Much of eastern Queensland and northern NSW is heading for severe flash flooding over the next 24 hours and emergency services have reiterated their call: “If it’s flooded, forget it”.
The police are pretty serious about the current situation and warn that this morning’s rain is “just the tip of the iceberg”. Interesting analogy!
Anyway, police are now fining motorists hundreds of dollars for negligent driving if they attempt to cross flood waters and get stuck, requiring rescue.
Just for today, it might be prudent to forget about taking the bike out.
Don’t be that idiot that goes playing in flooded waters and ends up losing their bike, forcing emergency services personnel to risk their lives trying to save you.
Water crossings can be enormous fun, but it’s just not worth it when the water crossing is flooded.
You may have crossed this particular crossing before and think that the water is just a little higher than normal. However, there could be a sink hole underneath and you could lose your bike and then be swept away in the fast-running waters.
Flooded water is unpredictable. Is the level still rising, how fast is the water flowing, is it flowing at different rates in different parts of the crossing, is a sudden surge of more water on its way, what objects have been washed down and are now submerged underneath such as barbed wire?
There are too many unknowns.
One of my water crossing failures was in a low-flooded causeway. I was riding a big Yamaha Super Tenere through on the clear wheel tracks but the water was flowing faster where there was a gap in the weeds upstream.
Even though it was a low level and the bike substantial, the water velocity was enough to push my front wheel slightly off track, into the slime and down I went.
I was lucky not to be swept off the causeway into the fast-running creek.
It was a stupid thing to do and I acknowledge that.
After the storms have passed and the skies turn blue, there will be an enormous temptation this weekend to go out and play in the waters.
However, flood waters can take a lot of time to subside, so remain vigilant and cautious.
In the meantime, maybe just for today forget about taking the bike out!