This is sure to hit home with some nomads and start a campfire discussion.
I'm sure that you are right.
Of course we all think that the others are the bad drivers, but I must fess up to making some poor driving decisions from time to time. eg. It was only recently that I was going along a country road at my usual 90km/hr in the 4WD with a couple of kayaks on top (no van) when a person began tailgaiting pretty close. So I foolishly put the foot down to show that I could really motor if I chose to do so. Didn't take long to leave him behind, but I glanced down to see that I was doing well over 120 on a narrow country road, around 135 in fact but the speedo reads high. I immediately took the foot off and allowed the Patrol to drop back to my 90 and stayed there. (When poking along with the van behind I never submit to the temptation to show off just how fast I can go if I choose to.)
Lets just hope that this doesn't just develop into a revenue raising exercise, but focuses on education ... if so I would certainly be in support.
-- Edited by Cupie on Monday 3rd of September 2012 02:24:29 PM
Wanderlust said
04:22 PM Sep 3, 2012
This is sure to hit home with some nomads and start a campfire discussion.
One reason there are more accidents now is the ever increasing number of vans on the road, I am the best driver in WA
rockylizard said
02:20 AM Sep 5, 2012
Gday...
Ah yeah Wommie .... but are you the BEST driver when ya NOT in WA ???
cheers - John
_wombat_ said
02:31 AM Sep 5, 2012
rockylizard wrote:
Gday...
Ah yeah Wommie .... but are you the BEST driver when ya NOT in WA ???
cheers - John
Thanks mate.
Cruising Granny said
08:54 PM Sep 5, 2012
I see too many bad decisions to pick just one. Tail-gating and stupid cause road crashes. The number of caravans being towed by vehicles without towing mirrors astounds me. Instead of picking on truckies for revenue, maybe there needs to be a task force for caravanning offences, such as no towing mirrors. Yesterday I followed a vehicle towing a car trailer, complete with 4WD on board. The trailer may have been badly designed or loaded unevenly, but it kept swinging sideways. The tug was holding position close to the centre white line, causing the trailer to swerve into the path of oncoming traffic. So I pulled back and made a lot of space. I could anticipate the trailer swinging into the path of a road train. The dirver would have been better to hang closer to the fog line, but that wasn't the case. Caravanners also hang close to the centre line. DON'T DO IT!!! Please don't do it. Keep the van wheels close to, but not over, the fog line whenever possible. Maybe the caravan sellers could include a complimentary voucher for 2 towing lessons for the new van owner. Or if purchased privately, maybe this service could be included in the first registration.
_wombat_ said
09:07 PM Sep 5, 2012
Cruising Granny wrote:
I see too many bad decisions to pick just one. Tail-gating and stupid cause road crashes. The number of caravans being towed by vehicles without towing mirrors astounds me. Instead of picking on truckies for revenue, maybe there needs to be a task force for caravanning offences, such as no towing mirrors. Yesterday I followed a vehicle towing a car trailer, complete with 4WD on board. The trailer may have been badly designed or loaded unevenly, but it kept swinging sideways. The tug was holding position close to the centre white line, causing the trailer to swerve into the path of oncoming traffic. So I pulled back and made a lot of space. I could anticipate the trailer swinging into the path of a road train. The dirver would have been better to hang closer to the fog line, but that wasn't the case. Caravanners also hang close to the centre line. DON'T DO IT!!! Please don't do it. Keep the van wheels close to, but not over, the fog line whenever possible. Maybe the caravan sellers could include a complimentary voucher for 2 towing lessons for the new van owner. Or if purchased privately, maybe this service could be included in the first registration.
Ditto CG, I use mirrors and rear vision camera, would not be without them.
Cruising Granny said
09:25 PM Sep 5, 2012
That's you, and well done for doing the right thing, but out there in the big, wide world you'd be shocked at the lack of towing mirrors being used by caravanners. It's so frustrating to follow one of these vehicles when they haven't got a clue about what's going on behind them. To make matters worse, they are often the same motorists who hug the centre line, so the motorist who needs to peep around the van risks all sorts of trouble with on-coming traffic. We all have the right to share the road, but let's do it with our best manners. If you're slow, stay toward the fog line, and pull off when it is safe to do so, to allow the other vehicles to slip around. Let's just share the road nicely so everyone can enjoy their driving experience every day, every time.
I'm sure that you are right.
Of course we all think that the others are the bad drivers, but I must fess up to making some poor driving decisions from time to time. eg. It was only recently that I was going along a country road at my usual 90km/hr in the 4WD with a couple of kayaks on top (no van) when a person began tailgaiting pretty close. So I foolishly put the foot down to show that I could really motor if I chose to do so. Didn't take long to leave him behind, but I glanced down to see that I was doing well over 120 on a narrow country road, around 135 in fact but the speedo reads high. I immediately took the foot off and allowed the Patrol to drop back to my 90 and stayed there. (When poking along with the van behind I never submit to the temptation to show off just how fast I can go if I choose to.)
Lets just hope that this doesn't just develop into a revenue raising exercise, but focuses on education ... if so I would certainly be in support.
-- Edited by Cupie on Monday 3rd of September 2012 02:24:29 PM
This is sure to hit home with some nomads and start a campfire discussion.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-09-03/road-safety-campaign-targets-grey-nomads/4235658
BRING IT ON !
JC.
One reason there are more accidents now is the ever increasing number of vans on the road, I am the best driver in WA
Gday...
Ah yeah Wommie .... but are you the BEST driver when ya NOT in WA ???
cheers - John
Thanks mate.
The number of caravans being towed by vehicles without towing mirrors astounds me. Instead of picking on truckies for revenue, maybe there needs to be a task force for caravanning offences, such as no towing mirrors.
Yesterday I followed a vehicle towing a car trailer, complete with 4WD on board. The trailer may have been badly designed or loaded unevenly, but it kept swinging sideways.
The tug was holding position close to the centre white line, causing the trailer to swerve into the path of oncoming traffic.
So I pulled back and made a lot of space. I could anticipate the trailer swinging into the path of a road train. The dirver would have been better to hang closer to the fog line, but that wasn't the case.
Caravanners also hang close to the centre line. DON'T DO IT!!! Please don't do it. Keep the van wheels close to, but not over, the fog line whenever possible.
Maybe the caravan sellers could include a complimentary voucher for 2 towing lessons for the new van owner. Or if purchased privately, maybe this service could be included in the first registration.
Ditto CG, I use mirrors and rear vision camera, would not be without them.
To make matters worse, they are often the same motorists who hug the centre line, so the motorist who needs to peep around the van risks all sorts of trouble with on-coming traffic.
We all have the right to share the road, but let's do it with our best manners. If you're slow, stay toward the fog line, and pull off when it is safe to do so, to allow the other vehicles to slip around.
Let's just share the road nicely so everyone can enjoy their driving experience every day, every time.