Sand dune flag: Any alternatives?

[markyc]

What's anyone used instead of buying a legit one?
It's not that I'm being tight :p but as I only have a nudge bar, I'll have to knock up some sort of attachment anyway..

Cheers!

[walker]

Squid Pole is by far the best. About $20-30 at any good fishing shop (and probably the bad ones as well)

[crash]

If you have a roof rack a biclycle flag would work, have used them on ATV's in the past without problems.

[isuzurover]

Mate of mine went through the simpson, canning etc, with a telescopiic fishing rod with a flag on it (attached to his roof rack). I think he had to superglue the sections together to get it to stay up on the corrugations.

[rrturboD]

I bought a elcheepo multi piece (3 piece surf rod) fishing rod from KMart, race taped an orange flag from an old bike flag to top, removed the line guides etc, and race taped the bottom section to my front bar. I left the bottom section attached to the bar for the trip, just removed the two extensions when not needed. I think the exercise cost about $20. It is about somewhere.....

[weeds]

i used my UHF antenna, funny thing was i went to a heap of trouble getting a flag made up with 43 on the side only to discover at the edge of the simpson desert it was still sitting on the kitchen fridge

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2011/12/711.jpg

[markyc]

Great replies! I'll post some pics after our trip down (up?) Goog's Track..

Ta

[WNE Me]

Went to Rays outdoors (any camping store will do) bought 4 piece carbon tent pole $14, its hollow so threaded shot cord through the centre, $1.60. Bunting flags on top. Cheap, light weight, strong, small pack. Mounted to bullbar with 2 hose clamps.

[hagus]

On an impromptu o-night to Poepple Corner i used an extendable tent pole stuck into the ladder rack holder on the bullbar with one of my 18 mth olds red t-shirts taped to the top.:D

Hagus

[Blknight.aus]

I use on of those fiberglass rods from a dome tent...

[waynep]

A mate used a length of pvc water pipe with a cut up flouro safety jacket on topfor the Simpson - seemed to work OK not too much flex.
some of that orange electrical conduit may be OK too

but the fibreglass fishing rods etc are probably the storngest.

[Pedro_The_Swift]

I'm with NM here,,,
I had to laugh when we met the Patrol coming east and he told us "You Gotta be on channel 10" or some channel,, and I thought,, ok,, but how do you explain just which sand dune you are crossing?

[Grizzly_Adams]

OK it may not be the bee's knees but for so little effort if may save you some damage, so why is it not worth it?

I don't unnerstan, surely anything is better than nothing when it comes to safety? Or have I missed the purpose of these flag thingies? (my apologies for going off-topic a little)

[Chenz]

I'm with NM here,,,
I had to laugh when we met the Patrol coming east and he told us "You Gotta be on channel 10" or some channel,, and I thought,, ok,, but how do you explain just which sand dune you are crossing?

I'm with you Pedro and NM, I can't see the use of them. If you are coming up a dune the dam thing lays back and you can't see it anyway. You spend half your time dodging low gidgee branches so you don't damage your dune falg and run off the track and get bogged or even worse.

Had to laugh with NM on the QAA last year with some tag along tour guide who had the whole party soundiong like the Monty Python Biggles-like sketch. Which dune they were on was anyone's guess with 200 or so to cross. Love all that Roger Bilko over and out stuff.

[lokka]

Havent got one yet tho i should with all the beach driving i do :D:D:D:D

Old fishing rod and some bunding flags and cable tie it to the front bar would do the job :D:D

[numpty]

I can see the point on the beach, but for the life of me I can't see any advantage on sand dunes as the only time you see anything is from the top of the dunes, and climbing these I defy anyone to spy a flag coming along the next claypan.
Only my opinion of course.

[BigJon]

Surely the safest alternative is a man walking in front waving a red flag...:spudnikwaving:

[sschmez]

;):p maybe pocket first aid kit to dress his wounds if he survives :(

If he survives, you didn't back over him often enough .....

[weeds]

Yep I too cannot see the point of a dune flag on the simpson but as they state that its a requirement I put one on no biggee

Ch10- I have also posted that a nissan driver chipped me for not being on chanel 10, I had forgotten to turn it on, he than would not listen to my reason for running mine on scan as most geoups use a seperate chanel, anyways the dopey nissian driver would not let me get a word in so a grab 1st and drove off mid conversation, that's right we were travelling south along knolls track and I reakon I spotted them when they were 300m or so away

Go the RIG Rd I only came across one other car for the best part of two days

[vnx205]

Knowing what is coming towards you can be useful in other offroad situations too.
Coming down from Mt Coree on a steep downhill clay section that I assume would be impassable when wet, I passed a Suzuki on its way up. Since we passed on one of the few wide sections where I could pull over and give him plenty of room, at first I couldn't understand why he had given me a modified version on Churchill's famous V for Victory salute. Fortunately I realised before I met his two companions that he wasn't giving me a two finger salute but was just indicating how many more vehicles there were in his group.

[BMKal]

Working on a mine site, the bayonet mount mast with red flag & reflective tape are a store stock item. You can even get the ones with the red light at the top of the mast - these would be good for crossing sand dunes at night (says he with tongue in cheek).

Otherwise, how would a very long length of very strong fishing line (or similar) tied to bullbar with red helium-filled balloon attached to other end grab your fancy.

I agree with some of the other postings - can't see the point of these things in sand dunes. But they do work bloody well on heap leach ramps at gold mine when other d*ckheads forget to call up on radio. Saved me running over the top of a Hilux a couple of weeks ago. And that could have been serious (for me), because I was driving the Prado and not the Landy.

[JDNSW]

Forty years ago I spent two years working in the Simpson Desert - nobody had ever thought of these gadgets then: we (actually our bulldozing contractor with two of their own vehicles) managed one head on collision on top of a sand dune in that time. It is likely that one of these flags may have stopped it happening.

John

[Merv]

I think the flags do help. Granted they are not perfect, but every split second counts, and going up and down dunes, you WILL see the flag before the rest of the car.......providing you are looking ahead of course.

[cookiesa]

It's good too when people let you know if others are following, especially on tight tracks. Funny thing I have found is it tends to be those with older and often smaller vehicles that tend to be more considerate at doing this.

[tombraider]

One of our friends has a very long piece of bamboo that he picked up on the side of the road somewhere ( now HE is tight!! :D) and he puts a flag of a piece of bunting on the top of that....whole setup cost zilch :D

Personally I don't think they are even worth bothering about

And thats why accidents occur!

Complacency is the leading cause of accidents...

Sand flags save people and vehicles from injury. Fact...

[Quiggers]

If you were a bit closer, you could have a length of bamboo from my front yard, the bamboo is taking over! and some stalks are about 10 metres long!

Go to a pawn shop, find an old beach rod for maybe $10 - $20.

GQ

[tombraider]

And the evidence and investigations to support this are?........

2 very good friends of mine are Birdsville mechanics.

They report the incidences of head ons from lack of sight is quite scary.

I can always pick out a sand flag coming over a crest long before I see the vehicle... Maybe something to do with my job (we have a mandatory flag requirement).

You can see the flag 'wobbling' along long before you see the vehicle below it.

Several trips across the Simpson have shown that the flag allows you just enough time to dart sideways...

Yes... 90% of the time its not needed...

"But if it only saves you once"

Want pics posted? I have a few of vehicles head on collisions in the Simpson..

Flags on a beach, not as necessary, its flat, you can see the vehicle...
But Robe etc, many a time the flag bobbing above the next dune is the only indication something is there...

Be it on your own head - But if you wish to chance your vehicle and life to save on a $20-$50 pole then so be it...

People are such complacent fools nowadays... Your question above - requiring investigations - proves this....
Why get to the stage of requiring an investigation, how about we prevent it from friggin happening in the first place. :o

[tombraider]

Forty years ago I spent two years working in the Simpson Desert - nobody had ever thought of these gadgets then: we (actually our bulldozing contractor with two of their own vehicles) managed one head on collision on top of a sand dune in that time. It is likely that one of these flags may have stopped it happening.

John

40 yrs ago "Occupational Health and Safety" wasn't even a sentence!

:p

[JDNSW]

40 yrs ago "Occupational Health and Safety" wasn't even a sentence!

:p

Yet in two years, 25-50 employees, working in the desert with (by current standards) primitive equipment, I can recall only two lost time injuries - one was heat exhaustion/dehydration, the other was a crushed hand, managed by a man I refused to have on my crew (we had two crews) because he was an accident waiting to happen. Had one or two close calls, including one where the Alice Springs office forgot to tell us there was a supply truck on the way - they broke the front axle housing, and had run out of water, and were more than halfway through the beer, by the time they were found.

John

[Pedro_The_Swift]

And the evidence and investigations to support this are?........

Its a simple question,,,
why the rude insult tombraider?

[Quiggers]

I think I will put one on the Disco, just for getting off the beach at South Ballina (Boundary Creek) - had a close call there about a year ago.

It's a dune about 4 metres high, into a gully then another dune the same.

The wife and kids got out of the Disco, stood on the dune and waved furiously. I was stationary on the beach. Flying over the dunes was a (mature) dude in a 'cruiser.... could've been ugly....

And this on a fairly deserted beach.


GQ

[BigJon]

Just means you and I have no future :D

And there was me thinking you were getting ready to trade Numpty in...:o:cool::p

[BigJon]

. Flying over the dunes was a (mature) dude in a 'cruiser.... could've been ugly....

And this on a fairly deserted beach.


GQ

The beach access at Goolwa (SA) is quite soft and chopped up. I used to have to take a decent run up in the Kingswood to make it through so I would always have a spotter for me.

[crump]

well I reckon if you go fast enough up the dune and get airborn, you should actually miss any oncoming traffic due to the fact that you actually jump over it.Scoff if you must, but whats the chance of there being two people that stupid on either side of a single sand dune, simple law of probability.;)

[vnx205]

well I reckon if you go fast enough up the dune and get airborn, you should actually miss any oncoming traffic due to the fact that you actually jump over it.Scoff if you must, but whats the chance of there being two people that stupid on either side of a single sand dune, simple law of probability.;)
Why am I reminded of the joke (from back in the days when we were allowed to be politically incorrect) of the Italian taxi driver in Sydney who always went through red traffic lights, but stopped at the green ones in case his brother-in-law was coming along the other street?

[Grizzly_Adams]

I'm sorry but as I posted before I'm with Tombraider.

For such a simplistic piece of equipment, why do we need stats and reports and investigations? If it saves you or someone else only once (even if it's in 20 years!), then it's worth it's weight in gold.

For the 5 minutes it takes to set one up surely it's worth the effort.

[tombraider]

And THAT I take as a personal insult. :mad:

But thats OK...I have a very thick skin. Just means you and I have no future :D

Thats FINE! Take it whichever way you like...

You post how you turn lights on on the highway but off the track any attempt to be more visible is treated as a joke.

You and I never had any future.... I won't participate in trips etc with anyone not willing to enhance safety etc.....

Sorry about your skin :D

[tombraider]

Its a simple question,,,
why the rude insult tombraider?

No it wasnt a rude insult... It was a statement.

Complacency is complacency...

How many of us pull the cord from the kettle without turning it off at the wall?
How many of us stand on a chair to change a light bulb...?

I'm just calling a spade a spade.... Saying it how it is....

If people take offence in being called to account on something thats not something I'll lose sleep over....

[Pedro_The_Swift]

no,, I dont think you lose sleep over much at all,,

being called a complacent fool may not be an insult to you,,

but it was to NM.


and I would think most others,,,

[dobbo]

Whats this a heated thread, people upset and I have not posted in it!!!!!

However, I have a serious question for all you flag wavers,

What is the recommended minimum height you guys stick you flags?

[Pedro_The_Swift]

no heat here,,,

I thought we were having a on-line discussion
of peoples different interpretations of the English language,,, :angel:

[dobbo]

peoples different interpretations of the English language,,, :angel:


Yeh I just read what I typed, when I said "how high do you stick your flag" I didn't mean it like that, I meant to say how long is your pole, but I didn't think that was appropriate to ask other blokes somehow. Perhaps it's just my interpretation of the English language.

[incisor]

me thinks tombraider went to the Uncle Inc school of finesse :P

there are better ways to get a point across than the spade approach, sometimes... God knows i get told about it enough....

and i, like dobbo, (very worring phrase that ;)) would like to know, what is the preferred height for one of these things? is there a standard or unwritten rule only the inspired know?

[dobbo]

and i, like dobbo, (very worring phrase that ;))

Don't worry Inc thats just your pride, and the fact thats it's the first time it's happened to you, the next time you'll just take it in it's stride, eventually you may even enjoy it. Maybe NM and myself could put in and get you an honourary Blonde trophey to remember the occasion.

[cookiesa]

Not sure but there is definately a comercial "length". As tombraider will no doubt concur..... There on every second bloody hilux here! (But for gos reason... most are heading out to mine sites everyday)

Must say I need one..... (hangs head in shame) Over Easter at Coffin Bay National Park we got close a couple of times to people coming the other way, neither of us having flags and a sandy, winding track. They definately would have helped us see each other. (Of course if the Triton coming the other way wasn't driving at rally speed there would have been a lot more time to see each other! But how do we stop them? (Or just let natural selection take its course.... If only it was themselves they took out)
Next time one pulls up I'll run out and measure it for you! (Seems to be about 2m long at a guess.... now let the hate mail begin!)

[dobbo]

When your climbing a dune the flag would not be vertical, unless you have a weight at the bottom of the pole and an unsightly hinge bolted to the side of the vehicle which allows the flag to swing and keep it's vertical plane. Has anyone bothered doing this or is it just rendered ineffective one you start to climb the dune. Wouldn't this be the most likely spot for an accident? Car 1 crests a dune and Car 2 is bogged half way up on the other side before you know it, smash?

[tombraider]

On a serious note, the flag I run sits around 2.5 meters from the roof of the vehicle.

The one that my wife uses on her 4wd is a total length of 5 meters.
She mounts it from the Bullbar

To be honest, it doesnt bend much being basically a hollow tapered fibreglass pole. Starts around 18mm at the base and at the top its around 3-4mm

Being 2 piece makes it easy to carry.


And for the record... We all show some level of complacency...
Does this not make us ALL fools at some level :cool:
I just have a real safety bug... Something the company I work for pushes VERY seriously.....

[Ruslan]

My flag helped me to avoide "head-to head" 2 times on Beachport sand dunes. Squid pole for $25.

Cheers,
Ruslan