Roundabouts.
Nov 27th 2005, 11:12 pm
#46
Account Closed
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 9,316
Re: Roundabouts.
Originally Posted by arkon
True, it is NSW, so just to be correct I'll rephrase it, Australian NSW drivers are worse than UK drivers. There cleared that one up. Its the first thing you really notice when you land here so it just has to be true, Coming out of sydney on the freeway to get on the No.1 EVERY driver was indicating right to go round a right hand bend, I even found myself doing it as I thought they must know something I didn't, I've since found out they don't seem to know what the indicator stick is for and they were all probably thinking it was the switch to wind the windows up and down. I'm the muppet for following them like a sheep.
Nov 27th 2005, 11:43 pm
#47
Fighting my corner
Joined: Aug 2005
Location: Adelaide, South Australia
Posts: 11,948
Re: Roundabouts.
Originally Posted by Stormz
the roads are too wide.
[...]
the roads are too straight.
[...]
there aren`t enough roundabouts (but far too many traffic lights).
[...]
the roads are too straight.
[...]
there aren`t enough roundabouts (but far too many traffic lights).
Aussies are more aggressive drivers: true. Aussies aren't so courteous: true. As an Aussie in Britain, I have been impressed by the level of courtesy shown to me by UK drivers, and I take care to respond in kind.
Having said that...
(1) Aussie roads are big enough for everyone, so you should find it easy enough to get around, regardless of how rude anyone else is being.
(2) British roads are dangerously narrow, and usually crammed with parked cars on either side, pointing in any old direction. A bit like a 3rd World country, really.
(3) Brits do not indicate; not even when changing lanes at 70mph on the motorway.
(4) Brits will beep their horn at you on the slightest pretext - regardless of how carefully you have been driving. They'll let you into a lane, but that's where the courtesy begins and ends.
(5) The Brits will build a roundabout to regulate traffic flow... then defeat the entire purpose of the exercise by putting traffic lights on either side of it - right at the edges, so that anyone stopping for them will block all traffic coming from the other two sides. Result: instant gridlock and complete pandemonium.
(6) Roundabouts and motorways in Britain are frequently clogged with immobile traffic, for the simple reason that this country is hopelessly overpopulated and there are just far too many cars on the road.
It often takes me as long as half an hour to drive 10 miles in this country; back home in Australia, I could do it in 15-20 minutes, maximum.
Nov 28th 2005, 7:35 am
#48
Account Closed
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 9,316
Re: Roundabouts.
Originally Posted by ub40fan
...The latest one this very morning, involving a lorry in the outside lane of a roundabout in Milton Keynes that wanted to go 3/4 of the way round nearly taking out me and three other cars. When he was honked at he was so unconcerned it was laughable!!! And he was not indicating either. ...
Nov 28th 2005, 7:54 am
#49
kelly Slater...mmmmmm
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 304
Re: Roundabouts.
Originally Posted by MartinLuther
As long as he was indicating right on the approach to the roundabout, the highway code allows the lorry to do that. Any cars trying to pass to his right (i.e. centre lane) are in the wrong - even if they do honk their horns.
Nov 28th 2005, 7:58 am
#50
kelly Slater...mmmmmm
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 304
Re: Roundabouts.
Originally Posted by Vash the Stampede
That would set the Australian road system back in time by about 100 years. It would be like driving in Britain.
Aussies are more aggressive drivers: true. Aussies aren't so courteous: true. As an Aussie in Britain, I have been impressed by the level of courtesy shown to me by UK drivers, and I take care to respond in kind.
Having said that...
(1) Aussie roads are big enough for everyone, so you should find it easy enough to get around, regardless of how rude anyone else is being.
(2) British roads are dangerously narrow, and usually crammed with parked cars on either side, pointing in any old direction. A bit like a 3rd World country, really.
(3) Brits do not indicate; not even when changing lanes at 70mph on the motorway.
(4) Brits will beep their horn at you on the slightest pretext - regardless of how carefully you have been driving. They'll let you into a lane, but that's where the courtesy begins and ends.
(5) The Brits will build a roundabout to regulate traffic flow... then defeat the entire purpose of the exercise by putting traffic lights on either side of it - right at the edges, so that anyone stopping for them will block all traffic coming from the other two sides. Result: instant gridlock and complete pandemonium.
(6) Roundabouts and motorways in Britain are frequently clogged with immobile traffic, for the simple reason that this country is hopelessly overpopulated and there are just far too many cars on the road.
It often takes me as long as half an hour to drive 10 miles in this country; back home in Australia, I could do it in 15-20 minutes, maximum.
Aussies are more aggressive drivers: true. Aussies aren't so courteous: true. As an Aussie in Britain, I have been impressed by the level of courtesy shown to me by UK drivers, and I take care to respond in kind.
Having said that...
(1) Aussie roads are big enough for everyone, so you should find it easy enough to get around, regardless of how rude anyone else is being.
(2) British roads are dangerously narrow, and usually crammed with parked cars on either side, pointing in any old direction. A bit like a 3rd World country, really.
(3) Brits do not indicate; not even when changing lanes at 70mph on the motorway.
(4) Brits will beep their horn at you on the slightest pretext - regardless of how carefully you have been driving. They'll let you into a lane, but that's where the courtesy begins and ends.
(5) The Brits will build a roundabout to regulate traffic flow... then defeat the entire purpose of the exercise by putting traffic lights on either side of it - right at the edges, so that anyone stopping for them will block all traffic coming from the other two sides. Result: instant gridlock and complete pandemonium.
(6) Roundabouts and motorways in Britain are frequently clogged with immobile traffic, for the simple reason that this country is hopelessly overpopulated and there are just far too many cars on the road.
It often takes me as long as half an hour to drive 10 miles in this country; back home in Australia, I could do it in 15-20 minutes, maximum.
Nov 28th 2005, 9:12 am
#51
Where I want to be
Joined: Jan 2005
Location: In my own head
Posts: 3,220
Re: Roundabouts.
Originally Posted by MartinLuther
As long as he was indicating right on the approach to the roundabout, the highway code allows the lorry to do that. Any cars trying to pass to his right (i.e. centre lane) are in the wrong - even if they do honk their horns.
Nov 28th 2005, 9:13 am
#52
Where I want to be
Joined: Jan 2005
Location: In my own head
Posts: 3,220
Re: Roundabouts.
Originally Posted by Carkedit
thats right..ever tried driving a lorry in the centre lane going around a roundabout...very difficult!!
Nov 28th 2005, 9:15 am
#53
kelly Slater...mmmmmm
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 304
Re: Roundabouts.
Originally Posted by ub40fan
Not really the point is it? The point is he gave no indication of what he was doing, and he didn't really care that he nearly took out other road users.
Nov 28th 2005, 9:18 am
#54
Where I want to be
Joined: Jan 2005
Location: In my own head
Posts: 3,220
Re: Roundabouts.
Originally Posted by Carkedit
never said it was the point..just stated that you cant drive a bloody big truck around the centre of a roundabout
Nov 28th 2005, 9:19 am
#55
kelly Slater...mmmmmm
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 304
Re: Roundabouts.
Originally Posted by ub40fan
If he can't get in the right lane, for whatever reason, the least he could do is indicate, or wait till traffic has moved out of the way to go round or even apologise for trying to kill me.
Nov 28th 2005, 6:22 pm
#56
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Jun 2004
Location: Mountain Creek, Sunshine Coast
Posts: 1,643
Re: Roundabouts.
Sorry to disagree, we are just back from OZ and I found the drivers to be better than UK drivers, didn't see any hoons or bad roundabout behavior.
Can anyone tell me where these perfect UK drivers live? I've travelled all over the UK and I haven't found them yet
Also the sausages / bacon was nice, the shops were as good if not better than the UK.
Can anyone tell me where these perfect UK drivers live? I've travelled all over the UK and I haven't found them yet
Also the sausages / bacon was nice, the shops were as good if not better than the UK.
Nov 28th 2005, 6:59 pm
#57
Account Closed
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 9,316
Re: Roundabouts.
Originally Posted by ub40fan
I did say he was NOT indicating!
Nov 28th 2005, 9:06 pm
#58
Banned
Joined: Apr 2003
Location: Angle vale Sth Australia
Posts: 5,353
Re: Roundabouts.
Originally Posted by kevinbloomfield
Sorry to disagree, we are just back from OZ and I found the drivers to be better than UK drivers, didn't see any hoons or bad roundabout behavior.
Can anyone tell me where these perfect UK drivers live? I've travelled all over the UK and I haven't found them yet
Also the sausages / bacon was nice, the shops were as good if not better than the UK.
Can anyone tell me where these perfect UK drivers live? I've travelled all over the UK and I haven't found them yet
Also the sausages / bacon was nice, the shops were as good if not better than the UK.
mm
Nov 28th 2005, 9:16 pm
#59
Up The Arse!!
Joined: May 2003
Location: Maslins
Posts: 3,425
Re: Roundabouts.
Originally Posted by Grayling
What is it with Australians and roundabouts?
I actually had to stop on one in Glenelg a few days ago as someone was coming round the wrong way
Most people (in South Australia anyway) don't seem to have a clue what to do.
My son's girlfriend is a police Officer in Adelaide and told me that it is actually quite a problem.
Just as well there are not many of them.
G
I actually had to stop on one in Glenelg a few days ago as someone was coming round the wrong way
Most people (in South Australia anyway) don't seem to have a clue what to do.
My son's girlfriend is a police Officer in Adelaide and told me that it is actually quite a problem.
Just as well there are not many of them.
G
it`s a bloody filter lane FFS!!!! so filter yeah
Nov 28th 2005, 9:31 pm
#60
Breast Inspector
Joined: Feb 2005
Location: On the road
Posts: 1,770
Re: Roundabouts.
Originally Posted by Carkedit
yeah but he is a truck driver..how many truck drivers do you know that are courteous to other drivers?
I'm 1 and there are plenty of others out there.
ZX....
