You just have to shake your head.
Submitted: Wednesday, Oct 10, 2007 at 09:38
ThreadID:
50411
Views:
4126
Replies:
7
FollowUps:
13
This Thread has been Archived
Steve from Top End Explorer Tours
Yesterday my car (the new one) was parked at
Jim Jim falls, another tour company pulls up with a flat tyre on a converted Canter truck, so the guide jumps on top and proceeds to throw the spare of the top.
Well guess what ??
Yep you guessed it, the tyre hits the ground and bounces straight into the side of my NEW car.
The guide was all apologetic and claims it was an accident, I mean what do you do.
So I rang the guides boss today, he is willing to get it fixed so all is good so far.
Still Shaking My Head Steve.
Reply By: Member - jdwynn (SA) - Wednesday, Oct 10, 2007 at 09:56
Wednesday, Oct 10, 2007 at 09:56
Sorry to hear about that Steve.
One born every minute!
Now if it happened in high country and tyre went for a long ride..........
JD
AnswerID:
265883
Follow Up By: Wizard1 - Wednesday, Oct 10, 2007 at 10:16
Wednesday, Oct 10, 2007 at 10:16
If you intensionally drop the tyre from the roof how can that be an accident?
Every village has its idiot.
FollowupID:
527890
Follow Up By: Steve from Top End Explorer Tours - Wednesday, Oct 10, 2007 at 10:32
Wednesday, Oct 10, 2007 at 10:32
Hey Wizard 1
After speaking to her boss it is easier to not
jump up and down and blame. As I want the car fixed and he has agreed to do it without a fuss.
I told him that if we don't have to go the insurance track that would be good with me, He agreed, as I know him personally I will take him on his word, He will get all her details as
well if it needs to go through insurance based on repair cost.
Cheers Steve.
FollowupID:
527896
Follow Up By: CLC50 - Wednesday, Oct 10, 2007 at 13:29
Wednesday, Oct 10, 2007 at 13:29
Some mothers do have them
FollowupID:
527923
Reply By: Member - extfilm (NSW) - Wednesday, Oct 10, 2007 at 09:58
Wednesday, Oct 10, 2007 at 09:58
Saw something too by a tour operator and a spare wheel which was a little distressing. In a remote place too.
The helper went to change a wheel that had a slow flat. He promptly checked to make sure the handbrake was on and in gear as he was parked on a slight
hill.
He got out the high lift jack and started jacking it up, all the while I am watching from my
camp for which I had been overrun with there pax in my
camp.
As soon as the back wheel lifted of the ground of course the truck started to roll back. The helper who did seem experienced quickly got behind the truck and tried to hold it...... Big NO NO.... Just let it go i would say.
I saw all this and quickly grabbed a log split in half I had in the back of my ute and put it behind the front wheel.
Then tour operator got in the truck and drove the thing forward to get it straight on the jack.........
Peter
AnswerID:
265884
Follow Up By: Andrew from Vivid Adventures - Wednesday, Oct 10, 2007 at 10:11
Wednesday, Oct 10, 2007 at 10:11
beautiful...
last time I was a Jim Jim a tour operator's client got out of his bent and battered troopy and caught his big toe in the bent and buggered side step - of course he only had thongs on.
Rather nasty dislocation and lots of tears and blood...
operator got out the
first aid kit which only had bandaids and panadol remaining...
Tour operators - you can't trust them!
Cheers,
Tour Operator Andrew.
FollowupID:
527888
Follow Up By: Steve from Top End Explorer Tours - Wednesday, Oct 10, 2007 at 10:25
Wednesday, Oct 10, 2007 at 10:25
Hey Andrew
Nothing has changed much.
I have a contract to shuttle people to
Twin Falls at the moment as they a building an under
water causeway at Jim Jim
creek.
Yesterday was day 9, now as you can imagine the outside of the car ( Troopy) is covered in black dust as there is no way of washing it, But the inside gets a sweep and a wipe over every afternoon.
A backpacking group got in the car yesterday and one of the girls said this is the cleanest troopy I've ever been in.
So my truck that has been in the bush for 9 days without a proper clean was cleaner than a troopy that they got picked up in on day 1.
I'm so glad that I'm out of that side of tourism these days, It was different when I did it and by the looks of it a bit more fun to.
Seriously I wouldn't let these guides wash my car let alone drive them.
Cheers Steve.
FollowupID:
527895
Follow Up By: Member No 1- Wednesday, Oct 10, 2007 at 10:52
Wednesday, Oct 10, 2007 at 10:52
"A backpacking group got in the car yesterday and one of the girls said this is the cleanest troopy I've ever been in."
jeez i'd hate to hear her comments on my pigmobile then
FollowupID:
527901
Follow Up By: Member - SKI er (NSW) - Wednesday, Oct 10, 2007 at 13:13
Wednesday, Oct 10, 2007 at 13:13
Steve,
Tell more about the "Underwater Causeway" at Jim Jim.
This is not a wind up... do we need a SCUBA
tank etc"
Jim Jim was /maybe still will be a favouite place... More info please.
SKI'er
FollowupID:
527920
Follow Up By: Steve from Top End Explorer Tours - Wednesday, Oct 10, 2007 at 13:32
Wednesday, Oct 10, 2007 at 13:32
Up till 10 years ago the crossing to
Twin Falls was a sandy bottom and about 1 to 1.2 mts deep.
10 years ago they put a concrete matting down, life span 10 years.
Last Monday they started to build a concrete causeway.
The way they are doing it is as follows, they have dammed off 1/3 of the xing, they are driving down interlocking pylon's much the same way as the would do a lock, they then back fill and put pre cast concrete slabs on top, then once they have done that section they then continue, Parks estimate 5/6 weeks, the contractors say 4 weeks and the engineer says about 9 weeks.
This will leave a flat causeway about 700mm to drive across in the dry season.
Cost approx $800000.
Cheers Steve.
FollowupID:
527924
Follow Up By: Willem - Wednesday, Oct 10, 2007 at 19:40
Wednesday, Oct 10, 2007 at 19:40
Geeeez....when I was running tours into
Twin Falls the Jim JIm
Creek crossing was half a wheel deep at the most.....and you could drive right into
Twin Falls campsite. Another tour operator and I had an understanding on which days we would go there to avoid cluttering the place. Them were the days.....1980 onwards.
Cheers
FollowupID:
527979
Reply By: Footloose - Wednesday, Oct 10, 2007 at 10:41
Wednesday, Oct 10, 2007 at 10:41
Now this is baaad. Tour people telling us how bad some (other) tour people are.
Usually they are smirking away, telling us what a ball they're having.
Next time I see a tour I'm going to be sooo confused:))))
AnswerID:
265888
Reply By: Steve from Top End Explorer Tours - Wednesday, Oct 10, 2007 at 11:57
Wednesday, Oct 10, 2007 at 11:57
I just sent a photo to a guy that has done some work for me before and he sent a quote back.
$1180, perhaps this guide will think next time.
Cheers Steve.
AnswerID:
265894
Follow Up By: Member - Stephen M (NSW) - Wednesday, Oct 10, 2007 at 12:58
Wednesday, Oct 10, 2007 at 12:58
Hi Steve, if I may ask what type of vehicle is yours ?? I must admit I dont think I would have been as nice as you obviously were. I know as they say its been done just get it fixed its not worth jumping and down about it damage is done which at the end of the day is true BUT brand new 4by !! I would at least like to be the one to put the first dent in my new vehicle, not some dic@head that obviously doesnt think before he lets loose with a spare, and yes as mentioned above did he not expect it to bounce when it hit the hard /dry ground. I know accidents happen and thats why there called exactly that "accident" but geeeze what a wally. Hope all goes ok and it gets repaired promptly and a good job done. Regards Steve M
FollowupID:
527916
Follow Up By: Member - Kiwi Kia - Wednesday, Oct 10, 2007 at 12:58
Wednesday, Oct 10, 2007 at 12:58
Thats a fair amount of money Steve.
Just in case things don't work out I would have a read of your insurance policy. You don't have to actually make a claim but you may need to notify your insurance company with in so many days of any incident. If you file a report you do not have to actually go ahead with a claim but if your 'gentlemans' agreement turns to custurd you can still go ahead with it in the future.
FollowupID:
527917
Reply By: Member - 'Lucy' - Wednesday, Oct 10, 2007 at 13:05
Wednesday, Oct 10, 2007 at 13:05
Obviously a 'bad tyre day' was had by all (LOL)
and
I bet that dude never throws a tyre off the top onto the ground again.
AnswerID:
265900
Reply By: Steve from Top End Explorer Tours - Wednesday, Oct 10, 2007 at 13:17
Wednesday, Oct 10, 2007 at 13:17
Just an up date.
I just spoke to her boss and told him the quote, He told me that we would have to go down the insurance road as his excess is $500.
We have agreed to proceed, He then asked me if she had thrown it down or did it fall off the winch, I said it had a winch? he said yes it has a winch to lower the spare.
I said she told me she throw it down.
Now this p1sses me off, had it fallen off the winch I would call that an accident, however knowing that she had that option and decided to throw it down really erks me.
Once I told him that she threw it, it sounded like it might have been her last tour.
Cheers Steve.
AnswerID:
265902
Follow Up By: Gob & Denny - Wednesday, Oct 10, 2007 at 17:35
Wednesday, Oct 10, 2007 at 17:35
goodday steve
maybe you could give her a job and then take the cost out of her pay lolololol
steve
FollowupID:
527960
Follow Up By: Member - Stephen M (NSW) - Wednesday, Oct 10, 2007 at 17:43
Wednesday, Oct 10, 2007 at 17:43
Hi Steve, maybe take Kiwi Kia's advice. Sounds like this could be a drawn out issue especially if the insurance company finds out she didnt use the winch provided and took a short cut. Either way your covered. If its going to be a drawn out process then claim on your own insurance at least you will get it fixed quicker then. Im not sure if all insurance companys are the same but I know NRMA will not hit you up for any excess or anything like they use to years ago then would refund you when they got it back from the person at fault (obviously not you).Your insurance company will chase her insurance company/or her for the excess or money if they knock back her claim due to her stupidity. Presume you got all her details licence number etc. Keep us posted on your outcome. Regards Steve M
FollowupID:
527961
Reply By: Willem - Wednesday, Oct 10, 2007 at 19:44
Wednesday, Oct 10, 2007 at 19:44
Bugga!!!!!!
I had a few small mishaps like that in
Kakadu when running tours out there. Mainly accidents but they still costa plenty in those days....lol
Cheers
AnswerID:
265958