Introduction.
I first became involved in road safety in 1999 following one of those days on the road, when you really wonder where people get their licenses, out of Weet Bix packets or do they simply not care about their lives or those of anyone else? After sleeping for the night at Narrabri and only being on the road 15 minutes and not even up to highway speed, I and the car behind me, were overtaken by another car with two unrestrained children in the back with an approaching b-double heading towards us less than 200 metres away. I was in a b-double fuel tanker and both b-doubles went off the road onto the shoulder to allow the stupid motorist to safely get through.

Later that same day being fully loaded and coming down off a hill onto a narrow bridge, I flashed the oncoming F250 Ford as if to say, “Back off just a bit and I will be off the bridge before you come on”. No way. This bloke kept coming and we met before I came off the bridge and to this day, I believe I missed that vehicle and the bridge posts by millimetres. Had he just lifted his foot off the accelerator for less than 20 seconds, I would have been clear and the possibility of a crash would have been completely avoided. So I pulled up for my break and thought, “What can I do to lessen these problems?” and have been involved since.

All drivers and truckies particularly, can regale you with horror stories of crashes and near misses, most of which need not have happened, nor the risk have even occurred, had the motorist simply respected the size and weight of the larger truck. This is not about might is right, it is simple physics. As a pedestrian, you would not step out in front of a bus and simply expect it to stop because you are there. And yet everyday, car drivers who have perhaps not been taught to share the road with trucks, will pull directly out in front of a fully loaded semi or b-double and expect them to stop dead.

If through the information on these pages, one of these crashes or lives lost can be prevented, then my efforts will have been worthwhile. I make no claims to be perfect, we are all (at least supposedly) human, but not all drivers are equal and some have simply been taught to pass a test, not to spend the rest of their lives on the road, let alone to share those roads with large trucks. Fatal crashes between cars and trucks are over 70% the fault of the car driver according to crash statistics. This only confirms to me that we do need better education of car drivers about sharing the road with trucks. There is no doubt that truckies have to earn the respect their vehicles deserve and do their part to improve road safety as well.

I have now travelled in excess of 6 million kilometres on the road in vehicles from cars up to triple roadtrains and still see such foolhardy acts on the highway that risk my life and that of others. If all drivers treated people in other vehicles as if they were a member of their own family, do you think that would change some of the impatience and risky behaviours? Perhaps not a bad way to look at your time on the road. Is it your children as learners, your wife or partner in the next car, or your ageing parents going a bit steady? Either way, would you risk their lives to save yourself two minutes? I hope not, but it is up to you!

Having returned Ken’s truck, I then went back to RPT truck 7 for another year, then in 2011 Rod Pilon Transport bought a new K200 bigcab, the first in the fleet and I designed a new set of curtains that Rod never saw till I turned up with them fitted. There are few companies that would allow a driver to do this and I thank Rod Pilon for his support since the start and through now to his son Ben.

I had that white K200 for just short of ten years, did over 2 million k in it and it is still on the road with yet another Rod, driving it. The original curtains from the first TIV are on another set of RPT trailers, so they too are still putting out a good view and industry promotion as they travel the highways. TIV 2 served me very well, but now there is TIV 3 and likely the last, we will see.

June 2017 Audiobooks For The Road
I have started a facebook page to provide reviews of books I read, sometimes up to 3 a week and to seek your comments and reviews as well. I was recently invited to be a judge for audiobook of the year and want to let people know of the entertainment you can get on long trips from audiobooks. Click Here to read more.
Links to the ABC interview and Sydney Morning Herald article.

October 2026 Latest Blog Post. Listen on Spotify
Goodaye all, early this week, (well I did start early and planned to put this up last night, but got sidetracked, so here it is now) as off to load early tomorrow and head back to Adelaide, was due to load Friday afternoon, but product wasn’t ready, so load in morning and go. Loaded Monday, in Adelaide Tuesday, back to Dubbo Wednesday after a pick up on the way in, then unload and reload more for a familiar spot in Newcastle.

But because the load I had, along with the extras and the load I added in Dubbo being heavier than what I took off, it meant I had to split the delivery for the Castle, as we can’t unload there in a double and I would not be able to put it all on the B, as then the A would be too heavy to drop safely. Bugger.

So up and split and unload and yes, knew of the next pick up not far away and I had said, I will only be able to take about 22 tonne due to the factors mentioned above. Yes “You’ll be right” was the reply. But I was right and the load wasn’t. First it was over 25 tonne, so no, then one end wasn’t keen to split the load, though our end was, so they rang to confirm and we waited.

Then they said, no sorry, our calculations were out, the load is only 39 packs at a lighter weight, you should get in all on now. So we started loading and got near the end and I said, 18 to go, no 19!! You said 39 packs when I counted 40? Seems you were right, bugger again, so no, I can’t get it all on, there is a weighbridge and whilst I have scales, I won’t put it on if too heavy. So more phone calls.

So where a quick pick up turns into a slow pick up is fine, until the delivery point do not work very late of an afternoon. On my way, please check what time and tell them I am in aa b-double as they may think it is a single. Yes will check, thanks. Get there, no they did not know I was in a double, not much room but sorted that and got unloaded just as it started to rain, only got a bit wet like during the unloading that morning.

The day before, I had been asked could I take part in a phone hook up re a Qld rest area, as others were busy and whilst the time had already been set to suit others, I was the next to take part it seems. Yes I will try. As I got wet and tried to back out into the Sydney traffic, the hook up was due to start and to be fair, they said they did not want to talk if I was busy in the traffic. But by then, unloaded after the dramas and worry if I was getting unloaded at all, I had calmed down and it was just traffic, at least till I got to the other end and could not get in, but nearly done by then, so all good.

Back to the yard, unload balance and reload and off to Young and to bed late Thursday night. But two different addresses on paperwork, so see what happens in the morning. My bugger of a phone had simply refused to charge and I was starting to worry what would happen without it in the morning, but a good kick and it started to charge, but then I was still in the wrong place. Friday morning, got that sorted, but then had an issue with turning around, a dead end and finally got there, to be told on leaving can’t reload till early Sunday morning. Such is trucking!! Safe Travelling, Rod.

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