All of the above is good advice. What I do is let them know I know they are there. Dont slow down but tell them you will back off as soon as they come out to pass. When they have past flash your lights to let them know its safe to come back in.
If you do it right you usually get a blink to say thanks.
Stay off the Newell and the Pacific north of Newcastle at night if you can. Oh and the Nulabour
-- Edited by NeilandRaine on Tuesday 24th of January 2012 09:26:37 PM
The two awful truck crashes in NSW today have got me wondering what's like to drive some highways in a slower vehicle such as a campervan. It's been years since I've driven the Newell and I've never driven in the outback. Do any of you seasoned nomads have advice you could give me about danger spots to be aware of and any roads that are best avoided? Also any tips on how to drive roads were those huge road trains bore along at over 100k's would be appreciated. Thanks
I've driven the Newell in a car and in my campervan. I never drive at night and I try to stop by at least 4pm. Most truckies are getting out on the road about then as most travel overnight. I also pull over when convenient to let them pass when I see them coming up behind me and there is somewhere safe to pull off the road. It doesn't happen often but makes for a toilet stop or cuppa stop excuse. By that I mean I'm not pulling over every 10 minutes just the odd occasion when it works out that way. If I'm in a line of traffic with trucks in that line I will let them pass as quickly as possible. I never ovetake and pull in front of them in a line of traffic. With sons having been truckies I know how hard it is for them to deal with other traffic who don't know the best way to deal with trucks.
Last week,(Tues & Wed) from Toowoolmba to Dubbo, I thought I was being a good little vegemite and travelled between 9am and 4pm. The trucks in both directions were in the hundreds. I'm not joking. When I travelled in Sept I had the road to myself. Don't know what was going on, but it sure was busy.
Thanks for all that good advice. I'll follow it. I'm planning on traveling down the Newell in the next week (depends on floods of course). I don't drive at night either and like the idea of pulling off the road before 4 pm. I hope I don't have the same experience as ChiChi1 - other people have told me there's lots of trunks out that way at present too. Maybe they're all catching up on deliveries after Xmas.
At the moment, between Narrabri and Moree heading north there are some rather L-A-R-G-E potholes that have been doing a lot of damage to the springs etc on caravans - just take care driving that section.
We know from personal experience a couple of weeks ago - a $750 repair bill, the week before a van copped a $4000 repair bill for the same section.
-- Edited by Pejay on Wednesday 25th of January 2012 04:53:03 PM
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Pejay are travelling in a 2014 Holden Colorado LTZ Twin Cab Ute + 2013 Coromal Element van
We will just as soon as we can safely get off the road and let them by and the same in the out back with road trains, My husband hates cars, truck, up his bum while pulling the van. We not in so much hurry to speed we keep to the speed lime'd
I did'nt have any problems, just commenting on the number of trucks on the road at the time. Going up I was lucky though. Truck overtook me, I backed off when he came along side, he did'nt see the car coming in other direction and had to come back in really quickly. I hit the anchors, and he only missed knocking me flying by millimetres with his rear end.
All good advice. Indicate before braking or pulling off the road. I mean always use your indicator to INDICATE your intentions before you act. A truck weighing anything from 60-120 tonnes is hard to pull up in a short distance. It's equally difficult to take evasive action in the case of someone making a stupid move in the vicinity of the truck moving at 100 KPH. Give the trucks heaps of room. As they overtake you, when they are next to you, reduce your speed to make his pass happen much quicker. Either call them on the UHF to tell them they're around and it's ok to pull in front of you, or as previously mentioned, flash you headlights to advise the driver of his position in relation to yours. Road transport is essential for the mobility of produce and freight around this country. There's no option in many regions. We have to share the road with them. The drivers don't get up in the morning, kiss their wife and kids goodbye, climb into the cab, get the rig rolling to run anyone off the road and kill someone. Unless it's mechanical failure, many of the collisions involving trucks are caused by motorists making foolish decisions and movements in close proximity to the big rig. Speed limits and schedules are set by the people who don't drive any trucks. It's up to the driver to maintain these schedules while honouring his/her obligations to the law, the log book requirements of every state, and the customer, while fitting in compulsory rest stops and sleep breaks. Then they have to meet weight limits and are scrutinised on weighbridges strategically placed around the country, and smile for the highway cameras which record the time they passed that camera in comparison to the time they pass the next camera up the highway. All the time spening long periods away from the comfort of home and family, showering in roadhouses and truck stops, sleeping in a truck cab, sometimes without aircon and creature comforts. It's a tough business, and we must do everything we can to make their day/night on the road as safe as possible.
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20ft Roma caravan - Mercedes Benz Sprinter - SA-based at the moment. Transport has no borders.
Management makes the decisions, but is not affected by the decisions it makes.
flash you headlights to advise the driver of his position in relation to yours.
DO NOT flash your lights UNLESS the truck has passed !!!
Unless it's mechanical failure, many of the collisions involving trucks are caused by motorists making foolish decisions and movements in close proximity to the big rig.
I think that statement is a little incorrect. A LOT of collisions ARE caused by trucks...and a lot are caused by cars.Truck drivers are NOT blameless. Sorry
Speed limits and schedules are set by the people who don't drive any trucks. It's up to the driver to maintain these schedules while honouring his/her obligations to the law, the log book requirements of every state, and the customer, while fitting in compulsory rest stops and sleep breaks. Then they have to meet weight limits and are scrutinised on weighbridges strategically placed around the country, and smile for the highway cameras which record the time they passed that camera in comparison to the time they pass the next camera up the highway. All the time spening long periods away from the comfort of home and family, showering in roadhouses and truck stops, sleeping in a truck cab, sometimes without aircon and creature comforts. It's a tough business, and we must do everything we can to make their day/night on the road as safe as possible.
If it is too tough for them, I suggest they leave and do something else...like I did when I used to drive interstate and heavy hauilage. Do NOT blame those in power, the driver DOES not have to break the law. I spent a lot of time away from my family in my chosen career, but I didn't whinge about it
There are a lot of cowboys out there and only this morning a b double driver was on the radio complaining about numerous other trucks breaking the law this morning
CG, I could say, that the truck driver wasn't paying enough attention and should have ensured that the road was clear before pulling out. I was travelling on 100kms so not all that slow. If, I hadn't backed off when he was along side, he would have taken that much longer to get past me and neither I nor the car coming in the other direction would have had much hope. I'm sure the car driver coming in the other direction must have s h i t himself as well to see that great truck headed straight for him.
Now, I appreciate that they have a job to do under very difficult circumstances. but truly, they are taking over the roads. I have given up night driving. Don't know what the answer is but, something has to be done as its much too dangerous out there on the highways. Perhaps cars should avoid the highways.
Glad you were able to back off Mel, must have been a scary moment when it wooshed back in front. When towing a caravan the advice we've had, and taken, is to continue on the same speed, as slowing while the truck is alongside will increase sway. Most truckies are good drivers and good blokes, but you get idiots in every walk of life, and even a good driver can have a bad day.
Thanks for all that. The stories about truck drivings reminded me of an incident I had about this time last year on the Oxley Hwy. It was early morning and there was hardly any traffic. I crested a hill to see a car overtaking another car and heading straight for me. I swerved to the left, the car being overtaken slowed and the car causing all the trouble pulled back onto the right side of the road with about a metre to spare between him and me. Talk about scary. So, thinking it through I realise of course that's it's not just trucks that can be a problem. It's erratic driving.
The advice on road trains is really helpful. I'll do my best to be a courteous driver when I get out there. The way these floods are going in northern NSW my travel plans for later in the week are in complete disarray. Perhaps I'll be rowing my car to Victoria!
Just be careful if slowing down that the truck is completely out on the other side of the road and starting to pass you. If you slow down while it is still pulling out you run the risk of it sideswiping your rear.
Latest govt statistics show 79% of truck/car accidents are caused by the car not the truck. Yes there are cowboys but damn the are more stupid, inexperianced car drivers out there than cowboy Truck Drivers
Question: Scenario ... I am towing a van at 90kph. A B-Double that I have been watching approach from the rear .... pulls out to overtake me.
Do I continue at 90 kph ?? Do I slow down?? Do I move over (but remain on the black top)?
why do I ask?
Just read the story re the grey nomads involved in an accident with an overtaking truck .... "The van struck the side of the truck" ..... How?? Why?? Thinking there must be some sort of "suction" created by the bulk and speed of the truck and am how to counter this .......
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[spoiler] May the Road rise up to meet you, May the Sun always shine upon your back, The Wind blow gently upon your face, And the Rain fall gently upon your fields.
Hi Nomad1946, I've been advised by Truckies, to maintain my speed, DO NOT SLOW DOWN., when truck is level with you, you then start to back off., cheers Fran
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"I'll know what I've been searching for, when I find it"
On Tuesday of this week we were returning home from the Hunter region, heading south on Peat's Ridge Road and when approaching a road entering from the right a large semi was waiting to enter, when he saw our 2 caravans we got a mouthful on channel 18, words to the effect F%$76# caravans on the road and will hold us up, there was 2 trucks from the same company, this abuse carried on even after we had reached the M1 and only stopped when we outran them after the Hawkesbury Bridge at Brooklyn going uphill. At 1 point just after they joined the road we were on, the 1st truck ran up to within about 5-10 metres of my van, and only dropped back slightly when I asked him to drop back. I and my mate towing the other van got in touch with the trucking company and lodged a complaint I also put a report in to the local police station but their answer was they couldn't do too much, I also informed the company that in the course of travelling thousands of kilometres towing that I, whenever there is a truck behind me call on CB and advise that he can pass when he deems it safe and in the vast majority of these the truckies are more than happy and will acknowledge any help you can give them to maintain their timetables, the 2 clowns on the Peat's Ridge road spoil it for the mostly good truckies
