What has become of the roads??
Discussion
Been living in the UK for seven years but recent thoughts off heading home (Syd) have been tarnished by my brother saying the roads have become sh!t. Reckons there's heaps of police, fines and most people drive 10kph below the limit, plus there is no road discipline e.g. people sitting in the outside lane and not overtaking etc..
All this has put me off coming back as the UK (for all it's faults) is pretty good for 'spirited' drivers (when it's not bogged down by traffic).
I've got a CSL, I travel about 150K's on a motorway a few days a week and have no bother/hassle sitting at 90-95MPH or around 140-150kph, in fact I'm passed daily by someone going quicker, plus I can cane it down backroads no worries, can this be done back home anymore???
Has it really gotten that bad??
All this has put me off coming back as the UK (for all it's faults) is pretty good for 'spirited' drivers (when it's not bogged down by traffic).
I've got a CSL, I travel about 150K's on a motorway a few days a week and have no bother/hassle sitting at 90-95MPH or around 140-150kph, in fact I'm passed daily by someone going quicker, plus I can cane it down backroads no worries, can this be done back home anymore???
Has it really gotten that bad??
After living in london for 9 years I can say that Oz drivers are definately not European drivers. I use to love hitting the Motorways in England - speeds were a lot higher and I mean higher. Some 'group' spirited drives were heading over the 250 mark. Here I would not even think of exceeding the limit as they're hiding the speed cameras in rubbish bins on the side of the roads now. No warning. The reason for me returning to Oz was simple... I now have a nice house on the beach and it's hot.
I live in Perth and I am really really missing the more relaxed attitude to 'spirited' driving that there is in the UK. I think the aussie government is dead set on making sure everyone drives the dullest sedan you can imagine at 25mph...
The roads are falling to pieces
The police are really cracking down on speeding or 'hooning'...like REALLY cracking down, heavy fines, lots of points, license bans and having your car confiscated is now the norm. Your car can be confiscated for a first 'hooning' offence for 48hours and if you continue to offend your car will be confiscated and eventually sold or destroyed!
There are cameras all over the place and they are well hidden, its bloody frustrating because sometimes you want to be going 10KMH over the limit to overtake someone going just under the limit but you cant because if you get caught out its points and a fine!
Driving standards are absolutely shocking here...bad to the point I no longer want to go out and drive somewhere just for the hell of it!! Peoples observation skills, merging, indicating, correct use of their headlights/foglights and driving to the conditions seem to be the areas people are lacking any education in....wait a sec thats all areas!
If you go out in anything remotely sporty looking you will have to put up with the traffic light heros (who are sometimes the popo in an unmarked Falco or Commodore!!) and if you are young or the car is modified be prepared for some hassle from the popo and a few defect notices.
Your bimmer would be great here...its rare and would no doubt be valued at way more than its value in the UK but to be honest I think you will struggle to find anywhere to really enjoy it on the roads...there are heaps of trackdays, sprints, hillclimbs etc to enter though and you will find a great bunch of like minded people there. I dont know about other states but the trackdays that are held in Perth wont let you take passangers out with you which is pretty poo!!
The roads are falling to pieces
The police are really cracking down on speeding or 'hooning'...like REALLY cracking down, heavy fines, lots of points, license bans and having your car confiscated is now the norm. Your car can be confiscated for a first 'hooning' offence for 48hours and if you continue to offend your car will be confiscated and eventually sold or destroyed!
There are cameras all over the place and they are well hidden, its bloody frustrating because sometimes you want to be going 10KMH over the limit to overtake someone going just under the limit but you cant because if you get caught out its points and a fine!
Driving standards are absolutely shocking here...bad to the point I no longer want to go out and drive somewhere just for the hell of it!! Peoples observation skills, merging, indicating, correct use of their headlights/foglights and driving to the conditions seem to be the areas people are lacking any education in....wait a sec thats all areas!
If you go out in anything remotely sporty looking you will have to put up with the traffic light heros (who are sometimes the popo in an unmarked Falco or Commodore!!) and if you are young or the car is modified be prepared for some hassle from the popo and a few defect notices.
Your bimmer would be great here...its rare and would no doubt be valued at way more than its value in the UK but to be honest I think you will struggle to find anywhere to really enjoy it on the roads...there are heaps of trackdays, sprints, hillclimbs etc to enter though and you will find a great bunch of like minded people there. I dont know about other states but the trackdays that are held in Perth wont let you take passangers out with you which is pretty poo!!
deviant said:
I live in Perth and I am really really missing the more relaxed attitude to 'spirited' driving that there is in the UK. I think the aussie government is dead set on making sure everyone drives the dullest sedan you can imagine at 25mph...
The roads are falling to pieces
The police are really cracking down on speeding or 'hooning'...like REALLY cracking down, heavy fines, lots of points, license bans and having your car confiscated is now the norm. Your car can be confiscated for a first 'hooning' offence for 48hours and if you continue to offend your car will be confiscated and eventually sold or destroyed!
There are cameras all over the place and they are well hidden, its bloody frustrating because sometimes you want to be going 10KMH over the limit to overtake someone going just under the limit but you cant because if you get caught out its points and a fine!
Driving standards are absolutely shocking here...bad to the point I no longer want to go out and drive somewhere just for the hell of it!! Peoples observation skills, merging, indicating, correct use of their headlights/foglights and driving to the conditions seem to be the areas people are lacking any education in....wait a sec thats all areas!
If you go out in anything remotely sporty looking you will have to put up with the traffic light heros (who are sometimes the popo in an unmarked Falco or Commodore!!) and if you are young or the car is modified be prepared for some hassle from the popo and a few defect notices.
Your bimmer would be great here...its rare and would no doubt be valued at way more than its value in the UK but to be honest I think you will struggle to find anywhere to really enjoy it on the roads...there are heaps of trackdays, sprints, hillclimbs etc to enter though and you will find a great bunch of like minded people there. I dont know about other states but the trackdays that are held in Perth wont let you take passangers out with you which is pretty poo!!
The roads are falling to pieces
The police are really cracking down on speeding or 'hooning'...like REALLY cracking down, heavy fines, lots of points, license bans and having your car confiscated is now the norm. Your car can be confiscated for a first 'hooning' offence for 48hours and if you continue to offend your car will be confiscated and eventually sold or destroyed!
There are cameras all over the place and they are well hidden, its bloody frustrating because sometimes you want to be going 10KMH over the limit to overtake someone going just under the limit but you cant because if you get caught out its points and a fine!
Driving standards are absolutely shocking here...bad to the point I no longer want to go out and drive somewhere just for the hell of it!! Peoples observation skills, merging, indicating, correct use of their headlights/foglights and driving to the conditions seem to be the areas people are lacking any education in....wait a sec thats all areas!
If you go out in anything remotely sporty looking you will have to put up with the traffic light heros (who are sometimes the popo in an unmarked Falco or Commodore!!) and if you are young or the car is modified be prepared for some hassle from the popo and a few defect notices.
Your bimmer would be great here...its rare and would no doubt be valued at way more than its value in the UK but to be honest I think you will struggle to find anywhere to really enjoy it on the roads...there are heaps of trackdays, sprints, hillclimbs etc to enter though and you will find a great bunch of like minded people there. I dont know about other states but the trackdays that are held in Perth wont let you take passangers out with you which is pretty poo!!
Man, no passengers on track days!!! My mate just paid £10 for his passenger arm band at a Silverstone trackday and he was out in GT3's, my CSL and an R34!
Anyhow, Deviant, you've confirmed what I've been told, Aus is becoming a police state for drivers!
I won't be coming back anytime soon, besides, I've got two trips to Nurburgring planned this year plus a French trip (all in the CSL and all above 200kph
Bloody oath you should save it!!!
"Oh woe is me the speed cameras are in a fluro yellow box and have a sign post 100meters before it and I STILL got caught...how I hate the government"
BAH...try being in Perth were cameras are in random locations, have no warning signs and are 99% of the time well hidden or disguised as a bin...oh and the near as damn it zero tolernace on them!!
Its strange...Australia has a reputation of being a car loving, motorsport fanatical nation but then you get here and the government is hell bent on trying to stop cars being fun!!
I think anyone moving here expecting to have as much fun on the road and with trackdays as in the UK/Europe will be severely let down...how I miss those 10MPH icey power slides!
"Oh woe is me the speed cameras are in a fluro yellow box and have a sign post 100meters before it and I STILL got caught...how I hate the government"
BAH...try being in Perth were cameras are in random locations, have no warning signs and are 99% of the time well hidden or disguised as a bin...oh and the near as damn it zero tolernace on them!!
Its strange...Australia has a reputation of being a car loving, motorsport fanatical nation but then you get here and the government is hell bent on trying to stop cars being fun!!
I think anyone moving here expecting to have as much fun on the road and with trackdays as in the UK/Europe will be severely let down...how I miss those 10MPH icey power slides!
deviant said:
Bloody oath you should save it!!!
"Oh woe is me the speed cameras are in a fluro yellow box and have a sign post 100meters before it and I STILL got caught...how I hate the government"
BAH...try being in Perth were cameras are in random locations, have no warning signs and are 99% of the time well hidden or disguised as a bin...oh and the near as damn it zero tolernace on them!!
Its strange...Australia has a reputation of being a car loving, motorsport fanatical nation but then you get here and the government is hell bent on trying to stop cars being fun!!
I think anyone moving here expecting to have as much fun on the road and with trackdays as in the UK/Europe will be severely let down...how I miss those 10MPH icey power slides!
"Oh woe is me the speed cameras are in a fluro yellow box and have a sign post 100meters before it and I STILL got caught...how I hate the government"
BAH...try being in Perth were cameras are in random locations, have no warning signs and are 99% of the time well hidden or disguised as a bin...oh and the near as damn it zero tolernace on them!!
Its strange...Australia has a reputation of being a car loving, motorsport fanatical nation but then you get here and the government is hell bent on trying to stop cars being fun!!
I think anyone moving here expecting to have as much fun on the road and with trackdays as in the UK/Europe will be severely let down...how I miss those 10MPH icey power slides!
I agree with everything you said, except the random siting of speed traps. The locations are very carefully chosen after much research into where it is the most dangerous to exceed the speed limit.
The cameras are then put in the locations that were the LEAST dangerous, as that is where the greates % of drivers will exceed the limit, thereby maximising revenue. Sound business plan, pity it has nothing to do with road safety...
[Man, no passengers on track days!!! My mate just paid £10 for his passenger arm band at a Silverstone trackday and he was out in GT3's, my CSL and an R34!
Anyhow, Deviant, you've confirmed what I've been told, Aus is becoming a police state for drivers!
I won't be coming back anytime soon, besides, I've got two trips to Nurburgring planned this year plus a French trip (all in the CSL and all above 200kph
[/quote]
It became a police state a long time ago. we left melbourne in 92 and at the time when we came over here to ireland I was telling everyone how bad the roads were and how lucky they were here with only cops with laser guns. however within the last 15 years we have progressed here past what it was like in melbourne in 92 so Ireland and England are well on the way to australian rules ( no pun intended)
Now the EU is going to force Germany into restricting the autobahns to European normal speeds and that will leave the Isle of Man as the only place for truly spirited driving. Don't know what England is like for road courtesy but here we get people driving with little or no lane etiquette, foglights on all the time either because they think it looks cool or gives improved light ( it doesn't do either), pull out of sideroads without properly judging oncoming cars speed, indicating at the last possible second,and the list goes on.
I would be quite happy driving anywhere as long as noone else was on the road with me, how can there be so many bad drivers in the world?
Anyhow, Deviant, you've confirmed what I've been told, Aus is becoming a police state for drivers!
I won't be coming back anytime soon, besides, I've got two trips to Nurburgring planned this year plus a French trip (all in the CSL and all above 200kph
[/quote]
It became a police state a long time ago. we left melbourne in 92 and at the time when we came over here to ireland I was telling everyone how bad the roads were and how lucky they were here with only cops with laser guns. however within the last 15 years we have progressed here past what it was like in melbourne in 92 so Ireland and England are well on the way to australian rules ( no pun intended)
Now the EU is going to force Germany into restricting the autobahns to European normal speeds and that will leave the Isle of Man as the only place for truly spirited driving. Don't know what England is like for road courtesy but here we get people driving with little or no lane etiquette, foglights on all the time either because they think it looks cool or gives improved light ( it doesn't do either), pull out of sideroads without properly judging oncoming cars speed, indicating at the last possible second,and the list goes on.
I would be quite happy driving anywhere as long as noone else was on the road with me, how can there be so many bad drivers in the world?
It is bad.
I was having a nice run up a two lane section of road up the side of a hill near mine with a 2.8 Z3, Lexus IS and an old V8 Holden. It is a very twisty road, with quite a high speed limit for Australia. 80km/h. Corners signposed at 40. We were all doing the speed limit or about 5kph above.
Nothing organised, we all just met at the bottom and were heading up in the same direction.
At the top we were all pulled over and threatened to be charged with "street racing" and "exceeding speed limit by more than 30 km/h" which is an automatic 3 month ban.
The only evidence? "I could hear engines revving". Total bs. Luckily both the IS and he Z3 owners were solicitors so they sorted it, but the police were already calling tow trucks as they were impounding our cars. For streetracing.
Absolutely ridiculous. Luckily my local court is becoming dead set against the local Highway Patrol because of incidents like this.
And for the record I had the lead coming onto the top. In the car with the least power. But that Z3 was keeping me very honest.
I was having a nice run up a two lane section of road up the side of a hill near mine with a 2.8 Z3, Lexus IS and an old V8 Holden. It is a very twisty road, with quite a high speed limit for Australia. 80km/h. Corners signposed at 40. We were all doing the speed limit or about 5kph above.
Nothing organised, we all just met at the bottom and were heading up in the same direction.
At the top we were all pulled over and threatened to be charged with "street racing" and "exceeding speed limit by more than 30 km/h" which is an automatic 3 month ban.
The only evidence? "I could hear engines revving". Total bs. Luckily both the IS and he Z3 owners were solicitors so they sorted it, but the police were already calling tow trucks as they were impounding our cars. For streetracing.
Absolutely ridiculous. Luckily my local court is becoming dead set against the local Highway Patrol because of incidents like this.
And for the record I had the lead coming onto the top. In the car with the least power. But that Z3 was keeping me very honest.
Having been in Oz last month I was SHOCKED.. I am UK driver and drive all round the world. I stick to the limit and go alittle faster on a freeway. Because I feel i can control the car. like about 120-130k's
it's totaly normal to drive at these speeds here in the UK and Europe.
But in Austraila I saw the worst driving I have ever seen!! I was almost over taken by some D*** head in a 4x4 with a trailer!! ( line fencing or Fence Line in Perth ) because I was going dead on the speed limit on the freeway and as the car was on the inside was about 2 k's slower it was taking time to over take and tuck back in.. he was going mad.. and went into the off lane bit nr the train line to over take me.. what a ***** anyway..
I have to say no one indicates and no one has any good lane sence. Your Police are just making them selves idiots. I have never heard so many people want to almost rise up against the police. They have taken this speeding and turned it into a money making machine they can't stop.. every year now they will have to make more money as I can imagin the government will stop funding the Police and they will have to fund themselves via fines..
You guys have to do some thing about this, start rallies in town protesting about the over ruleing of the Police. It's money making and it's that simple.
I saw a camera on the end of a freeway slip road.. just before the 100kmp sign the slip road is 60k's how many of you on a one way slip road are going to be doing sy 75-80 k's to get up to speed to join the freeway traffic at 100k's ALL of us would.. and you know what they stuck a camera there and it was flashing away like a fairground ride.. that's it just making money!! END OF..
I was moving to Oz and now I am in almost off the idea. I was coming with a lot of money and a company that could employ 3-4 people from the out set. Now I am changing my mind.. I love the people I love the envoroment and the space.. but there is now way I am going to sleep at night incase I get a ticket from a 5 min drive to the shop to get milk!!! cos I was 2.5k's over the speed limit.. and !!!!!! Insider info here. they are looking to take on another 1000 police officers across WA in the next 3-4 years and most are coming from the UK.. they are targeting Young UK police officers to come over..
it's totaly normal to drive at these speeds here in the UK and Europe.
But in Austraila I saw the worst driving I have ever seen!! I was almost over taken by some D*** head in a 4x4 with a trailer!! ( line fencing or Fence Line in Perth ) because I was going dead on the speed limit on the freeway and as the car was on the inside was about 2 k's slower it was taking time to over take and tuck back in.. he was going mad.. and went into the off lane bit nr the train line to over take me.. what a ***** anyway..
I have to say no one indicates and no one has any good lane sence. Your Police are just making them selves idiots. I have never heard so many people want to almost rise up against the police. They have taken this speeding and turned it into a money making machine they can't stop.. every year now they will have to make more money as I can imagin the government will stop funding the Police and they will have to fund themselves via fines..
You guys have to do some thing about this, start rallies in town protesting about the over ruleing of the Police. It's money making and it's that simple.
I saw a camera on the end of a freeway slip road.. just before the 100kmp sign the slip road is 60k's how many of you on a one way slip road are going to be doing sy 75-80 k's to get up to speed to join the freeway traffic at 100k's ALL of us would.. and you know what they stuck a camera there and it was flashing away like a fairground ride.. that's it just making money!! END OF..
I was moving to Oz and now I am in almost off the idea. I was coming with a lot of money and a company that could employ 3-4 people from the out set. Now I am changing my mind.. I love the people I love the envoroment and the space.. but there is now way I am going to sleep at night incase I get a ticket from a 5 min drive to the shop to get milk!!! cos I was 2.5k's over the speed limit.. and !!!!!! Insider info here. they are looking to take on another 1000 police officers across WA in the next 3-4 years and most are coming from the UK.. they are targeting Young UK police officers to come over..
Its called Ozzy-Apathy- it means the government can get away with almost anything and the people dont do anything about it. here in Queensland we have drivers that dont know what indicators are, no lane sense, pathetically slow limits on major highways, poor roads that just break up at the sight of rain, lack of water infrastructure, few docs and nurses, oh and its warm and 30 degrees all the time,10 mins to the beach, boating & fishing everywhere and the barrier reef with all those Bloody fish and dolphins. Must stop the rant as have to fire. the BarBQ up for lunch after taking the car out for a run. I still cant work out why nothing gets done here?
Sounds like Oz may not be for you 912UK. I am surprised no one has mentioned tailgating yet. It seemed to be the local sport in Queensland. Once or twice I would loose my rag with people and they would just stare at me incredulously as if I some kind of loony. As Ozzie Dave hints there are an awful lot of good things about the place and IMHO they outweigh the negative by a large margin.
Dont get me going on tailgaters we would be here all day!!
I think the roads are so bad because people just want to do the absolute minimum to get their license and when the test is so basic that all you do is trundle round the 'burbs for 20 minutes and do a couple of U-Turns no-one is ever going to learn anything better. It seems as well that people are such turds to each other now that they dont care about other people so are just plain rude all the time!!!
Last week we had a short and heavy burts of rain which very quickly saw the roads running with water and spray reducing visability to around 100meters...do people switch lights on? Slow down? Allow some more space between them and the car in front?...NO!! People still sit on 100KMH+ LESS than a cars length from each other.
It is incredibly distracting and uncomfortable when you are driving on a clear day on dry roads with someone that close let alone in unpredicatble conditions.
I think the roads are so bad because people just want to do the absolute minimum to get their license and when the test is so basic that all you do is trundle round the 'burbs for 20 minutes and do a couple of U-Turns no-one is ever going to learn anything better. It seems as well that people are such turds to each other now that they dont care about other people so are just plain rude all the time!!!
Last week we had a short and heavy burts of rain which very quickly saw the roads running with water and spray reducing visability to around 100meters...do people switch lights on? Slow down? Allow some more space between them and the car in front?...NO!! People still sit on 100KMH+ LESS than a cars length from each other.
It is incredibly distracting and uncomfortable when you are driving on a clear day on dry roads with someone that close let alone in unpredicatble conditions.
presuming_ed said:
... As Ozzie Dave hints there are an awful lot of good things about the place and IMHO they outweigh the negative by a large margin.
I have often had a whinge on here about life in Australia, thinking about it a bit more I guess it wouldn't be a bad place to live as long as you are not into cars & driving .
If the crap roads, expensive cars, absolutely diabolical driving, ridiculously low and draconially enforced speed limits, lack of motorsport etc don't bother you then ok, it's not a bad place.
madazrx7 said:
presuming_ed said:
... As Ozzie Dave hints there are an awful lot of good things about the place and IMHO they outweigh the negative by a large margin.
I have often had a whinge on here about life in Australia, thinking about it a bit more I guess it wouldn't be a bad place to live as long as you are not into cars & driving .
If the crap roads, expensive cars, absolutely diabolical driving, ridiculously low and draconially enforced speed limits, lack of motorsport etc don't bother you then ok, it's not a bad place.
Exactly
madazrx7 said:
presuming_ed said:
... As Ozzie Dave hints there are an awful lot of good things about the place and IMHO they outweigh the negative by a large margin.
I have often had a whinge on here about life in Australia, thinking about it a bit more I guess it wouldn't be a bad place to live as long as you are not into cars & driving .
If the crap roads, expensive cars, absolutely diabolical driving, ridiculously low and draconially enforced speed limits, lack of motorsport etc don't bother you then ok, it's not a bad place.
If you think your cars are expensive, price up a 350Z or even the new VXR8 and compare to the UK - then check out the UK fuel price - BTW it's raining here and has been for the last week!
couldnt agree more with all the comments.
Its a bloody awful place if you're a petrol head. Or is that pistonhead?!
Anyway i got 3 points in 14 years of driving in the uk. I've been here 6 weeks, and had my license 3 weeks and i've just got a 2 points/$100 fine. Reason? I was on 4 lane Albany Highway just by Carousel. I was in the 3rd lane and then realised i wanted to turn right and so moved over into the 4th lane (filter right lane) and didnt realise i'd passed over the solid white line. No other traffic. Not speeding. Got pulled by cop car 3 cars in front. I didnt even realise there was a solid white line there or that it was an offence. Officer says 'have you had demerit points in oz before' Nope i say thinking he'll do a lecture and warn me against it. Oh no, he proceded to give me the fine and tell me why. Wow, thanks for the education!
It seems that theres lots of lovely V8's that would go down a storm in the UK but everyone drives round at no more than 60mph. Shite.
Its a bloody awful place if you're a petrol head. Or is that pistonhead?!
Anyway i got 3 points in 14 years of driving in the uk. I've been here 6 weeks, and had my license 3 weeks and i've just got a 2 points/$100 fine. Reason? I was on 4 lane Albany Highway just by Carousel. I was in the 3rd lane and then realised i wanted to turn right and so moved over into the 4th lane (filter right lane) and didnt realise i'd passed over the solid white line. No other traffic. Not speeding. Got pulled by cop car 3 cars in front. I didnt even realise there was a solid white line there or that it was an offence. Officer says 'have you had demerit points in oz before' Nope i say thinking he'll do a lecture and warn me against it. Oh no, he proceded to give me the fine and tell me why. Wow, thanks for the education!
It seems that theres lots of lovely V8's that would go down a storm in the UK but everyone drives round at no more than 60mph. Shite.
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