting to do the speed limit, you will just have to wait till it is safe to do so.
It is people like you who get inpaintant and take risks to get to your destination as quick as they can.
Example; I was driving the Pacific Hwy Port Macquarie to Sydney and this fool overtook me 3 times during the trip. He was stopped by police the first time, he pulled over and got something to eat the second time, he got fuel the third time, and when I stopped at the lights at Hexham he was beside me. So why overtake did he get there any quicker.
Lesson: hare and the tortoise.
To answer your question (Why can lots of drivers with caravans travel at the speed limit but you are unwilling or unable to do so) Well I don't have the need for speed. We share the road, you do not own the road like you would like us to think.
Andy

Oh if you don't know the meaning of impatient this is from the Webster's dictionary:
Definition of IMPATIENT

1
a : not patient : restless or short of temper especially under irritation, delay, or opposition
b : intolerant 1
I believe that when your restless you should pullover and take a break, It's a sign of fatigue.

Thank you for you support. I find it amazing the way they are trying to justify inconveniencing large numbers of other drivers just because it suits them.

The arguments they put up about safety are just wrong. It is not hoons speeding along that are being inconvenienced just normal drivers who expect to be able to travel on the roads at the legal speed limit. I am not expecting them to break the speed limit as has been suggested just show some courtesy to the rest of the drivers.

As I keep repeating why can most Caravans travel along with the flow of the traffic, pull over occasionally or not speed up in the overtaking lanes to let traffic past. Yet these few seem to not be able too or worse feel justified in not doing so.

Pretty much what you said Michael.

I'm sitting here reading all this stuff and have been advocating to chill out a bit people, what's more important arriving safely or being "DEAD on time"
Unfortunatly I am finding myself getting a bit hot under the collar with comments to the effect "get out of my way, I have the right to travel faster than you regardless".
Yes I have encountered heavy vehicles, and not just trucks, grinding their way up steep gradients because their weight will not let them go any faster.
Yes I have encountered heavy vehicles, and once again not just trucks, grinding their way down steep gradients and using low gears because they don't want to burn out their brakes so they don't have any in an emergency.
And yes I have encountered vehicles, not just trucks, travelling slower than me on flat roads. You know what, that's just the way it is. They have as much right to the road as I do.
I tow my van at a speedo indicated 94-96 kph. I know that I am actually doing about 90 kph. You want to go faster, be my guest, just overtake. I don't speed up just because the road is now straight.
I don't speed up when an overtaking lane comes along, in fact I slow a bit if there is traffic behind me to let them pass. Yes I agree it is ignorant not to do so.
I keep an eye on my mirrors so I can contact a truck that is behind me and let them know I will try to assist by slowing when they pull out and not before.
That's how I drive, that's what I will continue to do.
You don't like it....well as Ma Sheela once said...."tough titties"

Have a nice day
Pop

PoP! We often see on the news and on the road, cars mangled and people and whole families dead.. Driver error.... NO driver stupidity! Mostly bad driving behaviour, speeding, overtaking in stupid situations etc. Some just cant wait the 5ks till the next overtaking lane. People who dont like the way normal, competent and responsible drivers behavior on the road, should take a Coach and let the Coach driver worry about other drivers on the road. Michael

NSW Road slogan "The road is there to share".