Thursday this week I went from south of NSW to Sydney for a medical appointment and returned today friday back home. The wind from around Yass to just south of Narellen was terrible, a skinny person would have been blown off the road if standing on the verge. Not quite as bad today but was amazed us was the amount of vans and if I also want to be specific trucks with dog trailers at quite a speed and of course getting the wobbles up. Enough to make the hair stand on end. Quite a few of them. the wife insisted, get past them and don't look in the mirrors. Why can't people just drive accordingly and not try to arrive there dead on time. We were in our 4 wheel drive only, not towing.
Obviously they must have made it to wherever as so far tonight haven't heard of any major accidents but by hell my heart rate was up with a few. Covering the full lane trying to straighten them up. Naturally there will be the few on here who will say what they think but at end of day I don't want to be taken out by some goose trying to be better that Peter Brock.
Forgot to mention, was the Hume Hwy
-- Edited by Southern Cruizer on Friday 17th of March 2023 09:34:26 PM
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I know what ya say'n SC. I towed the aluminium teepee from N E Vic to NSW Riverina today and Trucks by the hundreds, cars of all shapes and sizes and many with caravans and many of them low flying and some of those must have been made of jelly and wobbling around. As for the trucks, it must have been the cowboys big day out today. Morons causing all sorts of problems but I did my bit and pulled over a couple of times to let them go past. I don't see the hurry. As for my speed, I sit on 93-95kmh as that seems to be the Collies 'sweet spot' and my comfort spot.
-- Edited by Dougwe on Saturday 18th of March 2023 03:55:24 AM
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On Tuesday morning, travelling along the Bruce Highway from Gladstone to Mackay, in a 100 km/h zone, I drove into a moderate to heavy patch of rain.
I came upon a Hyundai hatch, which I had to slow down for, that was traveling at 80 km/h.
I know next to nothing about the driver of the Hyundai. I don't know how many years they've been driving. I don't know, for example, whether he / she is one of those (dangerously unpredictable) drivers that stop at a roundabout even though there are no vehicles in the roundabout.
I do know that the driver of the Hyundai thought that the wet conditions warranted a speed of 80 km/h.
When it was safe to do so, I overtook the Hyundai and resumed traveling at 100 km/h because I believe that the combination of my driving experience and the safety features of the car I was driving made driving at 100 km/h reasonable.
There's a well-worn saying, "Opinions are like a*****; everyone has one".
I get really annoyed when people who know nothing about me and my life experience ASSUME that they know better than me.
I think the very high bridges that cross several river cuttings on the Hume Freeway are extremely dangerous in any windy weather.
Even on a good day the side winds can be devastating.
Your observations are common as far as speed is concerned. Many of those van drivers are what we might call, temporary Australians.
The age old saying of drive to the conditions comes immediately to mind. Driving to quite often, an over exaggerated personal ability, can be dangerous.
Even more so when towing a caravan during any adverse weather conditions.
-- Edited by RickJ on Saturday 18th of March 2023 10:16:13 AM
It has been over 5 years since I drove anywhere in heavy fast moving traffic. I have enjoyed the outback tracks & highways & the busiest traffic we have been in over that period has been Alice Springs, Broome & Cairns - none comparable to the heavier populated areas of the country, & the last of those was about 3 years ago.
We average 75-90kph on highways, but have been know to dawdle along slower than that. We are just not in a hurry & it uses less fuel, & we see more. We don't hold folk up because we have been on roads where traffic is sparse & overtaking easy. We pull over to let folk pass when we can if needed, & use our UHF to talk to truck drivers approaching from behind. Almost inevitably when I suggest pulling over, they say just keep going the way you are & I'll sneak past you when I can" . When they have pulled out & drawing level with us I will slow a bit to let them pass more quickly. Once passed we have had many an interesting conversation on the UHF, often with local info which has been useful. I also drive consistently as unexpected slowing down (or speeding up) places us at greater risk as it makes other drivers less able to 'read' our driving style.
Very different to our experience years ago on the Bruce Highway where other drivers were impatient, aggressive & at times downright dangerous including a car full of idiots who unexpectedly overtook us on the inside, on the hard shoulder, doing a good 60kph more than us , windows down, yelling & screaming. We were driving our Nissan Civilian bus at the time, a vehicle not known for winning races! That road, in that vehicle, was quite a stressful experience in a vehicle which was relaxing to drive in the outback.
Anyway after all this time away from 'hustle & bustle' I suspect returning home to Victoria from up here on the Cape later this year will be be a bit of a shock to the system. I'm sure I'll manage but I'm not looking forward to the transition.
Folk on forums who like to drive faster than us have, on occasions' suggested that I am selfish to drive at our pace, expecting that all should drive at the speed limit. I think it is they who are selfish.
-- Edited by Cuppa on Saturday 18th of March 2023 10:26:00 AM
RickJ and Cuppa agree with both comments. I didn't want to say too much about the drivers I saw as I'm not usually into saying where he or she may have come from but do have to agree with that bit. You could pick the ones who have been on the road for a long time, either giving you a blink to pass or actually pulling over to let traffic go by. Some of the roads to get to the Hume are council roads and rough as guts but they were all driving to the conditions and very courteous to others
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We were on a narrow winding road in Tassie towing our Tvan. A car comes up behind us & slows to maintain a gap between us & them. "I'll pull over when I can" I say to my wife, but found nowhere to pull over safely for quite a few kilometres. I'm becoming self conscious about holding the car behind be up. We reach a set of temporary traffic lights at some roadwork in the middle of nowhere, interestingly (to us because we'd never seen them before) they were the type which count down giving drivers an idea of how long they will be waiting for a green light. We pulled up at the red light & I glanced in my side mirror, & saw the car behind us pull up, & as soon as it was stopped it's driver, a woman, jumped out of her car & made a beeline for us. I wound my window down expecting to be berated for holding her up for what had been at least 20 minutes. I prepared to apologise, but before I could get any words out she spoke, bubbling with what seemed like unexpected enthusiasm. "Welcome to Tassie, my beautiful home state" she said "Saw you Vic plates & just wanted to let you know we love having visitors here". I was quite taken aback & began to apologise for holding her up anyway" but she interrupted with " oh don't worry about that it's a **** stretch of road, I drive it most days. Have a great holiday" and at that made back to her car as the lights were about to change. We waved her past when they did & she passed us with a cheery wave.
-- Edited by Cuppa on Sunday 19th of March 2023 04:30:28 PM
Ahh, towing speeds, now that really is an old Chestnut. Never ever had anyone post they will change their particular driving habits as a result of someone else's demands or recommendations on here. Not me that's for sure
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Ahh, towing speeds, now that really is an old Chestnut. Never ever had anyone post they will change their particular driving habits as a result of someone else's demands or recommendations on here. Not me that's for sure
To true Aussie1,
And to note that the very same Chestnut almost always brings out those who advise others that their driving habits are always perfect, courteous, and beyond any fault during their motoring excursions.
It is comforting to know that no one in this forum at least, has ever been guilty of annoying others with unpredictable driving antics.
I hope it wasnt my partner driving the Hyundai at a speed lower than what was posted out on the Bruce Highway the other day during heavy rain.
