Thread: Rescuer, rescuee and other strange happenings on the road.

Originally Posted by V8Ian

True tale.

It was about 0200 hours, 70~80 kilometres south of Wycliffe Well. I had loaded three trailers with
Opal petrol, at Birkenhead, for delivery and storage in the Queensland Gulf.
I noticed flashing, amber lights in the distance and prepared to stop, not knowing what happening, roadworks, prang, hijack??
As I approached the fiasco a saw a large Mercedes van with headlights and hazard lights ablaze and an old XD Falcon with caravan, in darkness.
Once stopped, I was asked if I would swap batteries with the Falcon, as his was flat. Apart from the physical impossibility of that, my truck was mere months old, IT WASN'T GOING TO HAPPEN!
Making enquiries I established that the young couple and toddler were German tourists, on the way to Adelaide airport, where they intended to abandon car and caravan, to fly back to Europe. The older fellow in the van had stopped to help the broken down family.
I had jump leads and offered to jump start the Ford. Then it was revealed that the alternator had failed and the car driven until the battery died.
I explained that even with a new battery, without an alternator they wouldn't make Adelaide and the best option would be for me to tow them to Wycliffe Well, where a second hand alternator would be easily sourced.
The van man and I turned the Falcon and caravan around with the Benz and I tied it to the back of my last trailer. The German bloke seemed to be totally lacking in any practical skills.
Doing a final check to make sure everything was as safe s possible, the German chap approached me,asking if his wife and daughter could ride in the cab with me, as he had just noticed the petrol placard on the trailer and was concerned that if he crashed into the trailer, it might explode with his car. I agreed without telling him that if he took out the back trailer, the other two, the prime mover and everything for a few hundred metres would be toast.
I got him safely, to as close as possible to the workshop and had a short conversation with him, as I untied his car. He opened his wallet, revealing the biggest wad of cash I'd seen for quite some time and asked how much I wanted. Tempting as it was, I told him we didn't work like that in Australia. Just doing my bit for Australia's reputation and tourism industry.
He also revealed that he was an electrical engineer!

Hate to say this but someone was being taken for a Mug. The whole wallet would have been nice.

Try this one.

Thundebirds are go in Conondale/Bellthorpe NP.

Originally Posted by 4bee

Hate to say this but someone was being taken for a Mug. The whole wallet would have been nice.

Sometimes we have to do things, just because it's the right thing to do.

Originally Posted by RANDLOVER

Had something similar happen, years ago a client who became more of a friend invited me to an Oktoberfest as he was German, we spent a lovely afternoon and evening there and decided to leave, I drove out first and noticed when I turned at a set of traffic lights he continued straight on, thinking he was getting lost now that it was dark, I did a u-turn, raced after him and just saw him turn into a side street, he finally slowed and stopped so I jumped out and went to the passenger door to tell him to follow me, only to have it open and his wife throw up narrowly missing my shoes! Turns out Anne was a coeliac and the different foods had upset her stomach, and he was just looking for a quiet place to stop.

I thought this is pro'ly a more appropriate thread than where originally posted.

Originally Posted by RANDLOVER

I thought this is pro'ly a more appropriate thread than where originally posted.

Just as well she didn't chuck up over your Lederhosen Rand, as that would have taken a bit of scrubbing out.

Shoes no probs, that could be done with a Garden Hose & a stiff broom.

Originally Posted by scarry

Relatives of ours were changing a tyre somewhere in the NT.
They had the GU jacked up and a large wild pig came over for a look,and wouldnt go away.

So they got back in the car and waited until it wandered off.
Once they thought it was gone,they continued on with the wheel change,and it reappeared and came very close again.
So they got back in the car.

This happened 4 times before they eventually had the wheel changed and were on their way.

While camping at a Nat'l Park in Rhodesia I had a warthog named Harry IIRC, that used to hang around the camp eating food scraps try and push into my tent while I was sitting in the doorway putting on my socks, I had to very firmly push on his nose to stop him.

Is a warthog like a pig, only different?

Originally Posted by V8Ian

Is a warthog like a pig, only different?

Yes it is an African wild pig. Warthog - Wikipedia