Road Trains

[xcvator]

https://www.facebook.com/ABCKimberley/videos/10156362263132156/?t=104

[Flighty (WA)]

Great clip with very good advice.
Especially about travelling in convoy and not leaving enough room to safely overtake.
have often found in W.A these convoys and unable to overtake in a car let alone 53 metres of truck
 

[Fizzie]

Had a look expecting to see McGirr & a convoy of Swaggers

[BTMNDR]

Of course when one is dawdling down the road and sees a road train approaching from the rear, or a gaggle of other vehicles, one could always do the polite thing and safely pull over to the side of the road and allow them to pass. 

[Bird]

Of course when one is dawdling down the road and sees a road train approaching from the rear, or a gaggle of other vehicles, one could always do the polite thing and safely pull over to the side of the road and allow them to pass. 

Certainly not the Australian way..
or grey nomad way.. 'its my right to be on the road, I've been driving for 120yrs...'

[rossm]

Great clip with very good advice.
Especially about travelling in convoy and not leaving enough room to safely overtake.
have often found in W.A these convoys and unable to overtake in a car let alone 53 metres of truck
 

Know a bloke who does some caravan towing training and I asked him once does he emphasise to caravanners that they will not come to harm if they  do not travel in groups of three, or more,   50m apart.


He just smiled and said hde does and added something about the herd mentality being an overpowering instinct ...

   

[barnray]

My answer to this is they are working I'm Not give them room. plus it is less damaging to you if you get out of their way. Barnray

[macca]

....and they are usually very appreciative on the radio when you do. Personally i cant understand why people wouldn't want to get out of their way and let them go about their business

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[tedota]

They are up to about 60 metres long now in the North West of W.A.  Had to pass a few last week.

[cardinal28]

Saw this in Normandton a couple of weeks ago

[petrolburner]

Or the grey nomads could just do the speed limit like the trucks do and then there is no need for a 50plus metre road train to be on the wrong side of the road!!

[Bird]

Or the grey nomads could just do the speed limit like the trucks do and then there is no need for a 50plus metre road train to be on the wrong side of the road!!

[GeoffA]

Are we suggesting that the truck companies' commercial interests overide the safety of other road users?

[glenm64]

When towing I sit on 90 - 95 purely for safety.
If things go pear shaped 10kph makes a lot of difference.
Its all about courtesy and its a 2 way thing.

Cheers Glen

[Bird]

Are we suggesting that the truck companies' commercial interests overide the safety of other road users?

or the other 100's of road users who would like to sit on 100 in a 100 zone and not 80

[GeoffA]

or the other 100's of road users who would like to sit on 100 in a 100 zone and not 80

Speed limits are a maximum speed, not a compulsory speed.
Nobody should be expected to travel at a speed at which they are not comfortable.
As Glen has previously stated, courtesy is a 2 way thing......tolerance as well.

[petrolburner]

Fair call, but IMO there are a lot of huge vans being dragged along by tow vehicles (aiming squarely at dual cab utes) that are marginal to tow said weight at best. If your going to buy a 3500kg van get a vehicle that is capable of handling it. Manufacturers have a lot to answer for with their tow ratings.

I tow  on the limit where conditions permit, that includes with my old Wakesetter boat which was 2700kg.

Let’s face it though, Maude and Claude nomad out there choose to sit on 80kph on a flat open road purely for financial reasons as they are saving fuel, I can cop someone sitting on say 90 or 95kph but those that are doing 80kph or below (and I have come across them going below 80!)  on a straight flat county road are pests, overtaking ability is the primary reason I purchased my Y62 as there nothing worse ham getting stuck behind a moving roadblock when you’ve got no reserve to get around them.

[Bird]

Speed limits are a maximum speed, not a compulsory speed.
Nobody should be expected to travel at a speed at which they are not comfortable.
As Glen has previously stated, courtesy is a 2 way thing......tolerance as well.

but when you know your holding up 20 cars and 10 trucks, and still refuse to pull over because its your right - you get what you deserve.
Comes back to common sense, and courtesy. If your 89 and not in a rush to get anywhere, why hold up others ?

[Pottsy]

but when you know your holding up 20 cars and 10 trucks, and still refuse to pull over because its your right - you get what you deserve.
Comes back to common sense, and courtesy. If your 89 and not in a rush to get anywhere, why hold up others ?

I hope you are not suggesting they use their mirrors, give yourself a little slap Bird.

[GeoffA]

....and around we go....

[Paddler Ed]

Fair call, but IMO there are a lot of huge vans being dragged along by tow vehicles (aiming squarely at dual cab utes) that are marginal to tow said weight at best. If your going to buy a 3500kg van get a vehicle that is capable of handling it. Manufacturers have a lot to answer for with their tow ratings.

I think this is the main problem... although old Toyota Coasters etc are also as bad...

[jclures]

Not just caravans,  last Tuesday morning I had a truck driver on the Kuranda range just ignore all the marked sections for slow vehicles turn off to allow other motorists to go by. Any double lane sections he just put the foot down and made it very hard to pass even then as it is marked as a 60k road.

Driving on roads is a two way street, common sense tells you if you can give the trucks room you should, but it is not a right trucks have, and they should also use some common sense on the road.

[krisandkev]

Not just caravans,  last Tuesday morning I had a truck driver on the Kuranda range just ignore all the marked sections for slow vehicles turn off to allow other motorists to go by. Any double lane sections he just put the foot down and made it very hard to pass even then as it is marked as a 60k road.

Driving on roads is a two way street, common sense tells you if you can give the trucks room you should, but it is not a right trucks have, and they should also use some common sense on tthe road.

Well said.  We tow a 3.5t van and hate getting behind the slow caravans and cars!  We usually sit on the speed limit and if not get out of the way if traffic gets behind us.  That is if the road allows us. Some main roads and so called highways are so bad there is little choice. But I have been caught out many a time where I do pull over and then the car will get pass and slow down! Then we get stuck.  Yep, bad drivers everywhere. Kevin

[Bird]

But I have been caught out many a time where I do pull over and then the car will get pass and slow down!

I've never understood people doing this.... they follow you doing the sidewinder left to right, steam coming out of ears...  you let them go, then they go nowhere... same as passing lane racers.
WTF?

[macca]

I've never understood people doing this.... they follow you doing the sidewinder left to right, steam coming out of ears...  you let them go, then they go nowhere... same as passing lane racers.
WTF?

Yeah but somewhere in the next 1000 km there maybe a hill that slows Kev down, so better pass just in case, see over the next 1000k they are going to save 5.2 seconds of their valuable time by not being stuck behind Kev if he does happen across that hill, they don't give a Shit about the hour and half it adds to Kev's trip

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