Oz: Perception of distance
 

Found myself thinking about the perception of distances in Oz.

In the UK I live within 45 mins drive of one of the UK’s most vibrant seaside towns.
If someone told me they wanted to move to the UK and loved the seaside I wouldn’t suggest that they moved to my area.
I’d tell them to go and live within 10 minutes of the sea.

Yet in Oz people will say this is a great area and only 45 mins to the beach.

(Feel free to insert all puns regarding the comparison of the UK and Oz beach here).

It still amuses me whilst I’m visiting my relatives in Oz that occasionally one will ask if anyone would like any donuts because they’ll nip out and get some.
They’ll nip out and be gone for an hour! My relatives do not bat an eye lid.
Nipping out to me is walking down the road to the shops!

Same for commuting distances.
Commutes of an hour plus seem far more acceptable in the Oz city psyche than they do in the UK.

I understand the why, big country, cheap petrol etc (same mind set in the US).

I guess I’m wondering when does the switch flick for Brits moving to Oz?
When do you go from “there’s no way I’ll drive 30 mins to buy my favourite brand of cheese” to “get off the highway ‘cos here comes my 4x4”.

Is there anyone out there still suffering with the distances or anyone like to say how long it takes to embrace the Ozzie mind-set on this one?

Re: Oz: Perception of distance
 

Takes me 45-60 mins to commute to work now....5-10 in the UK. About the same distance from the beach, but have been more times here. Wouldn't think twice about driving 1.5-2hrs for a day out now. Cost me $50 to fill the car up today....

I've been here 4 months, so I guess I've got that mind set pretty quickly.

Re: Oz: Perception of distance
 

Can't comment on commute times, but it's around 3277Km great circle from Sydney to Perth compared with 2508Km London to Moscow or 3520Km London to Cairo.

Biggish place!

Re: Oz: Perception of distance
 

I do miss having mates just up the road and popping in. My friends are mostly 30 mins + away.

Also, cabs can be very expensive for nights out given we're 10ish kms from the city.

Re: Oz: Perception of distance
 

I commute 3 hours a day in the UK and it's certainly high up there on my "better life" list to reduce this on moving to Oz.

Worries me that anyone complaining of a 3 hour commute in Oz though would be seen as a soft whinging pom!

Re: Oz: Perception of distance
 

My parents in the UK keep forgetting the massive difference in size between the UK and Oz. When they are here they make comments about 'popping up to Townsville', or maybe a drive to Cairns for the weekend.

They look at a map and go 'oh, that looks about the distance of Glasgow to London'... :rolleyes:

***look at the scale of the map***

I still think 1 hour is a long commute by car, and anything further than 5 minutes from the beach, means you are not on the coast.

JTL

Re: Oz: Perception of distance
 

We consider 4 hours to be within easy distance for things here for a day trip but would have stopped overnight in UK if somewhere was 2 hours away.

Journey to work twice as long here for both me and my husband but would say we are getting out and about here in general more than UK for all sorts of stuff as we'd done all the intersting UK places nearby.

Re: Oz: Perception of distance
 

It's amazing how quick you adapt though. The company I work for has a very strict driving policy - no mobile phone use including hands free while driving and you must take a 15 minute break every 2 hours,
failure to comply is Instant dismissal !
I did a 5 hour drive + 2 stops for coffee today ( Melbourne to Swan Hill) just to quote for some work and back home again tonight :eek:

It beats working for a living :D

Re: Oz: Perception of distance
 

When I first came out here, I had a friend from the UK phone me up in the middle of the night and tell me he was coming to Australia. He was visiting Perth and Darwin and that we should meet up. Not bad since I was living in Canberra. He had no idea how far apart these cities are.

Barney:thumbup:

Re: Oz: Perception of distance
 

Remember that driving in Oz is a hundred percent more pleasurable than the UK,

It rarely pisses down, never has "major roadworks ahead - expect delays" or has fifty thousand people all trying to use the North Circular ring road at the same time! :mad:

Re: Oz: Perception of distance
 

Takes me around 40 mins to get to work now and hubby uses public transport and takes him 1hour 30 mins each way:eek: Use to be only 10 mins to work.

Re: Oz: Perception of distance
 

Do people really want too compare

25 min crammed in like sardines tube journey to a 40 min door to door AC controlled car journey?


In my case 2 hour commute one way in UK (Leave at 5am arrive 7am to work, Depart 7pm arrive home 9pm)

In Oz leave 8.58 arrive 9.25 (after school drop off)

Re: Oz: Perception of distance
 

One advantage of having an Aussie view of distance is that when you go home for a holiday you can do a hell of a lot! Last month we drove about 2500 miles and didnt really make an effort. I'd think nothing of driving from Cambridge to Edinburgh for a couple of days and actually I did enjoy driving in UK immensely - the variation in scenery over 100 miles was just awesome. When you are on holiday even the traffic jams arent an issue cos it just gives you more time to contemplate the gorgeous scenery. Contrast that with the 5+ hour drive to my granddaughter's birthday party at the weekend with very little variation in scenery and a good deal of it along dirt roads - nah.

Re: Oz: Perception of distance
 

OMG when you put it like that...:blink::blink:

Re: Oz: Perception of distance
 

exactly my view. Driving in OZ (westcoast) from A to B is the most boring experience I made in my life. Absolutely nothing to see, half dead trees and that for hours.