Aussie drivers
Dec 14th 2011, 6:04 am
#1
Banned
Thread Starter
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 19
Aussie drivers
Been over here for 3 months now and love the place. However Aussies must be the rudest/discourteous drivers on the planet. The majority will refuse to slow down to let you in even when giving plenty of notice. Again most will refuse to stop to allow you out of a junction even when the traffic is crawling and most annoyingly if you let them in they simply refuse to acknowledge the favour. A minor gripe but hey have some manners on the roads folks.
Dec 14th 2011, 6:07 am
#2
Banned
Joined: Jan 2011
Location: The REAL Utopia.
Posts: 9,910
Re: Aussie drivers
Well you will have touched a nerve with a few on here 
They are the worst drivers I have ever encountered although amazingly a few on here will try to tell you they are in fact better than British drivers
They are the worst drivers I have ever encountered although amazingly a few on here will try to tell you they are in fact better than British drivers
Dec 14th 2011, 6:09 am
#3
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Nov 2005
Location: at the bottom of a wine glass
Posts: 28,176
Re: Aussie drivers
I am an Aussie driver (as I learnt to drive here) and I always let people out. I always wave thanks when someone lets me in too (which happens a lot - to me anyway). 
Dec 14th 2011, 6:12 am
#4
Mostly Harmless
Joined: Jan 2010
Location: Semi-rural wonderworld, Brisbane
Posts: 15,109
Re: Aussie drivers
Been over here for 3 months now and love the place. However Aussies must be the rudest/discourteous drivers on the planet. The majority will refuse to slow down to let you in even when giving plenty of notice. Again most will refuse to stop to allow you out of a junction even when the traffic is crawling and most annoyingly if you let them in they simply refuse to acknowledge the favour. A minor gripe but hey have some manners on the roads folks.
It probably gets better in other places around Oz but here driving is a chore and a constant source of annoyance.
The thing is, most of the hassle is avoidable with a bit of patience, respect and common sense.
3 months eh? I've been here nearly 7 years and it still winds me up.
Dec 14th 2011, 6:31 am
#6
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Feb 2005
Location: The Gold Coast, QLD
Posts: 443
Re: Aussie drivers
I think that something like 75% of cars here are automatic which means people dont actually drive, rather point the car roughly in the direction they want to go and proceed completely oblivious to anything going on around them.
In the Uk the proportion is the other way round. With a manual car you at least have to pay some attention and be a little bit more aware.
In Qld at least the authorities really don't care how you drive as long as you are under the speed and alchohol limit. If they did care then driver training would be far more stringent. There would also be some sort of MOT test
Another thing is 4 litre standard car and 200 horsepower with rear wheel drive and 18yr old driver is not really a happy mix.
In the Uk the proportion is the other way round. With a manual car you at least have to pay some attention and be a little bit more aware.
In Qld at least the authorities really don't care how you drive as long as you are under the speed and alchohol limit. If they did care then driver training would be far more stringent. There would also be some sort of MOT test
Another thing is 4 litre standard car and 200 horsepower with rear wheel drive and 18yr old driver is not really a happy mix.
Last edited by neil248; Dec 14th 2011 at 6:37 am.
Dec 14th 2011, 6:32 am
#7
Joined: Oct 2011
Posts: 1,130
Re: Aussie drivers
On balance I would say the NZ drivers are more aggressive than in OZ - they really do have small dick big car syndrome.
Scariest thing in OZ are the Roadtrains - coming across from Alice, you are doing 140k on a cart track, and there is a behemoth coming towards you, at 140k. You have no option but to go onto the gravel at the side of the road. A sphincter tightening experience - perhaps they should offer it as a service to prolapse sufferers.
Scariest thing in OZ are the Roadtrains - coming across from Alice, you are doing 140k on a cart track, and there is a behemoth coming towards you, at 140k. You have no option but to go onto the gravel at the side of the road. A sphincter tightening experience - perhaps they should offer it as a service to prolapse sufferers.
Dec 14th 2011, 6:34 am
#8
Banned
Joined: Jan 2011
Location: The REAL Utopia.
Posts: 9,910
Re: Aussie drivers
Barry Sheene actually referred to Aussie drivers as the worst in the world.
Dec 14th 2011, 6:37 am
#9
Possum. Amiculum. Latrina
Joined: Jan 2011
Location: Footloose
Posts: 3,427
Re: Aussie drivers
I'm an absolutely shite driver as I have the concentration span of a newt so I love driving here. I just jump in my automatic landrover and point - like a cruise missile. I think there's only Oz and Egypt where my driving would be acceptable.
Dec 14th 2011, 6:38 am
#10
Officially Bewildered
Joined: Nov 2006
Location: Blue Mountains, NSW
Posts: 5,523
Re: Aussie drivers
To be honest, I haven't had any problems with drivers in Australia, in either of the places I've lived.
Yes, sometimes they tailgate, but no more than I've experienced elsewhere.
I don't think I've ever had a problem merging, in fact I've commented on how easy it is to merge here as most people I've come across really seem to understand that merging one on one is painless and efficient. I also get acknowledged when I am courteous.
I fully appreciate that my experience is not the same for everyone and that I live in a parallel universe
Yes, sometimes they tailgate, but no more than I've experienced elsewhere.
I don't think I've ever had a problem merging, in fact I've commented on how easy it is to merge here as most people I've come across really seem to understand that merging one on one is painless and efficient. I also get acknowledged when I am courteous.
I fully appreciate that my experience is not the same for everyone and that I live in a parallel universe
Dec 14th 2011, 6:42 am
#12
Joined: Oct 2011
Posts: 1,130
Re: Aussie drivers
To be honest, I haven't had any problems with drivers in Australia, in either of the places I've lived.
Yes, sometimes they tailgate, but no more than I've experienced elsewhere.
I don't think I've ever had a problem merging, in fact I've commented on how easy it is to merge here as most people I've come across really seem to understand that merging one on one is painless and efficient. I also get acknowledged when I am courteous.
I fully appreciate that my experience is not the same for everyone and that I live in a parallel universe
Yes, sometimes they tailgate, but no more than I've experienced elsewhere.
I don't think I've ever had a problem merging, in fact I've commented on how easy it is to merge here as most people I've come across really seem to understand that merging one on one is painless and efficient. I also get acknowledged when I am courteous.
I fully appreciate that my experience is not the same for everyone and that I live in a parallel universe
Dec 14th 2011, 6:54 am
#15
Proudly Deplorable
Joined: May 2003
Location: Alloha snack bar
Posts: 24,246
Re: Aussie drivers
Been over here for 3 months now and love the place. However Aussies must be the rudest/discourteous drivers on the planet. The majority will refuse to slow down to let you in even when giving plenty of notice. Again most will refuse to stop to allow you out of a junction even when the traffic is crawling and most annoyingly if you let them in they simply refuse to acknowledge the favour. A minor gripe but hey have some manners on the roads folks.