why 4WD hire in NT, requires drive on sealed roads

Keith W wrote:
[deleted]
When I last rented a 4WD from Thrifty in Alice Springs they
handed me a flyer with the current list of tracks that were off limits

Their rules vary with 4WD type, for a large 4WD they are

Quote
Access is denied as per above to the areas listed within the following
regions:-

[deleted]

Central Australia
Tanami Track, Gunbarrell Highway, Plenty/Donahue Highway, Canning Stock
Route, Oodnadatta Track, Strzlecki Track, Birdsville Track only when
travelling with another vehicle and with Thrifty?s consent and knowledge.

/Quote

They're joking, right!?

Gunbarrell Highway and Canning Stock Route, 'yes' (AFAICT). But the
rest!? Unless they mean "*or* with Thrifty's consent and knowledge.",
instead of "and ...". The consent condition is quite common (for example
Apollo and Camperworld also have it (IIRC)). But "only when travelling
with another vehicle" is ludicrous for those tracks (at least as a
general condition). (FWIW, we've driven all these normal tracks (i.e.
except Gunbarrel and CSR).)

wrote:
[deleted]

Police no longer advise phoning ahead to next town when
traveling in remote areas so they can look for you if you break
down and don't get there when you should?

It depends. In our experience the answer generally is no. It's not so
much that they don't (or do) advise it, but they often (more or less)
refuse to take/accept your details.

This negative experience dates back as far as (end of) 2002 (Tanami
Track to Alice Springs). On the other hand (in November 2003), the
people at the Innamincka shop *did* appreciate our note saying we were
going to Coongie Lakes (with probably (and in fact) nobody there) and us
reporting back afterwards.

So I guess it's YMMV.

[deleted]

"Frank Slootweg" wrote in message
...
Keith W wrote:
[deleted]
When I last rented a 4WD from Thrifty in Alice Springs they
handed me a flyer with the current list of tracks that were off limits

Their rules vary with 4WD type, for a large 4WD they are

Quote
Access is denied as per above to the areas listed within the following
regions:-

[deleted]

Central Australia
Tanami Track, Gunbarrell Highway, Plenty/Donahue Highway, Canning Stock
Route, Oodnadatta Track, Strzlecki Track, Birdsville Track only when
travelling with another vehicle and with Thrifty?s consent and knowledge.

/Quote

They're joking, right!?


Look on the site for yourself.


Gunbarrell Highway and Canning Stock Route, 'yes' (AFAICT). But the
rest!? Unless they mean "*or* with Thrifty's consent and knowledge.",
instead of "and ...".

They say AND , I guess thats what they meant

Keith