A gravel road looks empty until it isn’t. Around the next blind rise there might be a farmer’s bakkie, a herd of goats, a cyclist, or a convoy of campers heading the other way. There are no road markings out here and no one to sort out who goes first, so the rules are mostly good manners. Get them right and you’ll be waved at all the way to the next town.
Speed: Slower Than You Think
The sign may say 80, but the road decides. Loose gravel, corrugations and blind corners all stretch your braking distance, and the surface changes without warning. Drop your speed on bends, crests, causeways and single-lane bridges, and always drive as if something is about to appear, because it often does.
A good rule: if you couldn’t stop within half the distance you can see, you’re going too fast.
Passing Oncoming Traffic
Keep left, and move over early rather than at the last second. On narrow stretches, slow right down and ease towards the edge so both vehicles can pass without a spray of stones. A lifted hand off the steering wheel is the standard thank-you, and it’s expected.
Watch the middle of the road. Gravel roads wear into a harder, smoother centre line that tempts drivers to straddle it. Stay out of it on corners and crests.
Overtaking on Gravel
Only overtake when you can see far ahead, and only when the dust has cleared enough to know what’s coming. If you’re being overtaken, ease left, lift off the accelerator and let them through. Fighting for position on gravel gains you nothing but a cracked windscreen.
Keep an eye on your dust trail and stay to the right of the road for as long as you possibly can with safety, before moving back to your lane. This allows the dust cloud to dissipate before you blind the car behind you.
Also keep the wind direction in mind, as a wind from the side, will not cause as much tail dust as a headwind.
Dust and Following Distance
Dust is the great gravel-road problem. It hides oncoming vehicles, coats everything in a fine red film, and hangs in the air long after the car that raised it has passed. Leave a big gap behind the vehicle in front, much bigger than on tar, and drop back further when the wind is behind them.
When you meet someone coming the other way, slow down before you pass. A lower speed means less dust in their cab and fewer stones off your tyres. It also protects the farmers and residents who live beside the road and breathe it every day.
Windscreens and Flying Stones
Stones thrown up by passing traffic are the most common cause of cracked windscreens on gravel. Slow down when you meet an oncoming vehicle, and again when you pass a bakkie with an open load or a trailer. If a stone hits your window, spare a thought for the driver who sped past, and don’t be that driver yourself.
Livestock and Wildlife
Cattle, sheep, goats, donkeys and the odd ostrich all use the road. Slow to a walking pace, stay calm, and let the animals move on their own. Don’t hoot unless you must, and never drive into the middle of a herd.
If a herder is moving stock, stop, switch off the engine if it’ll take a while, and wait. A friendly word and a wave usually gets you through faster than impatience would. At dusk and dawn, antelope and other wildlife become much more active, so take extra care.
Gates: Leave Them as You Found Them
Gates are the clearest test of farm road manners. The rule is simple: leave a gate exactly as you found it. If it’s closed, close it behind you. If it’s open, leave it open, because it may be open for a reason, such as stock moving between camps.
Never leave a gate half-open, and never drive through a fence line or around a locked gate. If you aren’t sure whether you may pass, ask. A closed gate with no sign doesn’t mean you have right of way.
Farm Roads Are Someone’s Property
Many gravel routes cross private land, and the farmer is doing you a favour by allowing access. Stay on the road, don’t stop to pick fruit or crops, and don’t camp, light a fire or let your dog run loose without permission. Keep to the posted speed, and slow right down near homesteads, workers and farm buildings.
If the road is closed or marked private, turn around. Report damage you cause, and say thank you if you meet the owner. A little courtesy keeps routes open for the next traveller.
Convoys and Group Travel
Driving in a group? Space out your vehicles so each driver has clear dust-free road, and don’t bunch up. Agree on a plan for passing, stops and breakdowns before you leave. Pull right off the road when you stop, and never park around a blind corner or on a crest.
Help Each Other
Out on the gravel, a stopped vehicle usually means trouble, so slow down and check that the driver is okay. Carry water to share, offer a tow strap or a tyre pump, and report a broken-down vehicle if you can’t help yourself. The community you meet on remote roads is one of the great pleasures of travelling this way.
The Short Version
- Slow down on bends, crests, causeways and when passing.
- Keep left, give way early, and thank oncoming drivers with a wave.
- Leave a big gap behind other vehicles, and ease off to cut dust.
- Give livestock time and space, and be patient.
- Leave gates as you found them.
- Treat every farm road as someone’s property.
Drive well, wave back, and the gravel gets friendlier for everyone.
