Fraser Island

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Originally Posted by BigJon

Not that I could see. Possibly because of the rear body differences. Base spec ones have "barn" doors at the back (side hinged). GXL spec has upper and lower tailgates (think Range Rover Classic). They might not have engineered seatbelt mounting points into the base rear end.

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Wasn't it a hire car, if you look at the Land Rover based hire cars your logic doesn't stand. The Landy based vehicles up there are on a galvanized Defender or County chassis, TDi engine, SIII doors and windscreen, what looked like a Stage 1 bulkhead and a fibreglass extended roof line.

The backpacker Troopy's are the highline campervan roofed and a standard troopy body and seating, not really Toyota standard.

I helped out one couple engage the CDL on their hire D1, I was surprised to see a D2 gear selector on the Tdi D1 auto, I doubt it would have the electronic ZF and not the mechanical version, the gear selector wouldn't be to hard to bodge onto the D1.

In Rainbow beach there is a wrecker with an old and tired Green and pink Suzi County in the yard, it has a tailgate and a soft wall conversion, and the faded signage of a hire company on the door.

On Fraser island, few cars are stock standard, factory modified maybe? A hire car could be absolutely anything. I wouldn't be suprised to see a Dick Strawbridge creation being driven around there.

i think 80km/h limit is about right

re: too many washout and obsticles......even at 80km/h i found i have more than enough time to slow down for the changes in conditions ahead, its not hard to see washout, fisherman, parked cars, trees, logs, planes or what ever else may wash up on the beach

i think the problem is the distractions inside the car i.e. for me talking to kids in the back seat, chatting on radios, playing with GPS's, grabbing a drink out of the esky....takes my eyes of the beach

While the last fatality may have been a local fellow in his 200 series, there is more than enough evidence to support the huge problem associated with tourists in rental vehicles not just 4wd.

The amount of accidents and incidents I have attended involving tourists and rented vehicles is grossly disproportionate.

As someone pointed out the fact that most tourists to Aust. dont even drive on holidays as far as many of us drive to work, let alone a strange heavy vehicle in terrain and conditions such as here.

The hire companies must take a significant responsibility for this problem. With 4wd being one of the bigger problems.
A glance in the local Pickles auction yard will consistently see the clear majority of vehicles are 4wd hire cars, rolled. There is also fair representaion of interstste 4wd, rolled.
To me this is indicative of drivers being fatigued, ill prepared and over confident. (perhaps also, its the ridiculous ads for these vehicles)
Its not just Fraser, it is all tourist destinations and I dont think it is the domain of 4wds either.

Visitors to Australia cannot be expected to have the education/ability or experience required to do this sort of thing.

IMO an International licence should preclude the hire of 4WD. The number of hours spent in aircraft locating and/or rescuing people from uneccessary danger and catastrophe is my basis for this. This latest tragedy bolsters my opinion.

cheers

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Originally Posted by weeds

i think 80km/h limit is about right

re: too many washout and obsticles......even at 80km/h i found i have more than enough time to slow down for the changes in conditions ahead, its not hard to see washout, fisherman, parked cars, trees, logs, planes or what ever else may wash up on the beach

i think the problem is the distractions inside the car i.e. for me talking to kids in the back seat, chatting on radios, playing with GPS's, grabbing a drink out of the esky....takes my eyes of the beach

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I'd have to concur with Weeds on this....I have been to Fraser 4 times now and driven it in the various conditions. Just like driving on the road....it takes care and thought. I honestly believe that any accident on Fraser comes down to carelessness or stupidity......its a shame when someone loses their life due to it.

As Weeds states...washouts etc aren't 'blind" you can see them coming from a mile away.....however if you are speeding and not slowing down as you approach them and work out where you are going to drive it.....for sure I can see how accidents could happen. As for swerving to avoid an obstacle...WTF.....again being on sand...they stand out like a sore thumb. Just as driving the hwy from Brissie to GC.....as with driving on Fraser....you can see why people have accidents.

As for the tourists in Troopies...that has been just a ticking time bomb.....inexperience, poorly equipped vehicles and 9/10 overloaded with gear and people. Again the minority that have filled out the application to the Darwin Awards...will impact on the majority of "proper" 4WDers who visit Fraser and anywhere else,

Regards

Stevo

Drivers/guides is the only way I can see this being fixed - or close down the industry.

According to ch 10 news, they were not wearing seatbelts, and the driver was from Bundaberg, holding a QLD license...

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Originally Posted by cewilson

According to ch 10 news, they were not wearing seatbelts, and the driver was from Bundaberg, holding a QLD license...

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Bloody hell are we all on the same story or has reporting of these gone down the dunny. I read it was japanese tourists ranging from 20's-30's, not wearing seatbelts

regards

Stevo

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Originally Posted by stevo68

I'd have to concur with Weeds on this....I have been to Fraser 4 times now and driven it in the various conditions. Just like driving on the road....it takes care and thought. I honestly believe that any accident on Fraser comes down to carelessness or stupidity......its a shame when someone loses their life due to it.

As Weeds states...washouts etc aren't 'blind" you can see them coming from a mile away.....however if you are speeding and not slowing down as you approach them and work out where you are going to drive it.....for sure I can see how accidents could happen. As for swerving to avoid an obstacle...WTF.....again being on sand...they stand out like a sore thumb. Just as driving the hwy from Brissie to GC.....as with driving on Fraser....you can see why people have accidents.

As for the tourists in Troopies...that has been just a ticking time bomb.....inexperience, poorly equipped vehicles and 9/10 overloaded with gear and people. Again the minority that have filled out the application to the Darwin Awards...will impact on the majority of "proper" 4WDers who visit Fraser and anywhere else,

Regards

Stevo

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Happens to Rover owners too. re the bloke on the forum here recently who bust up his front wheels. That could have been a major prang too.
Why cant people drive to the conditions.
Just Idiots.

Didiman.

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Originally Posted by strangy

Visitors to Australia cannot be expected to have the education/ability or experience required to do this sort of thing.

IMO an International licence should preclude the hire of 4WD. The number of hours spent in aircraft locating and/or rescuing people from uneccessary danger and catastrophe is my basis for this. This latest tragedy bolsters my opinion.

cheers

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Interesting concept. Except of course if you went O/S you'd expect to be able to hire a 4WD wouldn't you ?

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Originally Posted by VladTepes

Interesting concept. Except of course if you went O/S you'd expect to be able to hire a 4WD wouldn't you ?

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But if we went overseas, we'd hold Australian licenses, so it would be OK :angel: