check out the new remote control Jockey Wheel SmartBar rearview170 Beam Communications SatPhone Shop Topargee products Enginesaver Low Water Alarms
Members Login
Username 
 
Password 
    Remember Me  
Click here for the Grey Nomads website -> The Grey Nomads Forum -> The Grey Nomads - General -> My thoughts on the Bruce Highway
Post Info TOPIC: My thoughts on the Bruce Highway
Collo


Senior Member

Status: Offline
Posts: 241
Date:
My thoughts on the Bruce Highway
Permalink  

Having just returned from 3 months in NSW and Qld, we travelled from Carngham(near Ballarat) to Port Douglas and back. We got on the Bruce highway at Marybrough and went to Cairns. I felt a lot of trepidation before we set off, as I had heard that the Bruce was full of potholes and as one polictician recently said "it's nothing but a goat track".

What I found to my suprise was a highway no better or no worse than any highway in Victoria or NSW. Certainly in lot better condition than minor highways here in Victoria.

Didn't see any potholes and the road was in pretty good condition. There are plenty of overtaking lanes. What I would say is, there is a lot of traffic, so some duplication of the road would be good although costly to do.

The down side was, some of the driving by other drivers left a little to be desired. B doubles overtaking at the end of overtaking lane leaving me to brake to avoid running out of road was a problem. Drivers speeding and overtaking when not safe to do so. And I usually sit on 100 kph.

All in all, I'm suprised the Bruce has got the reputation it has. If drivers slowed down and drove more carefully, I think there would be less accidents.

Collo.



__________________
Possum3


Guru

Status: Offline
Posts: 8733
Date:
Permalink  

The biggest problem with the "Bruce" is the trucks, pure and simple. Conditions on any main road are variable.

Drugs, drink and fatigue are always the unknown with fellow road users - take care, and treat all other users with respect.

__________________

Possum; AKA:- Ali El-Aziz Mohamed Gundawiathan

Sent from my imperial66 typewriter using carrier pigeon, message sticks and smoke signals.
Roy E


Senior Member

Status: Offline
Posts: 301
Date:
Permalink  

Collo,
If you usually sit on 100kph I assume that's on your speedo which on most tugs, almost invariably, will over-read by 5kph or more. The truckies are busy and have a job to do and get done and they travel at a "True" 100kph (or more, occasionally) when they can.
When I'm in the left lane of an overtaking section and I see a truck coming up behind me, I call the truck driver up and let know I will brake as he passes so that the maneuver is quicker and safer. The truckies always appreciate it.
I would suggest you check out how accurate your speedo is and help the truckies get past you. Better to have the truck ahead of you and pulling away than to have him right up your backside at 95kph till the next overtaking lane.
Cheers,
Roy.

__________________
Hendo


Guru

Status: Offline
Posts: 534
Date:
Permalink  

I agree with Possum 3. I was only saying to a mate the other day, its not the highway its the bloody drivers. Yep some of the truckies are cowboys but only very few, its the others on phones, speeding, tired, badly maintained 4 x 4's.
I've been going north every winter for a number of years, not the last couple, and have had no dramas with the Bruce. Drive to the conditions, be aware what's going on around you and give the trucks all the room and respect they deserve.

Stay safe.

__________________

Never get so busy making a living

that you forget to make a life
msg


Guru

Status: Offline
Posts: 1765
Date:
Permalink  

Truckies are not what they used to be. nor, I suspect, are most drivers. Inexperience with driving on Australian roads to Australian conditions is a big problem along with all those substances.

It is an entirely different kettle of fish to driving the autobann or some similar european road to driving Australian roads. I had more experience driving by the time I was twelve. (I was allowed to drive the 1-2 miles from the farm front gate to the house coming home from town) Probably against some child care rule these days. lol. Not so many family farms either.

Australians are not accustomed to driving on such conjested roads.

I can remember driving over the Hay Plains from Adelaide, breaking down and having to wait a half an hour for someone to come along to take a message into Hay for me. No mobile phones. And yes, Truckies would stop for you in those days. They were mostly working for themselves. No regs and time restrictions from those huge conglomerate trucking companies of today.

Then ther are the weekend warriors dashing along to their camping spots for a boozy weekend with their mates and then coming home. This has always been the case, just more of them.

Us silly old ladies plodding along on at the speed limit don't stand a chance. (I use my GPS for speed info BTW). We tend to get run over in the rush.

Give it time, this crisis will pass and everyone will gain more experience.

Have to say though, life was so much easier way back then, even without all the new technology that makes life easier.

__________________
Greg 1


Guru

Status: Offline
Posts: 1251
Date:
Permalink  

I thought that we had plenty of idiot drivers in WA but the banana benders are something else. When we did the Bruce I didn't think that the highway was all that bad. I have travelled across far worse roads masquerading as highways in both NSW and Victoria, but the number of drivers on the Bruce that were desperately trying to win a Darwin Award was breathtaking. It's a wonder there isn't more deaths than there are and it isn't limited to any one type of vehicle. There is a really good cross section trying very hard to die up there.

__________________

Greg O'Brien
rgren2


Guru

Status: Offline
Posts: 1263
Date:
Permalink  

Theres a big pothole in it now.
www.reddit.com/r/queensland/comments/1f4j9hg/ammonium_nitrate_truck_explodes_after_crash_south/

__________________
Possum3


Guru

Status: Offline
Posts: 8733
Date:
Permalink  

Wowzers - that will cause some delays.

__________________

Possum; AKA:- Ali El-Aziz Mohamed Gundawiathan

Sent from my imperial66 typewriter using carrier pigeon, message sticks and smoke signals.
Dennis L


Newbie

Status: Offline
Posts: 3
Date:
Permalink  

I've been going up to Cairns from Brisbane each winter on the Bruce Hwy for 10 years and there's been roads works on it for most that time there has been millions and millions of Dollars spent most of it not what is needed they have widened both sides of the road and put wide center lined for 100s of Km went what is needed is passing lanes LONG passing lanes most of them are too short only two cars are able to get pass (especially when the slow front driver in front speeds up)



Attachments
__________________
Gundog


Guru

Status: Offline
Posts: 1976
Date:
Permalink  

as a punter who travelles the Bruce from Proserpine to Brisbane often, from Rocky south is generally good because of the amouint of road works that were done over that last few years. Rocky to Mackay is ok has a few issues but its not too bad its only north of Mackay its turns to a goat track, roads that were rebuilt are over that last 2 years are potholed already I havnt been north of Bowen for a few years, but all reports are there is not enough repairs being done,

As for the explosion Near Bororen I presume it was north of it towords Benaraby, travelling south you would need to turn off at the Calliope Gladstone Rd and travell to Biloela then to Monto, Kilkivan to Gympie.

If your going to southern states turn off nth of Mackay at Kuttabul to Marian up the range to Nebo then to Emerald



__________________
Page 1 of 1  sorted by
 
Quick Reply

Please log in to post quick replies.
Click here for the Grey Nomads website -> The Grey Nomads Forum -> The Grey Nomads - General -> My thoughts on the Bruce Highway
Tweet this page Post to Digg Post to Del.icio.us
Purchase Grey Nomad bumper stickers Read our daily column, the Nomad News The Grey Nomad's Guidebook