Guest 5x4_inches Posted June 8, 2009 Share Posted June 8, 2009 If the drivers don't get you the roadkill will! Just took a trip up to the Pilbarra on the Great Northern Highway in WA, if you want to stay alive DON'T EVER DRIVE ON THIS ROAD AT NIGHT! The road is littered with the bodies of things mangled by road trains (road trains do 100 km/h and stop for nothing). If you are lucky, the bodies will have been knocked to the side of the road - however, its just as likely that it will have been swatted into your lane by a road train coming in the opposite direction. Oh, and by roadkill I don't mean the badgers, hedgehogs and foxes you get in the UK, you get the remains of full grown kangaroos and cattle to smash into and bounce you into the path of an oncomming road train (did I mention they stop for nothing)! Its nice driving up there during the day though, and you get to see lots of wedge tailed eagles, buzzards and vultures that drop in for the feast of carrion by the side road...and you can drive for hours without seeing a single metalic blue or green ute with lowered suspension! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest 5x4_inches Posted June 8, 2009 Share Posted June 8, 2009 Oooh! Just seen the 'car versus kangaroo' post on Chewing the Fat - illustrates the point nicely. Not for the squeemish though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest siamsusie Posted June 8, 2009 Share Posted June 8, 2009 5 x 4, and thats where we live,(when I am back there) and its not just the night time, those huge critters come out during the day as well as the utes with lowered suspensions as well lol. I have to say the logging road trains scare me more over east. Having said that the Pilbara is dramatic and wild with the most amazing scenery. I remember looking down from the aircraft when my husband first took me there and seeing red earth, salt and aquamarine seas. SS X Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest 5x4_inches Posted June 8, 2009 Share Posted June 8, 2009 Siamsusie - very true, but at least you can see them better in the daylight! I agree about the Pilbara as well - fantastic place, I cannot wait to get back! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest siamsusie Posted June 8, 2009 Share Posted June 8, 2009 oh 5 x 4, thats lovely you say that, I love the place. It has so much history as well. I havent been allowed to go on the access roads yet, my husband has to get permission from me from Rio Tinto and I also want to ride the iron oare trains through , that has to be awesome. There is a wonderful club see The Red Dog 4X4 Club, Exploring the Pilbara and Kimberley regions of Western Austalia.... this dog is a legion, and my husband remembers him well, he used to physically hitch rides with trucks and my husband used to stop for him, a memorial to him is in Dampier.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_Dog_(Karratha). It would be lovely to have some people come and visit me up there because it is such a special place (retail therapy lovers not welcome lol) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest pongia Posted June 9, 2009 Share Posted June 9, 2009 Russell Ingall Roadrage - nine MSN - Truveo Video Search Race car champ Russell Ingall complains about aussie drivers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest DJorgio Posted June 9, 2009 Share Posted June 9, 2009 Just thought i would add my two pennies worth, i have been driving here for 3 months now and i agree with all of the comments here, i used to be a confident driver back home with 13 years experience, now i am worried sick when i take my family out, i have concluded that the drivers here are very opportunist, un-courteous and simply dangerous, also with that in mind i have also noticed that pedestrians do not wait at zebra crossings, they simply blindly walk over them, mothers with pushchairs, the elderly and children just cross as if it’s part of the pavement they are leaving, also i have pulled to the side of a main road (with signals etc) to stop and I’ve had pedestrians who are having a group conversation (on the road) shout at me as if i should not be there (in a car) and yes when driving interstate i stick to the speed limits and the trucks are right up my ass, it’s so uncomfortable. To be honest, I’ve stopped using the car for lots of small journeys because of this because i no i won’t join them so to speak, I’m just hoping that drivers get better in time (before someone i know gets killed) finally i think the road layout needs to come along way before drivers are safer on the road, there is not enough room to maneuver in some places, near me i have to join a main road and move over to the right to turn around to my house with less than 100 yards to do it, most of the time i need to carry on straight for half a klm just so i can safely turn around, at the moment, not happy with driving here, but apart from all that lol still loving Australia... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest MICHAEL POOLE Posted June 9, 2009 Share Posted June 9, 2009 well hellow the dobbas ive been waiting to here from you .tel me all about it .when do you think you will be back to sunney old stanley. ha . well its 10c here and its june. i bet its alot hoter there in the mid winter eh . keep me posted. im stil wating for word july the first when new visas out . stil not sold house yet but i had gasa yes gasa out last week to look at it but no good. i think it was too far away from the pub ha. allso had one of the hairy bikers out as well .dont no if you watch that program. stil keep trying. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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