PLEASE SLOW DOWN WHEN PASSING ON DIRT ROADS
Submitted: Thursday, Jun 22, 2006 at 21:48
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sdr00y
Seems that now the roads are better, vehicles are better, air conditioned etc, that no-one gives much consideration to anyone else when passing any more. (I'm not talking about overtaking either, just passing someone coming the other way.)
The roads are good so people driver quicker.
Cars are good so people drive quicker.
Cars are air conditioned therefore people don't have to breathe in the dust.
Cars are more powerful so people tow their trailers (camper or boat).
Because we were early heading north, we passed hardly anyone on our way up. When we were returning south from the cape, we passed more cars towing trailers in one day that the total of vehicles for the whole trip. I think we passed maybe 35 to 40 vehicles all heading north, 20 + with trailers.
Problem was that everyone is stuck in thier own little world of their car and thinking nothing but.... get to the cape... got to go fishing... find the best camping spot... MUST BEAT EVERYONE ELSE.
NOT ONE OF THE TRAILER TOWING VEHICLES WE PASSED SLOWED DOWN.
Now they might be fine in their A/C cabin, with the stone guard on the trailer, BUT WHAT ABOUT THE POOR BUGGER YOU JUST WENT PAST AT 80 OR 100KPH???
Has everyone forgotten about stones being thrown up by tyres? No one has any consideration about "the other bloke" anymore. When passing other vehicles on dirt roads, please slow down. It is not like you can not see oncoming vehicles. Slowing down minimises busted windscreens, chipped vehicles and faces full of dust.
Other than that I had a great trip.
Reply By: Peter 2 - Thursday, Jun 22, 2006 at 21:57
Thursday, Jun 22, 2006 at 21:57
We've found the same especially when there are a group/convoy of vehicles going the other way.
Just give the kids a handful of rocks each to lob at them as they scream past!!!
(the last bit was said in jest!)
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Follow Up By: atoyot - Thursday, Jun 22, 2006 at 22:12
Thursday, Jun 22, 2006 at 22:12
Don't worry; there's enough in-considerate drivers around for everyone to cop some. When they're coming back down, they'll run into some just like themselves (unfortunately, I wasn't jesting; it's a sad fact.
:^(
Andrew
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Reply By: Des Lexic - Thursday, Jun 22, 2006 at 22:13
Thursday, Jun 22, 2006 at 22:13
Thats why the Telegraph track is the best way to go. They can't drive that fast although they can still be an arogant mob of pr...s
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Reply By: Muddy doe (SA) - Thursday, Jun 22, 2006 at 22:25
Thursday, Jun 22, 2006 at 22:25
Before I got my Prado I had a Honda Civic. I took this for a trip through
Brachina Gorge in the Central Flinders and then up to
Blinman and to Parachilna.
As I was coming out the Parachina road to the Hwy which is a fairly straight good gravel road I had a convoy of 4by's approach. I remember it
well. It was a convoy of around 10 dark coloured 100 series cruisers all decked out with the latest ARB gear (bars, racks, wheel carriers ect) and the whole convoy was doing about 80 to 100km/h and right up each others butts. I pulled off the road and stopped and the car was still pelted with stones and the dust was incredible.
I have never seen anything like it and remember thinking "what a bunch of arrogant tossers". Now that I have had a 4by for a couple of years and have had a chance to participate in a few club convoy trips I am thinking that this convoy was likely a magazine or media run or something as they seemed to be all the latest vehicles with all the fruit on them and had no idea of road manners at all. Just the driving style seemed to say "Get out the way!!!!". Club trippers tend to be brainy enough to stay out of each others dust cloud as
well!
More generally speaking I too have noticed that while some people will slow up a bit when passing on stony or dusty roads there are a lot that just fly past with zero regard for others. Best we can do is to drive as you would like others to drive and hope it rubs off....
Muddy
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Reply By: Muddies Doe(Trippn) - Thursday, Jun 22, 2006 at 22:32
Thursday, Jun 22, 2006 at 22:32
Hi SdrOOy
Yeap and as they improve (widen) the roads to the Cape more idiots like them will go!!!
I found (3 times to the Cape and one almost to the Cape) it doesn't matter if they have trailers or not.
Everyone wants to be there yesterday, leave the same day and stuff who is on the same road as them!!!
The OTL is the way to go but you still have the roads before the turnoff and the Nth bypass road to the tip and in when you do it in reverse.
So it will only get worse as more idiots go that don't allow enough time or choose to SLOW DOWN.
Noone gives themselves enough time to enjoy the trip up and back, there is soooooooooo much to enjoy!!!
Can't wait to take Muddy there!!!
Cya
:)
I am Muddy's Other Half
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Reply By: Sand Man (SA) - Thursday, Jun 22, 2006 at 22:37
Thursday, Jun 22, 2006 at 22:37
Try flashing your lights at them to indicate they are approaching a
hazard. (or policeman) It usually works.
I found the opposite recently on the
Oodnadatta Track.
Of all the vehicles approaching, including one road train, everyone slowed down to 50-60 kph as we passed each other and gave each other the finger wave. Just common safety and courtesy I thought.
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Follow Up By: atoyot - Thursday, Jun 22, 2006 at 23:12
Thursday, Jun 22, 2006 at 23:12
I thought I was the only one who flashed lights at those approaching at speed! Never tried it in convoy, but if the first one in the line reacted like I've seen some hoons react, then there's gonna be some rear-ending going on.
I'm afraid DILLIGAF is in our driving culture these days and evidence of it is in the type of inconsiderate behaviour and discourtesy we see on the road everyday. Common safety and courtesy just don't exist much, just like common sense.
Drivers need to learn all of these things
well before they become drivers, when they're learning social skills from almost the year dot. If they don't have those skills before they get their drivers licence, what chance of education? specially when they are relatively anonymous in a vehicle.
My kids learn by my example; I just hope it is a good enough example for them to follow.
Andrew
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Follow Up By: Member - JohnR (Vic)&Moses - Thursday, Jun 22, 2006 at 23:27
Thursday, Jun 22, 2006 at 23:27
Sandman, we were there the same week and found it much the same as you did. Even to the extent of being right the other side of the road to the passing vehicle. One ambulance followed but as it approached it then dropped back to lower than our speed and then we let it go when we changed drivers.
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Follow Up By: Sand Man (SA) - Friday, Jun 23, 2006 at 17:24
Friday, Jun 23, 2006 at 17:24
Hi
John,
Yes, you are right about the other side of the Track.
It is quite a wide "highway" isn't it?
Bill.
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Reply By: ev700 - Thursday, Jun 22, 2006 at 22:48
Thursday, Jun 22, 2006 at 22:48
Good thread.
The culture has changed: there is too much emphasis on individual rights and stuff all concern for the community.
Raising the issue in fourby sites and in magazines must go some way towards improving things. I'd like State Tourism to promote better courtesy on the roads (and better care of the environment) - maybe by handing out pens with simple messages.
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Follow Up By: Sand Man (SA) - Friday, Jun 23, 2006 at 17:30
Friday, Jun 23, 2006 at 17:30
I'm not so sure about the promotion of courtesy.
Those that demonstrate courtesy do it as part of their own inbred "culture". It was taught to most of us as we grew up.
If someone doesn't have it, then in my opinion, promotion is wasted on them.
Once an @rsehole, always an @rsehole!
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Reply By: Member - andrew B (Kununurra) - Thursday, Jun 22, 2006 at 22:57
Thursday, Jun 22, 2006 at 22:57
Yep, just experienced the same myself on the Gibb and the
Kalumburu rd. Worst I'd seen, and the worst was from a couple of tour operators and that bloody convoy of bashers. they may be dooing good charity work, but they were nothing more than a PITA. Its not good, but funny when you see tham changing tyres etc not long after they have barged passed!
Cheers Andrew.
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Follow Up By: Des Lexic - Thursday, Jun 22, 2006 at 23:16
Thursday, Jun 22, 2006 at 23:16
Got to agree with you Andrew about the bashes. Don't give a rats about anyone else. They don't get money from our club members anymore from their behaviour. Have tried to communicate our displeasure over the radio and was told promptly to ef off from THEIR channel. Shame about the kids missing out but other charities benefit now..
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Reply By: Ando79 - Friday, Jun 23, 2006 at 08:03
Friday, Jun 23, 2006 at 08:03
Too many city boys with their new toys who have no idea about driving on gravel. It's just ignorance more than rudeness. Let a few road trains fling some boulders up at their windscreens and they'll work it out.
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Reply By: Footloose - Friday, Jun 23, 2006 at 08:26
Friday, Jun 23, 2006 at 08:26
I leave in a week on a 12000k trip. Just reading your posts almost makes me have second thoughts.
I usually drive in the bush with my lights on, and am the first vehicle to slow down and pull off to the side, especially on one laned tar. If it's a road train I pull off and stop. I know I wont be able to see a following vehicle behind the train because of the dust.
If there's a blind corner I always expect someone to come charging around on the wrong side of the track.
Part of the problem is the perceived lack of time. People expect to get from A to B in exactly X number of days. I always leave a couple of days up my sleeve in case of breakdowns etc. I might take more time, but I'll bet that I enjoy the trip a hell of a lot more than some poor tour operator whose clients have to catch a plane at the end of the journey.
And yes, there's often a seige mentality among groups, especially charity groups. Many go along to achieve specific objectives which are quite different to those of the average responsible 4wder.
In fact I do some work for one of the major charity groups, and refuse to go along on their trips. Not because they do bad things, but because I like to enjoy my time in the bush. Being hald sozzled and running to a strict timetable with a bunch of newbies isn't my idea of fun.
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Reply By: Mike Harding - Friday, Jun 23, 2006 at 08:39
Friday, Jun 23, 2006 at 08:39
A year or so ago a group of acquaintances did the trip from
Melbourne to the top of The Cape and back in three weeks! When you set yourself stupid timescales like that I guess you have no option but to drive like a twat.
Most people have limited holidays from work so why don't they set more realistic targets and go somewhere closer or save their holidays up until they have enough time to do the big trips - I'm sure they would have a much more pleasant time than being stressed out of their minds each day trying to maintain a very tight schedule or is it simply because they want to be able to say "When I went to The Cape... [yawn]"
Mike Harding
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Reply By: andymitch - Friday, Jun 23, 2006 at 13:46
Friday, Jun 23, 2006 at 13:46
We are planning to go up to
Cape York next year (would have liked to done it this year but family commitments have made that impossible) and have been tossing up wheather to go on our own or go with a tour group. With what I am reading these groups seem to do it fast. I like the idea of security with the group but don't like the idea of going hell for leather. Would appreciate some import from Eric or Rob and also those who have done it on their own. Time will not be to much of a problem.
Andy
AnswerID:
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Reply By: Joombi - Saturday, Jun 24, 2006 at 20:04
Saturday, Jun 24, 2006 at 20:04
The worst offenders are the locals to the area that travel that road all the time, usually property owners, its accepted that windscreens are covered by insurance & they are going to only have that cruiser for another 6 months anyway before they get a newie.
the best people I have found are the tourists with their vans, most of them do pull up clean off the road giving you the lot so they dont get peppered, so the whole townie thing is blown clean out the window, up here anyway.
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Reply By: Ronnie - Monday, Jun 26, 2006 at 17:50
Monday, Jun 26, 2006 at 17:50
What I do if it is a straight road and they do not look like slowing down I start moving to their side. slows them every time.
Regards Ronnie
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