FURIOUS safety-conscious caravanners have slammed a Queensland traffic cop who threatened to fine them for driving below the speed limit.

Potholes create problems for highway traffic

Cairns Traffic Branch Sen-Sgt Preben Farbaek's threat came as authorities re-opened the State's badly damaged and pothole-riddled Bruce Highway after some of the worst weather for a century.

Queensland Main Roads Minister Craig Wallace had already warned drivers: "Very few stretches of road have been left untouched by weakened surfaces, potholes, verges and road base washed away or more serious structural damage."

But despite the Minister's statement, Sen-Sgt Farbaek reportedly said police would not only target speedsters but also caravanners and others who drove below the speed limit, refusing to pull over and potentially inciting road rage.

"If you are sitting behind someone who is doing 80 in a 100 zone because they are towing a caravan it can get very frustrating and unfortunately some people forget about road safety in an attempt to get around," he told the Cairns Post.

Sen-Sgt Farbaek said culprits could cop a $100 fine or face court charged with inconsiderate driving.

Caravanning News spoke to travellers at the Bruce Highway's Gin Gin rest area south of Gladstone to gauge their reaction.

"Is this police officer for real?" asked 64-year-old caravanner Des Anderson, who was hauling his 23ft Jayco from the Sunshine Coast to north Queensland.

"The timing of his threat is incredible ... there's no way I would be driving at 100kph on the highway, which has been turned into a dangerous obstacle course with not only potholes but huge craters and washed out verges.

"Police are supposed to be pushing road safety ... it would be suicide to hurtle along at 100kph with the state of our flood-ravaged highways at the moment."

Another caravanner, who declined to be named, condemned the warning as "irresponsible" and one which could cause accidents rather than prevent them.

"I've lost count of the number of vehicles I've seen stranded at the side of the road with flat tyres and broken front suspension after they became victims of the huge pits which have opened up on the Bruce Highway," he said.

"It would be crazy to drive along at the speed limit because you never know when you're going to hit one of those giant potholes."

Meanwhile, one reader of the Cairns Post urged any caravanner receiving a ticket to fight it in court.

"No court in the land would uphold the ticket on our flood-damaged, potholed dangerous carriageways," he wrote.

And members of an online caravanners' forum were also critical of Sen-Sgt Farbaek's warning.

"Surely they are not condemning us for driving to conditions ... if so, the cops should be banned," fumed one contributor.

"The cops should be pushing patience, tolerance, consideration, not bashing caravanners."

Another caravanner wrote: "Please Sen-Sgt Farbaek, calm down as most of us are responsible drivers trying to do the right thing on the road."

One forumite couldn't believe the traffic officer's "great timing", adding: "Taking a stance on slow caravans when the roads are in such a poor condition after the recent floods!

"The issue of slow traffic being booked should have been addressed well before the potholed flood-damaged carriageways.

"Those that get fines on any damaged potholed carriageways for not doing the designated speed limit will have an out. Traffic is, and will be, held up on the flood-damaged roads ... and not just by caravanners."

Minister Wallace said Queensland’s worst floods in decades had had a devastating effect on the state's 33,000km road network, with a final bill possibly worse than the 1974 and 1991 floods combined.

The damages bill stood at around $1.5 billion, with the full extent of the damage a long way from being known.

"I urge all Queenslanders to stay safe on our roads. Drive to conditions," he said in a statement. "Broken roads can be fixed; broken families can't."