Youve got to be kidding

Submitted: Sunday, May 02, 2004 at 15:44
ThreadID: 12550 Views:1585 Replies:4 FollowUps:5
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A bit late i know, but are you trying to tell me they closed the Birdsville track because of a half mill. of rain...Hope they dont get too many travellers along there at the same time, with all the toilet stops no-one would get through.
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Reply By: Member - Ruth D (QLD) - Sunday, May 02, 2004 at 16:42

Sunday, May 02, 2004 at 16:42
The Birdsville Track was not closed due to half mil rain - there was more rain just north of Mungerannie. You obviously do not travel much on outback dirt roads or you would understand what a small amount of rain can do to a road and how much damage a person in a 4 wd towing a camper trailer can do to that road after a small amount of rain. Unfortunately, road taxes go to pay for the upkeep of bitumen in cities - roads out here can sometimes only be graded once per year - and in the case of the Birdsville Track it was graded immediately following the opening of the Track after the recent floods.
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Follow Up By: Member - Bob - Monday, May 03, 2004 at 08:38

Monday, May 03, 2004 at 08:38
Ruth I agree with your comment about the effect of rain on roads, but can't agree your emphasis on the camper trailer. It is simply implausible that a pair of undriven wheels carrying a few hundred kilos can do as much, let alone more damage, than the wheels of the vehicle carrying typically 3 tonnes or more. I suspect this is part of you irrational prejudice against trailers.
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Follow Up By: Robert - Monday, May 03, 2004 at 12:13

Monday, May 03, 2004 at 12:13
Well said Bob!

I guess that if damage is being done, then people look for someone convenient to blame!
No one wants to acknowledge that maybe track damage, is simply due to the sheer numbers of people travelling.
Are some people keen to ban trailers, as they see it as a convenient means of reducing these numbers?
Perhaps some offroad trailers are inappropriate to take into these areas due to their weight. If this is the case, is it fair that all offroad trailers should be banned?
No one actually puts forward any evidence of damage, its all just hear say.
If trailers are banned and the damage continues, will vehicles then also be banned?
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Follow Up By: Member - Luxoluk - Monday, May 03, 2004 at 21:52

Monday, May 03, 2004 at 21:52
Hi Bob & Robert

I can assure you it is not a pretty sight when a 4wd with trailer gets stuck or is hunting traction to pull the mini road train along. They generally leave nothing but a mess behind for the locals to tollerate for several months to come. Put them over the sand dunes and they just stuff it up for everyone else. That's my 2 bob's worth!! Go Ruth!!!

Cheers
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Follow Up By: Robert - Tuesday, May 04, 2004 at 10:02

Tuesday, May 04, 2004 at 10:02
Hi Luxoluk,

Plenty of people towing trailers will equally tell you that no damage is done!

Who do you believe?

From my own experience towing a trailer over sand dunes, I can honestly say, that I don’t see how more damage is done whilst towing a trailer. But then my trailer was built with the weight issue in mind. Perhaps the damage you are accusing trailers of, is caused by those trailers that are inappropriate for offroad use, due to their weight. Therefore is it fair that all trailers should be banned?
And if trailers are banned and the damage continues, should vehicles then also be banned?

Finally your comment:
“I can assure you it is not a pretty sight when a 4wd with trailer gets stuck or is hunting traction”

Equally:
“It is not a pretty sight when a 4wd gets stuck or is hunting traction”

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Reply By: Member - Ruth D (QLD) - Sunday, May 02, 2004 at 17:06

Sunday, May 02, 2004 at 17:06
Get your map out Richard and have a look at the Birdsville Track which is 600 or so kilometres long. The first 300 from Birdsville to Mungerannie has only two properties - one 30 kilos south and one about 100 kilos south. It is usual that the only way to find out how much rain has fallen within this 300 kilometres is for the property owners to fly over or drive parts of it - or have tourists/travellers stuck on it and report in when they get to the nearest place. Locals know where the notorious spots are - locals also know which way the storms go around - but not even locals can predict the amount of rain that might fall in which spot. As it was, a couple of vehicles were bogged on the Track - it was Birdsville the town which received 0.6m of rain.
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Follow Up By: Richard - Sunday, May 02, 2004 at 19:20

Sunday, May 02, 2004 at 19:20
point taken, I thought the half mil. was all there was anywhere along the track. As for your first reply regarding not much outback dirt road travel, the 4by i have now which is 9 months old and done 47000 kays, at least 20000 of that would be on outback dirt roads. Not alot by your standards i spose but it is my 3rd 4wd and i do live in the city.
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Reply By: Member - Oskar(Bris) - Tuesday, May 04, 2004 at 08:48

Tuesday, May 04, 2004 at 08:48
Richard
Like many others I suppose I have travelled the "track" after rain and it really does turn into porridge very quickly.
We camped beside the road for 4 days waiting for it to dry out so as not to damage it further as traction can be almost nil at times. Towing a trailer would be almost impossible at those times so you can understand the locals being a bit touchy about people using the track when it gets wet.
We actually had to cancel part of our major trip across the Simpson because of the forced camp along the track.
The 4 day camp beside the track became a feature of our trek that ended up being one of the most enjoyable parts because of the sense of remoteness and isolation in a beautiful wilderness area.
Cheers
Oskar
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Reply By: Member- Rox - Tuesday, May 04, 2004 at 17:49

Tuesday, May 04, 2004 at 17:49
Remember that "Tom Cruise" traveled this track in a 10 ton trucks for over 20 years b4 4WD vere common. He had to keep going when it rained, adding steel plates on the sand to get forward momentem.

Ive towed my camper across river mouths in sth WA (my tyres down) with 4wd boat + trailer coming the other way all being towed by another 4WD. I had a tinny,out board all camping gear + 140lts of water & got through he needed help, its these people who don't let their tyres down that cause more damage.
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