Need tip for Cyde Mountain

Masquara said :

Russ said :

Surprised nobody’s mentioned this one:

Avoid the temptation to have a picnic with your family at the top of one of the emergency stop ramps.

Yep – I was told that story as a kid. Weren’t they at the bottom of the ramp though? That poor truckie and his family.

As I understand it, it was just as the truck driver reached the top of the ramp, thinking he was home free, that he saw the family having a picnic. However I’ve also heard of the picnic occurring half way up the ramp, but never at the bottom.

dvaey said :

Expect to get pulled over, especially if you are driving with ACT numberplates and a P plate. Also, remember in NSW, the NSW licence rules apply, even if you are on an ACT licence. This includes such things as a 90km/hr limit and passenger limits.

Check out http://www.rms.nsw.gov.au/roads/licence/driver/p1.html#RulesforP1drivers

NSW rules only apply to NSW licensed P platers. ACT P platers can do the posted speed, even 110kph on the motorways in NSW etc. They only have to worry about conditions placed on their ACT licence, even when driving interstate. This obviously leads to all sorts of confusion, and sometimes interesting conversations with overly officious police.

Russ said :

Surprised nobody’s mentioned this one:

Avoid the temptation to have a picnic with your family at the top of one of the emergency stop ramps.

Yep – I was told that story as a kid. Weren’t they at the bottom of the ramp though? That poor truckie and his family.

A few tips..
Watch out for the 50 (and newish 80) zones at Bungendore and Braidwood. Police and speed cameras often setup at each end of the zones. Infact, for that matter, expect police anywhere on your drive. As a former Canberra resident who has moved to the Bay, I can guarantee you will see more police on your holiday here than you have probably seen on the roads in the last 12 months in the ACT. Expect to get pulled over, especially if you are driving with ACT numberplates and a P plate. Also, remember in NSW, the NSW licence rules apply, even if you are on an ACT licence. This includes such things as a 90km/hr limit and passenger limits.

Check out http://www.rms.nsw.gov.au/roads/licence/driver/p1.html#RulesforP1drivers

Also as a side note, ensure you fill up your tank before you arrive. Fuel in the Bay is the most expensive in the state. Most fuel stations in town are 10-15c more expensive than surrounding areas. If you really need to refuel before you drive back up the Clyde, travel upto Cullendulla (a couple of km north of the bridge) and you’ll probably save $5+ on your tank.

Also, for your general coastal experience, come prepared or stock up early. Many shops in the area close early, with IGA and woolies closing at 8pm. After 8pm pretty much your only options for take away food are McDonalds or Dominos.

Russ said :

Surprised nobody’s mentioned this one:

Avoid the temptation to have a picnic with your family at the top of one of the emergency stop ramps.

Is it any less dangerous to have a picnic at the bottom of a ramp?

Surprised nobody’s mentioned this one:

Avoid the temptation to have a picnic with your family at the top of one of the emergency stop ramps.

Just a quick tip on how to deal with trucks on the Clyde as this one freaked me out when I first started driving down myself.

Trucks can be a little bit intimidating, particularly if you are behind them. Give them room, give them space and remember that the sheer momentum of the truck will not allow them stop quickly, so if you have one behind you, be aware that if you break suddenly they will take longer to slow down.

My advise would be to be patient with trucks, don’t try and over take them until you are sure that the road is straight and that you will have enough time to pass them before the overtaking lane finishes or the next corner comes up.

Be cool, be calm and stay aware of your surrounds.

A trip to the coast on a sunny winters day can be a soul-enriching experience.

A trip to the coast on a hot summers day in the holiday season can be an entirely different matter.

A trip to the coast is not just the Clyde. The NRMA rates the Kings Highway as the sixth worst road in NSW and the worst in the Capital region. Average annual daily traffic volumes, according to a 2013 Transport NSW report, are 5000 between Cbr and Bungendore and 4,500 between Bungendore and the coast.

This figure doubles during summer holidays and weekends. With hot weather, poor road surfaces and shoulders, caravans and heavy vehicles in the mix, and a lack of safe overtaking opportunities, travelling the highway can be very slow with the Clyde part reduced to a crawl.

This can lead to frustration. Frustration can lead to impulsive acts. Impulsive acts, particularly on roads like the Kings Highway under those conditions, can lead to adverse outcomes for you and, worse, your passengers and fellow road users.

So, ditto the previous responses (particularly being patient and situationally aware at all times, including driving well ahead) while staying focused on your goal of getting home safely from a weekend of sun, surf, sand and fish ‘n chips, or whatever.

Enjoy the experience.

Catch a bus.

dungfungus said :

La_Tour_Maubourg said :

Slightly off topic: Where did the name “Government Bend” come from? Was it always named that? Why that particular bend? Do other corners/bends have names? (Exception of Pooh Bear Corner, which was interestingly once named Gypsy Corner after the first fatality on that corner.)

Anybody noticed the abandoned bend by the lowest safety ramp?

The Prime Minister of the day said: “there will be no bend in the road under a government I lead”

I remember in the late 1980s when I drove past the Government Bend sign someone had put a sign on a tree further on saying Anarchy Angle.

La_Tour_Maubourg said :

Anybody noticed the abandoned bend by the lowest safety ramp?

That’s the old Clyde road that was cut through when they upgraded it.

Proboscus said :

La_Tour_Maubourg said :

Slightly off topic: Where did the name “Government Bend” come from? Was it always named that? Why that particular bend? Do other corners/bends have names? (Exception of Pooh Bear Corner, which was interestingly once named Gypsy Corner after the first fatality on that corner.)

Anybody noticed the abandoned bend by the lowest safety ramp?

That corner is called Government Bend because the road originally was going to head straight. Surveyors had determined that the ground was more sturdy and safer to build a road on and to avoid the unstable ground near the top of the Clyde (which has had major slippages in the past 30 years).

Unfortunately the government at the time decided that the cost of keeping the road straight at that point was more costly than putting in a bend and building the road in its current location.

Do you have a reference for that? I was told by Braidwood local that there was a toll in the early days and the tollgate was located at what came to be called Government Bend. Hopefully a historian can clear this up for us!

La_Tour_Maubourg said :

Slightly off topic: Where did the name “Government Bend” come from? Was it always named that? Why that particular bend? Do other corners/bends have names? (Exception of Pooh Bear Corner, which was interestingly once named Gypsy Corner after the first fatality on that corner.)

Anybody noticed the abandoned bend by the lowest safety ramp?

The Prime Minister of the day said: “there will be no bend in the road under a government I lead”

I always thought Government Bend was named because it is the tightest bend on the Clyde.

Best tip for the Clyde: Drive at the speed you want to drive at (within the limits of course). There are too many a#@eholes who think the Clyde is the South Coast version of Mount Panorama and tailgate and are generally aggressive towards other drivers.

La_Tour_Maubourg said :

Slightly off topic: Where did the name “Government Bend” come from? Was it always named that? Why that particular bend? Do other corners/bends have names? (Exception of Pooh Bear Corner, which was interestingly once named Gypsy Corner after the first fatality on that corner.)

Anybody noticed the abandoned bend by the lowest safety ramp?

Pooh Corner – not Pooh Bear Corner …

La_Tour_Maubourg said :

Slightly off topic: Where did the name “Government Bend” come from? Was it always named that? Why that particular bend? Do other corners/bends have names? (Exception of Pooh Bear Corner, which was interestingly once named Gypsy Corner after the first fatality on that corner.)

Anybody noticed the abandoned bend by the lowest safety ramp?

That corner is called Government Bend because the road originally was going to head straight. Surveyors had determined that the ground was more sturdy and safer to build a road on and to avoid the unstable ground near the top of the Clyde (which has had major slippages in the past 30 years).

Unfortunately the government at the time decided that the cost of keeping the road straight at that point was more costly than putting in a bend and building the road in its current location.

Slightly off topic: Where did the name “Government Bend” come from? Was it always named that? Why that particular bend? Do other corners/bends have names? (Exception of Pooh Bear Corner, which was interestingly once named Gypsy Corner after the first fatality on that corner.)

Anybody noticed the abandoned bend by the lowest safety ramp?

Holden Caulfield said :

Generally…
– Be patient.
– Be courteous and considerate of all other road users.
– Be aware of your surroundings (ie. your own car, other vehicles nearby, road conditions etc).

More specifically…
– Don’t overtake unless it’s safe (ie. no unnecessary risks)
– Don’t ride your brakes going down the Clyde (use a lower gear when you can).

Enjoy your holiday!

we all should agree with this.. Thank you “Holden Caulfield”

Some simple but excellent advice: keep well to the left of the centre lines.

Assume there might be some idiot on the wrong side of the road around any corner. Go slowly, and don’t rely on your brakes! You’ll burn them out. Use your gears. Don’t be intimidated by any tailgater or road-rager – take your time. Note that there’s an earlier really dangerous part of the road after Braidwood and ahead of the Clyde – drive defensively, stick well to the left when approaching a crest, and only overtake when you feel both safe and confident. And enjoy the descent, it’s misty and cool and a bit majical. Open the car windows – you’ll hear bellbirds. And the little grotto on your left going down is a WWII tunnel that was once full of explosives ready to blow up the road when the “Japs” came!

First things first, make sure your car is in order. In particular, make sure your tyres are at the correct pressure and the tread is good across the whole surface and on the outer edges (which tend to wear quicker on Canberra roads – cheers roundabouts).

Stop in Braidwood for a quick break as someone else has said above. Probably won’t feel like you need it but it’s worth it if the unexpected happens. Good example I encountered not far back was going through the Clyde along with 5 trucks and their support vehicles travelling in convoy hauling demountable buildings plus two sets of roadworks.

It isn’t as difficult to drive as it once was but on the downhills, save your breaks by selecting a lower gear (or in an automatic using the selectable gate or engine breaking to do the same). Break early, turn gently and don’t rush.

A final note, be courteous with overtaking. My number one frustration going through the Clyde is slow drivers who do 10 even 20 below the limit in perfect conditions then gun it when an overtaking lane comes along either blocking drivers from overtaking or forcing them to go above the speed limit by a fair degree.

Two things to add to the mostly good advice so far, travel back from the coast early in the morning as traffic will be lighter and the air temperature cooler so much less stressful on the cars cooling system. Secondly, understand the type of brakes your car has. If it has ABS then be confident that jumping on them hard is the very best thing you can do if you are in an emergency, if no ABS then more driving skill is required. Understand this in advance.

The Clyde is easy. When going down, use the same gear that you would be using if you were coming back up, and let the engine do the majority of the braking. In an auto change it down manually. Don’t ride your brakes.

Coming back up, let the revs run up to medium (e.g. 3-4000 rpm) but use only light to moderate throttle. Select the correct gear to maintain this rev range.

Before you go, check your tyres (tread depth legal and pressure according to placard), and ensure your oil and other fluids are at the correct level and in good condition.

Be courteous on the road. Don’t speed up at overtaking lanes to prevent others passing you, when passing overtake when you have plenty of visible space and do it quickly but smoothly, then move left again.

If none of this post makes sense to you, you really shouldn’t be driving to the coast (or on any other road for that matter).

John Moulis said :

thatsnotme said :

Especially if you’re driving an older car, make sure its cooling system is in good order before you go. The Clyde is a radiator killer, especially if it’s a hot day.

A hint. If the temp gauge goes up to the dreaded 100 and shows no sign of pulling back, block the aircon vents and turn the aircon up to full. It works with older model Barinas.

That makes no sense at all.
But what can help, is to turn the air conditioning off (less load on the engine), turn the heat to full, and the fan to full. This will give the engine a (little) bit more cooling.

thatsnotme said :

Especially if you’re driving an older car, make sure its cooling system is in good order before you go. The Clyde is a radiator killer, especially if it’s a hot day.

A hint. If the temp gauge goes up to the dreaded 100 and shows no sign of pulling back, block the aircon vents and turn the aircon up to full. It works with older model Barinas.

Take a chill pill, be a sensible person, and you’ll sail through wondering what all the fuss was about.

Some people make a big deal out of the Clyde but the road is straightforward to drive, provided you drive within your limits. Accept you’re an inexperienced driver, don’t block overtaking lanes, and go with the flow. Find a competent driver travelling at a speed you are comfortable with and let them pace you, following their line.

When it comes to single lane highways during busy period the faster you go, the faster you’ll be stuck behind the next car. Rushing it will just generate stress, increase risk, and maybe shave a couple of minutes off a couple of hours driving.

And cops have a special place in their heart for P-Platers so don’t give them cause to pull you over.

Going down – do your braking with the gears and your brakes. So stay in second a bit longer and let the engine take some strain, don’t be in a rush to change through your gears. This just means that you are going to avoid burning your brakes out and potentially not having any by the end as they have over heated (brake fade).

Going up – check your water levels the morning of your trip back. Top up if need be. Now this is something that I see all the time. Cars will get hot climbing the mountain, so they stop right at the top to let your car cool down… NOPE. Right after you go over the top of the hill you have a great long hill for a rush of air to go through your radiator and into your engine. If you are overheating as you are approaching the top, keep going. If you are overheating 5 minutes later from reaching the top – okay, now pull over. Something might be wrong.

Drive safe!

Especially if you’re driving an older car, make sure its cooling system is in good order before you go. The Clyde is a radiator killer, especially if it’s a hot day.

ABC129 said :

Do all your slowing down before you get to the corners rather than through them.

This is a very good tip.

Brake before the corner. This allows you to ease off the brakes and turn through the corner without putting unnecessary stress on the tyres.

If you haven’t done a skidpan training day with 5th Gear Motorsport at Sutton Driver Training, ask for a voucher from your folks (or whoever) for Christmas. Or just go and do it yourself, it’s not that expensive.

They will talk you through what happens if you lose control and give you practical experience on how to handle your car if things do go tits up.

Even better, you will learn techniques to help you avoid things going tits up and be in a safe environment where you can see and feel what happens if you do get things wrong.

Take your time.
Leave early so you don’t feel rushed.
Don’t let anyone behind you make you feel that you should go faster than you’re comfortable with.
Treat everyone else on the road like they’re an idiot. (Of course, they’re not all idiots, but one of them will be, and you’ll be ready)
Use the gears as well as the brakes to control your descent and be aware that some of those corners come up on you quickly.
Enjoy your swim / fishing / boating / surfing.

Generally…
– Be patient.
– Be courteous and considerate of all other road users.
– Be aware of your surroundings (ie. your own car, other vehicles nearby, road conditions etc).

More specifically…
– Don’t overtake unless it’s safe (ie. no unnecessary risks)
– Don’t ride your brakes going down the Clyde (use a lower gear when you can).

Enjoy your holiday!

#1 tip for travelling from Canberra to the coast during any holiday period is DON’T BE IN A RUSH

Honestly, taking it easy will only add 10-15 minutes to your total travel time which is peanuts in the grand scheme of things and if there is any traffic the relative difference will be minimal. Now that I have the safety message out of the way.

Make sure you slow down at the top before descending the hill. Use 3rd or even 2nd gear if you’re in a manual or drop it back out of D to a lower gear in an auto and use the compression of the engine to slow the car so you don’t stress your brakes too much. Do all your slowing down before you get to the corners rather than through them.
Don’t be tempted to drive faster than you feel comfortable if there is a car close behind you.
The Clyde technically stops at Government Bend but there are plenty of corners, dips and rises that can jump out at you between there an the Bay so don’t assume you can just crank back up to 100kph safely after Government Bend. You really need to be careful almost all of the way to Batemans.

On the way up there is no need to absolutely floor it on the overtaking lanes. If there is any traffic at all, or you’re travelling from further away than The Bay it’s going to take you more than 2hrs to get home, so you’ll need to take a break anyway. There is no point rushing up the hill only to stop in Braidwood and have the old couple towing the caravan mosey on past you.

Oh, and one last thing:

Don’t be in a rush 🙂

Drive to your ability and also the conditions. If it is raining or foggy slow down. Don’t worry about what other people are doing, I don’t mean ignore them but if they want to drive at 200km/h then let them and either Darwin’s Law or the police will get them.Don’t try and block them or keep up with them. Stop for a quick toilet/snack/stretch the legs break at Braidwood.

my advice would be: don’t. it’s not a drive for someone who has just started driving.
if you must, then my advice would be to go at a speed you feel comfortable with and don’t worry too much about the queue of traffic behind you. pull over and let them go by when you can, sure.

but i don’t think anyone who’s had their license for two days should be contemplating a drive to bateman’s bay… i’ve been driving for decades and i hate that ride.