Holiday Driving.

[OffRoadFalcon]

Originally Posted by flappist

The exception to this rule is do not drive with your lights on if you are driving away from the setting or rising sun as it makes you even harder to see.

I disagree with this, I find it very helpful when others on the road who are driving in the opposite direction to the rising/setting sun have their lights on, usually it makes it much easier to see them. It defines them from the usually darkened landscape around them.

[Matty4]

Originally Posted by XBROO

He needs a manual.

Why????
Didn't know there was a manual for learning how to do that!!!...

[flappist]

Originally Posted by Mr. Grinzy

I disagree with this, I find it very helpful when others on the road who are driving in the opposite direction to the rising/setting sun have their lights on, usually it makes it much easier to see them. It defines them from the usually darkened landscape around them.

This would be based on your extensive personal experience of driving on highways into the setting or rising sun even though you don't actually have a drivers license yet.....

[OffRoadFalcon]

Originally Posted by flappist

This would be based on your extensive personal experience of driving on highways into the setting or rising sun even though you don't actually have a drivers license yet.....

*Yawn* No offence but the regular reminders of the fact I do not yet have a licence and the idea that anybody who doesn't have one knows nothing, is getting old and tiresome.

It is based on years of going out at sunset and sunrise with my father for his landscape panorama photos. I love cars and driving so I always pay full attention to everything. Since March when I got my permit, I have been doing that driving, and it is from that experience that I have found when I have the sun in my eyes, and most of the land is perceived very dark, a car with headlights on provides a good contrast, making them much easier to see.

[flappist]

Originally Posted by Mr. Grinzy

*Yawn* No offence but the regular reminders of the fact I do not yet have a licence and the idea that anybody who doesn't have one knows nothing, is getting old and tiresome.

It is based on years of going out at sunset and sunrise with my father for his landscape panorama photos. I love cars and driving so I always pay full attention to everything. Since March when I got my permit, I have been doing that driving, and it is from that experience that I have found when I have the sun in my eyes, and most of the land is perceived very dark, a car with headlights on provides a good contrast, making them much easier to see.

So you were not actually trying to control a vehicle, stay on the road and work out whether the oncoming vehicle that is silouetted into the sun in doing 60km/h, 100km/h, is a truck, car, caravan, motorbike, on your side of the road?

When you are driving into the sun the background is bright, VERY bright as in bright as the sun.......

I am not talking about the sun off to the left or right but straight ahead. If you want an example look at the Bruce Highway between Howard and Childers. Almost dead straight, wide and smooth but runs east west and is one of the worst blackspots in the state for head on collisions.

I am just wondering if riding as a passenger is such good preparation for driving why does anyone need driving lessons?

And YES, you do know almost NOTHING about driving as demonstrated by quite a number of your posts and the fact that you really think you do is rather frightening.

[OffRoadFalcon]

Originally Posted by flappist

So you were not actually trying to control a vehicle, stay on the road and work out whether the oncoming vehicle that is silouetted into the sun in doing 60km/h, 100km/h, is a truck, car, caravan, motorbike, on your side of the road?

When I am driving, yes I am.

Originally Posted by flappist

When you are driving into the sun the background is bright, VERY bright as in bright as the sun......

I am not talking about the sun off to the left or right but straight ahead. If you want an example look at the Bruce Highway between Howard and Childers. Almost dead straight, wide and smooth but runs east west and is one of the worst blackspots in the state for head on collisions.

All I can say to this is that in the situations involving driving into the sun I've been in, I find cars are more visible to me with their lights on, as I said, providing more contrast than simply the silhouette. Maybe it's just me, my parents, and most other people I've been in a car with at those times. Yes, with the sun straight ahead.

Originally Posted by flappist

I am just wondering if riding as a passenger is such good preparation for driving why does anyone need driving lessons?

And YES, you do know almost NOTHING about driving as demonstrated by quite a number of your posts and the fact that you really think you do is rather frightening.

Riding as a passenger isn't a substitute for driving lessons at all, but if the soon to be young driver is interested enough to observe what is going on, it can certainly help. It did help for me, and that's all that matters.

You're entitled to your opinion that I know nothing. I do not feel that way, there are plenty of things I must know or I would not be here, I assure you. You do not know me, what I know or don't know, or what I have done. I don't claim to be any perfect driver, or that I know all that much, I know I have A LOT to learn.

There must be a factor in the situation we are describing that creates this difference in opinion?

[BENT_8]

Originally Posted by poppa smurf

I'd like to see the "B" double doing 10 - 15 kilometres over the posted limit.....love to be the fly on the wall when the results get back to the boss from his onboard putey thingy

B doubles/triples and road train operators are the best on the planet and by far the most experienced and safest

I often pull in behind one of these on long treks because it is the safest place on the road.....in the cradle I used to call it.....in the city I pull alongside and go with them

far from denigrating them I praise their ability

a lot of dribble around concerning trucks.....lets not spread more here from such a fine thread

well done Gasoline......keep up the good work....you stay safe yourself, a lot of fools out there in cars waiting to kill you

Serious...?

Hows this, 12 months ago the interstate B-doubles were delivering our freight by 8.00am 5 days a week.
When that fella plowed into them folk in NSW and the police started their crackdown on speeding trucks our freight instantly became delayed by 2+ hours every day, it was that bad my rostered start time was put back to save me sitting around waiting on the book.
The 'bosses' dont give a toss until you get caught and drag their name into it.

And the worst place you could hang around is beside a semi in metro areas as it prevents them from dodging around idiots who dont know what they are doing.
I know it was one of the things that p'd me off daily, backing down and winding up again coz some clown liked the shade my tautliner provided them and prevented me from moving around parked cars etc.

[xtremerus]

Originally Posted by BENT_8

Serious...?

Hows this, 12 months ago the interstate B-doubles were delivering our freight by 8.00am 5 days a week.
When that fella plowed into them folk in NSW and the police started their crackdown on speeding trucks our freight instantly became delayed by 2+ hours every day, it was that bad my rostered start time was put back to save me sitting around waiting on the book.
The 'bosses' dont give a toss until you get caught and drag their name into it.

And the worst place you could hang around is beside a semi in metro areas as it prevents them from dodging around idiots who dont know what they are doing.
I know it was one of the things that p'd me off daily, backing down and winding up again coz some clown liked the shade my tautliner provided them and prevented me from moving around parked cars etc.

HHmmmmmmm!

[foxtrot3]

Originally Posted by Matty4

Why????
Didn't know there was a manual for learning how to do that!!!...

Hi. Its called the "Owner-operator handbook". Cheers MD

[Trevor 57]

Originally Posted by GasOLane

There is a lot of van people that call us around these days, or let us know that they know we're behind them and will back off as soon as we pull out.

I trust that you can actually see behind you with your mirrors? Unlike most Vic cars whose mirrors only show the driver the front of his van

I am a poster on Aussies largest caravan forum, I have posted up some similar hints Gas, they do appreciate them, most don't want to be a pain in the **** and some don't that they are being a pain in the **** - LOL

[prydey]

funny how everyone is happy to tar the whole truck driving industry with the same brush, but take offence when someone calls them a 'hoon' instead of an 'enthusiast' because they drive a nice car.

[prydey]

Originally Posted by SteveJH

How about:

If you are sitting on 80-90km/h, please don't speed up to 110km/h as soon as you get to an overtaking lane, you'll just annoy everyone!

i'd love to know the mentality behind the reason why some folk do this.

my take on it is, when the road opens up a bit, ie, becomes 2 lanes, the driver feels more comfortable to do the 110 limit, and so speeds up with little awareness of what is going on behind them.

also, there would be those who are well aware of the line of traffic behind but feel they are doing everyone a favour by 'enforcing' their own speed limit on others.

thankfully when i travel every year (drive to adelaide - brisbane) its mostly outside of holiday periods and most people now prefer to fly, so traffic is a rarity. also, i realise its a small snapshot of life on the highway, but in the 15 years or so that i've been doing the journey, i could count on one hand the amount of times i've been overtaken by a truck.

[Mechan1k]

Going on posts above .... this is one reason why i usually stay home during the silly season .... and take my holidays during the quieter times.

Like a lot of truck drivers on here .... which I am not .... I have seen a hell of a lot of craziness out there (especially being a courier in Sydney metro). When I was younger/single I used to take a country drive for the hell of it during the night ... I found I felt the safest then as the majority of truck drivers were excellent on the roads.

Not like the city slickers out during daylight hours doing absolutely stupid things ... and putting their family and others at risk ... just because they think they own the road.

patience and common courtesy goes a hell of a LOOONG way ... unfortunately ... it is rare to see this today.

Yes ... there are different things that people do out on the road that absolutely annoy the living hell out of me .... but I just have to take a deep breath and relax ... as I have my wife next to me and my son strapped in his carseat in the back .... and I am the one responsible for their safety.

Everyone just needs to put the agro away when they get in the car.

[poppa smurf]

Originally Posted by BENT_8

Serious...?

Hows this, 12 months ago the interstate B-doubles were delivering our freight by 8.00am 5 days a week.
When that fella plowed into them folk in NSW and the police started their crackdown on speeding trucks our freight instantly became delayed by 2+ hours every day, it was that bad my rostered start time was put back to save me sitting around waiting on the book.
The 'bosses' dont give a toss until you get caught and drag their name into it.

And the worst place you could hang around is beside a semi in metro areas as it prevents them from dodging around idiots who dont know what they are doing.
I know it was one of the things that p'd me off daily, backing down and winding up again coz some clown liked the shade my tautliner provided them and prevented me from moving around parked cars etc.

ah! by your attitude and answer I would say you are a single semi driver......these i keep well away from....

[BENT_8]

Originally Posted by poppa smurf

ah! by your attitude and answer I would say you are a single semi driver......these i keep well away from....

Lol, not even close, been with my wife since i was 15 and she 14, 21 years today infact.
Not a semi driver either, i did local deliveries in a HR for one of SA's biggest transport co. until things tightened up and we all got laid off.

Wheres the attitude, im just telling you how it is from recent experience.
For what its worth, the guys who brought us our freight were great drivers with well looked after trucks, theres nothing wrong with the majority of drivers, its the people further up the ladder who have unreal expectations...

Too often the truck driver is blamed for incidents which often happen as a result of inconsiderate drivers around them.

Stay safe.

[prydey]

haha - bent 8 - when poppa said 'single' i don't think he was referring to your marital status, but how many trailers.

well done on the 21 years together though. rare these days.

[BENT_8]

Originally Posted by prydey

haha - bent 8 - when poppa said 'single' i don't think he was referring to your marital status, but how many trailers.

well done on the 21 years together though. rare these days.

Yeah, i got that, but as its our 'get together' anniversary it was fresh in my mind and i couldn't help myself..lol

Cheers though.

People get less for murder, or so she tells me...

[GasoLane]

Originally Posted by prydey

well done on the 21 years together though. rare these days.

A rare compliment from someone who spends every second year in Sufferers Paradise perving on Bikinied Swedish backpackers

But the drive will be better this year Rob, 90% of the Newell is back where it's supposed to be, even a couple of new overtaking lanes South of Moree.

The bad news is that fuel prices out there are not going down !

[noflac52]

Originally Posted by lilmattie

Drive with your headlights on, even during the day.

People tend to notice you easier.

I can't disagree with that people do see you easier but being a motorcycle rider as well as driver I prefer the cars to drive with their headlights off during the day because headlights on is one of the best ways for a rider to be noticed at anytime and when everyone has them on it diminishes the effect.
A bit like reflective vests. When only people who needed them for safety reasons wore them they were noticed a lot more, now everyone wears them and no one really takes much notice of them anymore.

As for holiday riding, I used to ride an 1100cc roadbike to work on the F3 freeway until one day during holiday time I got hit at 110km/hr by a driver changing lanes without looking. I was punted across 2 lanes before I regained control and the driver just kept on going. I was pushed out of my lane twice more before I got home in a slightly frazzled state. I then told my wife that it was my last commute on the bike and that I was going back to motorcycle racing again as it was much safer.
These were holiday drivers, not the experienced commuters and professional drivers that I usually travelled with.

I went back to racing and was much calmer. lol!

[poppa smurf]

only 21 years....we're coming up to about 33 in january.....sometimes feels like 90.....she's been annoying me since high school so I guess she would have been around the 15 mark

I keep taking her all over Australia, but she finds her way home every damn time

I belonged to "the fraternity" a long time ago.....glad to be out of it but I tend to get a bit protective of our boys and girls out there who cop flack unnecessarily from folks who wouldn't have a clue

very few "bad" ones out there but these few are way over represented in fora

[Franco Cozzo]

You truck drivers get anyone "drafting" you on interstate trips? Or is that just in the realm of US hypermilers?

[prydey]

Originally Posted by GasOLane

A rare compliment from someone who spends every second year in Sufferers Paradise perving on Bikinied Swedish backpackers

last 3 years its been every year. don't go out without your sunnies on... to protect from the harmful rays of course. staying in mooloolaba this time but i'm sure the sun is still an issue

at least you didn't mention the trip to sydney.....

Originally Posted by GasOLane

But the drive will be better this year Rob, 90% of the Newell is back where it's supposed to be, even a couple of new overtaking lanes South of Moree.

The bad news is that fuel prices out there are not going down !

good to know. at least i only need to fuel up twice. once in Hay and then Gilgandra. prob top up at gundy so i'm not driving on fumes in bris. still cheaper than flying for 4 people and its character building

[GasoLane]

Originally Posted by Big Damo

You truck drivers get anyone "drafting" you on interstate trips? Or is that just in the realm of US hypermilers?

That fits in the "only in 'Murrica" dept.

Hypermilers? WTF's that?

Originally Posted by prydey

at least you didn't mention the trip to sydney.....

Heeey, it's Christmas, I'm being nice for a change.

Originally Posted by prydey

good to know. at least i only need to fuel up twice. once in Hay and then Gilgandra. prob top up at gundy so i'm not driving on fumes in bris. still cheaper than flying for 4 people and its character building

Good move, but Gil is MUCH dearer than Dubbo, go in that was if you can.

After Gil, Coona is not bad for price then Gundy, which is almost Bris prices.

[poppa smurf]

I have been reliably informed, by the keeper of all things, including knowledge, that we are actually approaching our 35th wedding anniversary, coming up in January apparently

ah! dark days indeed!

I thought time flys when you're having fun.....

[GasoLane]

Originally Posted by poppa smurf

I have been reliably informed, by the keeper of all things, including knowledge, that we are actually approaching our 35th wedding anniversary, coming up in January apparently

See, if it wasn't for AFF you would really be in the poo for forgetting it

[poppa smurf]

well maybe not the poo!.....possibly intensive care......where I'm sure she would visit, cant go too long without someone to nag!

I used to love the "silent" treatment......she doesn't allow me that pleasure anymore!

damn sure that woman has a double sprung, triple hinged jaw!

[prydey]

Originally Posted by GasOLane

Good move, but Gil is MUCH dearer than Dubbo,

hmmm, might pay to fill up in dubbo then. depends which way i go these days. last year due to the murrimbidgee flooding, we went via broken hill, cobar etc which spits you out at gilgandra. i think i filled at broken hill then nyngan then gundi. 1st time i've gone that way and am tempted to go that way again.

otherwise, we normally stop o'night at dubbo so just as easy to fill there and miss Gil.

[2011G6E]

Just south of Rocky a day or two back...
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10151306728759626

Sadly, this is representative of the majority of truck drivers we now see on the highway. The minority are now "the good guys" and any impartial observation will show anyone that "the cowboys" are now in the majority.

They can cry about "give us space" but that also means no overtaking and cutting back in, not tailgating slower vehicles after catching up to them, and backing off and giving us the "space" you tell us you need. If this means you can't storm along at 110-plus (yes you do...) then so be it. Show the safe following distances you allege that you need.


Caravans: either speed up or get out of the way. As a guy I work with who travels in his van a lot says: you've already ruined your fuel economy by slapping a huge van on the back...so you might as well sit on 100kph instead of holding everyone up by doing 80.

[Trevor 57]

Originally Posted by poppa smurf

I have been reliably informed, by the keeper of all things, including knowledge, that we are actually approaching our 35th wedding anniversary, coming up in January apparently

ah! dark days indeed!

I thought time flys when you're having fun.....

we clocked up 35 last August, lived together for 2 years before that, 37.5 years in total, she is such a lucky woman -

[prydey]

Originally Posted by 2011G6E

Sadly, this is representative of the majority of truck drivers we now see on the highway. The minority are now "the good guys" and any impartial observation will show anyone that "the cowboys" are now in the majority.

so, is that clip all you've got to back up your statement? there are bad eggs in every industry, but to make a blanket claim like that.....