why dont they use rail?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by BMKal

I feel for the road train drivers on the Gt Northern Hwy at the moment, who have to reguarly find a spot, often at short notice because a lot of the front pilots are idiots and sit too close to the load, and pull off the road to allow the fat ones to pass. Easy enough to do in a car - but try doing this in a triple road train which often weighs significantly more all up than the wide load that they are giving way to. And then try doing it t least 20 times a day.

---

Kal, I've never driven a Pilot car but I've followed a few. ;) Usually truckies can work in with and around each other very well. Most car drivers , on the other hand, have the attention span of a goldfish. Once the Pilot vehicle's out of sight they forget about the following load, then they've got to pass the extra guide post before they pull off; I wish I had a buck for each time I've been baulked by oncomming cars. You can hear wide ones being called long before you meet them, so it's not as if they pop up out of the blue.

When we first moved to Darwin, we were told road trains have right of way, no ifs, no buts, get off the road. After my first encounter with one passing me, I was happy to oblige, Bob

Had the same when I was posted to Tindal (Katherine). Funnily enough there's still some people that 'think' they have right of way because it's written down on a piece of paper (law) and they get quite upset about it all.

Can't say I was ever in a hurry to argue with 100ton regardless of who had right of way. The poor bugger has a hard enough time dealing with it all without worrying about me as well.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by bob10

When we first moved to Darwin, we were told road trains have right of way, no ifs, no buts, get off the road. After my first encounter with one passing me, I was happy to oblige, Bob

---

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by cewilson

Had the same when I was posted to Tindal (Katherine). Funnily enough there's still some people that 'think' they have right of way because it's written down on a piece of paper (law) and they get quite upset about it all.

Can't say I was ever in a hurry to argue with 100ton regardless of who had right of way. The poor bugger has a hard enough time dealing with it all without worrying about me as well.

---

Just a bit of common sense and courtesy from you both, thanks. :)
I can't see why anybody would want to enforce their right to half the black when the result is sixty-two or more truck tyres throwing rocks at you. :eek2:

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by bob10

When we first moved to Darwin, we were told road trains have right of way, no ifs, no buts, get off the road. After my first encounter with one passing me, I was happy to oblige, Bob

---

Absolutely.

I used to be involved in repairing broken down tourist coaches and driving them back when finished.
First thing I was told in driving up north, give way to the road trains at all times, even if it meant moving off the road entirely.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by V8Ian

Just a bit of common sense and courtesy from you both, thanks. :)
I can't see why anybody would want to enforce their right to half the black when the result is sixty-two or more truck tyres throwing rocks at you. :eek2:

---

Well, the trucks have helped me on more than one occassion, on ch 40, [thats right now with the new 80 channels I think] I have listened in & been given great info about the road ahead. Mind you, some other info needed a broad mind on the part of the Missus :D Bob

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by UncleHo

Many years ago long before CB radios,and in the days of my driving heavy (and slow pommie trucks) if the road ahead was clear 2 blinks of the RH indicator to the following vehicle was the GO,if oncoming or blocked ahead,2 blinks of LH indicator,seemed to work OK,but now in the days of NO-COMMON SENSE it is just all about MMM--EEE and B--- everybody else

And rear veiw mirrors are your friend,even when the scallies are running without lights at night!

---

Canaries with out light, shock horror, does that really happen:eek2:

Most the truckies I encounter are good drivers and easily predictable. Every now and then you get the I'm bigger and will run you over types bot not often.

But the shear number of truck crashes around this area is a concern with the B tripples added to the mix. Also the number of trucks clearly not able to stay in one lane over the last 2 months is out right scarey. Every week I play the watch the weave and wait till the vear away while I pass at full song before they weave back. Sometimes that even requires me to use what little sholder there is to make it without being hit. When I had the CB working I have even called on some of them to ask if they were ok or not.

there are, like with any profession some tricks of the trade.

I find that younger drivers who haven't quite dropped into their rhythm get a bit ratty around the edges as they get tired and forget age old best practice which is when smooth seamless avoidance techniques get sloppy enough for the general public to start noticing.

As a HV operator you are almost always doing something to avoid a bad situation and the main key to smooth and seamless operation is a simple technique ALL road users should apply called "Forward observation".

The more information you possess about the traffic around you the sooner you can plan your position on the road and the more aware you are of real and potential liabilities so you can avoid them with minimum fuss and bother.

This is what wears us out when driving and its mental acuity that drops off first, long before we actually feel sleepy.

This is why Diet pills, Speed, Meth, energy drinks dont work well with long distance driving regardless of the people who swear by it because it may increase your heart rate, blood pressure and make you feel energetic but it also effects your perception and decision making skills in many and varied ways and none are a match for a well rested head.

Good practise tricks include avoiding carb loading, fried and battered foods, chocolate, soft drinks and excessive coffee and tea.

Drinking water and isotonic sports drinks (Although they can be huge in sugar which is a carb) is a good start, Keeping fruit handy as a between meal snack is a good idea and oranges, mandarins, apples and even pineapple is a great between meal munchie and I used to take huge tubs of home made fruit salad with me on my regular runs.

Id also stop and have meals like schnitzels, Steak, chook (Pref without crumbs or batter) and id order salad or veggies and actually eat the stuff to keep protein up and to balance out the high fibre from fruits.

I also had fresh air in the truck which plays a huge part in keeping you sharp and thats why todays cars and trucks normally switch from recirculated air to fresh after 10 or so mins automatically.

So what I was doing over 20 years ago is now known as a low carb diet which comes in many forms and keeps the Hollywood elite trim and taut, it kept me awake............

I wasn't planning on being a trend setter, I just needed to get an extra trip in every week and didn't want to sleep for a few days when I got home instead of other things I should be doing.

Its not rocket science.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by garrycol

Truckies have never been backward in demonstrating and blockading to make their point hence I am surprised that the trucking industry has not taken Coles and Woollies to task on this practice - eg if penalised the goods are not delivered. I think they would actually have Government support on this one but they do not have the courage to take on Woolies and Coles by themselves.

Garry

---

We had a an unwritten policy in the warehouse that if a load came in too early (taken from the printed consignment note) we would be too busy to unload the trailer until after the recommended travel time, including breaks was up.
Occasionally we would get a cranky driver but most appreciated the down time, especially when they could blame us for it.

Unlike other distribution centres we had a strong work and social ethic and believed what we were doing was protecting our own families and the greater community not some shareholders bonus.

We found that the biggest problem with rail was damages, as we were sending mostly shrink wrapped pallets the shunting and multiple handling was cause for concern.

woody