Yea, had some nasty experiences on the Newell highway last year with double B's. Mostly good drivers but there were lots of cowboys. We found ourselves being pushed very hard by two of them travelling very fast as we were approaching Parks. Not only was it a long downhill run but there was two of them running very close together.
we eventually managed to get out of their way but I was so mad, it could have been a disaster if for instance I had blown a tyre.
so I now have a policy, that anyone who does that to us, I will take his number, company, location, etc and report it to his company and the Police. The police at Parks said that they get a number of complaints a day about this stuff and if you report it with details they will follow it up as they, unfortunately have seen the results of this sort of Behavour.
i for one will never travel the Newell highway again.
briche
-- Edited by briche on Friday 14th of February 2014 10:28:17 AM
-- Edited by briche on Friday 14th of February 2014 10:29:36 AM
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Yea, had some nasty experiences on the Newell highway last year with double B's. Mostly good drivers but there were lots of cowboys. We found ourselves being pushed very hard by two of them travelling very fast as we were approaching Parks. Not only was it a long downhill run but there was two of them running very close together.
we eventually managed to get out of their way but I was so mad, it could have been a disaster if for instance I had blown a tyre.
so I now have a policy, that anyone who does that to us, I will take his number, company, location, etc and report it to his company and the Police. The police at Parks said that they get a number of complaints a day about this stuff and if you report it with details they will follow it up as they, unfortunately have seen the results of this sort of Behavour.
i for one will never travel the Newell highway again.
briche
-- Edited by briche on Friday 14th of February 2014 10:28:17 AM
-- Edited by briche on Friday 14th of February 2014 10:29:36 AM
Did you talk to the guys on your CB CH40, we do a lot of miles in a motor home every year and never experience the problems mentioned here, see a truck coming up behind > talk to him and let him know your aware of his presence and will let him through as soon as its safe, works every time.
There are some good letters to the editor in the latest Grey Nomads Times on this very issue, a couple from the truckies perspective put a different slant on the matter.
Not saying truckies are angels, however they are out there trying to earn a living, I don't blame em for getting uptight about being held up by dodderers traveling below the legal limit, who are unaware there's a truck behind or pigheadedly simply refuse to let em through.
PS I travel the Newell 2 or three times a year and am fine with it, sure there are trucks, there are also slow moving poorly loaded caravans which are much more annoying.
-- Edited by Santa on Friday 14th of February 2014 01:06:32 PM
-- Edited by Santa on Friday 14th of February 2014 01:16:53 PM
I too avoid the Newell Hway these days,, too many risks now and being involved in significant risk management programs previously ,, it aint worth the risk IMHO.
Bruce Hway Nth of Brissy to Gympie likewise,, I've had harrowing experiences there before.
My brother drove Adelaide to QLD regularly with HC rig,, also hated the Newell,,, too many risk takers especially B doubles,, tailgating, passing when unsafe and relying on others to brake/move or take avoiding action.
We took back roads again in 2013 to QLD and loved the serenity and sights plus the small places we found,, some not even on the map.
__________________
Why is it so? Professor Julius Sumner Miller, a profound influence on my life, who explained science to us on TV in the 60's.
I've just arrived at Nerrandera travelling on the Newell today. Heaps of trucks on the road. Never had a problem with any of them. At times had them behind me wanting to overtake, which they did when safe thankfully and I pulled back to let them get past safely.
Must have been a good bunch on the road today.
To put it the complete picture the trucks were actually travelling behind a a road crew truck and they were getting push as well, so we had this convoy that really was a bit out of control as there was nowhere to move to. As far as the truck drivers are concerned as I said in the post most are really good to talk to and will work with you for everyone's benefit
. I realise that they have schedules to keep but unfortunately there are the cowboys that put that schedule before all else. As far as I am concerned they might have schedules to keep but it's a shared road for all not just them.
as I said in the main no problems but there are the exceptions.
briche
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You only live once, but if you live it right, once is enough !!!!!!
I understand where you are all coming from but I must have been lucky. I travelled the full length of the Newell 3 times last year and didn't experience any real problems, I do however communicate over the UHF with all trucks I see coming up from the rear and let them know that I will move over ASAP and slow down for them to pass safely. In always got a positive reply and even a chat from some about my travels. As I said, maybe I was just lucky.
I get worse than the Newell on the Bass Hwy here in sth west Gippsland, even the south Gippsland hwy.
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Live Life On Your Terms
DOUGChief One Feather (Losing feathers with age)
TUG.......2014 Holden LT Colorado Twin Cab Ute with Canopy
DEN....... 2014 "Chief" Arrow CV (with some changes)
Did you talk to the guys on your CB CH40, we do a lot of miles in a motor home every year and never experience the problems mentioned here, see a truck coming up behind > talk to him and let him know your aware of his presence and will let him through as soon as its safe, works every time.
-- Edited by Santa on Friday 14th of February 2014 01:06:32 PM
-- Edited by Santa on Friday 14th of February 2014 01:16:53 PM
G'Day Santa, Excuse my ignorance but I've seen mentioned before about talking to whoever is behind and "let him through" - this is the bit I do not understand!
The scenario is that I'm in my Falcadore towing a 17 footer at 85kph closely followed by a B double. Now I, like most grey nomads are not familiar with the road I am on whereas the bloke in the B double does this run twice a week so he knows where the breaks are. He also has much better vision than I do of the road ahead as he is sitting almost 3 metres above the road.
I do not understand how or what "let him through means". I also do not understand what talking to him on the CB will achieve because I know that the B double will overtake me when he sees fit, and when he is parallel to me I will ease the throttle back a bit to help him past (like most grey nomads), and then double flash when he is clear so he can pull in.
Dougwe - I also cannot see how you can "move over", after all, you are required to keep as far as practical to the left as possible at all times.
Am I missing something here?
ps...I should add that I've never had a problem, but I'm willing to listen, learn and ask questions.
I imagine pulling over means pulling off into the rest-stops/laybys so they can pass - there were a lot of those on the - can't-remember-the-name-highway - coming back from Adelaide in December 2012.
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'Move over' means simply if possible slow down a little and move just a little more to the left or rest area or similar. In most cases there is a little bit of space to the left so by slowing down a little it keeps everyone on the move and happy.
As an ex heavy vehicle driver for many many years I can appreciate things from both sides maybe. UHF is a great tool if used correctly, as with most things in life, communication is the key. The road is for you, me and them.
__________________
Live Life On Your Terms
DOUGChief One Feather (Losing feathers with age)
TUG.......2014 Holden LT Colorado Twin Cab Ute with Canopy
DEN....... 2014 "Chief" Arrow CV (with some changes)
I recently travelled the Newell, Leichardt and up the Bruce to Innisfail before heading south through Charters Towers and down the Gregory. I had one issue with an impatient truckie while travelling at the reduced speed limit north of Cardwell, he did not want to slow to 80kmh. More frequently the issue was travellers, including two sporting a Grey Nomads sticker. These travellers kept left but had the unfortunate habit of accelerating to well over 110 kmh while being overtaken. Over the years I have had fewer issues with semis, B-doubles and road trains than I have had with my fellow travellers.
'Move over' means simply if possible slow down a little and move just a little more to the left or rest area or similar. In most cases there is a little bit of space to the left so by slowing down a little it keeps everyone on the move and happy.
As an ex heavy vehicle driver for many many years I can appreciate things from both sides maybe. UHF is a great tool if used correctly, as with most things in life, communication is the key. The road is for you, me and them.
Thanks for the reply Doug, but that sure ain't going to help if I've got a road train on my rear end and I'm doing 90kph....if I slow down and move to the left the road train will rearend me unless he can overtake me at that moment.
But basically one cannot replicate real time situations in a forum as there are so many variables.
Re correct use of UHF - I recently went with one of my sons when he was moving a float from Mackay to Roma - we were behind an escorted load near Sarina and listening to the UHF...some idiot gets on and tries to imitate the police and the escort vehicle telling them to pull over, blown tire etc etc. The UHF then went silent and son told me that this was not unusual. Makes you wonder eh!
G'Day Santa, Excuse my ignorance but I've seen mentioned before about talking to whoever is behind and "let him through" - this is the bit I do not understand!
The scenario is that I'm in my Falcadore towing a 17 footer at 85kph closely followed by a B double. Now I, like most grey nomads are not familiar with the road I am on whereas the bloke in the B double does this run twice a week so he knows where the breaks are. He also has much better vision than I do of the road ahead as he is sitting almost 3 metres above the road.
I do not understand how or what "let him through means". I also do not understand what talking to him on the CB will achieve because I know that the B double will overtake me when he sees fit, and when he is parallel to me I will ease the throttle back a bit to help him past (like most grey nomads), and then double flash when he is clear so he can pull in.
Dougwe - I also cannot see how you can "move over", after all, you are required to keep as far as practical to the left as possible at all times.
Am I missing something here?
ps...I should add that I've never had a problem, but I'm willing to listen, learn and ask questions.
Regards
The thing you need to remember is that the truckie does not know whether you know he is coming.
The scary thing for a truckie is to pull out to pass a van and the van driver suddenly panics because he didn't know the truck was coming and gets the wobbles, or worse.
It does a lot for the truckies confidence (and heart rate) if a simple acknowledgement by you "westbound coming up to the xxxxx van when you pull out I will back off a little" is all that is needed. When he does pull out, and not until then, lift your foot off the throttle - count to 5 then put it back where it was! This will give the speed difference to enable a quick pass without you losing control.
Do not move off the road, unless it is a one lane bitumen road as he does not like gravel on the front of his truck, just hold your position & speed.
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Neil & Lynne
Pinjarra
Western Australia
MY23.5 Ford Wildtrak V6 Dual Cab / 21' Silverline 21-65.3
As a Grey nomad towing a large van and still a truckie, although a lot less hours than I used to, and currently driving an 8 wheel truck towing 2 trailers. 36.5 metres long, weighing in at over 120 tonne legal, loaded, i was going to comment but decided not to. Apart from saying that Delta18 - Spot On.
As a Grey nomad towing a large van and still a truckie, although a lot less hours than I used to, and currently driving an 8 wheel truck towing 2 trailers. 36.5 metres long, weighing in at over 120 tonne legal, loaded, i was going to comment but decided not to. Apart from saying that Delta18 - Spot On.
Bob
Might as well comment Bob,, everyone else does.
My concern with reading some of these posts is that some seem to advocate slowing down while a big rig is approaching/passing,,, there was a family killed in SA a few years ago, they lost control of van while vehicle was being passed by semi,,, unfortunately I can't find a copy of the coroners findings.
Need to have the power on when being passed.
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Why is it so? Professor Julius Sumner Miller, a profound influence on my life, who explained science to us on TV in the 60's.
,, especially as they slipstream up behind and pull out at the last minute.
