It's a big country but would you always stop to help someone 'in trouble?
How should grey nomads react when they are driving along a remote Outback road and they come across someone apparently in need of assistance?
The answer is not as simple and as obvious as perhaps it should be. While the instinct of most travellers is to immediately stop and help in any way they can, some of the horror stories circulating on the internet and on the campfire grapevine demand that a degree of caution is applied.
While it is not always easy to separate real incidents from urban myth, there is certainly the perception that not all people standing by the side of their cars with a jerry can, or with the bonnet up, are necessarily in genuine need of help.
And it is not just grey nomads who are wary.
A story in the national transport magazine ‘Big Rigs’ tells the tale of a Victorian truckie crossing the Nullarbor who saw a man laying face down beside the road who appeared as though he may have been injured. However, being in such a remote location by himself the truckie decided not to stop and check out the man’s welfare.
“I thought there was a danger there may have been others around who would rob or bash me,” the truckie told ‘Big Rigs’.
While other truckies later confirmed that the man in question had simply fallen asleep by the road and was actually fine, the fact that the driver was unwilling to stop to investigate highlights the scale of the ‘fear’ problem.
It can be a terribly difficult dilemma to balance your natural instincts and the camaraderie of the road code with perhaps unfounded suspicion … particularly if someone’s life might be on the line.
A spokesperson for the WA police told www.thegreynomadscom.au that the most relevant advice for people travelling in remote areas was to only stop and assist if they felt it is safe to do so.
“Make an assessment of each situation, and be aware of your personal safety and surroundings at all times,” the spokesperson said. “If you are concerned for the welfare of others, contact police on 000 or 131 444, or report it to the local police station at the next town.”
Years ago, 1967 in fact , my mate and I from WA were driving from Adelaide to Melbourne. We had just passed over the bridge at Murray Bridge and a young bloke was thumbing a lift. We went about 200 yds past him, had a talk and then decided we would give him a lift. Turned out we stayed with him in Prahran? in Melbourne for about a week. But yes you do have to be careful. By the way he wasn’t in distress just broke we fed him for that week.
I still follow the the ‘Old Aussie Way’. Go on my gut instinct.
Gave a nice Aboriginal man a lift from Katherine to Alice and I was asking where he was going? where he was from etc just making small talk, when he indicated to me that he was a deaf mute.
Never had any trouble and I am a single female but am sure 99% of people are genuine – hav’nt come across the other 1% yet.
Not that I’m out there finding hitchhikers much anymore.
Helen