Aug 6, 2009: Road Train Vs Grandma
 

http://cellar.org/2009/roadtrain.jpg

http://cellar.org/2009/roadtrain2.jpg


Truck picture from flickr, apparently, but via the ABC.

Margret's picture from here.

Audio of the interview available from here.


ETA: By my count, that thing is a 74-wheeler. 74!!!
ETAA: Yes, we do *normally* drive on the left down here. I don't know why that thing is on the right. I guess, in a truck like that, you drive wherever you damn well feel like.

Look at her.
Just look at her.
Behind that smile, a little version of her is jumping up and down, giving the world the finger, and screaming
"FUCK YOU MOTHERFUCKER! KING KONG AIN'T GOT SHIT ON ME!!!"
Oh, you can say I'm wrong.
But look at her.
She's just waiting to get that driver in a locked room.
She's gonna cut off his face and wear it like a mask.
She is just that badass.

Ohhh, those things are scary as all bejesus when you overtake THEM, let alone having one zoom past when you are on a bike.

When we went to Darwin, my hire car was a little Toyota Corolla...that things took.for.ever. to get past one of those roadtrains.

Does no one have any sympathy for the poor bike? Did it leave any little bikes at home? Oh the humanity!:rolleyes:

Here's a text article. I'm afraid the bike is a pretzel!

;)I had a pretzel (which when at home is a Brezel) for second breakfast. Luckily, it didn't have a bell on.

Think of the tricycles!

He will be on that side out of courtesy. The picture was taken from the side of the road, and the truckie would have moved over to make sure not to buffet the car & pedestrian too much. I spent a bit of time with these guys, and the vast majority are extraordinarily courteous and professional.

On some roads in the outback there is only one lane tarmaced (ashphalted or blacktopped for our US cousins). The truck to be courteous will try and stay on the tarmac. The approaching city drivers will take this as a challenge, and try and drive in the made section too. Bad, bad, bad idea. The truckie will happily move out of the way onto the gravel at the side of the road. If the car moves over, the truck will be past in a few seconds, and everything is sweet. IF the truck moves over, there are 14-19 sets of wheels flicking stones at the other vehicle. The paintwork is blasted by stone chips, and a shattered window is guaranteed. It can be 100km or more between towns, and a new screen can take 3-5 days to arrive from the major centres.

Oh, and if she is from Tassie, then the major damage may not be immediately apparent to everyone. The truck has obviously caused trauma necessitating the removal of one of her heads.

Images didn't make it to the public page.
http://cellar.org/iotd.php

thanks. fixd

Wow. Both to the story, and to the --- truck. thing. We don't have those here (although we do have wide open spaces). They look dangerous. Like really, too dangerous for anybody on the road!

Speed Racer versus the Mammoth Car comes to mind.

Yeah, those trucks are massive, and on a lot of those roads in the outback (NT at least), there's no speed limit, so they can really hike along if they're in a hurry.

Onya granny!

She was only 25km into a 3700km trip when it happened. She says ''I'll get another bike and do the same thing next year.'' STUPID! :crazy:

She might just consider hitching a ride in one of the trucks, she would get there faster. And she could always strap her bike on the back of one to continue her trip later.

See how this story brought the Aussies out?
It's a nefarious plan, I tell you, a plan!

Next time, she oughta put in her hearing aid.

I can imagine!

I've driven a triple in the past and it was quite a challenge. I had sixteen axles rolling and I forever learned why we in the States call them "Wiggle Wagons"! It must have taken me a mile to get the feel for it, three miles to get to highway speed and another mile to get it down to a stop!

Next time I'm down under, I wanna drive one of those!

Bicycles not welcome.

Brian

I've often wondered if it's possible (or ever even necessary) to back those things up. Would love to see it.

Just dig in your heels and pull steadily back on the reins . .

Nope. No U-turns either.

A few years back a story went around of a guy driving a B-triple who missed the turn off on a remote rural highway. No backing or U-turn possible ... had to drive about 150km before he could get to another road heading to where he was trying to go.

I imagine he may have said a naughty word or two.

I think you'd need 150km to u turn one of those things anyway. lol

It is possible, but not recommended. I backed up a double once when it's driver made a wrong turn and couldn't back it out. It's a challenge, I say.

and Ali, I believe it's 40 acres needed to turn that thing around. haggis!

Getting there faster is not the point.

They changed that a couple of years ago, the speed limit is now 140kms per hour.

They were going to bring it back to 110 like the rest of Australia, but didnt because it would mean that you were on the wrong side of the lane for too long when overtaking a roadtrain.

Ahh...I stand corrected. Still, 140km/h is pretty quick.

It is in a nola corolla :D

Continuing to demonstrate the invincibility of a certain generation of Aussie Shelias, is Dawn Fraser, former Olympic Swimming champion.

Attachment 24634

Mind you, the last paragraph seems totally inconsistent with the earlier claims of a "home invasion".

Go grandma!

titanium knee.

ouch.

:lol2:

Mind you, Dawn Fraser has always been a plucky gel: