Observations of life in Australia
 

1. Other motorists rarely let you out into the traffic.
2. Getting car parking in busy parking lots is very much a survival of the fittest exercise.
3. Aussies seem more clumsy - or at least all who have delivered furniture to our house over the last few days have been.

Re: Observations of life in Australia
 

Welcome to Oz!

Here in VIC people are very friendly until they get behind the wheel of a car. They either turn into complete idots or the devil himself.

Yes, car parking is a hoot here! They will sit and wait 5 mins for someone to vacate a space near the shops rather than driving a few hundred yards (sorry meters) to a vacant spot.

Not sure about clumsy deliverymen but we recently had a sofa delivered, they unwrapped it and put it in it's place and then said sorry mate we don't take the packaging away....great which then filled up our garage until we could get it in our unbelievably small wheelie bin.

Apart from that hope everything else is okay!

Re: Observations of life in Australia
 

Replace Australia with Nottingham and it would sound will familiar:lol:

Re: Observations of life in Australia
 

Ah but think how much easier life is these days with the red and green lights over parking spots in the Canberra Centre - you didnt know it in the hard old days when fighting for a parking spot was a black belt martial art.

People have told you about the lack of courtesy in traffic, surely, it is well known iconic Aussie behaviour. It'll be a cold day in h*ll before a Canberra driver either lets you in or acknowledges that you have let them in (if you get let in by a Fiesta that will probably be me!)

Re: Observations of life in Australia
 

Once Australians get going they like to keep going..we find living on the easy roads around here it is quite annoying to stop so I can see how this tendency develops. In London the traffic was so bad there was no other way than to grudgingly let someone in.

Having said that I find now I drive to work that there is acknowledgement.
Personally, I always acknowledge - London style - with an emphatic hand up in front of the rear mirror to a driver behind or in front. It might make someone else's day better even if they don't repay the compliment - but I find some do.

Re: Observations of life in Australia
 

I guess we have to expect things to be different. And after all, isn't that part of the reason that we are here? :D

I did battle with two other motorists the other day over one parking spot. :blink:

When the washing machine arrived the delivery men couldn't get it in through the laundry door because of the packaging and said "We can't get it in so we'll leave it here, mate" - blocking the hallway to the bedrooms completely. Before I could hit the roof wifey (she's a real honey sometimes :wub:) quickly told them that the sales people agreed that the machine would be installed by them. I can't remember whether they said that or not but she's not one to lie so they must have. The delivery men reluctantly fitted it without further ado. :thumbup:

Is the Canberra Centre where the Dendy Cinema is located? If it is then we fell foul of that place the night that there was tons of rain (our first week in Canberra - I think you were circling overhead at the time :)). We went to see a movie and when it was finished all the doors leading to the car park were locked. Took us half an hour to find a security guard to let us in so that we could leave. :frown: I subsequently heard that Dendy is one of most expensive cinemas in Canberra so we definately wont go there again. Another observation is the tendency of planners to have several multi-story car parks together so that you get easily confused with where you parked your car. Beconnen Mall (I forget the name of it) is one. The car park at Dendy is even worse: different car parks on different floors :huh:

That could be one reason but I see that even in heavy traffic they still don't often let you out. I always acknowlege too. Likewise with zebra crossings. Some of the road/lane layouts are a bit weird but I'll get used to those.

Another observation: The electronic fly zappers don't seem to work. :thumbdown: Two flies which got into the house have been taunting us since yesterday afternoon, even landing on top of the zapper :sneaky: ...Returning it today.

Re: Observations of life in Australia
 

All these niggles, but you DO get used to them all. It's definately a complete culture shock at first - especially drivers, they are the worst, and I couldn't get my head around the lack of driving courtesy (still can't) but you adapt, shrug and get on with it.

:D:unsure:

Re: Observations of life in Australia
 

I have honestly not noticed any difference in the number of people who let me into traffic in Melbourne or London. It's not something I would have ever commented on or thought about if it wasn't for threads like this one.

I do notice more tailgating and lunatic hi-revving acceleration here though.

BB

Re: Observations of life in Australia
 

Sydney Rd, Lygon St, Brunswick St, and Johnston St, wouldn't function at all if people didnt let you in. You can always tell the people that dont come from around here, as they are the ones that dont give way to people, Especially pulling out from car parking spot into a perpetual line of traffic adjacent to Traffic Lights.

.

Re: Observations of life in Australia
 

I find they tend to stick to the road rules regarding right of way here, hence they may not let you out. If they're on that road and you're waiting to enter it, then they have right of way and probably don't even think about it.

I didn't notice any difference when I went back to the UK though :confused: Only very few let me in over there as well.

As for car parking spaces Paul, general rule is if you indicate into it then it's yours :D make sure you indicate as soon as you see it :sneaky:

And if someone flashes you whilst coming from the opposite direction, it usually means there's a mobile speed camera close by ;)

Re: Observations of life in Australia
 

I had a freezer delivered a short while ago, the delivery men unpacked it, removed the packing cardboard, taking it with them, and even plugged the freezer in to check it was operating before they left.

I'll be having a new washing machine delivered soon (I think) as ours was just making a very weird noise, and I think it is dying. I wonder if I will get the same good service.

Observations of life... some people do things right, some do them wrong, in all countries. In our own country we rarely really notice, but in a new country we tend to notice these things much more.

Re: Observations of life in Australia
 

Especially relevant at Christmas time.... I was at the shops today, and especially noticed this for the first time in 12 months .... :lol:

My daughter commented on the speed at which the other drivers jumped into the spaces, and told me to indicate sooner....

Re: Observations of life in Australia
 

I think on the whole Australians have more of a "can do "attitude.
Here's an example.In the pub last night,standing at the bar this guy elbowed his way past me and just before I pulled him he said"sorry mate I've got to out of here my mate's just shit himself"
I looked over to his mate and noticed a wet brown stain leaching it's way through his King G's.
He had shit himself!!! but I have to admire a man who can stand at the bar and finish his beer with a pile of shit in his pants.
I moved to the other side of the bar with the rest of the patrons in hot pursuit.

Re: Observations of life in Australia
 

I always do the hand thing too when acknowledging somebody has let me in, though it is rare to find here..........

Although I didn't drive in the UK I was in the passenger seat on many an ocassion and remember remarking to my sister how polite the drivers were over there............mind you I live in Sydney and at the time my sister lived in a small town..........maybe that's the difference???

Re: Observations of life in Australia
 

I used to drive a lot in London, and when driving out in the small country towns, I recall thinking the same about how polite the drivers were.

When I first arrived in Sydney, in 1986, I considered it somewhere between the two. Sydney has however become more busy, whilst London probably hasn't.