Thread: Grey Nomads - things I've learnt in the last few days.

I think I have sussed out why the cars with big vans go 85 on single lanes and 105 on divided roads.
Most of the single lane road is old and undulates a lot. This makes the van push the car up and down which can look quite scary, and probably feels quite scary. Australian vans are often poorly designed with the weight at each end which amplifies this pendulum effect.
The divided roads are usually smoother without the up and down so they feel better about going faster.
I will always remember a trip back from Kempsey when an old bloke in a Falcon without a van was doing the 85-105 boogie, and a NA diesel Hilux was trying to pass him with me behind . The Hilux tried on about 6-8 overtaking lanes but couldn't get past and the old bloke cut in on him at the last moment over and over. I reckon there would have been murder if the Hilux bloke had a gun.

I was doing a consultancy accompanied by a Metrosexual bloke all the way down NSW , and I raised the topic and how it infuriated me. He told me that he changed speed all the time in his Impreza WRX "as it reduced the boredom". He was lucky I didn't leap across and strangle him.
Regards Philip A

We've been travelling for the past week. No caravan here, just the tent and other gear up on the roofrack. Have seen a lot of caravans on the road - must be the season for them. But no trouble getting around them in the D4 either.

No TV for us - plenty to do without one of those things. And Engel fridge run off a dual battery system is keeping us in food & cold drinks. All our camping lights are battery powered, cooking is either a small single burner gas job, or on most nights, the Cobb Cooker.

Must admit though, we've had a couple of "interesting" nights lately with the tent in the wind that's been around. Currently in Bendigo until tomorrow, then down to Melbourne to catch the boat.

Originally Posted by bacicat

It is warm, there is a slight breeze and there are very few bugs, so you can imaging where all the nomads are right?

Yep, sitting inside their vans, watching their tellys.....

Give me strength, why don't the just stay at home if that's all they want to do...

Reminds me of:

Originally Posted by Reads90

Can I ask why.

100ks is only 60mph in old money and still not fast and easy for any 4x4 and caravan to do with out any damage to the car or caravan.

Just a question I been wondering why sitting behind a row of 10 of them in a row today.

I habitually sit around 80-90 km/h in the Defender:
1/ Uses around 10% less fuel than 100-110 km/h.
2/ You notice more around you and, having retired, I am in no hurry.
3/ You don't hit animals (you have more time to see them), even birds and I swear, there are less insects on the windscreen. I've noticed the difference between 80km/h and 100km/h the roos, birds or whatever seem to have more time to notice you and move or you have more time to see them and brake or do something to avoid them.


I am also with Bacicat, I glance at my rear vision mirror frequently and pull left (where the verge is wide enough) when someone comes up behind me. If I see a truck closing in the distance I will pull off and stop to let it pass; not a hard or frequent thing to do once west of the ranges. On dual lane sections I will slow down to allow anyone behind me, or coming up behind me, to pass. If I can't get out of the way I will speed up until I can.

There is nothing wrong with travelling below the speed limit as long as one is mindful and courteous of other motorists.

Originally Posted by ugu80

I habitually sit around 80-90 km/h in the Defender:
1/ Uses around 10% less fuel than 100-110 km/h.
2/ You notice more around you and, having retired, I am in no hurry.
3/ You don't hit animals (you have more time to see them), even birds and I swear, there are less insects on the windscreen. I've noticed the difference between 80km/h and 100km/h the roos, birds or whatever seem to have more time to notice you and move or you have more time to see them and brake or do something to avoid them.

I am also with Babicat, I glance at my rear vision mirror frequently and pull left when someone comes up behind me. If I see a truck closing in the distance I will pull off and stop to let it pass; not a hard or frequent thing to do once west of the ranges. On dual lane sections I will slow down to allow anyone behind me, or coming up behind me, to pass.

I'll second all the above although I'm not retired yet If I need to be somewhere on time I just leave 10 minutes earlier and take the car.

I can see no enjoyment in thrashing a 40 year old series land rover at 100+ kph just to keep the car behind happy.

being in retirement now, hahahahaha, and also being grey, I love nothing better than putting the windows down....not winding them deliberately stated....and SLOWING down to about 80, the td5 purring at 1800 rpm, turn the radio onto aunty and catch up with the country. On my trips I now leave a day or two earlier so I can slow down and camp another night somewhere. I understand why the nomads cruise....because they can....it doesn't matter to them. However....there is absolutely no excuse to impede any other driver on the road. I am totally aware of every other vehicle and pull over or off the road to let them by. I cannot come to terms with why so many nomads doggedly hold their position on the road. I have spoken as nicely as possible on the cb to some of them and get some pretty angry replies.....however a lot of this nomad thing is generalising and in a lot of cases they will move over for you if they can. We must remember that they are usually sitting in/towing over $250,000 worth of "home" and are reluctant to compromise their investment or their 'appeared' safety. If you have the chance to talk to the nomads you will find they too have their stories of rude, arrogant motorists continually abusing them. Many of them have seen me get out of my swag in the morning and have offered me a fresh cup of coffee and toast. I feel for them sometimes as they are caught between a rock and a hard place. Btw, a lot of them are extremely professional and skilful when it comes to manouvreing their rigs, compared to what I see at the local dump with 'young' guys and their trailers.....

my parents are well into retirement.....dad towes a van and sits on 90-95km/hr if the road allows him

i belt along the highway at 105kmhr on the speedo with or without my camper.......i'm not fussed about coming up behind a van or truck thats going slower. it normally only takes 5 maybe 10km to get around them.

sure those who are on country roads for work with timeframes or appointments to make would get frustrated but its not going to get any better so maybe plan you trip around the slower van or trucks

last week going to emerald and back via roma/injune it was the mining industary slowing everybody down with ther roadtrains, B double and B tripples........oh the road works after roadworks (damage done by the mining industry)

my parants don't free camp and use caravan parks al the time.....comments about grey nomads sitting in thier van watching TV i don't quite get.....this is what my parents do every night at home (and what my family does....well the kids all the time and me fr the odd show or anything sport related), watch the news, current affair than dad goes to bed and mum wil lhave the TV on while she is nitting or catching up with the kids on her laptop........not sure what you expect they do everynight when they are touring for 2-3 months

during the day they for a drive and spend money in the areas they are staying

Okay I'll be the first to confess..........I have a tv/dvd player in the land rover

But I only use it to watch dvd's or listen to cd's as I don't have a tv aerial fitted .................yet !!