Desert rescue
Submitted: Tuesday, Jun 16, 2009 at 07:35
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Rockape
Well what a set of extordinary circumstances the motor bike riders rescue out of the desert had.
For an army chopper to be there at the time and also a doctor turning up and offering her assistance is incredible.
The flying doctor could have taken hours just to get to
Birdsville, let alone get out into the desert. The Flying doctor often takes many hours to turn up as they may have 3 jobs on the go and they have to pick the most life threatening one.
Good to see the rider is ok.
Reply By: Member - Stephen L (Clare SA) - Tuesday, Jun 16, 2009 at 08:58
Tuesday, Jun 16, 2009 at 08:58
Hi Rockape
It was reported yesterday by DIO, post 69832. The bike rider was one very lucky boy, and the Army were in the right place at the right time, that is for sure. Do not think I do not like motor bikes, I do very much and own one myself, but these are the ones that are just asking for it in the desert. We have encountered groups of riders in the Simpson on 3 different times and all going like they were late for their last meal.
Any Simpson traveller will confirm that it is usually 3rd high and between 30 and 40 kilometres per hour, even slower. When you get passed by bikes doing
well over 80 kilometres per hour, one can only think of the consequences meeting head on at the top of a dune!
Like most desert travellers, we usually stop and have a chat with other vehicles in the desert. One group of two utes loaded up with one bike on the back and lots of fuel, said that they were the back up vehicles for a group of 8 bikes. They would leave
camp 1 hour before the bikes and within half an hour, the bikes had passed their back up vehicles and not to be seen again until their lunch stop.
No communications between bikes, very fast and unsafe speeds, no sand flags all lead to one situation in the desert - trouble.
There should be more responsible group leaders with bike groups and with strict safety procedures put in place by their group leaders. If they catch up with their back up vehicles, they should stop and let the cars get ahead. At least in that way, the lead vehicles can advise any vehicles heading towards the bikes that there are ?? numbers of bikes heading there way, and the bikes should carry UHF so they can head all traffic reports over channel 10 - the Simpson's preferred UHF desert channel.
Cheers
Stephen
AnswerID:
370258
Follow Up By: Gossy - Wednesday, Jun 17, 2009 at 13:19
Wednesday, Jun 17, 2009 at 13:19
Agree. I have been been part of two trips across the
Simpson desert averaging 6 motorbikes. Lead vehicle is always in front with the compulsory flag, one in the middle and one at the rear.
All bike riders also had radios mounted in their helmets so we could tell them if veh's were coming and if they hurt them selves.
On one trip we did come across about 10 riders all by themselves riding like bloody idiots!
We had an absolute ball and did it in complete safety the whole way.
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Reply By: Brian (Montrose, Vic.) - Wednesday, Jun 17, 2009 at 21:37
Wednesday, Jun 17, 2009 at 21:37
Only problem I have is that thanks to the media seeing this as a news worthy item, I fully expect that more of the not so
bright will try the same kind of thing and wonder why they do not get the same treatment, possibly with somewhat more disasterous results.
Not that I'm at all cynical mind you.
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