“Traveling in Convoy”

In Australia particularly during recent years as more and more retired Aussies hit the track to visit all the places they have been dreaming of seeing throughout the time they have been working hard, a trend has developed of several vehicles towing caravans, to travel together in convoy.
There are obvious advantages in doing this, for example if a vehicle breaks down with a problem there are other people to lend a hand, or to stay with the vehicle if there is a need for the owner to go off somewhere to get replacement parts.
For many people the mutual strength provided by numbers, allows them to take advantage of stopping on roadsides in remote areas, without paying caravan park fees every night, and so helps to extend their finances further.
This accentuates another great pleasure of travel, the social interaction of gathering together as a group to spend the last hours of daylight in a laughter filled “Happy Hour”.
Most of all the wonderful sights and scenery can be marveled at while sharing the experience with others, which tends to magnify the joy of the event.
For the reader who has already participated in this type of travel all the good aspects will be coming back to mind.

To further enhance the fun and ensure safety please give consideration to some of the following aspects, which if you are already doing them “Great, well done!” if not then take them into account for the future.

Even if the convoy consists of only two vehicles, the driver of the leading vehicle is in charge, and responsible for clearly conveying his intentions to the following vehicle’s driver. This basic requirement is then repeated over and over for each vehicle in the convoy.

So if there is a danger ahead, the lead driver must impart a warning to the vehicle behind. If you do not have two-way radios,
then activate the vehicles hazard lights. At least that will cause the following driver to wonder, and be wary.
If turning at an intersection with vehicles spread far apart the protocol is each vehicle waits until the following vehicle is in sight before proceeding. A convoy that becomes fragmented also becomes dangerous as drivers become confused and begin stopping or doing U-turns, and chaos can quickly develop.

As many people are embarking on their first trip it is quite usual that they have never spoken on a two-way radio previously, but if they do wisely get one fitted, in convoy, apart from the safety aspect, being able to chat with the others traveling with you again adds to the enjoyment by sharing. No special qualifications are needed to use a Citizens Band two-way radio. Plain language without slang communicates best. Currently in Australia, UHF, (Ultra High Frequency) is the predominate form of radio being used by the average traveler. To ensure your voice carries clearly try not to shout. Many people using a microphone raise their voice to a level that causes the words to be distorted to those listening. It is a common fault.
The recommended way for people to operate a microphone is to hold it to the side of the mouth, so the sound waves cross over the side of the microphone. It is also a good point to keep your head still while speaking. Swinging the head to and fro looking at things, changes volume and clarity of voice making it difficult for listeners to understand what is being said.
The best position is, chin up, to allow the vocal chords to form the sounds clearly. And speak normally across the side of the microphone.

For private vehicles in convoy channel 18, is the designated channel to use, however unfortunately it is not exclusive to those holidaymakers traveling in convoy, so if others, such as truck drivers, farmers are on air just keep cool until distance reduces the intrusion.
It is very important not to begin to believe that the convoy you are part of has exclusive use of channel 18. Adopt a style of talking on the radio that allows at least two seconds from when someone stops talking until the next person pushes the button and begins chatting. That allows other people who have “traffic” to have a turn and impart what they wish to say, and sometimes other road users are waiting for a break in your conversation, to tell you, something important to you.
Using radio in convoy causes the last vehicle, to have a very important role to play in maintaining the overall safety of the convoy. “Tailend Charlie” as that vehicle is designated, must keep a sharp watch in the rear view mirrors, so that whenever a vehicle is seen approaching from behind that the other members of the convoy are advised and can ensure that sufficient gaps, (about 500 metres) is allowed so that trucks can safely pass each vehicle, one at a time, with plenty of room to cut back in without crowding the vehicles towing vans. Not allowing enough spacing between vehicles in convoy is a constant problem and continues to create dangerous situations for all concerned.

If there is a need to pull off the carriageway into a rest stop or some other area large enough to take all the vehicles in the convoy, plan to only pull off to the left of the road. A convoy of vehicles attempting a right hand turn off a highway used by large trucks, is a very, very dangerous maneuver, and should not be contemplated unless absolutely certain there are no following vehicles and there is a long view rearward to be sure there will be more than enough time for the entire convoy to complete clearing the carriageway prior to any other vehicle arriving.

If you have not yet traveled to places up the Centre, Top End, or Western Australia then you are going to be amazed at the size of the trucks, that become “Road Trains”, which just like the trains that travel on rails, these huge trucks are heavily loaded, difficult for their very professional drivers to control. They cannot stop suddenly, or swerve to avoid someone towing a caravan who has without much warning got in the way. They would try if they could, as Road Train drivers are the gentlemen of the “Track”, but such an event is more likely to end in catastrophe.

I hope your travel in convoy gives you great pleasure, and if using the above information helps to keep you safe, then I am even more pleased.

Ken.
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