First winter back

[CaptainR]

13 hours ago, bristolman said:

I have never found it causes confusion, I love the fact that drivers here are so courteous. I'm not sure how politeness can be a pet hate lol. On the rare occasion someone did it in Australia my wife used to say they must be English lol. Give me courteous polite drivers anyway. 

Have a look at the dash cam videos online, you'd be surprised how many accidents it does cause. Also a few articles online about it. The road rules are there to provide clarity until a good samaritan changes that by making up their own rules

[Gbye grey sky]

On 15/11/2017 at 00:12, LKC said:

To be fair, some of the boys at school are still wearing shorts, and it is far colder than that up here!  

In our primary school in the 1960s shorts was the school uniform all year round so unsurprising that boys wear shorts in the autumn.

[Toots]

1 hour ago, Gbye grey sky said:

In our primary school in the 1960s shorts was the school uniform all year round so unsurprising that boys wear shorts in the autumn.

Yes, my brother and all his little mates wore shorts all year round to school until they started high school.  

[Parley]

I used to suffer from chilblains in the UK.

They are really horrible. I don't think I could put up with that again.

[bristolman]

6 hours ago, CaptainR said:

Have a look at the dash cam videos online, you'd be surprised how many accidents it does cause. Also a few articles online about it. The road rules are there to provide clarity until a good samaritan changes that by making up their own rules

Well yes you can find dashcam videos of people going through red lights, give way signs, bad overtaking etc etc. In all my time here I have never once seen politeness go wrong. I love the politeness and courtesy on the road, it's very refreshing after years of driving in Australia where it is every man (and woman) for themselves. I know which one I prefer. 

[Quoll]

3 minutes ago, bristolman said:

Well yes you can find dashcam videos of people going through red lights, give way signs, bad overtaking etc etc. In all my time here I have never once seen politeness go wrong. I love the politeness and courtesy on the road, it's very refreshing after years of driving in Australia where it is every man (and woman) for themselves. I know which one I prefer. 

I agree.  There are times when I know I could have let someone in but was driving like an Australian and didnt.  Could really kick myself when I find I am doing that.  On my last trip, I was polite to one chap and he looked like he could have kissed me, his thanks were profuse! I think he had been waiting for some time.  

[bristolman]

2 minutes ago, Quoll said:

I agree.  There are times when I know I could have let someone in but was driving like an Australian and didnt.  Could really kick myself when I find I am doing that.  On my last trip, I was polite to one chap and he looked like he could have kissed me, his thanks were profuse! I think he had been waiting for some time.  

I occassionally find i slip into bad habits and yes i beat myself up about it but i learn by it lol. 

[Gbye grey sky]

1 minute ago, bristolman said:

Well yes you can find dashcam videos of people going through red lights, give way signs, bad overtaking etc etc. In all my time here I have never once seen politeness go wrong. I love the politeness and courtesy on the road, it's very refreshing after years of driving in Australia where it is every man (and woman) for themselves. I know which one I prefer. 

Driver courtesy is definitely in short supply here.  One key difference here is that flashing your headlights means police speed trap ahead.....and literally nothing else.  Making eye contact with another driver is problemmatic too as we are all wearing shades in the daytime.

That said I have found that if you signal to change lanes people are more likely to allow you over than they were in Surrey and there is almost no aggressive use of the horn where I live (though I know that Sydney is different).

I did a fair amount of driving on the continent and there was very little courtesy on the road in most of Europe too.  Personally I do not have an issue at all with driving here, I just drive like a local essentially.

[bristolman]

3 minutes ago, Gbye grey sky said:

Driver courtesy is definitely in short supply here.  One key difference here is that flashing your headlights means police speed trap ahead.....and literally nothing else.  Making eye contact with another driver is problemmatic too as we are all wearing shades in the daytime.

That said I have found that if you signal to change lanes people are more likely to allow you over than they were in Surrey and there is almost no aggressive use of the horn where I live (though I know that Sydney is different).

I did a fair amount of driving on the continent and there was very little courtesy on the road in most of Europe too.  Personally I do not have an issue at all with driving here, I just drive like a local essentially.

Unfortunately I fell into the trap of driving like a local as well, no courtesy, no politeness and I didn't like it. Driving in either direction from where we were either into Brisbane or down the Gold Coast was at times frightening, the crazy tailgating, changing lanes without warning, the slowest cars travelling in the right lane and these were often trucks, no-one at all in the left lanes. There are things I miss but driving isn't one of them. 

[Gbye grey sky]

7 minutes ago, bristolman said:

Unfortunately I fell into the trap of driving like a local as well, no courtesy, no politeness and I didn't like it. Driving in either direction from where we were either into Brisbane or down the Gold Coast was at times frightening, the crazy tailgating, changing lanes without warning, the slowest cars travelling in the right lane and these were often trucks, no-one at all in the left lanes. There are things I miss but driving isn't one of them. 

Ha ha.  I know what you mean.....but then I had the M25.  That prepares you for anything.

[bristolman]

1 hour ago, Gbye grey sky said:

Ha ha.  I know what you mean.....but then I had the M25.  That prepares you for anything.

I'm not sure anythjng prepares you for the trip to the Gold Coast lol

[Parley]

12 hours ago, Gbye grey sky said:

Driver courtesy is definitely in short supply here.  One key difference here is that flashing your headlights means police speed trap ahead.....and literally nothing else.  

 

Maybe because it is illegal here to flash your lights for no reason.

I always wave to drivers and 90% of the time get a wave back.

If you are courtious to others you get a thank you back.

Don't expect courtesy if you aren't giving it yourself.

[bristolman]

3 minutes ago, Parley said:

Maybe because it is illegal here to flash your lights for no reason.

I always wave to drivers and 90% of the time get a wave back.

If you are courtious to others you get a thank you back.

Don't expect courtesy if you aren't giving it yourself.

You're English so being a courteous driver is inbuilt. 

[grizzly111]

I often find myself having to check my speedo. Not because of the proliferation of speed cameras but due to the continual tailgating (especially by big 4WDs) that make me question whether my right foot angle is correct.