DUNE FLAGS Please!!!

Yes it's ch10 UHF. Sand flags should also be flown when travelling in less populated remote areas if possible. They tend to catch the eye of the tired driver who thinks that he/she's the only one within 500K ! I also leave my lights on low beam, especially recommended if you have a darker coloured vehicle.

Yes I agree that dune flags are a must and should be made compulsory.
They can be purchased at any pushbike shop as a flag for the humble 2 wheeler. Mine is attached to the roof rack giving approx 12ft or 3mtr height above ground level.
Simple n cheap.

It's a great safety issue that you've raised but how can you expect people to comply with something as simple as a dune flag when a lot wouldn't even know what one is. Not everyone with a 4wd thinks much of safety when they get out into the bush. They wonder why elements of the community constantly raise issues of safety of 4 wheel drives. Perhaps that's why there's lots of accidents (inc. fatals) on bush/outback tracks. Put it down to indifference, stupidty, lack of knowledge, irresponsibility, recklesness etc. Regularly hear people whinging about speed limits, seat belts, illegal vehicle modifications when they get picked up. Reall, what hope is there ! Not much me thinks.

We came up with an Idea aftera couple of near misses out there a few years back, make it that desert passes are only available at Birdsville, Mt dare and Oodna and if you can't show you have a Flag you have to purchase one or not get the pass.

I know it is a bit of the Big brother thingy but if we don't get it enforced now they will end up closing it unless you are in a Tag-Along or some other organised (insured) event.

Signman

Slightly off the point, but the mechanic across the road from the pub had a good supply of flags (Outback Ideas). Last time I spoke to him, he was complaining that he wasn't selling any of them.

I pointed out to him that it would probably help if they were put on display, or a sign placed on the window.

Agree with what your saying about sand flags. I've noticed a few Government Departments are starting to put flags on their vehicles over the last couple of years.

Regards

Kim

having travelled through the simpson desert on three occasions before i have found that the darker the the flag,such as black,and off good size are far better than those irridesent red or orange flags.why? i'm glad you asked.what colour is the sand,red ,orange,the black or darker flags seem to break the contrast.just my two bobs worth, have a good night to all....haysie222

While we are on the topic, I have a 6 metre wog pole as my flag pole, how durable are they out there?, they are very light, just trying to figure out if I'll need a backup.
NickR

Signman
I seen some great flag sticks the other day at Capricorn Roadhouse near Newman WA , one had Red LEDs on top just above the flag , now I had seen them at K&N 4x4 at Canningvale just after they come on the market, I thought even then that they would be good for the dunes, and the LED would be handy at nights when sleeping in Parking bays , the Roo shooters in NW - Qld would be able to see it............yeh ok I know what your all gonna say....lol

We just returned from the simpson and yes there is alot without sandflags. We had a close call on the QAA with some older folks, also carrying dogs which I thought weren't allowed into the NP. I spoke my mind to them but they just ignored it and continued on.
It makes all the difference when you have one and should be compulsory.
All the quarries around Penrith use them now.

Did the simpson 3 years ago. After reading the NP book at Dalhousie I did not have a flag so I thought I should do something. Grabbed a red Tshirt I had in the ute and erected a tent pole and used duct tape to hold the Tshirt.
From Dalhousie to Poepell I came accross 1 vehicle only.

Some good comments put forward but:-

Firstly, there is no mandatory regulation that sand flags must be used.
Sure, it's a good idea and we all know the benefits but you can't police something that there is no law for.

The Desert Pass booklet does not mention the use of sand flags at all.

Making a requirement that Desert Passes are only available at Birdsville, Mt dare and Oodnadatta is not logical. The Desert Parks Pass is for use throughout South Australia for all National Parks so the Pass needs to be readily available from multiple sources throughout the State, like it is now.
Also, part of the Simpson Desert lies within Queensland's jurisdiction and for which the Pass does not apply.

So, it gets down to common sense and just plain logic, which sadly is lacking all too often.

Some wankers will use the fact that they are "flying the flag" to attempt cresting a dune as fast as possible, with all four wheels off the deck.

Introducing rules such as mandatory use of sand flags will not achieve much at all.
What happens if you genuinely break, or lose your flag. Does that mean you are stuck there. You can't progress forward and similarly cannot go back because you won't have the mandatory flag. And who polices it out in the middle of the Simpson?

Education of safe driving practises is the only logical answer, but it would need to be broadcast "Ad nauseam" until it sinks into everyone's brain, no matter how many (or few) cells they have. Even then, you will always have those who "forgot to pack it".

Unfortunately it seems, there is no final solution.

Gentleman

You all need to take a deep breath so what if in the info theres nothing to say with using a flag
"ITS COMMON SENCE " to use one
i just came back from crossing it for the 3rd time and we only saw one troopy at poeppel corners but i still had a flag on and was scanning channel 10 last thing you want all the way out there is another 4wd planted in your radiator

Glenn...

Brad Newnham sells some nice ones for $69 ...

Site Link

Cheers
Andrew who notes he's a great bloke too.

We were at Poeppels Corner a couple of years ago and were roundly berated by a young lady for having a bunch of vehicles without sand flags. She really went off at us. When she settled a little, we told her we'd come down the Hay River and were heading south along the K1 Line. None of that sunk in - she'd never heard of the Hay River, and had no idea where the K1 Line went. For her education, we showed her a map, pointed out where we'd come from and where we were heading and that were were crossing very little in the way of dunes, and in any case, the lead vehicle did have a sand flag. Not sure whether she understood.