OUTBACK DRIVING TIPS

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Category: Reviews and Editorials

Coping with isolation, dehydration and rehydration

Outback driving usually involves long stretches with very little variation in scenery between the last spot you’ve always wanted to visit and the next on the agenda. Here are a few tips to guarantee you’ll get there. 1. When driving long boring stretches of road, don’t stay staring at the road ahead. Flick your eyes occasionally to the country you’re driving through – minimises fatigue.

2. On long straight stretches of road where you can see forever, stay in the middle of the road – maximises your chance of avoiding animal strike. Remember tp return to the correct side of the road on crests and bends.

3. Though not many of us believe in the ‘stop, revive, survive every two hours’ crap, when you are tired, pull over for a breather. There’s a legion of people who said to themselves ‘It’s only two hours more to home; I’ll keep going’, and ended up in the Big Motel in the Sky instead of the one they should have stayed at.

4. Particularly on dirt roads, always pull over for road trains. There’s nothing PC about a road train. With them, might is right.

5. In really remote areas, watch out for locals coming out of farm gates. After the accident, he’ll no doubt say something like “But no-one ever comes past here at ten past three!”

6. Likewise, travelling in those sort of areas on your own, make sure you have a CB (at very least), preferably a Satphone.

7. Watch out for emus – they’re unpredictable. Where roos, once they’re heading away from you generally keep going, emus are just as likely to veer back into your path.

8. Constantly read the road. It’s a long novel, mostly boring, but every now and then there’ll be a bulldust patch or a nasty washaway to liven things up.

9. Take a GPS or GPS-based navigation aid, so that if you do break down, you can tell rescuers exactly where you are.

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