Oz driving has destroyed my love for cars in only a year
Discussion
Does anyone else from the uk feel the same way? I have always had sporty cars and enjoyed driving since passing my test at 17 and now at nearly 41 I have lost my love for cars and driving after only one year in WA. I don't want to sound like a winging Pom but they are the worst divers I have ever seen and the speed limits for these huge roads are ludicrous !!!!! Instead of keep lowering the speed limits invest time and money on better driver training. Everyone should learn to drive in a manual for coordination and concentration reasons, the amount of people here that can not drive a manual is criminal ! Lol If a born and breed WA driver went and drove on the uk roads they would be terrified. What is the point of owning a nice or sporty car here as it will either get hit or have to drive at 100ks max most of the time. Why do they treat speeding like it was murder here?!!!
There we go I have had my moan lol sorry everyone, needed to get it off my chest .
There we go I have had my moan lol sorry everyone, needed to get it off my chest .
It's the same here in NZ. Maybe I should buy a race circuit!!
http://www.trademe.co.nz/property/commercial-prope...
http://www.trademe.co.nz/property/commercial-prope...
I've been cabbing around Perth for the past 6 weeks and have yet to see any particularly bad driving. What's the issue? Seems less aggressive than the UK which is a positive.
My loss of love for cars in two years here is predominantly because I don't need one for work and giving how expensive everything else is I can't really justify having one for the sake of it. I could afford it but it just seems a bit pointless to have something sat there that might be used once a week.
My loss of love for cars in two years here is predominantly because I don't need one for work and giving how expensive everything else is I can't really justify having one for the sake of it. I could afford it but it just seems a bit pointless to have something sat there that might be used once a week.
We have the hinterland here in Coffs with some good roads. I'm still (and always will be) fettling the Caterham, but there seem to be some good windy roads climbing up the mountains. First drive out into the hinterland, the number plate fell off and it cost my $200 for the pleasure. No £15 online options here!
As for road manners. I have noticed that they don't often seem to pull out into the 'fast' lane of the highway if you're sat waiting at a standing start trying to pull on from a side road or similar without a decent slip. This can result in a hold up as they come pootling past in the 'slow' lane with an empty 'fast' lane.
Although I've often seen some drivers pull out making the up and coming drive to switch lanes. Not cutting them up, but seemingly expecting them to switch lanes. Maybe it's the method to take, maybe the oncoming car is expecting it and unless the series of events happens, they'll stay in the 'slow' lane halting your progress. Luckily while in the Caterham, I can to drag it from a stand still up until you reach the 100KPH limit in a heartbeat and the world quickly slows down again as you then feel like you're traveling at 30MHP. In the X Trail mind, it's an experience.
Also, I tend to sit in the left lane unless overtaking or a junction to go right is approaching. Here any lane seems a goer, and keeping left isn't the rule of thumb.
Something which I haven't seen happening, just the remnants of, is the black elevens wiggling down roads. I'll have to try my hand to be a true Ozzy.
As for road manners. I have noticed that they don't often seem to pull out into the 'fast' lane of the highway if you're sat waiting at a standing start trying to pull on from a side road or similar without a decent slip. This can result in a hold up as they come pootling past in the 'slow' lane with an empty 'fast' lane.
Although I've often seen some drivers pull out making the up and coming drive to switch lanes. Not cutting them up, but seemingly expecting them to switch lanes. Maybe it's the method to take, maybe the oncoming car is expecting it and unless the series of events happens, they'll stay in the 'slow' lane halting your progress. Luckily while in the Caterham, I can to drag it from a stand still up until you reach the 100KPH limit in a heartbeat and the world quickly slows down again as you then feel like you're traveling at 30MHP. In the X Trail mind, it's an experience.
Also, I tend to sit in the left lane unless overtaking or a junction to go right is approaching. Here any lane seems a goer, and keeping left isn't the rule of thumb.
Something which I haven't seen happening, just the remnants of, is the black elevens wiggling down roads. I'll have to try my hand to be a true Ozzy.
I dont think the standard of driving in Perth is any worse than most UK cities I've driven around (Nottingham, Derby, Birmingham, London). The whole merging thing that people get hung up on is, in my opinion, due to the road layout and markings at merge points and not just the drivers.
Overall I find driving here pretty relaxed.
The two things that have killed my love for driving are:
1) You have to drive a bloody long way to find an interesting/fun road here. In most parts of the UK you can find somewhere pretty close to home for a good drive or at least a few sweeping bends.
2) Traffic lights. Why do they love traffic lights so much??
Overall I find driving here pretty relaxed.
The two things that have killed my love for driving are:
1) You have to drive a bloody long way to find an interesting/fun road here. In most parts of the UK you can find somewhere pretty close to home for a good drive or at least a few sweeping bends.
2) Traffic lights. Why do they love traffic lights so much??
200bhp said:
I dont think the standard of driving in Perth is any worse than most UK cities I've driven around (Nottingham, Derby, Birmingham, London). The whole merging thing that people get hung up on is, in my opinion, due to the road layout and markings at merge points and not just the drivers.
Overall I find driving here pretty relaxed.
The two things that have killed my love for driving are:
1) You have to drive a bloody long way to find an interesting/fun road here. In most parts of the UK you can find somewhere pretty close to home for a good drive or at least a few sweeping bends.
2) Traffic lights. Why do they love traffic lights so much??
You are so right, any interesting roads are miles away and because of the stupidly low speed limits it takes forever to get anywhere. Why are theses huge double lane roads all 70km ?! And when you do eventually get somewhere good you are too scared because of hidden cameras. Miss the good old empty country lanes :-(Overall I find driving here pretty relaxed.
The two things that have killed my love for driving are:
1) You have to drive a bloody long way to find an interesting/fun road here. In most parts of the UK you can find somewhere pretty close to home for a good drive or at least a few sweeping bends.
2) Traffic lights. Why do they love traffic lights so much??
The overall standard of driving over here is pretty poor and I never thought that I'd see the day when it makes British drivers seem
Also I actually think that the standard in Perth is actually worse than Perth (where I lived for two years) which gets a lot of stick from people from the East Coast. I guess this maybe because they have more migrants over here from various different parts of the world who bring their style of driving with them.
I recently drove up to Newcastle on the Pacific Highway and on the parts that were three lane hardly anybody used lane 1 even though their wasn't anyone using lane 1 for a good distance.
Part of the trouble that I amount the poor driving standard here is because of the hysteria with which they deal with speeding. So not that many people speed but they are completely oblivious to the surrounding, will tail gate drive the speed limit in appalling weather even though it's not appropriate for the conditions and change land without first checking the space next to them.
The other day I had someone pullover and indicate at the same time into my lane but as I'm used to this occurring on a regular basis I already foreseen it.
Also I actually think that the standard in Perth is actually worse than Perth (where I lived for two years) which gets a lot of stick from people from the East Coast. I guess this maybe because they have more migrants over here from various different parts of the world who bring their style of driving with them.
I recently drove up to Newcastle on the Pacific Highway and on the parts that were three lane hardly anybody used lane 1 even though their wasn't anyone using lane 1 for a good distance.
Part of the trouble that I amount the poor driving standard here is because of the hysteria with which they deal with speeding. So not that many people speed but they are completely oblivious to the surrounding, will tail gate drive the speed limit in appalling weather even though it's not appropriate for the conditions and change land without first checking the space next to them.
The other day I had someone pullover and indicate at the same time into my lane but as I'm used to this occurring on a regular basis I already foreseen it.
NSNO said:
That is not the case in all states, here in NSW you require a yearly inspection in order to get a pink slip to renew your rego for the year. This applies to any cars that are five years or older in age.
Was about to say, I have an 'MOT' to take! Are the cars in Perth a bit rough with no MOT's? Unless you're a car person, many won't do maintenance, so there must be some wrecks about. Is it buyer be ware when you buy second hand, or do you have to 'MOT' before sale?My 7 has recently be registered, the person at Roads and Maritime wasn't sure if I'd need a pink slip for 5 years due to the car being a 2015 registered car, and having had a blue slip. He didn't know much really!
Nothing like that in WA.
You have rego. And if you let it run out, it needs an "MOT" before you get a new one. If you import a car from another state and rego it here, it needs an "MOT".
If the cops think your car isn't road worthy, you get a canary (yellow sticker) and have to get an "MOT" to make it legal again.
So you just pay your rego every year, and no tests till the cops catch you in a rusty, blue cloud factory.
You have rego. And if you let it run out, it needs an "MOT" before you get a new one. If you import a car from another state and rego it here, it needs an "MOT".
If the cops think your car isn't road worthy, you get a canary (yellow sticker) and have to get an "MOT" to make it legal again.
So you just pay your rego every year, and no tests till the cops catch you in a rusty, blue cloud factory.
If you chose to live in Alice Springs, you can't complain the roads are boring, you should have thought of that.
Perth is not much better. Many places are of course.
Gingerbread Man has great driving roads just a blink away, & I can be in the twisties in just a few kilometres. The same goes for many parts of some of our larger cities, but in others, like the Sydney eastern suburbs, & you'll need a lunch stop before you get to them.
Best hurry though. Many of our more enjoyable roads near large populations are being restricted to 80 Km/H, or even 60 Km/H. This is of course to protect harebrained fools from themselves. You should be grateful we have the men in blue out protecting us from such people.
Strangely though, in 58 years of driving, I've never had a harebrained fool run into me, because they were driving too fast, in fact, I've never had one run into me at all.
Perth is not much better. Many places are of course.
Gingerbread Man has great driving roads just a blink away, & I can be in the twisties in just a few kilometres. The same goes for many parts of some of our larger cities, but in others, like the Sydney eastern suburbs, & you'll need a lunch stop before you get to them.
Best hurry though. Many of our more enjoyable roads near large populations are being restricted to 80 Km/H, or even 60 Km/H. This is of course to protect harebrained fools from themselves. You should be grateful we have the men in blue out protecting us from such people.
Strangely though, in 58 years of driving, I've never had a harebrained fool run into me, because they were driving too fast, in fact, I've never had one run into me at all.
I think the problem for me is how far I have to go before you get to any kind of corners at all. There are so many double carriage way roads that are 70km limits and back in the UK they would all be 70mph or 112km and most people are doing 80 lol.I think accidents are caused by the limit being to low in places because the roads are so big and you are driving so slow your brain turnes off out of boredom and that is when the lack of attention comes into play. I personally am far more road alert when driving faster.
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