Driving in the Outback

[Rockhunter62]

Hi folks,

A general reminder with the upcoming prospecting season.

We have had a vehicle accident in the last week in outback Western Australia in our area. The vehicle was a tray back 4x4 towing a dual axle 8x5 trailer. Lost control around a bend on a gravel road. Speed, inexperience (city slicker) on outback roads and towing trailers. The vehicle and trailer would of had a fair load in them.

So please remember that the gold has been there a long time and will wait for you to recover it. Drive to conditions, don't speed, load your vehicles correctly without overloading them, lights on in dusty and low light conditions, be aware of animals/stock and respect your fellow motorists.

Hope you all have a safe prospecting season. See you out there. :gemstone: :goldnugget: :goldpan: ickshovel:

Cheers

Doug

 

[mudgee hunter]

Dual axel trailers fully loaded, behave very different to single axel trailers.
They are far more likely to jacknife into bends than singles.
Especially if say a ute is unladen, and the dual axel trailer is loaded.

 

[xcvator]

Try and get off the roads at least an hour before sundown and wait untill 1.5 hours after sunup

 

[mudgee hunter]

Yep, many long haul truckies will say sun up is a killer. And park up for their break.

 

[Baldy]

Mine roads in WA have a speed limit of 90 km for its workers for good reason..

 

[savage bitter]

Western Qld you drive thru unfenced properties (I have a main hwy going straight thru my property) most are unmarked and cattle sleep on the road at night and most stock will be walking around all day and night we always have some sort of accident in the cooler months.
A lot of people are in a hurry to get were they want to be and get a bit blase' about their surroundings.

 

[Nightjar]

Most experienced gravel road drivers tend to take the inside of bends. (obviously clear of oncoming traffic)
Gravel accumulates on outer side, inexperienced keep left and slide off the road if not driving to conditions.

 

[Bush Chook]

Most experienced gravel road drivers tend to take the inside of bends. (obviously clear of oncoming traffic)
Gravel accumulates on outer side, inexperienced keep left and slide off the road if not driving to conditions.

...and likely keep their tyres up at bitumen road pressures.

 

[savage bitter]

regardless of tyre pressures the biggest problem I see out my way is city folk treating our roads (dirt or asphalt) they think its the bruce hwy.
to put it simple I cant drive in the city its way out of my depth to hard you can have it but when you come out my way no traffic no lights or signs they drive with no care in the city you don't have cattle grids that launch you dirt roads that don't get looked after roos cattle other stock.
I have a tow truck and I will start getting busy in the next few weeks and when you ask what happened the same answer DONT NO DIDNT SEE IT WASNT EXPECTING THAT

 

[Theduke]

Tyre pressures on vehicles and trailers, be aware that to have the same tyre footprint for both the tyre pressures on your trailer and vehicle will be different so testing before you leave on your trip will ensure that youre going to be in front from the get go. Patience and commonsense are a couple of things that dont go astray either. If youre travelling slower than the posted speed limit be mindful of other road users it can be frustrating when theres a big lineup of slower vehicles that arent far enough apart and youre unable to overtake safely