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Driving in the outback
- when driving in
the outback be aware that it is very different to driving on the main roads.Many
of the roads have only one lane of bitumen and the trucks (often road
trains) have the right of way. That means if they are coming toward
you, you need to pull over and give them room. If the edge of the road
is wet DO NOT STOP keep your vehicle moving so you don't get bogged.There
will be animals on the road, could be horses, cattle, sheep or wild
life. They all make a mess of your car. You will find different animals
on the road depending on the season. If the season is dry kangaroos
will be eating on the side of the road. If it's wet you may find sheep
etc on the road because that's the driest spot.If you see Emus on
the road be careful. Half the group will go to one side of the road the
other half will go to the other. But then you will find one that has
decided he (or she) is on the wrong side and will cross the road in
front of you to join his mates.I feel comfortable taking extra fuel
with me when travelling away from civilisation.
The reasons for this are that there may only be one place to buy fuel.
What if they have run out or your vehicle has used more fuel than you
thought it would. Take a funnel with a filter because the fuel that you
buy maybe coming out of a 44 gallon drum.If you are travelling into lonely places it is good to have more
than one vehicle, but if you do decide to go alone a HF radio will keep you in touch with the outside world if
you need help.
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Driving on Dirt
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Be careful driving on dirt as the surface could change quickly. Many of
your outback dirt roads will have Bull Dust on them. Bull dust is very
fine dirt (like talcum powder) that covers holes in the road. The road
looks smooth but the dust could be hiding some big holes. The dust will
also get into every thing so make sure everything is sealed properly.Other
dirt roads will be covered in very fine pebbles. Traction will be a
problem on these roads so take it easy when cornering and braking. If
you start to slide when braking release your brakes and then reapply
them. You won't get braking if the wheels are locked up. If your
vehicle starts to slide DO Not apply your brakes, this will only make
the problem worse. Steer the vehicle in the direction you want it to go
not the way the vehicle is facing. Slowing down can be done by backing
off on the accelerator or gently applying the caravan brakes.
Corrugations
- are a pain to drive on because they loosen your false teeth. Don't
drive to slow over corrugations otherwise you will feel everyone of
them. Find a comfortable speed that is safe to travel at and that
will not rattle you or your vehicle to much. After travelling on
corrugations check your caravan to make sure the vibrations have not caused things to be damaged or become loose.
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