Blind Side

[Handyjack]

Today I saw a couple of people making a purchase at a hardware store. About half a dozen full lengths of pipe. They were parked a couple of spaces away from me and I commented that I would not even attempt to take them with my vehicle (station wagon with room bars). About ten minutes latter they were ready to go, no flags either. Not sure if they made it to their destination safely, but for maybe $50 they could have got it delivered (perhaps not till Monday) perhaps saving themselves from any fines from the Police or damage they caused by their long load blocking the driver's left vision. That could explain why the car is parked where it is.

Any other images of people attaching loads to their vehicle? I saw but did not record the one of the 6m timber on the tandem trailer going into the back of a van. Flag on the back, but not sure if it could go around corners.

[Christos]

Now that's weird. I was under the impression that Bunnings had trailers that could be used for long loads. I can see a tow bar on the end of their car.

[Kuffy]

I didn't take a photo of a bloke I saw pulling out of bunnies one morning because I was also driving, stuck behind him. He was taking a million years to make a right hand turn back onto the road out the front of bunnies, which isn't an overly busy road and also only 50km/h. Eventually he makes the turn and I could see him directly through his drivers window. The damn fool was hunched under a half sheet, maybe 1200x900 of ply, seeing where he is driving by looking through the steering wheel. He was driving a 2 door hatchback and had put the sheet of ply resting on top of the car seats inside the cabin...

[KBs PensNmore]

There sure are some stupid people around. Trouble is never a lawman around when you need them.

[doug3030]

Any other images of people attaching loads to their vehicle?

Not my picture but I spent a lot of time in Asia when I was in the Army and you would see things like this and a lot worse all day every day.

Cheers

Doug

[rrich]

I notice that they were parked in a handicap space. Obviously they needed some mental assistance.

For a laugh. . .

I'm looking at the picture and wondering how the driver got into the car. Then I realized that your steering wheels are on the wrong side of the car.

[Handyjack]

Actually in Australia our steering wheels are on the right side of the vehicle, in North America they are not on the right side so it must be the wrong side.

The store in question does rent trailers, but I do not think they would have been suitable for the length of the load. They also have utes, (similar to a pickup) which normally have bars for long items. While it probably still would not have been legal with the amount of overhang, it would have been a better and safer choice.

[ian]

what I want to know is what were the PVC pipes tied down to.
The door mirror at the front? and ??

as to the overhang, I think you are allowed 1.2m front and rear (which equals 2.4 m in total), add on the length of a typical car (4.5m?) and a 6m pipe probably doesn't exceed the allowed limits. And if the side load doesn't project beyond the door mirrors, the whole shebang MIGHT be considered "legal"

[Mr Brush]

Yes, but I think we still have a classification for "legal, but stupid".....

I know that humans are supposed to be the most intelligent and highly evolved species on the planet, but some people make me worry that the monkeys are catching up.......

[Chesand]

Sometimes, I think the monkeys are ahead of us when you see some of the idiotic things that humans do.

[Handyjack]

what I want to know is what were the PVC pipes tied down to.
The door mirror at the front? and ??

Spoiler on the boot lid.

as to the overhang, I think you are allowed 1.2m front and rear (which equals 2.4 m in total), add on the length of a typical car (4.5m?) and a 6m pipe probably doesn't exceed the allowed limits. And if the side load doesn't project beyond the door mirrors, the whole shebang MIGHT be considered "legal"

As stated, no flags as required when beyond the vehicle, either front or back (cost about $1ea) also you have the loss of vision on the left side of the car. It would make it difficult when you come to an intersection to see vehicles on your left.

[artme]

I notice that is Bunnings. Ithought stores had some duty of care in regard to long loads. I know the lo0cal Mitre 10 here, before it closed,
would not allow that sort of thing.

[Grumpy John]

I notice that is Bunnings. Ithought stores had some duty of care in regard to long loads. I know the lo0cal Mitre 10 here, before it closed,
would not allow that sort of thing.

I know that when I was working in the timber yard at Bunnings and would comment on people's loads being unsafe I would be told to p!$$ off and mind my own business. If I persisted they would complain to management about the rude guy in the timber yard. Tradies were the worst. I eventually worked out after several reprimands for "unsatisfactory customer relations" not to give a damn. That is the main reason I transferred to night fill to finish my last two years at Bunnies, to get away from the PITA customers. I retired in September and do not miss it one bit.
For every bad Bunnings team member story I can give you 10 bad customer stories.

[Kuffy]

I filled up the back of my ute with a bunch of 2.1 MERCH sticks at bunnies one day. The ute can fit 1800mm inside so I had about 300mm hanging out the back which I believe isn't quite kosher because I think any overhang beyond the extremities of the car isn't ok. After paying and driving up to the gate to have my load checked for any freebies, the bloke handed me a bunnies bright orange flag for next time free of charge.

[doug3030]

I know that when I was working in the timber yard at Bunnings and would comment on people's loads being unsafe I would be told to p!$$ off and mind my own business.

Several years ago when I was running a concrete garden edging business in Queensland, my supplier of sand and cement called me and all the other tradies they supplied to into a free breakfast one morning where they announced to us that they had been visited by the police about unsafe loads leaving their yard.

We were given specific instructions about loads having to be covered and everything tied down.They told us that the police had the power to hold the business where the goods were purchased legally responsible in the event of an accident or spill etc. The loads of every trady and private customer just coming in for some sand for the wading pool were inspected before the vehicle was permitted to depart.

I guess that's the "duty of care" Artme was referring to.

Cheers

Doug