Author Topic: Driving on dirt roads  (Read 24468 times)

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Offline pank

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Driving on dirt roads
« on: July 14, 2016, 09:55:43 PM »
Its not really that hard surely? Just because you can drive fast on the dirt roads, please show some courtesy to other road users and slow down when passing.
We have traveled just over 7000kms in just under 2 weeks to Birdsville and back to Perth with over 3000kms on dirt roads.
Most cars that we passed, slowed right down which meant no flying stones and a friendly wave.
If you are the driver of a white 200 series towing a camper that was traveling south on the Birdsville track on the weekend before the Big Red Bash, you should be ashamed. If you dont know how to drive in the country, then stay the hell out!!!
I passed you on a rather nasty stony part of the track and kept hoping that you would slow down as you approached. Instead I got a shower of rocks which resulted in 2 small stone chips and an egg size rock which gave me this one. I was lucky that the damage did not put me  off the road in a remote location.
I wont post your rego on this forum, but I will be keeping your photo from dash cam in the hope that I will run into you again one day.

Offline letsgoplaces

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Re: Driving on dirt roads
« Reply #1 on: July 14, 2016, 10:20:22 PM »
Wow, that's a big one!
I was coming down the Birdsville Track yesterday, and the same thing.... most people ease off the accelerator and keep as left as practicable.
But one person stayed towards the middle and honored me with a windscreen replacement as well. There aren't even that many stony sections on the track either
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Offline Black Diamond

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Re: Driving on dirt roads
« Reply #2 on: July 14, 2016, 10:41:22 PM »
The term is Oxymorons, the world is full of them......
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Offline Rumpig

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Re: Driving on dirt roads
« Reply #3 on: July 15, 2016, 08:40:08 AM »
If someone did that to my vehicle, I'd happily post their pic up to shame them for their actions.
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Re: Driving on dirt roads
« Reply #4 on: July 15, 2016, 08:50:48 AM »
If someone did that to my vehicle, I'd happily post their pic up to shame them for their actions.
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Offline austastar

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Re: Driving on dirt roads
« Reply #5 on: July 15, 2016, 10:38:35 AM »
Hi pank,
             I would be including a link to your dash cam footage with your insurance claim.
They might use the evidence to claim from the owner of the offending vehicle.
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Re: Driving on dirt roads
« Reply #6 on: July 15, 2016, 12:54:12 PM »
If someone did that to my vehicle, I'd happily post their pic up to shame them for their actions.
Without hesitation, yes! Pricks like that give me the absolute $hits.

Offline The punter

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Re: Driving on dirt roads
« Reply #7 on: July 15, 2016, 12:59:46 PM »
name and shame
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Offline jw2170

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Re: Driving on dirt roads
« Reply #8 on: July 15, 2016, 01:10:45 PM »
Post it on the Dash Cam FP page.... >:D
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Offline Joff

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Re: Driving on dirt roads
« Reply #9 on: July 15, 2016, 02:46:23 PM »
Sorry, I was in a hurry to get the best spot at the free camp  :-[
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Offline pank

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Re: Driving on dirt roads
« Reply #10 on: July 15, 2016, 03:00:41 PM »
Thanks for the support,
As far as I can see, the guy has not broken any law other than basic common sense therefore I would have no come back for an insurance claim.

The windscreen doesnt worry me, I was fully expecting to replace it after this trip anyway.

I was trying to make a point about driving on dirt roads especially in remote areas. This rock could have come right through the windscreen or through my radiator which would have left me stranded with the required parts days away.

I am guilty of driving pretty quick on dirt roads, but if the road is at all rocky I will try to slow to 60 to minimise risk to oncoming traffic.

I do believe in Karma and maybe one day the ledger will be balanced.  :D

Offline cruiser 91

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Re: Driving on dirt roads
« Reply #11 on: July 15, 2016, 03:04:38 PM »
This can happen at lower speeds as well not just at higher speeds.

You can't control others behind the wheel & you cant control the odd freak of nature on how a rock lies on the track, but you can always defend against the uncontrollable coming the other way..............wire screens across the windscreen were very popular decades ago, built specifically for your problem and cheaper than replacing a windscreen...................... you can still buy them, maybe its not just fashionable any more  ???You do put on a hat and sunscreen when out in the sun  :D

Come on now, do ya self a favour, live and learn, don't hold grudges, move on and be happy ya still alive for another tour down the track  with a wire screen this time............its the Aussie way
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« Last Edit: July 15, 2016, 03:20:27 PM by cruiser 91 »
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Offline Joff

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Re: Driving on dirt roads
« Reply #12 on: July 15, 2016, 03:09:49 PM »
It's actually your speed that breaks your glass, not his. His just flicks the rock up and the faster he goes the higher they rise. I agree that he was a wanker and should slow down but the only real way to stop this happening - short of the wire screen which I have considered myself - is to slow right down or even stop when these tools come along.

It's a hazard we must all face unfortunately
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Re: Driving on dirt roads
« Reply #13 on: July 15, 2016, 04:17:55 PM »
........
It's a hazard we must all face unfortunately

Yep. Just part of getting out there.....
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Offline dazzaesky

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Re: Driving on dirt roads
« Reply #14 on: July 15, 2016, 09:44:22 PM »
Its not really that hard surely? Just because you can drive fast on the dirt roads, please show some courtesy to other road users and slow down when passing.
We have traveled just over 7000kms in just under 2 weeks to Birdsville and back to Perth with over 3000kms on dirt roads.
Most cars that we passed, slowed right down which meant no flying stones and a friendly wave.
If you are the driver of a white 200 series towing a camper that was traveling south on the Birdsville track on the weekend before the Big Red Bash, you should be ashamed. If you dont know how to drive in the country, then stay the hell out!!!
I passed you on a rather nasty stony part of the track and kept hoping that you would slow down as you approached. Instead I got a shower of rocks which resulted in 2 small stone chips and an egg size rock which gave me this one. I was lucky that the damage did not put me  off the road in a remote location.
I wont post your rego on this forum, but I will be keeping your photo from dash cam in the hope that I will run into you again one day.

Here here. We coped a golf ball sized stone through our widescreen between coen an Laura heading up to the cape a few weeks ago. It was also a 200 series land cruiser from Victoria towing a large camper. It had already passed my friends ahead of me and never slowed down at all. It must of been doing nearly 90km/h.
I just don't understand the mentality of these people and correct they should get off the road if they don't know how to respect the road and other travellers.


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Offline oldmate

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Re: Driving on dirt roads
« Reply #15 on: July 15, 2016, 09:48:01 PM »
Sorry, I was in a hurry to get the best spot at the free camp  :-[

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Offline GeoffA

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Re: Driving on dirt roads
« Reply #16 on: July 15, 2016, 09:48:41 PM »
..... It was also a 200 series land cruiser from Victoria......

There's the problem..... ::)
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Offline brett211170

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Re: Driving on dirt roads
« Reply #17 on: July 15, 2016, 10:18:06 PM »
If I see someone coming the other way at max factor I start to drive on their side of the road. They slow down !!!

Offline GeoffA

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Re: Driving on dirt roads
« Reply #18 on: July 15, 2016, 11:11:20 PM »
If I see someone coming the other way at max factor I start to drive on their side of the road. They slow down !!!

That's just plain stupid........
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Offline jclures

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Re: Driving on dirt roads
« Reply #19 on: July 16, 2016, 11:46:40 AM »
The cape road is a open 100k road, rocks are just a hazard you live with.
And if you want to drive on the wrong side of the road with on coming traffic you are just stupid, that is when I would hand the video evidence in to the police.

Offline brett211170

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Re: Driving on dirt roads
« Reply #20 on: July 16, 2016, 03:02:54 PM »
Sorry lads, I should re qualify what I meant.  Firstly by this stage I have slowed to near a stop myself and given the flash of the headlights. I don't just drive on the the wrong side of the road, it's more veer a little towards the centre.  I was told this by an old farmer once. I don't by any means condone driving down the wrong side of the road at all.  I was just frustrated by the actions of another sending a rock through panks window and placed his family at risk.  I re read my post and admit it probably did not come across how I intended.  Sorry if I upset anyone, I have had a few broken windows myself and it does get frustrating. 

Offline Troopy_03

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Re: Driving on dirt roads
« Reply #21 on: July 16, 2016, 03:54:55 PM »
On the once a year, Queen's Birthday weekend, Death Run between Kulgera and Finke, it's common courtesy to at least slow down to 100Kph when passing oncoming traffic.
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Offline GeoffA

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Re: Driving on dirt roads
« Reply #22 on: July 16, 2016, 08:20:07 PM »
If I see someone coming the other way at max factor I start to drive on their side of the road. They slow down !!!

We had this idiocy foisted upon us last year on the GRR. We could hear Einstein abusing those ahead of us over the radio. In his opinion, they were all going too fast.
When it was our turn, he decided it was his civic duty to save the world from our recklessness by driving directly at us.... :o :o
We were rolling along at 70km/h with the rest of the traffic..... ::) ::)

Be very careful on the GRR, and everywhere else for that matter. There's no shortage of self-appointed vigilante's out there....

 :cheers:
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Offline Cruiser 105Tvan

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Re: Driving on dirt roads
« Reply #23 on: July 16, 2016, 08:22:45 PM »
You don't have to get off the Black top for that.
I had front on Video of a semi coming at me near Horsham.
Sorry for the hijack, just sayin.
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Re: Driving on dirt roads
« Reply #24 on: July 16, 2016, 10:49:32 PM »
Be very careful on the GRR, and everywhere else for that matter. There's no shortage of self-appointed vigilante's out there....

Yep, everybody wants to be a traffic cop.  But unless you have been a traffic cop for many, many years, watching and studying oncoming traffic and knowing their actual speed (measured by a calibrated radar) then, and only then, after all those years of day in and day out experience, will you have any idea of a vehicle's actual speed.  I defy anybody who is not an experienced traffic cop to accurately determine the speed of an oncoming vehicle.

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