'Avoid non-essential travel' - My ex-tropical cyclone Oswald case

[haydensydney]

I thought I'd throw this one out to the AFF community because it has certainly caused heated debates in my social circles. When news reports say "avoid non-essential travel", what is the definition of essential? My example is below for discussion.

My partner and I had booked flights into Brisbane over the Australia day long weekend, with two nights spent in Brisbane and two nights in Noosa - leaving on the Sunday after picking up a rental car. For those following at home, Sunday was a fairly hairy day due to the arrival of ex-tropical cyclone Oswald on the Sunshine Coast and Brisbane.

So we picked up the car and made our way north on the highway about 11am. Admittedly the drive was a challenge due to the epic rainfall, and several routes into Noosa were closed due to flooded roads and downed power poles, but we made it in one piece.

Shortly after, a furore erupted on my Facebook. A couple of friends criticised our decision to drive in the conditions, saying it put our lives at risk along with those who would have to save us if we got into trouble. Others were the opposite and sided with us that it wasn't that big of a deal as the risk wasn't as extreme as others had made out. Names were called, discussions became heated and Facebook friendships shattered in the name of debate.

Which brings me to the reason for this thread. Is the term 'avoid non-essential travel' a guideline adjusted to suit personal acceptance of risk? Or is there a point of 'essential' where you would say 'Yes I must travel' versus 'No I won't' - if so, what is that line?

 

[dfcatch]

I think to some degree it does relate to an individual's appetite for risk and their level of adventurousness.

At the same time - there are "degrees" of "avoid non-essential travel".

The implications of travelling are of course personal risk, risk of inconvenience and delayed/cancelled/changed travel arrangements.

There is also the risk of placing additional burden on existing services already under strain by the situation.

My interpretation of the particular incident was (for example) - if you were in Melbourne thinking about going for vacation to BNE - then given the circumstances it would be worth cancelling/rescheduling if bookings/insurance allowed.

It's a personal weigh-up. Of course if you elect to go - I think you forego any rights to complain that your flight was delayed etc.

Also - this is a different issue to that of "rubber-necking" which is unacceptable at any time.

 

[enjois]

I was in the same situation -On saturday I flew into BNE, picked up a car and drove down to Byron for 3 nights.

I wasn't prepared to cancel my travel plans, and don't believe the airline or accommodation would have happily refunded my money, so proceeded with my booked travel.

My travel from BNE to Byron wasn't strictly essential but I stayed informed of the current situation throughout my trip and didn't take any unnecessary risks or clog up roads or services. Once in Byron the car was parked and we spent plenty of money in the bars and restaurants of the local area. What we didn't do and what I think would have been irresponsible and non-essential was driving around the local area to take a sticky beak at flooded creeks and rivers.

Everyone has different ideas of what essential means but as long as you make the effort to stay informed, choose safe routes and know when to pull the pin if conditions deteriorate then continuing with plans such as yours as mine is perfectly feasible. Just don't expect sympathy from friends when you complain about the poor weather!

The problem with trying to scare people into not travelling and changing their plans is that many local businesses that are in the region but not affected by rains/floods/fires etc. suffer a huge loss of business through no fault of their own.

 

[medhead]

Isn't all travel basically non-essential?

I'm surprised that you friends made comments about risking your life and the lives of rescuers. They clearly have no idea of the situation. They also have made a pretty big statement about you common sense. Did they think you'd just drive into a flooded creek or something?

As someone who has left a place of a fairly clear, but some rain clouds, sort of day and ended up being washed down a creek. Then getting emailed a copy of a BOM severe weather warning 3 days later. I'm firmly of the view that there is no substitute for on the ground knowledge and experience. I travelled because I wasn't interested in being caught 300km off the bitumen for 4 days and I'd completed my work. I drive into a flooded creek because I misread the crossing and didn't check it out properly (and some stupidity). But I didn't have to drive into the creek, I could have waited and all would have been good. There was no particular risk in waiting for the water to go.

None of those factors apply to a drive from Brisbane to Noosa. You're not going to driving into a swollen creek in your rental. The road is really good. There is wind and trees to contend with but you get that everywhere. So what risk that was involved is vastly outweighed by the benefit of not losing money of your travel bookings.

 

[harvyk]

The way I see it, essential travel is travel where by something really bad will happen if the travel is not undertaken, therefore if something really bad won't happen because the travel is cancelled or postponed it would count as non-essential travel.

I guess it's up to each person to determine at what threshold "something really bad" counts as. For just a holiday, I wouldn't count that as essential travel, but I know that I spent a good part of the last few weeks looking at bushfire maps of NSW lest my long weekend with the missus was in danger, and I had pretty much decided that unless there was an evac order in place or strongly recommended beyond just a "bushfire could spring up today" for where we where going, there was no way I was going to cancel our trip away.

 

[medhead]

See losing $1000 in holiday bookings would be really bad, in my book.

 

[markis10]

Travel on Saturday was not an issue, it was only Sunday that was the problem. I traveled at 8AM Sunday morning and it was fine, returning back down the coast at 10AM is was far worse to the point where it was getting close to not being recommended.

 

[Simo]

The trip from BNE to Noosa was all on properly built roads.(no bush tracks)

I would have not travelled on bush tracks or and roads where there is many low bridge crossings.

 

[Katie]

We were in a similar position, up at the Sunshine Coast with plans to drive back to BNE Sun night after dinner. Sat was bad, but not as horrid as Sun. After lunch, and the mini tornado at Mooloolaba, we decided it was time to get home, and would rather drive in light than at night if it was going to be shocking. Weather reports were also saying 2pm-8pm would be bad. My SIL didn't want us to leave, and was probably dialling in to Emergency Services (she works there) to check if we should. We had a strong vibe of "what you are doing is non-essential travel and just stay here" from the whole family up there. Leaving the coast was fine, but the rain got heavier the closer we got to BNE. We managed to get home safely and at no point risked our lives or the lives of others. The Bruce highway was mostly deserted, and had a bit more traffic closer to BNE. There were only one or two drivers throughout the drive who seemed to want to prove the enormity of their gonads by exceeding the speed limit in those conditions.

I would probably say our travel was non-essential, we could have stayed up the coast for another night, and come home on Monday. There were some risks perhaps, anothet mini tornado could have formed, but we were travelling primarily on the Bruce highway through a section not known for flooding, even in extreme weather. Had we been up at Rainbow Beach and needing to travel through Gympie, we wouldn't have done it because of the way the roads around Gympie flood. We would have sat it out. I guess that's a good example of "Yes I will" vs "No I won't" on travelling.

 

[haydensydney]

Admittedly the two people who really got up me, one had a brother who is a Policeman ("and is forever rescuing idiots like you who ignore the warnings") and the other who comes from a proud lineage of SES volunteering (called me a &%*$-wit and a moron).

Good to read on here that we are a practical and pragmatic bunch!

 

[The Rok]

Admittedly the two people who really got up me, one had a brother who is a Policeman ("and is forever rescuing idiots like you who ignore the warnings") and the other who comes from a proud lineage of SES volunteering (called me a &%*$-wit and a moron).

Good to read on here that we are a practical and pragmatic bunch!

Geez, you have some nice friends!

 

[haydensydney]

Geez, you have some nice friends!

Clearly...

Some facebook friend culling was in order

 

[AVC]

*disclaimer* No offence to the Police services in general

a brother who is a Policeman ("and is forever rescuing idiots like you who ignore the warnings")

I willing to bet that this Police officer has never hung off the side of a rescue helicopter on a wire about as thick as a pen refill. A few Police also like to use the line on motorists "sick off picking up people off the road etc etc", even though I've never actually seen one load a patient into a Police car (and if the job involves actual scraping, it's usually the Firies doing that part).

If people used common sense, they wouldn't need rescuing anyway, as usual, the few ruin it for the many.

 

[k_sheep]

I stayed in for the weekend and heeded the warnings. I had to go to work on Monday however, and felt horribly guilty for doing so; but unfortunately someone had to go in, and I was the physically closest person available. If it was officework or similar I'd have asked to stay home, but kinda hard to deal with hospital patients from home

Mind you when I came out a few hours later it was bright and sunny. Still plenty of debris, closed/flooded roads and traffic lights out though.

 

[JohnK]

I know some disagree but I was going back to work on Tuesday so basically travelling Monday afternoon. I did not want to stay in Sydney any more than I had to as I did not want to waste annual leave either.

Obviously I did not want to risk my life but my travel was essential travel.

 

[Deleted member 29185]

When does adventurous and thrilling become disasterous and chilling?

Last week I flew into Cairns on the Thursday and Mackay on the Saturday (Ozzie was hanging around both towns at the respective times). Aircraft were flying, so was I. If I didn't, my clients would have been disadvantaged and who knows, I may have been run down by a truck while crossing a road at home.

The travel you undertook was considered by yourself to be fine so all good. Obviously we reach different decisions at different times. I've driven through a fast running river that was 600mm over the bridge and that was on the advice of the police that it'll be fine. I haven't told my family (who were in the vehicle at the time) but I certainly felt the vehicle start to move sideways. Would I do that again?.....no bloody way. Would I listen to police for advice?.....yes, but my own common sense would prevail. I'd not recommend anyone drive into fast flowing water no matter the depth. Even 600mm is too deep.

I only did it as I followed a local through and I sat on their rear bumper basically, but even today I feel like an irresponsible goose for doing it.

THAT WAS NON-ESSENTIAL TRAVEL!

 

[The Rok]

When does adventurous and thrilling become disasterous and chilling?

Last week I flew into Cairns on the Thursday and Mackay on the Saturday (Ozzie was hanging around both towns at the respective times). Aircraft were flying, so was I. If I didn't, my clients would have been disadvantaged and who knows, I may have been run down by a truck while crossing a road at home.

The travel you undertook was considered by yourself to be fine so all good. Obviously we reach different decisions at different times. I've driven through a fast running river that was 600mm over the bridge and that was on the advice of the police that it'll be fine. I haven't told my family (who were in the vehicle at the time) but I certainly felt the vehicle start to move sideways. Would I do that again?.....no bloody way. Would I listen to police for advice?.....yes, but my own common sense would prevail. I'd not recommend anyone drive into fast flowing water no matter the depth. Even 600mm is too deep.

I only did it as I followed a local through and I sat on their rear bumper basically, but even today I feel like an irresponsible goose for doing it.

THAT WAS NON-ESSENTIAL TRAVEL!

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And you did it in a Ford Transit! Brave!

 

[Deleted member 29185]

And you did it in a Ford Transit! Brave!

Doing anything in that model of Transit is brave! We have done a lot of travelling though that would challenge a lot of vehicles.

If you're interested, here's a link to some pic I put on the Ford Transit forum.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

non-essential travel means different things in different circumstances. And I think that is based on the amount of control you have over the situation.

bush fire season, 45 degree heat, strong winds and a reported fire outbreak? My assessment of non-essential travel would be far different than a storm where i could make a conscious decision whether or not to drive over a flooded bridge (although i suppose I could get hit by a falling tree).

 

[BensAdventures]

Non-essential travel is a very difficult term to quantify. I had a very important work event in Bangkok in 2010, during the heart of the Red Shirt Protests. I'd been to BKK once prior to this trip, and knew where the protests were, where I'd be staying and where I'd be working. I was staying in the vicinity of about 10km away from the main protest site. I was fine for the most part, but obviously found myself eating in the hotel or very near surrounds, as very time I'd walk up Sukhumvit Rd, I'd find heavily armed security on the BTS stops, so I'd turn around! You could classify this trip as non-essential as QF would have refunded it, but the timing of the work wasn't flexible. I ended up finishing my work early and despite my booking being on the cheapest, most inflexible ticket ever, QF got me out of BKK through HKG two days early.

In the end some common sense is needed, as it always is with all travel! If I was stupid enough to go close to the protests to have a look, or something similarly stupid, then this trip could have ended differently.