Ive been thinking about the media reports of people in cars/4wd's being washed off flood ways to their death and with that in mind I wonder what might give people a better heads up on the dangers of crossing flooded roads ??

Typically the roads subject to flooding have depth gauges to say how deep the water is - but for the creek or river not how much energy is involved for a given depth of water - so depth gauges are actually very misleading ?? And Most people have really good reasons to attempt to get to the other side (without paying the ferryman!!)

Surely the actual depth is really not all that important unless you have a snorkel ?? Its the combination of depth and speed that is the issue as far as safety is concerned ? Fast flowing water at a shallower depth is much worse than slow flowing at a deeper depth.

Here's an idea the comes from the ski resorts that use the green/ blue/ black / double black ratings for ski runs !! - the depth gauges are actually rated as safe (green as the bottom of the depth gauge - max 10 cm ??) and then caution (yellow) and then Red (dangerous) The down sides of this system is trying to calibrate the Green/ Yellow/Red depths on the gauge for all creek and river systems - but why not colour code all depth gauges as an improvement over the current system??

If you came across a flooded crossing and could see the green part of the depth gauge then you know is OK - see the only the dangerous red part of the gauge sticking out of the flood water - what would you do ?? decision made!!

So if you could see the green bit - its Ok - yellow bit then 4WD's are ok and trucks - and if the water level increases to only having the red bit visible - then its down right dangerous to attempt crossing !!

How easy would this be for drivers to make decisions about getting home or turning back to stay with friends for the night??

I'm sure I'm over complicating a flooded river crossing but the message that is being put out there by the well meaning authorities - that we SHOULD NEVER CROSS a flooded road just wont work given the way humans think - BUT - redesign the flood markers to reflect the danger level may have an impact

End of rant !!