honeybob

For all the wrong reasons today, I skipped down my drive, huge grin on my 'vengence is mine' face, not caring about the builders opposite whom probably think i'm a whack job...

driving down joondalup drive, when this car comes speeding up my backside... it's a 70 kph limit... he could easily have overtaken, but no, that would be too easy, what is it with drivers over here?

who ever it was on here who said something like, 'the faster you go, the slower i drive', or something to that effect, cheers, because i stuck to it! he pulled up beside my car and started swearing and giving me the finger.... normally i wouldn't give a shit, but my daughter was crying by this time... still stuck to 70 and he sped past, he must have been doing 100 kph at least.... by this time i felt a bit peed off and a bit shaky...

and then i was so happy, a police car just pulled out of 'collier pass', lights flashing, foot down, straight after the moron... i was whooping for joy, like a complete moron myself, if i'd had a cigar i would have took up smoking...

i never thought that out of all the problems you face as a migrant, driving would become my main gripe, forget the weather, spiders, lack of 'decent' gravy granules at coles (husband's new complaint), my advice is to prepare for the driving out here... I've driven in a few places, london, france, italy, germany, but nothing compares to aussie driving, where does the kindness and consideration go? especially when people can see you have children in the car!

oh, and i've witnessed a few episodes of 'drink driving' here, is this common?

bob

TopCat3

I find it's getting worse. Yesterday I had a real near-miss when a big 4WD cut across me as I overtook a stationary beer barrel delivery truck on my way to work. Just pulled out across me, I braked hard, how he didn't take my front end with him I don't know. I don't normally do the horn thing, but I let him have it for the next 10 seconds or so. They do this to little Holden Barinas, Ford Festivas and the like. I have 2 or 3 cut-ups most mornings but this was the most aggressive, two-fingers-to-you-little-lady I've had in a long time. This was on Lower N. Shore Sydney. :scared: Re drink driving, yes it's very common and I don't know the stats (I'm sure someone on here will pull them up for you) but it's a high (if not the highest) cause of road death hence the obsession every holiday with road toll figures by state and the prevalence of the "booze busses" (random breathalyser). Stay safe!

JayDeee

Yep much much much more common here than in the UK, especially in the country

When did you get here, I haven;t seen you round for a bit.

Kala

honeybob

hi kala, got here 3 months ago, was looking at your place on the map the other day, how you doing? I've been popping in from time to time but not posting much at the minute, spending so much time finding my feet... was thinking of you though following the spider bite fiasco, the lengths you'll go to for a new washer!

back on topic, the 'drink driving' situation i have witnessed three times now and these are educated people! What do you do? I think, they think, that i am being 'funny' when i discreetly insist on calling a cab and leaving my car or whatever... one person, even got in the car with their child for god's sake, they seemed sober, but they had definitely had 3 - 4 glasses of white wine! What do you do? I had to bite my tongue, my husband just looked at me and shook his head, we didn't know what to say, it was really awkward... they said 'everybody' did it, find that hard to believe...

what is the 'limit' over here for driving? i don't drink when i have the car, at all, saves any worries...

bob

michellemac

Hilarious! I am really dreading going back for the driving though - the thing that ANNOYS THE CR*AP OUT OF ME though is lane hogs - especially on the freeway in southern suburbs of Perth! ARGH! Doing 95kmphs on the Fwy is just about forgivable for those who can't cope with the massive speeds of 100kmph (!!) but in the outside/fast lane when there are only two lanes??! I drives me MENTAL every time I am in Perth!

I am surprised about the drink driving thing - I know it's still quite common amongst the "older" generation (i.e 50s+) but with the much higher chances of being caught in Perth (compared to the UK where I've never seen, for example, a roadside RBT in 10 years, nor ever been stopped and randomly tested which happened more than once in Perth when I lived there last) I am surprised about it being so common?!

Michelle

zx10r_aus

Sounds like Glasgow.

JayDeee

Ahh you'l have to pop in if you are ever heading up north of the big city.

I'm afraid there is nothing you can do, I have seen parents allowing there 17 yr old kids dirve V8 utes back from parties in the country after drinking a lot with them (by a lot I mean at least 8 stubbies). It made me so angry but they just think it is ok. The sad thing is only a dead kid might change there minds.

Hope you are enjoying it all down there.

Take
care
Kala

Soi Oz

In Perth - 0.05 to 0.08 is a fine.

0.08 to 0.15 (I think) is driving under the influence (DUI) - an automatic 3 month disqualification for the first offence.

Over 0.15 is drunk driving (DD) - an automatic 6 month suspension for a first offence. Both DUI and DD get you arrested.

Depending upon the size and the metabolism of the drinker and the time taken to consume them, 3-4 glasses of white wine may not have been enough to put the drinker over the limit. Cheers

honeybob

At least Glasgow has a 'Habitat'!!!!

All of the 'drink drivers' I have witnessed so far have been under 50, in their 30's actually or thereabouts.... one of them is a physio, someone who you would think would have a bit of intelligence, obviously not as i pointed out to him the next day and he just said everyone does it!

It's something i had no real idea about until i came to live here..

bob

Soi Oz

It isn't common! People on here seem to be implying that it is 'more' common than in the UK, but I haven't seen any stats to back those claims up. Maybe the detection rate is higher in Oz.

I'm with you on right lane hogs though, that drives me nuts too. Mind you, NOTHING I see in Perth compares to my daily commute to work here in Bangkok. Perth drivers are saints compared to these guys.

honeybob

Hi Kala,

seriously gave it some thought about popping into see you last weekend! Think it's just part of the migration process but husband was driving me mad at the weekend and thought a long drive would do me the world of good.... I'll remember to pack a pinny and give you a hand with the cleaning of course...

The whole drink driving thing is going to just piss me off, not only are you putting up with aggressive drivers but you don't know if they've been drinking too!!! And as for watching people i really like and care for drink driving, if I stand back and say nothing, what does that make me? Spineless!

bob...

michellemac

Thanks for that because I didn't *think* it was (that's why I was surprised iyswim?) - I certianly never noticed it amongst my friends and family on my numerous trips back but was unsure of whether I had my rose-tinteds on.

Michelle

JayDeee

It's a bit more of a long drive (about 4.5 hrs) but if you ever wanna get away for a weekend or whatever just drop me a PM, you are more than welcome, we can sit in the lounge with the heater or the pub of course slagging our blokes off and obviously there is always a spare bed here.

Got my 1st Tupperware party 2moro AGHHHH I'm gonna be a country housewife before I know it at this rate.

Kala

tommytriggs

reminds me of the time i said to my mate, "is that car coming towards us on our side of the road"? wernt a simple mistake either, was a duel carrageway......lol, aussie drivers.

zx10r_aus

Tupperware party!!!! I'm after a beetroot container.