Oversize vehicles on the road
I mentioned in the previous post about crossing the Nullarbor that I saw a large number of oversize vehicles on the road.
I wouldn’t be exaggerating to say we saw about 40 or so between Norseman and Port Augusta in two days.
I can’t recall seeing any on my previous crossing in January 2006.
The Eyre Highway has plenty of space on the Western Australian side, but in South Australia there is almost no shoulder at all.
Encountering a road train is scary enough, but making way for one of the massive transporters is no fun at all.
Most of them appeared to be carrying mining machinery. There was no consistency in how they present themselves to oncoming motorists.
Some had a sign on the front of the truck and a flag waving from the side. Others had an advance vehicle with flashing lights and in one case there was a police escort driving ahead on the wrong side of the road to force oncoming cars off the highway.
I have serious questions about this whole business.
1) Why are there so many oversize vehicles on a vital public highway? Surely the machines should be shipped to the nearest port.
2) Why isn’t there a consistent set of rules for the drivers/owners of oversize vehicles instead of the apparently ad-hoc arrangements that exist now?
3) What are the protocols for allowing traffic to pass these beasts? We were fortunately driving towards them; I’d hate to be stuck behind one driving into the sun as many poor motorists were.
4) Who is responsible for allowing this to happen and what consultation was there?
Update: In Western Australia it seems Main Roads is responsible (PDF link) and they reckon monster trucks are okay.
“Large vehicles are important contributors to Western Australia’s economic development. There are many types of oversize vehicles, all of which must display a sign indicating that the vehicle is greater than the standard width or length.”
The average motorist (like me) doesn’t know the difference between the many types of oversize vehicles, nor do we expect to encounter them every half hour on a major highway.
I probably speak for road train drivers on this too. They work vehicles that ordinary motorists do expect to see on interstate routes. They drive at the same speed, can be safely overtaken and they are mostly driven responsibly.
I can’t imagine how a road train would overtake an oversize vehicle, especially on the South Australian side of the Eyre Highway.
The authorities have a system of regulation, it seems. They now need to educate the general public about the system and limit the number of oversize vehicles on the road at any given time.
The roads weren’t designed for these large vehicles and motorists should not be expected to regularly encounter them.
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