How do you enjoy fast cars in Australia/NZ?
Discussion
Jimmy No Hands said:
As far as I can tell (at least in WA) you enjoy yourself by leaving 11's & donuts all over rural areas at ungodly hours. Seriously, I have never, ever seen more tyre on tarmac anywhere in the world. Even at remote junctions.
After driving here for a month we bought a Pajero
I had a new Mustang for the day before Christmas and I was just constantly conscious about cameras and police, to the point I just couldn't enjoy it.
They are sneaky b
ds with cameras, too. I didn't know detectors were legal, thanks for letting me know..
Can't speak for NZ.
never been to WA but been to the other side several times and yeah, the general amount of rubber on the road is quite remarkable, and urban as well as rural areas.After driving here for a month we bought a Pajero
I had a new Mustang for the day before Christmas and I was just constantly conscious about cameras and police, to the point I just couldn't enjoy it. They are sneaky b
ds with cameras, too. I didn't know detectors were legal, thanks for letting me know..Can't speak for NZ.
Its not so bad I guess as they weren't speeding over the limit while doing it.
Jader1973 said:
Same as in the uk. Quiet country roads and use your brain.
Look for anything with too many aerials: used to be Commodores, now Klugers and BMWs.
Anything new parked at the side of the road = possible camera.
The whole “police state you can’t press on” stuff is bullst if you go rural.
Sorry, I don’t agree. I have been pulled for speeding on remote rural roads in Vic. The police car was well over a km away and had already got my speed. They then pulled over into the middle of the road, got out of the car, and waited for me to arrive. I couldn’t even confirm it was a police car until maybe 400m away, so looking out for aerials?Look for anything with too many aerials: used to be Commodores, now Klugers and BMWs.
Anything new parked at the side of the road = possible camera.
The whole “police state you can’t press on” stuff is bulls
t if you go rural. Jader1973 said:
Same as in the uk. Quiet country roads and use your brain.
Anything new parked at the side of the road = possible camera.
We don't have enough 'quiet country roads' here (South Island NZ) to hide and play, essentially the main roads are our quiet country roads and therefore thouroghly policed.Anything new parked at the side of the road = possible camera.
Used camper vans are regularly used as parked speed camera vehicles, they look innocuous but use low power K band that only high end radar detectors can pick up in time to slow down
Living rurally doesn't overcome the issue, I live in the middle of nowhere and the roads are fantastic but it's still one of only 3 roads that run North/south on the island.
Kawasicki said:
Sorry, I don’t agree. I have been pulled for speeding on remote rural roads in Vic. The police car was well over a km away and had already got my speed. They then pulled over into the middle of the road, got out of the car, and waited for me to arrive. I couldn’t even confirm it was a police car until maybe 400m away, so looking out for aerials?
You chose the wrong road then, didn't you 
I went from just under 600bhp in the UK down to 350bhp when I moved to Perth and eventually went back to 4X4’s and some off-road driving.
Thinking about a classic two seater something at the moment for some tinkering and weekend drives but don’t see the point in going back to big BHP again.
Stef
Thinking about a classic two seater something at the moment for some tinkering and weekend drives but don’t see the point in going back to big BHP again.
Stef
StefanVXR8 said:
I went from just under 600bhp in the UK down to 350bhp when I moved to Perth and eventually went back to 4X4’s and some off-road driving.
Thinking about a classic two seater something at the moment for some tinkering and weekend drives but don’t see the point in going back to big BHP again.
Stef
That was my thinking, about a classic. But ended with a Boxster as it was easier for the wife to drive (AC, ABS, PAS etc.) as driving/working an old car in 40deg heat wont be fun.Thinking about a classic two seater something at the moment for some tinkering and weekend drives but don’t see the point in going back to big BHP again.
Stef
It's still too quick, and seems to attract attention for races from the ferals.
hman said:
• Lane hogging (not moving left) is rife, because apparently drivers think that moving to the left and letting someone past is some sort of affront to their driving prowess
• Undertaking (passing on the left) is rife, because of the lane hogging
• No-one lets you into lane 1 when you joining the motorway, because thats pushing in apparently
• No-one lets you out of a T-junction , that's queue jumping apparently
• No-one lets you in when merging, thats queue jumping apparently
• If you don't move off within a 1/10th of a second of the light changing green you will be punished audibly
• If you stop when the light is amber, god help you.
• Everyone is so paranoid about speeding that they pay more attention to their speedo and not enough attention to the hazards ahead - you see so many rear end shunts its not even funny.
All of the above. Oh, and they are so retarded here they need traffic lights to tell you how join a motorway! Plus people on their phones - rife.• Undertaking (passing on the left) is rife, because of the lane hogging
• No-one lets you into lane 1 when you joining the motorway, because thats pushing in apparently
• No-one lets you out of a T-junction , that's queue jumping apparently
• No-one lets you in when merging, thats queue jumping apparently
• If you don't move off within a 1/10th of a second of the light changing green you will be punished audibly
• If you stop when the light is amber, god help you.
• Everyone is so paranoid about speeding that they pay more attention to their speedo and not enough attention to the hazards ahead - you see so many rear end shunts its not even funny.
Also a newly arrived import to VIC. Within two days of my car arriving I bought a dashcam as I was so shocked at the lack of driving skill/awareness/ability here. I've seen better in Egypt.
I've had some good runs up and down Lake Mountain and a few other out in the sticks places, but for town and motorway work I've now retro fitted cruise control
I managed Melbourne to Philip Island the other day without leaving lane one - they have no fkin clue about lane discipline or any form of roadcraft.
I think their crap driving stems from two main issues:
Auto - nearly everyone drives auto, it leaves them too much free time with the left hand to use the phone. Wouldn't be so bad if they had a phone holder near eye level, but most of them keep it down by the shifter or between their legs and use it down there because they think they can't be seen. Results in their head down and not looking where they are going or what's happening around them.
Aussie competitiveness - 'that my gap, you're not having it! Therefore I need drive as close as possible so there is no gap for people to get in to.'
Also see the lack of waiting to let people out of lift and letting people exit a train carriage before getting on.
Auto - nearly everyone drives auto, it leaves them too much free time with the left hand to use the phone. Wouldn't be so bad if they had a phone holder near eye level, but most of them keep it down by the shifter or between their legs and use it down there because they think they can't be seen. Results in their head down and not looking where they are going or what's happening around them.
Aussie competitiveness - 'that my gap, you're not having it! Therefore I need drive as close as possible so there is no gap for people to get in to.'
Also see the lack of waiting to let people out of lift and letting people exit a train carriage before getting on.
Edited by unzippy on Tuesday 12th March 07:01
I lived in Perth for 5 years then here in Sydney for nearly 6. I've got a CLS63S and and Carrera S.
In Perth, the driving culture was more controlled, the driving worse and the sanctimony high. The training is clearly poor and the road furniture and design equally bad. They set cameras up to try to catch you out. In fact I got pinged twice on the same day, once in the car and one on my, motorbike in different places. People sit looking at their speedo's.
In Sydney, less speed cameras and generally less police. However, on the few great roads, they are heavily over-policed on weekends. On a Sunday on the Old Pacific highway between Brooklyn and Berowra, I once saw 9 different police vehicles during a short drive in the 15km stretch. Its cat and mouse. How they justify paying for all of this is beyond me.
Sydney is much better than Perth, but you cannot drive like Europe or the US. I travel a lot and its a relief to get onto a clear motorway or better the autobahn and sit at much more sensible higher speeds, which I find very relaxing over long distances. I still wonder, as I am sure many other do, as to how in one country you get pinged for traveling 120kph on a dual carriageway, yet in another you can safely sit all day at between 130kph and 200kph. Given the travel distances in Australia, you'd think the authorities would be training the people, importing safer cars and designing the roads so you could get places FASTER! I'd prefer that to the sanctimonious nanny state towards zero rubbish the public are fed.
In Perth, the driving culture was more controlled, the driving worse and the sanctimony high. The training is clearly poor and the road furniture and design equally bad. They set cameras up to try to catch you out. In fact I got pinged twice on the same day, once in the car and one on my, motorbike in different places. People sit looking at their speedo's.
In Sydney, less speed cameras and generally less police. However, on the few great roads, they are heavily over-policed on weekends. On a Sunday on the Old Pacific highway between Brooklyn and Berowra, I once saw 9 different police vehicles during a short drive in the 15km stretch. Its cat and mouse. How they justify paying for all of this is beyond me.
Sydney is much better than Perth, but you cannot drive like Europe or the US. I travel a lot and its a relief to get onto a clear motorway or better the autobahn and sit at much more sensible higher speeds, which I find very relaxing over long distances. I still wonder, as I am sure many other do, as to how in one country you get pinged for traveling 120kph on a dual carriageway, yet in another you can safely sit all day at between 130kph and 200kph. Given the travel distances in Australia, you'd think the authorities would be training the people, importing safer cars and designing the roads so you could get places FASTER! I'd prefer that to the sanctimonious nanny state towards zero rubbish the public are fed.
Edited by astonmartinv8 on Saturday 29th June 05:31
Edited by astonmartinv8 on Saturday 29th June 05:32
I'm back over in Europe now and there are many great things about Australia, but the draconian approach to speed is not one of them. It is nice being able to travel at a civilised speed and not seeing cops hiding in bushes trying to top up their coffers, not to mention people not being offended for overtaking them and general lane discipline being a lot better.
Loads of great, un policed roads around where I live in Samford Valley just outside Brisbane. BUT proper fast cars these are too fast to use anywhere near full potential on the roads. Lots of track options up here, I hit one or two a month.
I lived in Sydney for ten years and it very nearly sucked the petrol from my veins- nearly!
I lived in Sydney for ten years and it very nearly sucked the petrol from my veins- nearly!
Gassing Station | Australia | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff