Now we have the hate everything and everyone discussion, here is a problem that is becoming more of a problem on the road train routes.
Bear with me as I make a short story long. We left Barkly this morning before dawn headed for the Isa. The main reason was to get an hour or two in before we had to push the wind. On leaving there was a roadtrain also about to leave and it took to
Avon Downs before he came up behind. Now I was travelling at 90 kph and he was pulling empty trailers, so he was up on 100 kph. Simple radio talk from me was, I will lift my speed until it is clear for you to pass and when you are out there I will ease. job was done with no hassles and both of us were happy.
At this time we pulled into
Avon downs rest stop so my lovely wife could visit our gold plated loo.
Well off we went still doing 90 and me watching my auto gearbox temps in case the head winds sent them soaring. All was good with the temp sitting between 97 and 98c.
We cruised through
Camooweal and noticed vans/ camper trailers and vehicles parked on the truck
parking pad. I commented to the missus about this as some were parked in a way that could cause problems for road trains entering the pad.
Slipping along at our 90kph we came across a bit of roadkill down in the table drain with no less than 8 wedges having a feed. Now by the lack of road kill I think they were doing it tough this year. Bear with me, one of the great things about travelling a little slower, is you are relaxed and can back off before you hit one of these magnificent birds. For the uneducated a Wedgetail Eagle takes a long time to get mobile as 1. He will sit on his pray until the last moment and 2. he or she is not a swift.
Now having bored you all to death I will get back to the heading of the story. Twenty something K's out of the Isa a road train comes up behind, I says I will lift my speed Blah! Blah! Blah! to which the answer was didn't I pass you at
Avon Downs. Yep I said and he came back with you must have had a short stop as I just stopped at
Camooweal for 15 mins. I said yep, short stop and I still hadn't changed my 90 kph speed. 450 K and the train was travelling at 100kph. Not that this would happen once he crossed the border into Qld.
Now to cut to the chase. Got talking on the radio and I mentioned the sprawl of parked vehicles on their truck pad and he said yep it is a problem. Now we are here at the start.
The driver Laurie told me that he had pulled into a truck
parking bay the night before but the truck in front was to far back for him to get his trailers off the road properly. He backed out and then flung out WHY. 2 caravans a camper trailer and 2 vehicles. Now he has to find another spot that will be up to 50k further on. I know exactly what this can be like.
What I am saying is, everyone for god sake be tolerant of others and respect each others rights on the road.