Gravel Road Driving Etiquette

[Black-Pig]

So having done a fair bit of gravel road driving recently I have come to notice that most, not all but most, drivers do not allow you to over take. If a car/truck/tour bus is travelling faster than I am, then it is only nice to let them go by, saves them eating dust and the annoyance of seeing their lights (if they have them on) coming in and out of view in the dust. I have had several time recently caught vehicles going slower than I was. One even slowed down, pulled to the side, and as I was about to over take, he pulled to the middle of the road, insert expletive and ABS chattering here. Most just go back and forth around the road, with me sitting with half my car in their dust with lights on waiting for the opportunity to get passed.
So my question is am I a sucker for letting them go by, going slow for a bit to allow their dust to settle then resuming my normal speed. Or should I just say eat my dust and wait until the dust is less thick.

[Tjupurula]

Hi Black Pig
I must state that I am one who has intentionally stopped people from getting past me on the Tanami, and there has been a damned good reason for doing it.  People who travel at ridiculous speeds on roads like the Tanami are accidents waiting to happen, and I have attended enough accidents as part of the Desert Rescue Service to never want to again.
If I see someone behind me, catching up really quickly, I will, quite intentionally, allow them to suck dust for a while, to make them slow down.  Unless you know aroad like the back of your hand, why go fast, and nobody knows gravels that well, as they seem to constantly change.
Just my opinion and what I do.
Regards
Tjupurula

[Kit_e_kat9]

I like my ducco and lungs so and prefer to stay well back ... if I'm on a dirt road then I'm on holidays and in no hurry anyway.

Kit_e

[Black-Pig]

I am not talking about going very fast here, I am just talking about going quicker than the other person. I only go 83kph (best fuel efficiency in the Lux) on Tar, so only go that fast on good gravel, but if some one is going 50kph and it is safe for me to go faster why stop me? Surely, like in a city, your actions of deliberately stopping me will cause the problem through increased probability of road rage, and frustration just to get by?
I totally agree with you TJ about some drivers being idiots, having met and been overtaken by a few recently.

[speewa158]

If your out on a road  & you come across another that's in your way . If you can read minds then you pathway is clear , if not settle petal .
Your on your time , its not Bathurst  you know . Kick down a gear , or stop[ for a cuppa .
Be 10 Mins late in this world   ,  Not a life time early in the NEXT 

[deepop]

I say you're right - pull over, slow down even more and let them go past (maybe even with a flash of your right indicator to tell them to go past).

This way you don't have a faster car up your jaxxy pushing you and dangerously sitting in your dust where he can't see s@#t.   Let him take his own risks without involving you.   If he's in front of you it's easier to see what he's doing!

The overtaker can make up his own mind and if he's going too fast for the conditions then let's hope nothing happens to him anyway.   If it does then hope it only happens to him and doesn't involve others.

At least you've done the right thing by you and yours and got him away from you.

[Tjupurula]

I am not talking about going very fast here, I am just talking about going quicker than the other person. I only go 83kph (best fuel efficiency in the Lux) on Tar, so only go that fast on good gravel, but if some one is going 50kph and it is safe for me to go faster why stop me? Surely, like in a city, your actions of deliberately stopping me will cause the problem through increased probability of road rage, and frustration just to get by?
I totally agree with you TJ about some drivers being idiots, having met and been overtaken by a few recently.

Never had a problem swith the road rage thing Black-Pig.  The Desert Rescue service on the side of the car, and three black fellas all over 6 ft getting out normally settled people down pretty damned fast.  I'd rather that than know someone had lost their life because I had not taken action.  Incidentally, I am no longer with DRS, and it no longer exists.
Regards
Tjupurula

[KingBilly]

I only go 83kph (best fuel efficiency in the Lux) on Tar

Are you serious?

KB

[02-SR5]

I hate it when you are traveling one way, another 4wd is coming the other, I always slow down and pull over. In stead of showing the same curtesy, they see this as their chance to move over to the middle of the road, speed up and shower my vehicle in stones.

[02-SR5]

Are you serious?

KB

I was going to ask the same thing.

Please tell me you don't sit on the HWY doing 83kph?

[Pog]

I grew up on dirt roads, so I generally drive a bit faster than others on dirt, and when people don't slow down or worse, deliberately sit in the middle of the road to stop me from overtaking, this is very frustrating, and generally results in a stone shower when I eventually get past. If they want to go 70kph everywhere, and I am comfortable doing 90kph, I don't see why they want to hold me up.

When other vehicles are approaching, I will generally back off to reduce dust and stones, and I appreciate it when others do the same.

I am a firm believer that you should drive to your abilities / comfort level on dirt, and I am very comfortable with dirt so will travel a bit faster, however my wife is hopeless on dirt and will travel quite slowly, if she will even drive dirt at all.

If someone wants to go past, let them, there can be very little benefit to you if you deliberately hold them back.

[Spartan]

Whether it's dirt or bitumen I often pull over when there is an opportunity to allow traffic behind to pass - I think it's just a basic courtesy.

I travel at reasonable pace but towing the camper guarantees that someone will catch me at some stage so I just check my mirrors regularly at get out of the way when I can.

[doc evil]

I hate it when you are traveling one way, another 4wd is coming the other, I always slow down and pull over. In stead of showing the same curtesy, they see this as their chance to move over to the middle of the road, speed up and shower my vehicle in stones.

Couldn't agree more.
The amount of pillocks that don't slow down when there is an approaching vehicle is down right abysmal. 
Not only stones but sure a murphy will bite ya on the arse, the dust will be blowing across your path and you drive into a dust storm.

Sometimes I just vent over the uhf at 'em.  The great central seems to be the worst ( traversed it 4 times in the past 12 months) and the ones towing are the worst. Not 1 slowed!!

[briann532]

Whether it's dirt or bitumen I often pull over when there is an opportunity to allow traffic behind to pass - I think it's just a basic courtesy.

I travel at reasonable pace but towing the camper guarantees that someone will catch me at some stage so I just check my mirrors regularly at get out of the way when I can.

What is this "Courtesy" thing you speak of? 

All I see when I'm out these days is "Stuff you Jack, I'm in front, suck eggs. If I want to drive at 28 kph under the limit then so do you........ Oh of course until you actually manage to overtake, then suddenly I need to do about 1 kph more than you as I tailgate...."

These threads keep popping up and most can be solved with general courtesy.
Of course extremes and idiots are exceptions which will never change, but most people just want to get on their merry way and enjoy travelling.
Somehow though they don't make interesting internet posts........

Far more fun to talk about the fools we come across.

Black pig - It just makes you a decent human. Keep doing it. Us swaggers appreciate it even if no one else does.

Pogasaurus -Well said and about as true as it can be.......

Cheers all and safe travels
Brian

[Black-Pig]

I was going to ask the same thing.

Please tell me you don't sit on the HWY doing 83kph?

Are you serious?

KB

When there is no one else around, why not? Going around Aus on a budget mean making savings right? So if I can get 10.5 to 11km per litre of diesel, as apposed to 8.0 km/l going 100kph, this will get me a lot further on a 140l tank, and be safer. I talk to others on the road, moving off to let them by and often get slowed down by caravans going slower.
I see a lot of swaying van and trailers going by, and having had one take over whilst not going fast I know what can and will happen.

Pogs I am with you. Grew up on dirt and farms, so comfortable on it.
Doc yes been showered a few times recently... hence shattered light bar on roof!

[KingBilly]

When there is no one else around, why not?

Fair enough.

KB

[DannyG]

We have done a few thousand Kay's on gravel lately and I'm with you black pig I let faster people past and appreciate the same courtesy.
I don't speed on gravel, growing up in Tassie I am comfortable on gravel.

[jclures]

Pogasauras I agree with you, dirt roads were all I drove for years, and I have always traveled at a reasonable pace. But if some one catches me I have no problem pulling over to let them go. But if I have to work to pass, as they sit in the middle of the road, the rocks my old girl will spit out going past won't be pleasant.
Black-pig when I traveled around last time I also found sitting under 90 was the best on fuel, and as I was in no hurry to get anywhere if some one came up behind I just pulled over and let them go, after all I was a gray nomad in training so I never really had a destination I was trying to get to.

[Sawed-Off]

And turn your headlights on, please folks.

[Symon]

I'm one of those who aren't that keen on pulling over.

I'm pretty confident driving on dirt, if the surface is good enough I have no problem with poking along at 90 or 100 km/h.  But if I'm going at that speed and I have some clown ripping up behind me I'm pretty sure he would fall into the 'idiot' category, so he can sit behind me for a while.  Unless you are on a rally track I can't see how it can be safe going any faster on a loose surface.

My biggest peeve however is people who don't pull to the side when going past an oncoming vehicle.  CARAVANS ARE BY FAR THE WORST FOR THIS.  I've got into the habit now of staying bang in the middle of the road until they pull over, and then I will.

[GeoffA]

.......... I've got into the habit now of staying bang in the middle of the road until they pull over, and then I will.

It's gunna be interesting when you meet someone coming towards you that does the same thing..........

[D4D]

It's ok he has 6B&S

[Marcus73]

It's gunna be interesting when you meet someone coming towards you that does the same thing..........

That was my first thought


Sent from the machine that goes..... Bing!

[Symon]

It's gunna be interesting when you meet someone coming towards you that does the same thing..........

Had that situation on the Gulf trip, worked out OK.  I should add I mostly do it to caravanners.

[Sawed-Off]

I'm one of those who aren't that keen on pulling over.

I'm pretty confident driving on dirt, if the surface is good enough I have no problem with poking along at 90 or 100 km/h.  But if I'm going at that speed and I have some clown ripping up behind me I'm pretty sure he would fall into the 'idiot' category, so he can sit behind me for a while.

What you're really saying is that you can't go that fast, so he shouldn't be either. On the other hand, when you come up behind people doing 60-70, do you curse them for not pulling over, because you know you're quite capable of doing 90-100? They probably think the same way about you.