Crash heartbreak for caravaners

gordon_adl · Senior Member

Crash heartbreak for caravaners

Sheba · Guru

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-11-26/crash-heartbreak-for-caravaners/4392094?section=sa

If you click on Enter right at the end of the link it will come out like this.

Cheers,

Sheba.

Santa · Guru

Chris, I just completed a trip, Darwin, Adelaide return and had very few if any problems with trucks.

I sit on approx 90kmh and monitor the RV mirrors constantly, trucks don't just materialise on your back bumper bar, you can see them coming from quite a way back and decide how your going to handle the situation (quite often you can pull over before they even catch up to you) first thing I do is talk to the driver (UHF channel 40) let em know your aware they are coming up behind and discuss how they would like to handle the overtake.

If I don't get a response (very rare) I pull over and let them through at the first opportunity.

The last thing I want to do is to get involved in overtaking maneauvers with road trains travelling at highway speeds, I've seen way too many (involving caravans) that have ended catastrophically.

-- Edited by Santa on Tuesday 27th of November 2012 07:13:21 PM

justcruisin01 · Guru

Thats in a builtup zone, what would he do out on the open hwy.

JC.

briche · Guru

What a sad story. Thank goodness they were not hurt well not in the physical sense anyway. We have come back from 9 months in NSW/QLD and had a few close calls but we have seen some of those truckies travelling sometimes less than a caravan distance behind vans and other vehicles doing highway speed. It's real scary, mind you not all truckies are like that most do the right thing and we found the professional drivers good to work with but it only takes one. Hope their van was insured and they can eventually do their dream trip. Take care out there Brian & Cheryl

_wombat_ · Master (of Mischief)

the majority of truckies are great, ALL carvans must have a radio, all you need to do is talk to them on ch40 when you see them in your mirrors and they can pass when it is safe for you both.

sorry to hear about the guys in SA.

Delta18 · Guru

justcruisin01 wrote:
Thats in a builtup zone, what would he do out on the open hwy.
JC.

That is an open highway JC, it is a roadhouse by itself near a town (Snowtown) which has been By-passed. Speed limit there is 110kmh from memory.

The wreckage appears to be on the southbound lane where you would expect he should have been as he was travelling toward Adelaide.

Cheers

rockylizard · Guru

briche wrote:
--SNIPPED-- we have seen some of those truckies travelling sometimes less than a caravan distance behind vans and other vehicles doing highway speed. It's real scary, --SNIPPED-- Take care out there Brian & Cheryl
_wombat_ wrote:
the majority of truckies are great, ALL carvans must have a radio, all you need to do is talk to them on ch40 when you see them in your mirrors and they can pass when it is safe for you both.
sorry to hear about the guys in SA.

Gday...

It would be valuable to read the Police Report/Assessment of the accident. What a mess. I can certainly relate to the way the bloke is standing ... I would have tears streaming down my cheeks if it were me.

As stated by Briche, trucks often get up close to vans and other slower moving vehicles. It takes a long time to wind up a truck and they want to be as close to the vehicle they are going to overtake to make sure they get around.

However, Wommies advice is very pertinent. All we vanners should carry a UHF CB ... and leave it on Channel 40 (truckie/highway channel). When a truck is approached from behind, when it is still about 15 car lengths behind, call the truckie up and let them know you have seen them. Just the fact they know you are aware they are there gives them more confidence. Then agree to assist them to "come around" .... ie - let them know when it is clear ahead, let them know as they are beside you that you will slow down if they need to get back in, so that it is safe for all road users.

Works a treat - in my four years on the roads, sharing with roadtrains in outback QLD and NSW as well as semi's on the major highways, I have yet to have a close call and the truckies are very appreciative of the help.

In 'build-up' areas, if a truck is right on my clacker, I will just put on left indicator, pull off to the kerb/roadside, and let them pass. They are too big to argue with ... and are usually trying to stay on a schedule - which is often unreasonable and forced on them cry

Cheers - and happy, safe travelling - John

Santa · Guru

Must admit I shudder when I come across a situation when a caravan or MH is travelling at 80kmh with a long line of vehicles (including trucks) lined up behind them and the van/MH driver simply continues happily on their way, either unaware or simply not caring about the frustration levels of those following.
As Wombat said have a UHF radio fitted monitoring ch40 and use it to communicate with truckies (let em know when it's safe to pass etc) they do appreciate it.
If your in the situation where your holding up traffic because of your slow speed, at the first safe first opportunity pull over and let them past, it's simply common sense.
Slow, unresponsive/unyeilding GN's who seem not to use their rear view mirrors, whether towing a van or driving a MH are a major source of frustration for truck drivers.
As an after thought, why oh why do these slow travellers we are discussing invariably sit with their offside wheels on or close to the centre line making it almost impossible to pass em.

gypsy rover · Senior Member

I have just finished a 7000k, 3 month trip from townsville to the Great Ocean Road and southern NSW coast. I came across many of these truckies sitting right on my back bumper and I hated it. Fortunately, there were plenty of rest areas or pull ins where I could pull over and let them through. It slowed my trip down considerably, as my truck takes forever to get up to speed as well, but I didn't have a schedule to meet so it was worth it to me just to get them off my tail so I could relax and enjoy the drive. Most of them did the double blinker thing to say thank you for letting them through, so I know that it was appreciated.

Cheers!

Chris

Duh · Guru

I feel very sorry for the travellers and the end to their travels, many who have been in these type of situations never RV travel again.

They are very lucky they survived though, not so lucky as these people, pity they didn't survive to tell their side of the story, see;

http://www.courts.sa.gov.au/CoronersFindings/Lists/Coroners%20Findings/Attachments/330/JONG%20Petrus%20and%20JONG%20Helena%20and%20JONG%20Miranda.pdf

A long story (public record) but worth reading.

_wombat_ · Master (of Mischief)

gypsy rover wrote:
I have just finished a 7000k, 3 month trip from townsville to the Great Ocean Road and southern NSW coast. I came across many of these truckies sitting right on my back bumper and I hated it. Fortunately, there were plenty of rest areas or pull ins where I could pull over and let them through. It slowed my trip down considerably, as my truck takes forever to get up to speed as well, but I didn't have a schedule to meet so it was worth it to me just to get them off my tail so I could relax and enjoy the drive. Most of them did the double blinker thing to say thank you for letting them through, so I know that it was appreciated.
Cheers!
Chris

did you talk to the truckies on a radio?

They were probally close because they were waiting for a gap in the traffic to get by, but I do agree it is annoying when they sit for too long, you only need an emergency stopping situation and they cannot stop in time, I talk to them and help them around us but if that is not an option I get off the road asap.

scotia59 · Senior Member

just read the report Duh, how very sad, and scary.

Jean

Duh · Guru

Yes it is very sad Jean, both sides of the story will never be known.

I have met one of the inspectors named in the report some time back.

The way some of those following trailers sway around is very scary if you are looking in the rear view mirror when they are overtaking...