MySwag.org The Off-road Camper Trailer Forum
General => General Discussion => Topic started by: Chongololo on May 16, 2012, 09:39:29 PM
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>:(
I was going to mention this earlier but hadn't gotten round to it before now, and trying to type out a rant on a phone is not pleasant.
We did a trip to Boar Gully campsite, Brisbane Ranges over the weekend and were the only ones who did so. However, there were a number of day trippers to the campsite. A group of these day trippers had taken up residence in one of the campsites for their lunch and had made a fire - it was a little chilly on the Saturday afternoon. It was about an hour after they had left that we were wondering around the campsite (entertaining the kids) when we found that they had neglected to extinguish the fire properly (a thin layer of soil barely covering the ashes) and one of the logs, which was nearly a foot across its width (much too big to warrant burning for such a short trip), was still smoldering and had rolled out of the pit by about 2m. It wouldn't have taken much to get a fire going with that.
I would hate to think the damage that may have been caused by an errant smoldering log or a few wayward coals. Fires need to be tended. All the time. And if you are not going to be around, then it needs to be properly extinguished. Everyone knows the damage a bush fire can do, so spend a few extra minutes making absolutely sure that you put your fires out.
C
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unfortunately not everyone who has been taught to build and tend a fire has been taught how to manage them and the issues involved in leaving them to burn themselves out. In fact most people have probably just figured it out for themselves and therefore have no idea what damage their neglect can cause. Then again, some people just dont care.
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Pretty scary if they only covered it with a little soil, a little kid could run over that & get burnt.
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Pretty scary if they only covered it with a little soil, a little kid could run over that & get burnt.
a few months back i had to stop a guy who thought he was doing the right thing by chucking sand on someones fire they had left to burn after packing up and leaving their campsite. i politely explained to him why he shouldn't do what he was doing, atleast he now knows what to do in future.
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It's a pretty common occurrence. I just put it down to idiot city folk. Know how to spend 30 minutes in the shower wasting water, but can't put a fire out with it.
Kit_e
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Care needs to be taken when putting out a fire with water especially when it has been burning most of a weekend. The ground will be very hot as well and the water will initially turn instantly to steam and can sometimes literally explode.
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A few years ago while traveling the Malara Fire Trail, we came across a camp fire still smouldering strongly.
No one in sight and they had left their rubbish stacked neatly beside it in plastic bags, what did they think the Garbo would be along to pick it up?
The country was as dry as a bone at the time, Just mind numbing.
???
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Want is it with neatly stacked rubbish and fires !!!!!!!!!!!! see it everywhere.........aways just the 1 village
idiot.
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Hey hargs,
It's not just A village idiot anymore, there seems to be the whole village out there. (http://www.hairfysh.com/images/Icons/Smileys/shocked.gif)
Or boxes of empty stubbies neatly packed and placed next to tree.
And don't get me started with disposable nappies tucked under logs or left behind as well right next to creeks & water ways.
>:D >:D >:D >:D
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disposable nappies
That is without doubt my pet hate!!!!
Lazy ar$e parents who think leaving crappy nappies about is a god given right. You wanted the kids ... clean up after them properly like a morally decent person with thoughts about the environment!
Any wonder our world is turning to sh*t when lazy ar$e parents teach their children things like "dump your rubbish where ever the hell you feel like it" ... amongst other things.
Kit_e
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Pretty scary if they only covered it with a little soil, a little kid could run over that & get burnt.
I've seen the result of a kid walking on the beach and sticking their foot through the thin layer of sand and into a campfire. It is rather horrific to say the least. The soil works as a great insulator and keeps the heat in very effectively.
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I've seen the result of a kid walking on the beach and sticking their foot through the thin layer of sand and into a campfire. It is rather horrific to say the least. The soil works as a great insulator and keeps the heat in very effectively.
Awful :(
Another bad one is broken beer bottles on the beach or near dams. A lot of the time in the water. My brother stood on broken glass at Leslie dam and got a nasty cut on his foot. Lucky it was him and not one of his kids. Seriously if your old enough to drink beer your old enough to out your rubbish in the bin and if there is no bin take it with you.
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Lazy ar$e parents
Any wonder our world is turning to sh*t when lazy ar$e parents teach their children
Kit_e
Don't get me started ion this on Kit_e. I think there is a massive difference between parents and Egg/Sperm donors. Unfortunately there seems to be more of the later now.
Cracka
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Another one that annoys me is when the previous camper decides to burn all their rubbish instead of carting it out.
I love a nice steak cooked on the grill over coals and a few jacket spuds buried underneath.
The remains of somebody elses garbage do little to enhance the flavours! Paper etc. is no drama but nappies and plastic are a bit wiffy for my tastes.
I'm struggling to restrain a full scale rant about garbage (fag butts really annoy me!) and trying to stay on the topic of fires ;D. I never leave mine going unless handing the camp site over to another camper arriving as we leave. It's not hard to understand for most of us but I still see people throwing cigarette butts out of car windows...They must never have seen a bush fire up close.
Full scale rant averted...just! ;D
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throwing cigarette butts out of car windows
This annoys me too Dave AND I'm a smoker! I have a butt bucket (used to be the ashtray but not now) that I take with me. 1 for the car. 1 for the camper. 1 for home. I even got the sh*ts with them at work and created one from a used coffee tin.
It's a fine-able offence to thow them out the window in the NT. Should be enforced (and I do mean enforced ... as well as littering) in all states I reckon.
Kit_e
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That is without doubt my pet hate!!!!
Lazy ar$e parents who think leaving crappy nappies about is a god given right. You wanted the kids ... clean up after them properly like a morally decent person with thoughts about the environment!
Any wonder our world is turning to sh*t when lazy ar$e parents teach their children things like "dump your rubbish where ever the hell you feel like it" ... amongst other things.
Kit_e
That is without doubt my pet hate!!!!
Lazy ar$e cat owners who think leaving dumped kittens about is a god given right. You wanted the kittens … dispose of them properly like a morally decent person with thoughts about the environment!
Any wonder our world is turning to sh*t when lazy ar$e cat owners "dump their kittens where ever the hell they feel like it" ... amongst other things.
8)
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Sounds like there is a fair amount of education to be imparted to 'those' people.
The stories of kids stepping on coals buried in the beach sounds horrific. I've got two kids under 4 and the thought of them being hurt due to someone else's negligence/stupidity really p*sses me off.
Does anyone think that putting up signage at camp sites would help in any way? Something that covers how to put out a fire properly, stipulating that trash should be taken out as the site is unserviced (some people may just assume that it is).
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Does anyone think that putting up signage at camp sites would help in any way? Something that covers how to put out a fire properly, stipulating that trash should be taken out as the site is unserviced (some people may just assume that it is).
Sadly I don't think in todays world, that would help.
It used to be called common sense, but then everyone got all PC. Putting up signs would mean lots of money spent on research; over doing the directions on how to put out fires; spending money on lawyers for when Joe Citizen sues cos he burnt his toes with hot water.
Actually come to think of it, that's EXACTLY what will happen.
LJ
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This thread could easily turn into the 'RANT' thread.
But I agree fully with everything stated above. Everything.
I could go on, but would only get frustrated.
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That is without doubt my pet hate!!!!
Lazy ar$e cat owners who think leaving dumped kittens about is a god given right. You wanted the kittens … dispose of them properly like a morally decent person with thoughts about the environment!
Any wonder our world is turning to sh*t when lazy ar$e cat owners "dump their kittens where ever the hell they feel like it" ... amongst other things.
8)
LOL! Funny. But also (sadly) completely correct. I have feral kats that I've taken in and they are the most loving things. I support the RSPCA ...
I doubt if you took in a feral nappy though, you'd get the same result.
;D
Kit_e
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LOL! Funny. But also (sadly) completely correct. I have feral kats that I've taken in and they are the most loving things. I support the RSPCA ...
I doubt if you took in a feral nappy though, you'd get the same result.
;D
Kit_e
Lol.
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LOL! Funny. But also (sadly) completely correct. I have feral kats that I've taken in and they are the most loving things. I support the RSPCA ...
I doubt if you took in a feral nappy though, you'd get the same result.
;D
Kit_e
Lol x2
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I still see people throwing cigarette butts out of car windows...They must never have seen a bush fire up close.
Not only the hazard of a fire, the pollution to our waterways.
Here in Lawrence we have a 18 car ferry to cross the Clarence, people take it as an opportunity for a lung buster.
They either sit in their cars with kids or they stand out along side them and suck the hell out of the ciggy till the ferry moors.
Then they flick it towards the center of the road, a light or some will step on it and leave it.
Others will flick it into the river as they drive onto the ferry.
Where do they think this butt ends up?
In our river, our beautiful river.
Scum is too good of a word for them. >:D
Sorry, Rant over.
:cheers:
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Talking of feral cats I lived in a place that backed onto bushland and there was this black cat that hung around the back. I thought it was lost. So kept leaving food out for it and eventually in would creep in the back door.
So one day I closed the door behind it - well all hell broke loose with this thing running around screaming like the tassie devil. It ran everywhere - I swear it left footprints across the ceiling!
Opened the door - never seen again :D
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It ran everywhere - I swear it left footprints across the ceiling!
Opened the door - never seen again :D
Lol. Good story.
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Sorry, Rant over.
Not a rant,, fully justified feeling........ unfortunately.
Sad but true.
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Campfires are a cultural issue. Everybody believes they have the right to have a fire at a campsite and in some places under the right conditions, the do. Unfortunately people dont follow the rules and ruin it for everyone.
Some people are unaware of the rules and some don't want to know. I work as a Ranger and manage a reasonable forest reserve North East of Melbourne. I can put out dozens of fires on a Sunday afternoon.
Some general rules:
Glass and cans do not burn.If glass was worth anything, I could start glass mines in our campsites and make a killing.
Rubbish breeds rubbish - if a bag of rubbish is left, it will look like a tip site within a week.
Fires cannot legally be left unattended, even though you will need to relight It when you return.
No dogs means all dogs, not just large scary dogs that have a proven biting history.
Green wattles next to the campsite will not burn even though they are conveniently located.
Half bludgeoning a standing tree with an axe in the campsite will do nothing for future shade.
Ladies, if you leave toilet paper next to your tent in the middle of the night, it will do nothing toward the pleasantness of your camp during the day.
Generally if you are camped near other people, throwing aerosol cans in the fire, playing bongos,chainsawing,loud music,aldi generators,testing your diff locks by doing doughnuts, or anything else annoying you can think of will not be appreciated between dusk and dawn if at all.
A good rule of thumb is if it illegal at home, strangely enough it probably is in the bush as well.
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Go Andrew..............well said !!!!
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Go Andrew..............well said !!!!
I think you've covered just about everything there Andrew. Excellent. Maybe signs in rec. areas and national parks need to be this explicit so that would be offenders 'get it'. I still reckon it wouldnt matter for most who have a zero care factor. You cant fight the yobbo factor in my experience, they think its their 'right' to do as they please (just like kids actually now I come to think of it) and feel offended that some of their 'liberty' has been taken away. They just dont get the social contract (that most of abide by), I dont Shit in your neck o' the woods so dont Shit in mine.
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A good rule of thumb is if it illegal at home, strangely enough it probably is in the bush as well.
Pity common sense isn't something you naturally are born with or can buy ...
Kit_e
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Agree with all, but would like to include the dumped dogs in the mix as well. Same thing as cats - if you are not a breeder of the animals, then have your pet desexed. You happily pay $100 for a pair of decent walking boots or shoes, it costs about that to desex your pet.
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And I also hate those who don't have enough common sense to actually walk a few hundred metres into the bush before having a crap. Saw that far to often on the way to the cape last year. Literally dumped on the side of the road with no hole leaving the Loo paper to blow all over covered in crap.
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And I also hate those who don't have enough common sense to actually walk a few hundred metres into the bush before having a crap. Saw that far to often on the way to the cape last year. Literally dumped on the side of the road with no hole leaving the Loo paper to blow all over covered in crap.
thanks for vivid imagery!! ;D I just sat down for a read with my pizza lunch .... >:D . Think I might wait a while ...
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And I also hate those who don't have enough common sense to actually walk a few hundred metres into the bush before having a crap. Saw that far to often on the way to the cape last year. Literally dumped on the side of the road with no hole leaving the Loo paper to blow all over covered in crap.
Ewwwwwwwww
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And I also hate those who don't have enough common sense to actually walk a few hundred metres into the bush before having a crap. Saw that far to often on the way to the cape last year. Literally dumped on the side of the road with no hole leaving the Loo paper to blow all over covered in crap.
I see it on a daily basis.
Had a busy afternoon today- two groups camped right behind no camping signs in picnic areas with about 90 spare spots in the camping areas and a rave party even after I told the organizer it was never going to happen last week.
Also when was it okay to take your rubbish home except your glass drug pipes? Had a few in a campsite last week- I may be living under a rock but I had to ask my more educated offsides what they were.
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My dad taught me to always put water on the fire until no more steam and/or smoke could be seen for 5 or 6 minutes, then spread out the ashes and charcoal with a shovel and do it all again ( he spent most of his life working in the bush) Another thing he taught me was to put your empty food cans in the fire, when the fire was out he would retrieve them and dispose of appropiately. This got rid of any food residue so no smell.
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Another thing he taught me was to put your empty food cans in the fire, when the fire was out he would retrieve them and dispose of appropriately. This got rid of any food residue so no smell.
Yeah i did this and people look at you strange until you explain what i was doing
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I agree completely with what people have said here about un-attended camp fires and/or not putting them out. Using a lot of water is the best way to make sure its safe.
Queensland Fire and Rescue have a good and straight to the point presentation on camp fire safety. Its obviously preeching to the converted here, but maybe someone who doesn't already know the dangers might benifit from this:
https://www.fire.qld.gov.au/communitysafety/freesafetydownloads/pdf/campfire_safety.pdf (https://www.fire.qld.gov.au/communitysafety/freesafetydownloads/pdf/campfire_safety.pdf)
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Agree with all, but would like to include the dumped dogs in the mix as well. Same thing as cats - if you are not a breeder of the animals, then have your pet desexed. You happily pay $100 for a pair of decent walking boots or shoes, it costs about that to desex your pet.
Just a little bit more than that now. Last dog I got desexed cost me $160 (female) and the boys were all ($120). Now if only I can get the BF (hard to convince but he's expressed his wishes to have no more kids) and myself (doctor is hard to convince that I simply don't want kids) desexed ... I'm leaving my fortune to my sister if she out lives me or the RSPCA.
Rule of thumb in my household ... you got 4 legs ... you get desexed. I love kittens and puppies, but getting a good household to love and cherish them, is something I don't wish to leave to chance. You can't love them like I do, then you don't deserve them. It's just something that you can't be assured of with an ad in the paper or an over the counter transaction.
Kit_e