I see the 3 Belgian backpackers who phoned triple zero and started a ground and air search forgot to let authorities know that they had rescued themselves and were travelling again. I'm certainly glad they're safe but not letting authorities know is unacceptable. what do others think? Dave
RustyD said
09:19 AM Jun 20, 2017
Very, very inconsiderate and unacceptable behaviour.
Bagmaker said
11:12 AM Jun 20, 2017
pretty much par for the course of backpackers.
Them first, everyone else second.
Generally nice enough kids but inconsiderate and ignorant of a whole bunch of travelling no-no's.
Like not taking a spade for a walk.
hako said
12:03 PM Jun 20, 2017
It can happen to anybody and they were probably totally stuffed when they found civilisation. Part of the article says:
Weve just been kindly contacted by Robyn at Surfside Backpackers in Apollo Bay, saying Belgian backpackers came in last night at 6pm, covered in mud, Sen-Sgt McSwain said.
They had apparently stated they got lost in the vicinity of Kennett River and Mount Sabine.
Weve since spoken to the backpackers who are on their way to Adelaide and told they had contacted emergency services after their car got bogged, and apologised for inconvenience they caused.
Possibly the people at Appolo Bay could have put 2 and 2 together and followed it through.....you'd imagine they would be aware that there was a search and rescue operation going on in their area.
Regards
Desert Dweller said
12:35 PM Jun 20, 2017
Bagmaker wrote:
Pretty much par for the course of backpackers. Them first, everyone else second. Generally nice enough kids but inconsiderate and ignorant of a whole bunch of travelling no-no's.
Same goes for quite a few grey nomads as well.
macka17 said
12:59 PM Jun 20, 2017
Simple answer to that.
if they Irresponsible in the call outs. or get back and don't notify.
Present them with part of the bill.
Backpackers. You have their names.
freeze tickets at airports till they arrange whatever.
The Taxpayer has enuff rubbish to pay for nowadays.
without adding more to it.
Same as these "underage" kids etc
Go to kids court. and have an order made
that when they get OF age and start work or go on the dole.
Restitution is made through whatever income they get.
By Law.
It's waaay past the point when people should be made to pay for their actions.
Responsibilities at ALL ages.
RustyD said
02:04 PM Jun 20, 2017
After grey-nomadding for 2 years now, I'm finding backpackers don't have a good reputation. Leave rubbish everywhere behind them, always seem to be smoking wacky-tabacky despite no one else is actually smoking, sneaking into van parks to use showers, toilets, kitchens without paying. One park we stayed at had high security. My first impression it was to keep out local thieves. Turned out it was to keep out freeloading backpackers.
blaze said
02:17 PM Jun 20, 2017
you will find in people what you seek, for me, I would rather sit and talk to a backpacker than a lot of the old farts I have met while on the road. They have there faults, but don't we all
cheers
blaze
CC Bear said
04:57 PM Jun 20, 2017
How much tax payers money was wasted recently on the S O S sign up north and that was there from three years ago. So it is not only backpackers.
Ron-D said
05:11 PM Jun 20, 2017
blaze wrote:
you will find in people what you seek, for me, I would rather sit and talk to a backpacker than a lot of the old farts I have met while on the road. They have there faults, but don't we all cheers blaze
Give me the old farts any day ,I find some of the backpackers quite friendly but most of them are grubby campers...
Mike Harding said
06:01 PM Jun 20, 2017
Keep in mind that most backpackers are young people (less than 25) and are in a foreign country. They are not seasoned international travellers and in my experience have *zero* concept of the size of Australia, our low population density and harsh terrain/weather.
If you have been born and brought up in a country 2.5 times the area of greater Sydney with three times the population the concept of becoming lost and isolated in a way which may be fatal is quite alien.
Bruce and Bev said
06:45 PM Jun 20, 2017
oh well, unless they carry a mobile or sat phone with them in future, they wont be able to use a Telstra payphone anyway as the Productivity Commission has this week recommended they all be taken out. Too bad for the Mum or kid who has just been bashed in the home and can rush to a payphone to call emergency services. Just like our Aust Post mail boxes that are few and far between nowdays
RustyD said
08:17 PM Jun 20, 2017
I tried to use a public phone box when I lost my mobile. It just didn't work. Cashless and needed a pre-paid card. Not something I carry. Ended up in a Bank and asked if I could use their phone. They obliged.
I see the 3 Belgian backpackers who phoned triple zero and started a ground and air search forgot to let authorities know that they had rescued themselves and were travelling again. I'm certainly glad they're safe but not letting authorities know is unacceptable. what do others think? Dave
Them first, everyone else second.
Generally nice enough kids but inconsiderate and ignorant of a whole bunch of travelling no-no's.
Like not taking a spade for a walk.
It can happen to anybody and they were probably totally stuffed when they found civilisation. Part of the article says:
Weve just been kindly contacted by Robyn at Surfside Backpackers in Apollo Bay, saying Belgian backpackers came in last night at 6pm, covered in mud, Sen-Sgt McSwain said.
They had apparently stated they got lost in the vicinity of Kennett River and Mount Sabine.
Weve since spoken to the backpackers who are on their way to Adelaide and told they had contacted emergency services after their car got bogged, and apologised for inconvenience they caused.
Possibly the people at Appolo Bay could have put 2 and 2 together and followed it through.....you'd imagine they would be aware that there was a search and rescue operation going on in their area.
Regards
Same goes for quite a few grey nomads as well.
if they Irresponsible in the call outs. or get back and don't notify.
Present them with part of the bill.
Backpackers. You have their names.
freeze tickets at airports till they arrange whatever.
The Taxpayer has enuff rubbish to pay for nowadays.
without adding more to it.
Same as these "underage" kids etc
Go to kids court. and have an order made
that when they get OF age and start work or go on the dole.
Restitution is made through whatever income they get.
By Law.
It's waaay past the point when people should be made to pay for their actions.
Responsibilities at ALL ages.
cheers
blaze
Give me the old farts any day ,I find some of the backpackers quite friendly but most of them are grubby campers...
Keep in mind that most backpackers are young people (less than 25) and are in a foreign country. They are not seasoned international travellers and in my experience have *zero* concept of the size of Australia, our low population density and harsh terrain/weather.
If you have been born and brought up in a country 2.5 times the area of greater Sydney with three times the population the concept of becoming lost and isolated in a way which may be fatal is quite alien.