Robe SA beaches closed!

Hi all,
Just returned from my annual trip to Beachport SA and the usual drive along the beach and dunes between Beachport and Robe.
There were way too many people with NO Flags at all or pretty poor efforts at that making cresting every dune a concern for the lead vehicle of which I was.
Its about time it was made compulsory that ALL vehicles have a flag and if you don't bad luck you cant go on these tracks.
Either there's a lot of luck that there are not many head ons or we just don't hear of them.
If you go to this area and see others with no flag make an effort to tell them to buy one if they get enough people telling them they may get the idea or stay at home.

Last thing we need is a couple of big accidents and that would be reason to close the dunes off not what we want more track closures.

Cheers
Paul.
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Reply By: Leroy - Tuesday, Jan 27, 2009 at 17:06

Tuesday, Jan 27, 2009 at 17:06
Your thread subject is a little extreme don't you think? That was the only reason I opened the thread.

Leroy
AnswerID: 346187

Follow Up By: Twinkles - Tuesday, Jan 27, 2009 at 17:45

Tuesday, Jan 27, 2009 at 17:45
Me too!
There are no closures of beaches.
I just got back from Beachport yesterday.
We use flags, but were told they weren't necessary when driving the beaches, just in the dunes at the back.
We were led by a friend from the Wattle Ranges 4x4 club. This chap is responsible for the fantastic map (of the 4x4 areas) distributed there, used by the council and many other services.
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Follow Up By: Member - Tony B (Malanda FNQ) - Tuesday, Jan 27, 2009 at 19:16

Tuesday, Jan 27, 2009 at 19:16
Leroy. I assume he cam home mad as hell from this trip and posted thus. If it makes people read all well and good. But there is a lot of people out there that will not put up a sand flag in the dunes and so it is a valid point. As said above not required on the beach, but hey if you travel from dunes to beach no harm leaving it up. I had the same problem in WA Last year, having mine up helped the people coming the other way that did not have one, but that did not warn me. Inconsiderate Fools they are. Cheers Tony
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Follow Up By: Member - Stephen L (Clare SA) - Tuesday, Jan 27, 2009 at 19:30

Tuesday, Jan 27, 2009 at 19:30
Hi Leroy
We have come across these crazy type people up Googs Track and on a few trips across the Simpson. Why they do not use sand flags leaves a lot to be desired. They are made for one reason only and that is Safety. They spend thousands on their rigs and their set ups, yet something so cheap could save big dollars in the event of a head on collision at the top of a sand dune.

Cheers

Stephen
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Follow Up By: Patrolman Pat - Tuesday, Jan 27, 2009 at 20:41

Tuesday, Jan 27, 2009 at 20:41
Twinkles posted "There are no closures of beaches. "
Road beach just out of Beachport was closed.
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Follow Up By: Leroy - Wednesday, Jan 28, 2009 at 11:02

Wednesday, Jan 28, 2009 at 11:02
I certianly don't disagree with the intention only the misleading thread name....

Wog poles with a flag are fairly inexpensive!

Leroy
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Reply By: Member - William H (WA) - Tuesday, Jan 27, 2009 at 19:28

Tuesday, Jan 27, 2009 at 19:28
Hi all.
Sounds like you azoorc (has/had) a close call on the beach and between the dunes, i can tell you it's not a pleasant feeling when two 4wd's meet on top of a dune, at speed with no red flags, as it happened to me wile working up in the north west between sand fire and Windy corner, when i was working for an OIL company, back in 82/83 and both 4wd's didn't have flags, from that day on, there were red flags put on all the 4wd's and trucks, and no more accidents.

Cheers for now......William H...from...Bunbury...WA.
AnswerID: 346209

Reply By: Patrolman Pat - Tuesday, Jan 27, 2009 at 20:40

Tuesday, Jan 27, 2009 at 20:40
I'd have to agree with azoorc, too many cars without flags and we saw so many cars bogged on beaches that drove off once they were advised to lower their tyre pressures sufficiently.
Whilst flags may not be needed on the beach I'd defy anyone to drive from Robe to Beachport without having to make lots of diversions into the dunes at various points.
I reckon it's time for a 4Wd licence and without one you can't drive on beaches/tracks etc. Hate to say it but there are far too many richard cramiums out there
AnswerID: 346217

Follow Up By: gottabjoaken - Tuesday, Jan 27, 2009 at 20:51

Tuesday, Jan 27, 2009 at 20:51
Pat,

Please....

What is needed is the flag to be compulsory, not a 4wd licence.

No licence is going to solve the problem of no flag.

Start with the achievable and police it.

You are only encouraging revenue raising and, in the end, risk of a total ban by suggesting a licence is the solution.

Ken
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Follow Up By: madcow - Wednesday, Jan 28, 2009 at 07:45

Wednesday, Jan 28, 2009 at 07:45
flags can be found virtually anywhere, Car yards, roadworks etc :))

Seriously thought 4wd monthly were floggin them off for $5 bucks a pop at our camping and caravan show a couple of year back. I cable tie the pushbike flag pole to my aerial, high enough and easy to see.

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Follow Up By: OzTroopy - Wednesday, Jan 28, 2009 at 12:40

Wednesday, Jan 28, 2009 at 12:40
gottabjoaken: .....

Totally agree ...

A license is not a certificate of driving competence ... Its a tax receipt.

Driving ... is something done according to the location/conditions at the time ... and the onus is on the driver to be aware of skill and equipment requirements.
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Follow Up By: Member - Bucky, the "Mexican"- Wednesday, Jan 28, 2009 at 17:04

Wednesday, Jan 28, 2009 at 17:04
Pat
I have to agree with you, 100%... a license is needed.
To the D--H's that charge in and rip around, "get a life", and go do a course before you contemplate purchasing a 4B..
Just because people have a 4x4, it does not give them the right to go in anywhere with all guns blazing..
Go and learn proper skills !

Experience, and common sence, must account for a lot of caring 4x4 people using tracks and dunes with respect, but the D--H's are a growing ( and concerning ) bunch of Looooserss.


Cheers Mate
Bucky

ps the "Prom was nice on Monday",, we took Vivien C, and Ray, for a day trip there..
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Follow Up By: gottabjoaken - Wednesday, Jan 28, 2009 at 18:51

Wednesday, Jan 28, 2009 at 18:51
Bucky

You miss the point that even a normal driving licence does not give you a better than 1 in 3 chance that the next car to hit you was being driven intelligently.

Having a mandatory sand flag system does allow the opportunity where there is a notice saying "fit your sand flag now, or the penalty is $$$$$" (like chains in the snow...), at the approach road, to E D U C A T E the drivers why the flags are needed.

Mandatory flags would be easily policed, and would provide a simple revenue collection path that would not put sensible drivers at risk of being penalised.

Funny isn't it about the percentage of drunk drivers apprehended that are un-licensed and even un-registered.

No Licensing system is going to make crossing the dune safer, or ensure the drivers have the skills or common-sense, but a sand flag is one step in the path to help enormously to improve the safety of all.


Ken.
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Reply By: Member - AZOORC (SA) - Wednesday, Jan 28, 2009 at 08:46

Wednesday, Jan 28, 2009 at 08:46
Hi all,
I used this heading so that the thread would be read and hopefully the message passed on by others when out enjoying this area.


Cheers
Paul.
AnswerID: 346282

Reply By: draff - Wednesday, Jan 28, 2009 at 10:47

Wednesday, Jan 28, 2009 at 10:47
Hi all,

Well your post was certainly well timed - we are due to head to Robe to do this trip in the next month or so.

We are experienced 4WDers and beach drivers and have all the neccessary equipment and always lower our tyres on sand and tracks.

Interestingly we always research our trips thoroghly in advance and not once have we heard that a flag would be required for this trip - all written reports of this trek that we have researched (and that would be 4 or 5) describe the beach run and the need to lower tyre pressures but none mention a flag. Also two people who have done it who we've talked to also never mentioned flags. (Just checked the trek notes on this site and unless I am missing it I can't see a mention of flags?).

So we certainly appreciate the 'heads up' and will throw our sand flags in and put them up for the trip. Its an easy thing to do for the sake of safety and had we got there and seen others with flags we certainly would have rigged something up.

But before we criticise too widely perhaps the need for flags just isn't emphasised in the information available on this trek - to the outsider researching this trip, the impression given by the information available is that it is a beach run with the emphasis on tyre pressures.

Maybe getting this added to the trek notes here would be a start?? (unless of course I am missing it in the notes!!!)

Just a thought .. . .. ..
'Draff


AnswerID: 346300

Follow Up By: Member - AZOORC (SA) - Wednesday, Jan 28, 2009 at 11:35

Wednesday, Jan 28, 2009 at 11:35
Good idea.
I hadnt looked at it that way being if the info doesnt make note of a flag how will people know.
Enjoy your trip its a great place.


Cheers
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Follow Up By: draff - Wednesday, Jan 28, 2009 at 11:48

Wednesday, Jan 28, 2009 at 11:48
Thanks AZOORC (SA) - we will! The plan is Flinders for some 4WDing, followed by the Barossa for some vino then down to Robe area for some fishing - can't imagine anything better!

'Draff
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Reply By: Outnabout David (SA) - Thursday, Jan 29, 2009 at 22:19

Thursday, Jan 29, 2009 at 22:19
Once again I also made the annual trip to beachport and as always note that those belonging to clubs generally all have flags and that no doubt is because of the training we get at clubs.

Those without flags are usually infrequent visitors and inexperienced at sand driving and at the risk of opening a can of worms there always seems to be a large contingient of interstate vehicles who aren't allowed to beach drive in their state.

Likewise people are ignorant, lazy or don't have compressors and won't let thier tyres down and get very angry at the suggestion of doing it.

Anywhere from Carpenters rocks to Robe you are continually going from beach to inland dunes so you must for safety sake use a flag. A bit of rag tied to some electrical conduit will often suffice.

Some of the dunes down there put BIG Red to shame for both height and steepness so once again a flag at all times.

Came across a group on the main track into Robewhere only a few of the vehicles could make it up due to tyre pressure.

They decided to snatch them up the last few metres and were heard on the radio that they had nowhere to attach the strap so they had tied it to the front of the vehicle....I guess it is still firmly attached in a big knot..!!

As usually a lot of the approaches were cut up from to much power, too much tyre pressure and too little experience.

Having said all that the Beachport-Robe beaches were quite easy compared to any other time I have been there and the Beachport to Carpenters Rocks were very, very soft.
AnswerID: 346655

Reply By: Member - Carl S (VIC) - Saturday, Jan 31, 2009 at 22:39

Saturday, Jan 31, 2009 at 22:39
Having been to Robe and Beachport for many years now, I totally agree with you regarding sandflags, God knows how many close calls I have had as a trip leader and they have saved many accidents especially with the dreaded motorbikes, and I have never seen a sandflag on a motorbike!!
AnswerID: 346961

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