wasnt aware that sides were needed to be chosen, I assumed (stupidly of course upon reflection) that this was merely a post open to discussion, silly me!! shoulda known better than to have an opinion!!

Time out please

This realy started something ,hate to think what the comments will be if it ever comes into the system .

I think the truck licence had to start with a ridged,them move to a semi, but it may have changed .

Next time you see a L/plater in a ridged truck ,have a look ,there is a %  of load  on the back,not a emty truck .

Check out a motor bike L/ plater, they have to attend special training on a laid out circuit ,that was years ago.

I currently hold a HR / R   have done for many years.
Those who attach some thing to the rear of a vehicle & say you dont know it's there are the ones to worry about ,no matter what you put either in or on the back of a vehicle ,nomatter how big or small it effects the handling & performance of the vehicle. You have to take this into consideration & apply the correct tactics, its not that hard ,we've had to learn every thing else in life, we never stop learning!!!!!!!!!!!!!.  

my training took years, I came up through the ranks starting with traytops then tippers then semi flat top as well as semi heavy haulage, hauling d9's and d10T's to and from mines, then b double, the next was road train but I was not interested in being a knight of the blacktop, I like my sleep too much, I hung onto my semi licence as it was convenient for farmwork hauling grain, I handed my b double licence in a few years back but held my HA until it was snatched from me after a breakdown, mongrels took my hard earned dangerous goods ticket as well I find it strange I still hold my HR, I would put my hand up to train folks as I would see it as a cushy job and very easily achieved but I do see training as a necessity and a licence in the future as a probability regardless of initialisation problems and costings, I'm okay as I have all relative licences but it may be an imposition to some I fully agree with you that when all is well when towing it is a walk in the park, but if something goes a little pearshape then I wonder about the ability of the pilot, an extra suitcase in the boot will upset the balance of the vehicle and has been known to cause an accident

you blokes will have to get out where the cows feed, On the cost side of things coming across the top including drysdale station and up in the gulf country roper bar etc, just over 2yrs ago when petrol was up there, we paid up to 2.85ltr 2.99ltr it was costing us a $1000 a week to travel, this included 3 or 4 nights free camping, whisky, tucker and entry to some tour bits. 18 mths later we struck petrol at .90c/ltr in townville, halved our cost of travel. I guess thats why some momads are holding up a bit longer at places, rather than filling up the tank everyday. Not that this is irrelevent, thought it might break up the other waffle a bit.

oops catch the spelling did ya, ment relevent.

Robert , i know where you are coming from, last year we had 9.6 mths on the road.

NT ,  Kimbleys  ,West coast &  bottom of WA .  Nullabour  Ayre pens.

All at the  top of the price list ,yes it makes it harder.

Oil companys need to get their heads above the ground to see what they are charging.$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

I know where the cows feed ,,I grew up on a dairy farm & worked it untill i was 25yrs.

thats b/ hard as well .

dave06 wrote:

---

why would it be of astronomical cost???

where has this idea come into it?????

$1000's of dollars??????????? rubbish!!!!

bloody hell you blow things out of proportion, a simple realigning of the skills that you presumably already have is all that is needed not a training schedule for the space shuttle

I would think a short course would cost in the region of say $700 or $800 then a "P" plate period for four wheel drivers before hitching up to any van on top this would involve no cost

small van or pantech, old setup or new you should still have the at least the appropriate training and a licence to go with it

the economic viability does not come into it, if you can afford to travel then you can afford to get the training and licence to do it safely

get pulled up by a copper in a five ton truck and tell him you only did it cos you were broke and see what happens

---

Dave were did anybody say anything about thousands of dollars for a towing course ?
If you  are referring to my post go back and have another read mate .

 

-- Edited by Mick themungrel on Thursday 15th of October 2009 07:40:52 AM

no particular post merely an observation of general attitudes, cost seemed to be a sticky point! robert we have just got back from where the cows feed, we are out there more often than not

I used to have a bus licence to carry 32passengers in SA. When I transferred my licence over to WA I lost the bus bit. I would have to do the bus test again. The trick about towing anything is weight and balance for stability. Then it's the width, height and tow in when turning. For experienced towers these things are second nature, but for a newbie it's a huge challenge, and safe towing is a matter of survival - the driver and the other road users. It's all about responsbility. I believe TAFE used to do a one-day towing course for a nominal fee, and a cert at the end. It didn't cost thousands, and neither does any other driving course or the licence at the end, as we all know. Some 4WD courses also do towing courses. I learned out in the paddock, but a towing course for anyone would be an advantage at any time. We all value what we tow and how we tow it. We then exercise that amount of respect for our lives and our rigs. Unfortunately commonsense is measured by degrees, and is an unknow quantity. It's not going to happen - towing certificates or endorsements, so to argue dashes vs dots is a pointless exercise. Here's to a happy forum.