Road Train Etiquette

carpaidiem · Veteran Member

Road Train Etiquette

Phillipn · Guru

Transport trucks on the Pacific highway use channel 29. Most of the Pacific is now double lane, their are some sections that are not.

A friend was traveling the new section that bypasses Grafton [ 110 Km limit] a couple of weeks ago [no van in tow] followed two B doubles for 13 Km who were side by side, not allowing other traffic to overtake. Their are still a few cowboys out their.

Wannabe nomad · Senior Member

I totally agree with you, for us it's about the journey first then the destination, but for the truckie it's the other way around.

Scott Chapman · Veteran Member

agreed, great information, having just done a run to Uluru and back to Qld vi Adelaide you see how relevant this information is

ian72 · Member

Back in "the good old days " there was a general understanding that "The big rig got the tar". The reasons were obvious. Is this no longer the case?

yobarr · Guru

ian72 wrote:
Back in "the good old days " there was a general understanding that "The big rig got the tar". The reasons were obvious. Is this no longer the case?

Hi Ian. As a Roadtrain driver, I can say that there is no way known that I'm slowing down and taking a 53 metre long vehicle, weighing well over 100 ton with its 3 trailers, off the crown of the road for any car. If two roadtrains are approaching one another, different story, but we talk to each other. Cheers

RoboLB · Senior Member

Very useful thread.

Haji-Baba · Senior Member

That is absolute B.S. Yobar. You dont own the road and yes you may expect to hold the crown but dont try it with me. Yes I get off the top when I am ready and if your rig cant slow down or handle the sway invest in a rig that is road worthy. In other words fit for purpose.

I had an occassion many years ago when somewhere between Emerald and Rocky, car trailer kids dog and wife met a large semi on blacksoli plain and it was very boggy.

I got the light flash to get off as he was not prepared to do so, guess what, I gave him the same message and stayed up with my right wheels on the bitumin.

He had no choice but to stop. I managed to creep past him. I think We were expected to get bogged and give him a free passage. Not this little black duck.

I know there are a lot of poor drivers out there, a lot of different situations especially with poor roads, but if I see a third trailer doing 3 meter sweeps across a double lane road I do get off.

Typical not fit for service on that type of road.

Incidently I Ihave just surrended my drivers licence in full basically for medical reasons. That included car, motor bike and truck. So been there and done most of it since

1953.

Not prepared to debate the issue with you, except to say grow up.

Have fun Haji - Baba

Bicyclecamper · Guru

Haji-Baba, it is an unwritten rule, that road trains and the larger of the two vehicles on the road, is the one that stays on the road and the smaller of the two vehicles goes off . As also a truck driver ( and one time road train driver), I never yield to the smaller vehicle and you will never see a truck doing so. It is just too dangerous to do. Once a truck goes off, most times it is going to roll. In my case as a road train driver, it was a stock truck, and I have to protect the lives of the stock on board as well as my own. One day you will push too hard with your self righteous BS, and be on the receiving end of an accident, whereby the truck driver will not be held to account for your inconsiderate actions.

Keith P · Senior Member

I hope this person cops a stock road train with his effluent tanks full ...and gets a waggle up as it drops of the bitumen.... then maybe they will realise what all the stock and the driver are going through coz of their stupidity while they a being covered in crap as the train passes....and well deserved too.

Cheers Keith

yobarr · Guru

Haji-Baba wrote:
That is absolute B.S. Yobar. You dont own the road and yes you may expect to hold the crown but dont try it with me. Yes I get off the top when I am ready and if your rig cant slow down or handle the sway invest in a rig that is road worthy. In other words fit for purpose.
I had an occassion many years ago when somewhere between Emerald and Rocky, car trailer kids dog and wife met a large semi on blacksoli plain and it was very boggy.
I got the light flash to get off as he was not prepared to do so, guess what, I gave him the same message and stayed up with my right wheels on the bitumin.
He had no choice but to stop. I managed to creep past him. I think We were expected to get bogged and give him a free passage. Not this little black duck.
I know there are a lot of poor drivers out there, a lot of different situations especially with poor roads, but if I see a third trailer doing 3 meter sweeps across a double lane road I do get off.
Typical not fit for service on that type of road.
Incidently I Ihave just surrended my drivers licence in full basically for medical reasons. That included car, motor bike and truck. So been there and done most of it since
1953.
Not prepared to debate the issue with you, except to say grow up.
Have fun Haji - Baba

Since you're " not prepared to debate" I'll simply say that you live in La-La land and it probably is best that you do surrender your licence, as you clearly have no idea. Grow up. But I will say that if I got the left side wheels of my Roadtrain, which weighs waaaay over 100 ton, off the crown of the road, it all would go RSup very quickly. Don't try to tell me, with over 50 years experience on trucks, how to do my job. And at your age you should know how to disregard this modern crap about "fit for purpose". All designed to protect those who are too stupid to do their own due diligence, and line lawyers' pockets. Cheers

yobarr · Guru

Keith P wrote:
I hope this person cops a stock road train with his effluent tanks full ...and gets a waggle up as it drops of the bitumen.... then maybe they will realise what all the stock and the driver are going through coz of their stupidity while they a being covered in crap as the train passes....and well deserved too.
Cheers Keith

Good post Keith, but I simply force the idiots to get off the road. Cheers

Bobdown · Guru

yobarr wrote:
Keith P wrote:
I hope this person cops a stock road train with his effluent tanks full ...and gets a waggle up as it drops of the bitumen.... then maybe they will realise what all the stock and the driver are going through coz of their stupidity while they a being covered in crap as the train passes....and well deserved too.
Cheers Keith
Good post Keith, but I simply force the idiots to get off the road. Cheers

Right arrogant Pratt eh?

yobarr · Guru

Bobdown wrote:
yobarr wrote:
Keith P wrote:
I hope this person cops a stock road train with his effluent tanks full ...and gets a waggle up as it drops of the bitumen.... then maybe they will realise what all the stock and the driver are going through coz of their stupidity while they a being covered in crap as the train passes....and well deserved too.
Cheers Keith
Good post Keith, but I simply force the idiots to get off the road. Cheers
Right arrogant Pratt eh?

Learned a new word, have you Bob? Cheers

Bobdown · Guru

yobarr wrote:
Bobdown wrote:
yobarr wrote:
Keith P wrote:
I hope this person cops a stock road train with his effluent tanks full ...and gets a waggle up as it drops of the bitumen.... then maybe they will realise what all the stock and the driver are going through coz of their stupidity while they a being covered in crap as the train passes....and well deserved too.
Cheers Keith
Good post Keith, but I simply force the idiots to get off the road. Cheers
Right arrogant Pratt eh?
Learned a new word, have you Bob? Cheers

That's the polite one Chris...........cheers Bob

Sandyfreckle · Veteran Member

Here in WA, I've just returned from my annual sojourn to our Northern gold fields..., lots of triples and quads moving stock and mining equipment about.
It's not rocket science and anyone with even a smidge more than a room temp IQ would realise that smaller vehicles(yes, even towing caravans) always make way for semi's etc !
Personally I try wherever possible to stick to the side roads and backroads wherever possible..., drive to the conditions and use my UHF where possible.

Peter_n_Margaret · Senior Member

Dave1952 wrote:
Hi Bula,

When I signal them around, I use the right indicator to let them know that I'm aware that they are ready to come around.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

This illegal and dangerous.

Heavy vehicle operators say drivers increasingly mistaking right turn signal as chance to overtake - ABC News

Cheers,

Peter