Roads & Driving In Australia

[DJ]

Just what ive experienced so far whist living here.

Personally I haven't driven yet (yeah Im crying too) but that should change soon but I thought Id point out some things that are different over here if anyone was intrested, and most of them are for crap tbh.

Also like to say (at the moment) I didn't really appreciate what I had in NZ, being able to be driving distance from whenever I was, having a nice car that stood out a bit, the quality and price of Japanese cars, peoples diving habits and the honestly of the common New Zealaner bloke.

- Roads and highways over here, even busy ones are in really sh*thouse condition, potholes, bumps, re-payments everywhere. I missed the nice smooth roads I remember driving on, especially the southern motorway at 100 and a (lot) k's.

- People cannot drive for crap over here (when wonder why NZ's drive/death rate is higher). People love to run red lights and not indicate everywhere over here, its pretty poor. Im not sure if theres more hoons but most weekend nights like tonight (im not far from a road) I can hear them in the distance. Also alot of people in a rush it seems. Watched a falcon go in and out of traffic today.

- Ive seen like 2 AE111's, not one AE101 or AE92, about half a dozen AE86's and like 3 AW11's. Sigh I miss cheap common sporty Japanese cars. If its not Australian or Korean then its clusterf**k expensive. Someone find me something nice

- Insurance is like NZ, but twice as expensive, and compulsory (3rd party). People aren't as honest when selling cars too.

- I couldn't even get my full license, since the day I got my full registered was less then 3 years, they wouldn't let me and would have to go on a P plate, so im going to have to wait till the 1st Nov to get it. And its $45 bucks a year to have a license. ffs.

Actually im struggling to see anything better in terms of cars & driving over here than in NZ. uh... You can do 110kph on the freeway and thats about it, not that I've been on one yet. Lots of expensive cars to gaggle over however. I see countless porsches everyday. Even an Exige up at the shops like 3min walk away.
However I'm not complaining at the $1.15c/l petrol price.

Tho soon if I get a nice job, maybe a nice car will make up for it in the long run.

[Chelles]

I've lived in Aussie myself and I tend to agree with most of what you say there. When do get to the open roads watch for Emu's and Roo's because they mess you and the car you are up in a whole different way!!

However I will give Perth top points for being a great place to live and the roads and drivers seem to be much better than their east counterparts.

Come home You know it's better here

[Mr Revhead]

yep i nearly moved to aussis instead of welly

what put me off was the cost of owning the type of car im used to.
at the time my ae101 levin was worth about 3k here. over there, 10-13k

[Mad Murphy]

- Roads and highways over here, even busy ones are in really sh*thouse condition, potholes, bumps, re-payments everywhere. I missed the nice smooth roads I remember driving on, especially the southern motorway at 100 and a (lot) k's.

Where are these smooth roads here? I'm yet to find them. I can't think of a single road in Christchurch (or anywhere else in the south island) that fits that bill for more than about 10 seconds after its built.

[no_8wire]

- I couldn't even get my full license, since the day I got my full registered was less then 3 years, they wouldn't let me and would have to go on a P plate, so im going to have to wait till the 1st Nov to get it. And its $45 bucks a year to have a license. ffs.

Someone should have gotten their international license from the AA before they left

Cant you just use your NZ license for a year 1st?

[Quirky]

I'm moving to Aussie (Brisbane) next year to further my studies in an Australian uni (don't ask why in Aus) but just wondering, i have a Full License in New Zealand, but I'm 17 years old (ill be 18 by the time i move over) is it possible to transfer the NZ Full License to the Aus alternative of Full?
Or am i going to have to start again ?
I understand you have to be 18 to get your learners anyway?

*ive just read, i think the first post answers my question...*

[Luke28]

Dj how long have you been living in Australia?? i lived there for 18 years and from what i seen the roads are alot better then the ones in new zealand. im talking about the main roads not the outback dirt trails lol..cars are alot more expensive, and i had never even heard of a toyota levin untill i moved to new zealand and brought one lol

[Alex B]

Weird, all the times ive been to ozzy ive found the drivers far more curtious than nz, plus drivers actualy stick to the speed limits.

[Voodoo]

- Roads and highways over here, even busy ones are in really sh*thouse condition, potholes, bumps, re-payments everywhere. I missed the nice smooth roads I remember driving on, especially the southern motorway at 100 and a (lot) k's.

Where are these smooth roads here? I'm yet to find them. I can't think of a single road in Christchurch (or anywhere else in the south island) that fits that bill for more than about 10 seconds after its built.

i agree , ...maybe nsw has bad roads(acually well they do, as soon as u leave qld and hit nsw ..potholes and bumps everywhere lol) , but ive found alot of roads here way better than at home, condition wise that is, driving habits on the other hand, im sure alot of aussie are not sure what a indicator is

reg'n a car here is bloody expensive (well depends of the size of the engine) , but it does include third party , but as u dont need a warrent (only when selling a car) thats one less thing to worry about

[Voodoo]

- I couldn't even get my full license, since the day I got my full registered was less then 3 years, they wouldn't let me and would have to go on a P plate, so im going to have to wait till the 1st Nov to get it. And its $45 bucks a year to have a license. ffs.

Someone should have gotten their international license from the AA before they left

Cant you just use your NZ license for a year 1st?

6 months

[Bling]

I actually thought the opposite of drivers and the road condition, did around 2500km last trip over there and roads seemed WAY better than chch roads, no comparision pot hole wise.

I did notice that people hardly ever indicate tho as you say DJ, but you soon adjust your driving to suit that and assume they are going to cross your path so just react accordingly.

I miss aussie roads 8 lane highways for hours on end

[edwagon]

I actually thought the opposite of drivers and the road condition, did around 2500km last trip over there and roads seemed WAY better than chch roads, no comparision pot hole wise.

I did notice that people hardly ever indicate tho as you say DJ, but you soon adjust your driving to suit that and assume they are going to cross your path so just react accordingly.

I miss aussie roads 8 lane highways for hours on end

I have driven extensivly in Victoria, and found the roads excellent - wide, long and in great condition. I can see why big, wallowy 6cyl cars with 2.5:1 diff ratios are popular over there!
We did a non stop canberra-bendigo trip via the kusiosco nat park and saw several convoys of disguised proto-type cars doing testing up in the mountains
Pity we were in a loose old laser which decided to start overheating on the 40degree day so it was heaters on, windows down.

[Voodoo]

i just noticed your in sydney , no wonder the gripe

[DJ]

- I couldn't even get my full license, since the day I got my full registered was less then 3 years, they wouldn't let me and would have to go on a P plate, so im going to have to wait till the 1st Nov to get it. And its $45 bucks a year to have a license. ffs.

Someone should have gotten their international license from the AA before they left

Cant you just use your NZ license for a year 1st?

6 months

3 months actually from what Ive heard. Runs out next week. (been here 10 weeks or so).

I remember perths roads where a lot better tho, maybe its just a NSW thing. 6/8 lane freeways ftw thou.

Also car parks on the side of the road are just really poorly thought out, they just use the inside lane randomly. So it pays not to drive in it.

Also got a job lined up, so its car hunting time! Sigh.

[Voodoo]

opps yeah, my bad, been awhile since i changed mine over


$45 for a licence for a year that gets 3 years worth in Qld

[MrOizo]

I remember perths roads where a lot better tho, maybe its just a NSW thing. 6/8 lane freeways ftw thou.

SH20 is getting the 8 lane treatment thats as soon as the duplicate mangere bridge is built tho. not going to be that long but still 8 lanes

[Leon]

We did the Gold Coast holiday visit thing, and rented a car. I found the drivers really aggressive, with lots of lane changing carving through traffic, suicidal tendencies at roundabouts.

Good roads mostly, though still prone to massive sections of roadworks on every route between a and b, which meant we spent quite a bit of time sitting in traffic.

[barryogen]

Older japanese cars arnt that more expensive there than here.

- Ive seen like 2 AE111's, not one AE101 or AE92, about half a dozen AE86's and like 3 AW11's. Sigh :( I miss cheap common sporty Japanese cars. If its not Australian or Korean then its clusterf**k expensive. Someone find me something nice :|

heh... you should have listened... :)

Older(early 90s) auto supras seem to be cheap enough... other than that, grab a commy, although on P plates, be careful of the engine output etc or you'll be well over the limits imposed.

[DJ]

Older japanese cars arnt that more expensive there than here.

- Ive seen like 2 AE111's, not one AE101 or AE92, about half a dozen AE86's and like 3 AW11's. Sigh I miss cheap common sporty Japanese cars. If its not Australian or Korean then its clusterf**k expensive. Someone find me something nice

heh... you should have listened...

Older(early 90s) auto supras seem to be cheap enough... other than that, grab a commy, although on P plates, be careful of the engine output etc or you'll be well over the limits imposed.

Shutup.
I've got something lined up and may have it tomorrow.

[DR]

Weird, all the times ive been to ozzy ive found the drivers far more curtious than nz, plus drivers actualy stick to the speed limits.

2nd

I was in Melbourne recently for the MotoGP and was driving back and forth to phillip island Every one and i mean EVERYONE stuck to the 100 k limit, It was eerie.

Though apparently the cops will sting you for going over a few k. Unlike here where you can get away with ~10k