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The stupidity of drivers

The stupidity of drivers

Old Aug 2nd 2010, 7:39 am
  #91  
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Default Re: The stupidity of drivers

Originally Posted by spalen
indeed.

And how many of the expats on here doing the complaining actually read and learned the australian highway code or had aussie driving lessons ?

I dunno where you guys all live but I think its pretty cool , a lot less aggro driving around, you can actually use those inside 3rd lanes at traffic lights or traffic jams without a hairy ass HGV driver deciding he knows better than the road designers and blocking it, you can merge without hassle. People queue quite nicely, dont usually block intersections. Roundabouts seem to work as designed.

Plenty of people speed, and plenty of people get caught for it. Ive been breathalised more here in 5 yrs than in 15yrs driving in UK ( through roadside bus tests not because I drive swervy )

(edit : Perhaps Im the driver you are all complaining about )
Please tell us all where you live because I'm pretty sure we all want to live there after your pretty amazing statement
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Old Aug 2nd 2010, 7:43 am
  #92  
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Default Re: The stupidity of drivers

Originally Posted by Broad Shoulders
Please tell us all where you live because I'm pretty sure we all want to live there after your pretty amazing statement
It sure ain't north Brisbane, I can vouch for that!!!
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Old Aug 2nd 2010, 7:50 am
  #93  
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Default Re: The stupidity of drivers

Ute drivers seem to be the main culprits of tailgating in the Redlands. In fact I reckon if mandatory IQ tests were linked to license renewals the majority of ute drivers would vanish from the roads.
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Old Aug 2nd 2010, 7:54 am
  #94  
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Default Re: The stupidity of drivers

Originally Posted by Broad Shoulders
Please tell us all where you live because I'm pretty sure we all want to live there after your pretty amazing statement
Brisbane Bayside, which is a little elysian fields at times but obviously has the intelligentia of driving. Except that ABCDiamond and me are clearly on the roads at different times, unless its me irritating him :-)

I commute into the CBD (the brisbane one, in the big town ) and seem to navigate multiple merges etc without stress.

Perhaps its because I have radio4 Just a Minute on for my commute.

I believe we are south brisbane but Im never sure of geography down-under since someone moved the moon
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Old Aug 2nd 2010, 8:59 am
  #95  
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Default Re: The stupidity of drivers

Originally Posted by mjj
Ute drivers seem to be the main culprits of tailgating in the Redlands. In fact I reckon if mandatory IQ tests were linked to license renewals the majority of ute drivers would vanish from the roads.
Ute drivers seem to be the worst for slicing in front of you as well, usually while overtaking on the left, getting up the arse of the car in front of them and then almost taking off your front end getting around them.
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Old Aug 2nd 2010, 9:19 am
  #96  
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Default Re: The stupidity of drivers

Originally Posted by Sass73
Ute drivers seem to be the worst for slicing in front of you as well, usually while overtaking on the left, getting up the arse of the car in front of them and then almost taking off your front end getting around them.
we had a name for them in the UK, "white van drivers" , same same.

The worst thing about ute's here is the ubiquitous dog tied up on the rear tray, they scare the absolute bejeebus out of me when they drive past and Im on my bike in my uber-cool lycra and a dog barks at head height.
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Old Aug 2nd 2010, 10:00 am
  #97  
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Default Re: The stupidity of drivers

Originally Posted by spalen
The worst thing about ute's here is the ubiquitous dog tied up on the rear tray, they scare the absolute bejeebus out of me when they drive past and Im on my bike in my uber-cool lycra and a dog barks at head height.
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Old Aug 2nd 2010, 10:20 am
  #98  
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Default Re: The stupidity of drivers

Originally Posted by spalen
People queue quite nicely, dont usually block intersections.
I do agree with this. I live right next a very busy junction the leads onto the M3 in Brisbane, people do queue up quite nicely and most of the time try not block the intersection although sometimes you get a tail end sticking out blocking the pedestrian crossing*. They do, as rule stop and wait on a green light if the exit is not clear.

But, they do tailgate, even if the there are lanes that are clear for them to overtake on. Driving at night with no lights on is another problem.

*This does not matter because in this car culture country pedestrians are just vermin anyway.
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Old Aug 2nd 2010, 10:28 am
  #99  
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Default Re: The stupidity of drivers

Originally Posted by Broad Shoulders
I know you can do that on the Cook Islands
And my friend from Hong Kong says you can buy a licence there too!
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Old Aug 2nd 2010, 10:37 am
  #100  
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Default Re: The stupidity of drivers

Originally Posted by Broad Shoulders
Please tell us all where you live because I'm pretty sure we all want to live there after your pretty amazing statement
Me too me too!

Its pretty hairy merging in my neck of the woods because the cars are driving so close together and don't move into the other lane like they do in the UK. They also block roads at junctions when stopping at lights, don't stop at give way signs, the list goes on!
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Old Aug 2nd 2010, 11:47 am
  #101  
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Default Re: The stupidity of drivers

Originally Posted by spalen
we had a name for them in the UK, "white van drivers" , same same.
That's exactly what I was thinking Takes me back to my van driving days.
 
Old Aug 2nd 2010, 11:53 am
  #102  
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Default Re: The stupidity of drivers

Originally Posted by ABCDiamond
That's exactly what I was thinking Takes me back to my van driving days.
Its you with the dog on the Ute isnt it, cruising round vicky point worrying cyclists.
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Old Aug 2nd 2010, 12:00 pm
  #103  
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Default Re: The stupidity of drivers

Originally Posted by spalen
Its you with the dog on the Ute isnt it, cruising round vicky point worrying cyclists.
No, but only because I don't have a ute

If anyone does ever recognise me, I will apologise for my driving now, and blame it all on my white van driving days in London...

My friends bought me a car sticker once... it read: Yes - I do own the whole damn road !
 
Old Aug 2nd 2010, 12:06 pm
  #104  
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Default Re: The stupidity of drivers

Originally Posted by spalen
we had a name for them in the UK, "white van drivers" , same same.

The worst thing about ute's here is the ubiquitous dog tied up on the rear tray, they scare the absolute bejeebus out of me when they drive past and Im on my bike in my uber-cool lycra and a dog barks at head height.
For me, the standard of driving here is good - but that is only because I am a weekend driver and all my morning and evening driving is done on roads which would go down as a tidy 'A' road in the UK. To be fair, when I leave early to go to the city, the standard is also good. As I've said before the only Australian aspect I can pick up on is the slowish hoon weaving once in a while (compared to BMWs whizzing past in the fast lane). And I haven't seen that for ages.

Driving out of the village to the south there is one section of road as straight as a roman road - a 4k section which is particularly pleasant. There is 1 roundabout on this commute and 2 nearby - the standard of operation is the same as in the UK - but as they are single lane - no complications there either. In one direction, there is one set of lights between my house and the highway - 10k. (Actually 1 more soon after so you get them out of the way - this will change soon and streamline). Lights seem to grip people alot who live on those grid-systems.

All of these things are actually one of the things that make *this place* to live ....liveable. If you are going to have to drive it every day of your life to get out of where you live, you don't want to suffer hardship..

What are other people's driving lives like? Is it all traffic lights? Do people get to drive on winding roads like in the UK?
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Old Aug 2nd 2010, 12:10 pm
  #105  
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Default Re: The stupidity of drivers

It sounds as though I'll fit straight in on the roads over there then. Apart from the speeding thing, I'll have to watch that, as I have an awful habit of having a lead foot, especially on motorways.

To be honest, I've not driven much in Australia, only for a week or so in Adelaide, but I didn't really think they were bad drivers. The only thing I noticed, is that I often had to pull out onto a dual carriageway, and drivers wouldn't move over to the outside lane to let me out, even if it was empty. So I just started pulling out in front of them, and letting them decide whether they should move over a lane, or slam on their brakes.

...And no, my name isn't Schumacher before anyone asks...
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