Safety when driving older military vehicles
Hi All
I am so glad to hear the driver in recovering from his injuries after his nasty accident coming home from Corowa. This is not the first time and I guess hopefully the last.
After a few very close shaves driving my 1942 MB Willies Jeep to club functions driving on freeways. When driving at the speed limit of 110 kilometres an hour and approaching a slow moving vehicle not realising until they are nearly upon you, can be very scary hearing the screech of breaks behind you.
It was after some incidents that I started using a commercial Orange Flashing warning light, when driving on major roads. Though I knew I was in breach of the law, I had my story ready in case stopped by police.
1. A safety device as a warning to other road users of a slow moving vehicle ahead.
2. Without a flashing light I was putting my self at risk and endangering other road users at risk of an accident.
3. Flashing Orange Lights are used as a safety warning by Farm Tractors, Current Military convoys, Vehicles accompanying wide loads on transports Plus a whole range of other vehicles, Ambulance, police, police, roadside assistance vehicles and council/shire vehicles. All use flashing lights to warn other road users to slow down.
4. But most of all for my own and other road users safety. I would rather pay a fine than be seriously injured or end up in a coffin.
I can honestly report I have never been approached by police or any other authority using flashing lights. When we travelling in a club convoy I was always placed as tail end Charley using flashing lights as a warning to other road users, particularly at night or in light fog,
I know from conversations with owners of older military vehicles, they relayed many stories of of concern of incidents. I would be happy to have too appear before a court judge and plead my road safety case, having taken what I believed to be a serious road safety aid, possibly preventing a death or serious injury.
Tony
__________________
Anthony (Tony) VAN RHODA.
Strathalbyn. South Australia
|