The towing thread

discomatt

discomatt

Well-Known Member
As much as I despise all the over regulation and BS laws we all have to live with in Australia driver training is nothing more than pathetic and woeful, we could learn a lot from the German licencing system and as far as towing there should be something along the same lines as truck licencing re sizing.
When I see vans sway on the road or on video footage I wonder how many of those drivers take there foot of the go people as they try to stop the sway?
Its an easy fix, apply the van brake only if your brake controller has that ability and / or keep accelerating
 
L

loose cannon

Well-Known Member
madmonk said:
I know I am not qualified! Every time I borrow my mates trailer to do a tip run, I am sure that all the other people there are judging my crappy trailer reversing skills. Though I am slowly making improvements, I still have a ways to go. If I was going to get a larger trailer or a caravan, I would definitely seek additional expert training/instruction as well as taking it to an empty carpark and doing lots of practice.
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Small trailers are a pain. I used to do furniture removals and reversing a 40' trailer into a suburban driveway was a piece of cake compared to a little tip trailer with a short drawbar.

Couple of tips. Always position yourself so you're not reversing on the blindside. In other words you'll be turning the steering wheel predominately left hand down.

Don't reverse straight back, give yourself a little angle to work with, that way you should be able to keep the trailer in view. Only need to be a couple of degrees off the straight for this to work. Kinda like a very gentle curve. Straighten up over the last two metres maybe.

Either use your mirrors or stick your head out the window, don't do both as it gets confusing. Mirrors are better but it doesn't matter a hoot.

Most important tip is to go as slow as possible, ignore the macho clowns.

Best truck driver I ever saw at putting road trains together or breaking them up in a yard was also the slowest, by a country mile. Two trailers with a dolly pushing back to hook up the third is crazy good skill level and he moved at snail pace. Rare for him to need a second attempt, I loved watching him work.:)
 
Marck

Marck

Well-Known Member
hiluxdriver said:
Agree 100%, but if I had a son, and that son was killed by a numpty who couldn't control his van I'd be asking for some super stiff penalties, or laws changed. Should we not try to get on the front foot?
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I have no problem with being proactive and i always promote education on any subject . But in the same breath compounding regulation is choking us every corner we turn. Thats why i say educating the masses at little extra burden to give pepople towing and heavy vehicles space and realising that the other parties behavior can kill them. Making the towing party obtain a qualification may make them safer but in limited numbers compared with teaching every new deiver the risks they are exposed to when in proximity of a trailer.

Neither idea is bad its just my reluctance for more regulation. In a perfect world we could do both ?
 
GaryM

GaryM

Well-Known Member
Truth is there is a reason old people get to keep their licences longer,. Road use is a necessity, not a luxury. When you get your head around that concept, youll understand why low levels of skill are the norm, and govcos just lower the speed limit if necessary.
 
Spooner

Spooner

Well-Known Member
I had guy today in a Territory towing a large van that I passed going up one of the long hills out of Holbrook heading to Albury.
I was on cruise control at 100 kph.(real kph) not car speedo 100kph.
Anyway on the flat he chased me down and slip streamed me for a slingshot overtake move. This gets him along side me then the wind blast from the truck stopped him like a brick wall. He wouldn't back down and get back behind me, and didn't have enough power to power through.
Took him 10 minutes with a line of cars a mile long up his arse. But in the end he won the race . Yay good work F Wit. Hope your cars engine blows up :D
 
Gavo

Gavo

4x4 Earth Contributer
I think it's pretty straight forward, you should need a licence.
Truck is probably best example of it, LR, MR and HR are best example.
You need (In NSW) a Light rigid to drive a vechile more than 4.5tons and less than 8 tons.
That's essentially a Ford f truck, dodge ram, small pantec etc.
IMO they're way easier to drive than a 4wd fully loaded and towing a giant 3.5t van.

I don't believe Mr and Mrs Greynomad, who just sold their inner city house and VW polo should be able to jump in a fully loaded 4wd and van and head off around Aus.

Make it like truck laws. You want to drive more than 4.5 ton you get a licence. Easy as that.
Why can't towing be in same boat?
 
Spooner

Spooner

Well-Known Member
I know people think that us truck drivers are a pack of knuckle dragging morons.
But we actually look out for each other on the highway. Let the faster ones pass with ease use the UHF.
We know everything that going on forward & behind us for miles in advance.
It's called consideration for others.
Kunz in Caravans are the pits , unless they are retired truckies that know how to communicate in advance .
The others have NFI.
 
GaryM

GaryM

Well-Known Member
discomatt said:
Yes but on the same token its a privilege not a right
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That only matters in court when youve been naughty. Its actually a right, until you breach the rules then the privilege line kicks in. Same as its your right to walk free, until you mess up, then freedom is a privilege.

First, lets show there is an actual increase in incidents, not explained by increases in population or increased road hours.
 
Albynsw

Albynsw

Well-Known Member
Spooner said:
I know people think that us truck drivers are a pack of knuckle dragging morons.
But we actually look out for each other on the highway. Let the faster ones pass with ease use the UHF.
We know everything that going on forward & behind us for miles in advance.
It's called consideration for others.
Kunz in Caravans are the pits , unless they are retired truckies that know how to communicate in advance .
The others have NFI.
Click to expand...

People often say that they hate driving with trucks on the road. I rather drive with trucks as you know they know what they are doing, you don't know who or what you are dealing with with car drivers.
 
Spooner

Spooner

Well-Known Member
discomatt said:
Rick, where can I find what UHF channels truckies use for each major hwy ?
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It's 40 mate, for everywhere .
Just don't use it around cities, as is jammed with crap from non truck driver , no life radio hi jackers.
Apart from that works fine to hear what's going on.
 
dno67

dno67

Well-Known Member
GaryM said:
First, lets show there is an actual increase in incidents, not explained by increases in population or increased road hours.
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Regardless of whether incidents have increased, the fact remains that load sizes, capacities and vehicle sizes have increased over the past 3 or 4 decades to the
point where more skill and understanding needs to taken to remain a safe road user
and not become a risk to others.
 
GaryM

GaryM

Well-Known Member
dno67 said:
Regardless of whether incidents have increased, the fact remains that load sizes, capacities and vehicle sizes have increased over the past 3 or 4 decades to the
point where more skill and understanding needs to taken to remain a safe road user
and not become a risk to others.
Click to expand...
So real world be damned, if academically you can draw an imaginary correlation that could occur even though it hasnt, its time to act?

Harold Scrubby will be pleased.
 
dno67

dno67

Well-Known Member
discomatt said:
Rick, where can I find what UHF channels truckies use for each major hwy ?
Click to expand...
Just note that 40 can be quite unsavory in and around town, best have a good
understanding of how to adjust your radio's squelch if you have kids or the Mrs
in the car. It's a bit of a shame as real time traffic reports are invaluable sometimes.
 
dno67

dno67

Well-Known Member
GaryM said:
So real world be damned, if academically you can draw an imaginary correlation that could occur even though it hasnt, its time to act?

Harold Scrubby will be pleased.
Click to expand...
More than likely. :D
What did you expect when you bag truck drivers.:p
 
GaryM

GaryM

Well-Known Member
For your knowledge, I was a truck driver, still have the licence.

Spooner said:
I know people think that us truck drivers are a pack of knuckle dragging morons.
But we actually look out for each other on the highway. Let the faster ones pass with ease use the UHF.
We know everything that going on forward & behind us for miles in advance.
It's called consideration for others.
Kunz in Caravans are the pits , unless they are retired truckies that know how to communicate in advance .
The others have NFI.
Click to expand...
LOL, thats one eyed.
Its not like speed limiters, drug testing and logbooks were necessitated by truck driver behaviour. Ah the good ol days.
 
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