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Post Info TOPIC: Driving partners


Senior Member

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Posts: 168
Date:
RE: Driving partners


I started up at Newman in the early '70s, ending on 120 Wabcos. Terrible things. Closest I got to a shovel was as offsider. Hours of doing nothing interspersed with murderous handling of that 400volt cable. I was a lightweight then to make it even harder. Thankfully it was the last stage in the progress to haul trucks. Came south to get away from regular strikes, into Alcoa and overburden replacement on 17 tonner Terexs. A truly evil beast with a crash box, but great fun to drive when you got the hang of it. Hilarious seeing all the bruised wrists of those who didn't. 35 tonners on production after, then 777s, then early Komatsu 85s, another nasty machine. But the second generation of those was a revelation, so much ahead of Cats it was almost a pleasure going to work. Did some time on WA 800 loaders and other assorted smaller machines, but I favoured dumpers as the best chance to relax on the job during load and dump. Me?.. Lazy???? biggrin

It's really horse for courses with travelling partners, isn't it? If a couple is either forced to or decides to let the guy drive, so be it, as long as the partner can do it if necessary, or they're both prepared to risk immobility if something goes wrong. I'm inclined to think though, that a non-driving partner should not expect the driver to double up as housekeeping assistant unless she/he is really unwell. wink I guess if you are hanging out to hit the road, you should do it whatever the arrangement. I spent most of my offshore fishing life in small boats and more than one pundit told me what a nutcase I was. But I learned the skills and I'm still here to tell the tale. Solo outback drivers are like that. In the end all you can really say is, "If you have a yen to go, get the hell out there no matter the circumstances. Life's too bl**dy short to waste it. Just don't expect the world to instantly come running to help you if things go wrong."  

 



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Jock



Guru

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Posts: 3066
Date:

Ex Single hander Yachtie most of my life. Everything is doubled up and accepted hey.
You really on your tod out there. a week off shore.

I believe they ALL should really KNOW how to move the rig. if necessary.
There's more than one silly body out there.

I know any missus I had, that wouldn't drive with me. She'd be walking.
Somewhere else.

It's known as "sharing the load". Health, Taken, of course.

She crook. Serious enough that she couldn't pull her weight.
I'd be thinking small M-Home. 26ft or so.
You get crook. WHOLE trip ruined.

At least with a M-Home. you just have to be able to climb up into drivers seat.
and turn round for tut. Bed and galley.

Hey.
My luck ran out with these LED torches.
have been buying from E-BAY since April '03.

Never. in the thousands of $$$'s I've spent. have I had one little problem.

4 Bloody Torches since 8th March.

Ordered One. magic. Ordered 2 more for kids.
He Sends wrong ones. and can't change them. Supplier changed supplier?.

Refund.

Ah well. Things happen.

Next one. a triple bin Head. power torch. Great beam. But threads cut with a hacksaw.
Blunt one.

Sent photo's. OK I'll replace. Month later. Still waiting. Second one gone missing in post. Yea.

OK. I'll refund. Twice. Going through arbitration at present.

Then Buggar me. This arvo.

Great little torch I've been waiting for to replace older "great" torch. with more power.
Arrives.


Yeayyyyyyy.

Farkin thing DON'T work.
Swapped bases. battery's. You name it.

Sent email. WAAAAAAITINNNNNNNG.

I'm giving it away for a while.
These Chinese dealers with squiggles for names.
Really ARE.
LUCK. Or not, luck of the drawer.
I've NEVER in my life had this sort of luck, or lack of. b4.

Big breath. double 12 yr old Taliskers.. and reeeeelax.
That's a nice little drop that stuff. Surprisingly so. 46proof..


Hey.
if buying ANYTHING off E-Bay or anywhere else.

OPEN a PAYPAL account. and pay things through there.
Costs YOU nothing. Most dealers use.
and it gives you GUARANTEED replacement of ALL moneys paid if things go pear.
INCL freight costs.

Mine linked to Bitdefender coupled to my banking. (They use it)


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Senior Member

Status: Offline
Posts: 168
Date:

Maaaate.. ! That's why we prefer to deal with real live people and pay extra, although I know on-line shopping will come for us. Paypal it'll be, or the system operated by Aussie post - Nik is an ex-postie. We use a couple of LED Lenser torches. 1st model pocket size had faults, well out of warranty,  but we've been able to bodgie up repairs. Still works but only on hi-power. I also have the later model and bugs were fixed.. long term I hope. Also have another more powerful Chinese one, trouble free but we haven't used it a lot. A $50 big bugga (donger torch we call it, a la Magnalite) from the Green Church works ok too as a household unit and has proved darn handy in power failures, stuck in a flower pot. No more candles and gaslamps.

Done a bit of sailing myself in smaller boats. Only serious stint, 9 days up in Exmouth Gulf in a 20 foot Red Baron cat. Varied between wonderful and terrifying. Glad we did it tho. Had dreams of long distance voyaging, until the fishing bug hit me hard.

Man, you've got around!! Hey, I've just seen your post in 'A Different Time...' from meetoo. I worked with a Welsh ex-North Sea trawlerman at Alcoa. Feller named Billy Hughes (of all things!)



-- Edited by JocknNik on Wednesday 24th of May 2017 01:31:43 AM

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Jock



Guru

Status: Offline
Posts: 3066
Date:

Hey.

One thing about those torches. Exxy named ones. or cheap Chinee units.

They all pretty basic.
Body, Tail switch, and pill
eflector.

I've bought a few bodies and built them up. for a lot cheaper than full price.
And updated a few earlier ones with stronger pills and drivers.
And basically. The cheapies are as good as the exxy ones.

$570-700 for a torch. Come on...
when $50\80 will give same beam. and, Normally last.

You sometimes just get bad batches. (NO Q.C.)

The first 7 or 8 I got are perfect. SO far.
Just these last three dealers are giving problem with stock.


PS. My Sailing and fishing lived together. You wouldn't believe the fishing gear I have.
Collected a lot of top line stuff. Full of braid. never been on rods or lures on swivels.
Just to have.

Here. this is just the boat and Barra gear. 5 of those reels are near and over a grand

apiece.

And this Not counting game and beach
ocks. Nor the Eggbeaters.

I'm putting some on the market.

85% never used. (Just my 4 or 5 favourites.)

 



-- Edited by macka17 on Friday 26th of May 2017 04:45:09 PM

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