Got an ear Full!

**CraigE** · 26th July 2015, 08:40 AM

Ok,
I did write a long piece to convey some information, but removed it as it did not add any real value.
Put simply:
The poster made a mistake and has acknowledged that, I am sure he will look at it a bit different next time. No need to get abusive with him.
The truck driver has also committed an offence under the communications act, by being abusive on a public channel and could be classified as road rage. That's another issue, so over the language on CBs atm I rarely turn mine on in the metro area anymore.
Most people have made a mistake similar to his at some point in their driving career, but most wont admit it.
Yes I have a HCR licence used to be MCR and have driven doubles and singles, but mainly fire appliances.
I see both sides of the argument and there are as many bad drivers as good on both sides.
There is legislation in all states under the Road Traffic Act that vehicles must not be doing more 20kmph below the posted speed limit without due reason. May or may not be applicable in this case. Due reason is debatable.
I have been caught in a similar overtaking move, when I should have had plenty of room to get by but various factors occurred including drastic wind turbulence caused by truck trailers and truck actually accelerating, but as the poster always had a clear view and only just inside double white lines. Would have been more dangerous to abandon overtaking move.
Most truck drivers are good and will actually help you get by them and easiest means of comms is via the CB.
Our road infrastructure needs major work including heavy haulage and overtaking lanes, but our govts are very reluctant to invest in infrastructure.
No I don't seriously expect trucks to slow when someone is overtaking, but as their view is generally much better than the overtaking vehicle maybe read the road ahead and for safety maybe lift off the throttle a little if the overtaking car is going to cut it fine.
Where do you want me to start listing the near misses or dangerous acts I have observed recently by cars and trucks. I would need more space, but I certainly don't abuse them. Might think it in my head along with all the other voices :-), but don't get on the CB unless it is reckless endangerment. I have learnt to cut people a bit of slack if it is minor.

Originally Posted by V8Ian

An armchair expert Craig? You've obviously got little experience driving heavy vehicles. Have current HCR, up until a few years ago MCR. Have driven doubles and singles, primarily heavy fire appliances and Ambulances under emergency though. I drive a defender so know the issues of slow vehicles especially when towing and very mindful of that when traffic behind. LOL. We could write reams on this from multiple perspectives.
Simple physics, trucks don't accelerate as well as motorcycles. I think we all get that. Different story and again a lot of perspectives. Worthy of a discussion on its own.
Common sense, truck drivers aren't out to inconvenience other motorists. They're simply providing the most essential service. Are you so self-centred that you feel you have the right to un-interupted progress? Without trucks there'd be no cars, houses, food, fuel, jobs or anything! Not much common sense out there lately, if it was common we would all have it and there would be no issue. Sorry cant post a smiley here from work computer but imagine it is here. :-)
A bit of courtesy, consideration and co-operation from ALL motorists is surely not too hard. Agreed 100%. We just need to be aware most of these sort of things are often not deliberate actions, but errors of judgement or lapse of concentration. The unfortunate thing is these can have serious consequences and sometimes taking pro active or evasive action is the better course.

Mr. Jones, you were in the wrong but if it's any consolation, I think the truckie has over-reacted. You don't know his circumstances, he may have just gotten a phone call from his wife saying she's leaving him or, he could have lost a friend who crashed avoiding a car in that very scenario. Of course, he could have simply been a knob.
I know this area well, until a few years ago I regularly drove road trains through there. If this happened just west of Return Creek, the narrow bridge near the make-up pad, why wouldn't you wait for five minutes and pass after that narrow, winding goat trap?
On behalf of my colleague, I apologise.

**V8Ian** · 26th July 2015, 10:44 AM

Thanks for the reply Craig. I am probably at an advantage to you, in knowing and have often driven that section of road in triples. 70-80 kph is about the fastest safe speed for the conditions. Regardless of the speed limit, I don't exceed that speed (80kph) in a light vehicle due to the narrow, undulating and winding conditions with a high likelihood of meeting a roadtrain. That section of the Kennedy Hwy carries high volumes of triple traffic running north with zinc ore from the mine and south to Townsville with semi processed product, all in addition to the normal trucks servicing the Gulf, unaided by rail.
As to the size of trucks, get used to it mate, quads are becoming more popular and viable in remote areas. You may be relieved to hear that governments' greed in rego charges has seen many B Double operators, on the Eastern Seaboard and South Australia, revert to single trailer operation as the disproportionate cost of registering an A trailer cannot be recovered with revenue. The net result will be more trucks, pollution and all the anti-truck brigade crying in their herbal tea.
I'm still interested in your views on horsepower needed verses specced.

**CraigE** · 26th July 2015, 12:02 PM

Ian,
Maybe we can get some good discussion going here.
Not relieved to here the increases in rego as B doubles make the most sense as they are a reasonable compromise and not a bad length to overtake. Money grabs like this from the govt actually annoy me.
You are absolutely correct I don't know the stretch of road and maybe an ill informed comment.
We have had quads in WA for some years and I was only 1 of 6 submissions put in regarding the changes when they went to 50m Triples & Quads around 12 years ago. Wait until you try and pass a 6 trailer cattle truck in NW WA and NT or maybe you have, that is scary.
1 of the issues I think may be pertinent is most of the broken line overtaking zones were set up many years ago with light traffic and double road trains. As we have progressed to triples and quads nothing has changed on a lot of existing roads and it is up to the motorist to make a judgement when there actually is not room to get around. Too often people get it wrong.
One of the sections of road that I have seen issues with is the stretch between Norseman & Kalgoorlie. I am pretty sure you have driven this a few times from memory. It is a 110km zone with a lot of rises and crests and not unusual to come over a rise and find a triple doing 60kmph and sometimes less and even worse at night when trailer lights are covered in mud. That is a real hazard and over the years have been a lot of accidents on this stretch of road.
The main issue I see is not the interstaters and general freight haulers, most are good, but mostly the ore haulers. Too many over here just added a third or fourth trailer to the same prime mover. I know there was a crack down a few months ago just in Midland and from memory the pinged 21 Prime Movers that were not rated for the trailers they were towing.
Probably the most worrying one I had was when moving from Newman sitting on 95-100 with my big car trailer when a feral animal triple went past me doing at least 130 west of Paynes Find, passed us and the truck 50m ahead of us in one go, so much for the limiter and tracking. I would guess it must have been empty.
The saddest thing is we all remember the negative things as these stick in our mind and generally forget the good.
Much more work needs to go into our road network with the volumes of traffic we are now seeing, but even if we had unlimited $ would take more than a decade to catch up.
Certainly not anti any truck driver by any stretch of the imagination, quite contrary actually.

**V8Ian** · 26th July 2015, 01:17 PM

Originally Posted by CraigE

Ian, Maybe we can get some good discussion going here.

Jonesfam, what have you started?

Craig, do you think we should start another thread, or continue with the hi-jack?

**jonesfam** · 26th July 2015, 01:24 PM

Yep, I kind of wish I hadn't now.
Has been interesting though.
Keep going.

I was just commenting re an incident that happened to me that shook me.
Shouldn't have as due to where I work I do occasionally cop a bit of mouth.

BTW Usually on my drive to/from work all the truckies are considerate, friendly & very good drivers.
Jonesfam

**bob10** · 26th July 2015, 05:43 PM

Here's another where the driver abuses the truckie.

Queensland truckie rips apart trailer in high-speed crash - 9news.com.au

Apparently the 4x4 driver initially said to the truck driver, "didn't you see the white post" , indicating the truck should have moved off the road. Yeah. Right. Overtaking and you reach double lines before the overtake? poor judgement. Deserve a rev. Bob

**scarry** · 26th July 2015, 06:28 PM

Geez that could have been so much worse

It would be good to see what LR's tow assist would have done in that situation,maybe not much at all.

**Pinelli** · 26th July 2015, 06:45 PM

OP was well and truly into the overtaking when the double white lines returned. Is that necessary against the rules? I've seen plenty of places where the dashed lines run for only a short distance, despite there being plenty of distance where it's still safe to overtake, just to ensure that drivers don't leave starting to overtake too late.

This is me speaking as a driver who is more likely to be towing a van at 80k than trying to overtake someone

**donh54** · 26th July 2015, 07:03 PM

Originally Posted by CraigE

Maybe you did the wrong thing maybe not. Hard to say, there are times when you will do it easy and other times you struggle to get past. A good truck driver would have maybe backed off a little to let you past as they are holding up traffic, but in my experience most wont. It is good form however if you have a CB and a slow traffic to chat with them and get them to give you a call when you are clear to pass if you are having difficulty seeing. Most will oblige, some wont.
These guys themselves often cause issues by running Prime Movers that are under powered for the task. Yes there are going to times when it is beyond their control, but also others when they should not be hauling the loads they are.
You did mention that he was sitting on 70kmph? Was it in a 100km area? If that speed is correct then he himself is committing a traffic violation himself. At least he was doing 70 I suppose. Wait until you come over a rise in a 110kmph zone to find one doing 40kmph.

Sorry Craig, but doing 70 in a 100 zone is not an offence. The vast majority of trucks pulling road trains these days are between 500 & 600 horsepower. I'd like more to play with, but the problem is the rest of the drivetrain.
If you don't want to have to carry everything you need for your entire trip out west, and you don't want to pay huge prices for everything, road trains are a fact of life. They are the only way to economically resupply all the roadhouses and pubs and tourist joints out there.
I have been in the situation myself where I am concentrating on the (often badly busted up) road ahead, thinking that nobody in their right mind would try to pass in this spot, when with a hiss, roar and shower of gravel, some mong does just that.
A simple call to ask for a heads up when it's safe to pass means that everyone knows whats going on. Despite all the modern technology, it's still a bloody hard job keeping three trailers under control, especially on roads like Mt Garnet to The Lynd.
Remember, you're on holidays - slow down and enjoy the scenery

Sent from my Nexus 7 using AULRO mobile app

**Eevo** · 26th July 2015, 07:12 PM

Originally Posted by donh54

Sorry Craig, but doing 70 in a 100 zone is not an offence.

obstructing traffic.
its one of those laws that is never enforced

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