Sydney roads suck!!!

[charles_wif_xf]

I was in Sydney for the weekend and I must say, their roads are absolutely shocking!!! Everything is one way, no right turn signs everywhere, very narrow lanes, extremely inconsistent lane marking (there is absolutely no logic to how the RTA marks lanes, a retarded monkey could do a better job). And people think hook turns are bad. At one point the GPS chucked a wobbly being taken around so much just trying to get anywhere. Oh yeah, also, everyone drives like cut cats; it's almost like the traffic light grand prix is the norm with everyone rushing.

That said, once out in the 'burbs, it's not too bad.

[TEaaron]

Sounds like richmond.

[mik]

yeah not my favorite roads either , i went through sydney on the way to brizzy from melb with a caravan on the back on a friday arvo last february, i wont get caught doin that again.

[alecrain]

AGREE

I went to Sydney for the NYE this year and I was shocked by the roads there:
slabs of concrete with gaps in between, disappearing lanes, and those bloody speed cameras every 500m (I found my self constantly looking at the speedo instead of the road- excuse me officer I swear I hit that kid doing exactly 40km/h)

[Steffo]

I find everyone that finds driving in Sydney a "challenge," very ammusing. If its that hard... perhaps driving isn't of you?

The general quality of driving around here, like most major cities, is poor... and the locals seem to get along just fine.

[ardei]

Agreed. Melbourne/Victorian roads are awesome.

The best feature (besides the quality of the actual road surface and the excellent highway system) was that in Victoria they let you know EXACTLY which lane goes where. In Sydney, unless you know the road well, you have to second guess and end up cutting people off at the last minute because you didn't realise you had to be in the right/left lane.

Edit: And in Melbourne, you can chuck a u-turn anywhere! (Except where it's No U-turn permitted..duh!) It's awesome!

[andrewts]

I guess it's what you are used to. On my many holidays to Melbourne I often look at the lane markings and wonder "Why would you do it like that?" Hook turns are easy as pie, I don't know what all the fuss is about. As for the narrowness of the lanes, yeah I suppose that's true, but most people know the width of their vehicle so it's not a problem. Once again, it's what you are used to. No right turns can be annoying, but once you understand that right hand turn is just a series of left hand turns, you can drive anywhere. You'll probably find that having Vic plates on your car will make people do strange things around you as well. Every state thinks it can drive better than the other, but truth is most states just drive differently.

As for speeding away from traffic lights, well that's half the fun. I personally love it when everyone sees the L-plate and dives into another lane, and when the lights go green I just mash it and leave those knobs behind. Mwahahaha.

EDIT: ^^ All completely within the law. I don't hoon or anything like that, because mummy tells me that if I do I'll go to bed without tea!

[MRJUCY]

Melbourne's roads are much better then Sydney's but I couldn't live with the hidden cameras everywhere down there or the driving standards, it seems everyone drives like only the Camrys do here.

[gz1]

Originally Posted by charles_wif_xf

I was in Sydney for the weekend and I must say, their roads are absolutely shocking!!! Everything is one way, no right turn signs everywhere, very narrow lanes, extremely inconsistent lane marking (there is absolutely no logic to how the RTA marks lanes, a retarded monkey could do a better job). And people think hook turns are bad. At one point the GPS chucked a wobbly being taken around so much just trying to get anywhere. Oh yeah, also, everyone drives like cut cats; it's almost like the traffic light grand prix is the norm with everyone rushing.

That said, once out in the 'burbs, it's not too bad.

The heading is stating the bleeding obvious, and I live in Sydney.
As for RTA Careful with that comment, you are insulting retarded monkeys. And there is a very good reason that the RTA does not employ any retarded monkeys: the monkeys are over-qualified.

[JC]

Originally Posted by andrewts

I guess it's what you are used to. On my many holidays to Melbourne I often look at the lane markings and wonder "Why would you do it like that?" Hook turns are easy as pie, I don't know what all the fuss is about. As for the narrowness of the lanes, yeah I suppose that's true, but most people know the width of their vehicle so it's not a problem. Once again, it's what you are used to. No right turns can be annoying, but once you understand that right hand turn is just a series of left hand turns, you can drive anywhere. You'll probably find that having Vic plates on your car will make people do strange things around you as well. Every state thinks it can drive better than the other, but truth is most states just drive differently.

As for speeding away from traffic lights, well that's half the fun. I personally love it when everyone sees the L-plate and dives into another lane, and when the lights go green I just mash it and leave those knobs behind. Mwahahaha.

EDIT: ^^ All completely within the law. I don't hoon or anything like that, because mummy tells me that if I do I'll go to bed without tea!

Your wealth of driving experience is a great base from which to make that sort of comment.

Coming from Canberra, I find both Melbourne and Sydney roads hazardous, but I enjoy the challenge each affords. I also know that people visit here (Why would anyone choose to visit Canberra???) and get confused by our roads, yet I find them easy to navigate. Nice wide lanes (even with the intrusion of dedicated cycle lanes), good sign marking, and plenty of round abouts.

[Laminge]

Originally Posted by Steffo

I find everyone that finds driving in Sydney a "challenge," very ammusing. If its that hard... perhaps driving isn't of you?

Ive driven in more city's than you have hot meals... Sydney is a challenging place to drive. Something you want to say about my perception of the g-stringed , cafe latte sipping muppets that designed the flow of traffic to represent a drug induced circuit of narrow, ending, pot holed and one way roads?

[Steffo]

Originally Posted by JC

Your wealth of driving experience is a great base from which to make that sort of comment.

Coming from Canberra, I find both Melbourne and Sydney roads hazardous, but I enjoy the challenge each affords. I also know that people visit here (Why would anyone choose to visit Canberra???) and get confused by our roads, yet I find them easy to navigate. Nice wide lanes (even with the intrusion of dedicated cycle lanes), good sign marking, and plenty of round abouts.

The ACT Form-One-Lane markins are hilarious.

In NSW, as I'm sure it would be in most places... you get a yellow sign that says something like "Left Lane Ends, Merge Right, 500m," and then 500m of merge lane with another sign that just says "Left Lane Ends, Merge Right."

But not in the ACT... there, the lanes merge instantly, with huge writing on the ground that says FORM ONE LANE. It amazes me that people don't smash into each other on those things, because its in such a short distance and so immediate... it just goes from two lanes to one in the blink of an eye. Its not difficult to manouvre, but the average Australian driving capability is low, so, you know...

[andrewts]

Originally Posted by JC

Your wealth of driving experience is a great base from which to make that sort of comment.

I've driven in both states, it's not that hard. But you go right ahead and tell me how you've been driving for 400 years etc etc, I'm sure you will.

[Steffo]

Originally Posted by Laminge

Ive driven in more city's than you have hot meals... Sydney is a challenging place to drive. Something you want to say about my perception of the g-stringed , cafe latte sipping muppets that designed the flow of traffic to represent a drug induced circuit of narrow, ending, pot holed and one way roads?

How is it challenging? The roads are crap, that's about it. Getting around in any city you've never been to before is a challenge, that's what street directories and/or GPS are for.

I never get lost in Sydney... but got lost in Wagga Wagga when I went there for the AFD in 2006!

[TZENU]

Originally Posted by JC

Coming from Canberra, I find both Melbourne and Sydney roads hazardous, but I enjoy the challenge each affords. I also know that people visit here (Why would anyone choose to visit Canberra???) and get confused by our roads, yet I find them easy to navigate. Nice wide lanes (even with the intrusion of dedicated cycle lanes), good sign marking, and plenty of round abouts.

Agreed... As a fellow melbournite, Canberra to me, is probably the easiest city to drive in and navigate my way through...Both melbourne and sydney have a bit of catching up to do IMHO.

And not all canberra roads lead to Parliament as i have finally discovered

[Laminge]

Originally Posted by Steffo

In NSW, as I'm sure it would be in most places... you get a yellow sign that says something like "Left Lane Ends, Merge Right, 500m," and then 500m of merge lane with another sign that just says "Left Lane Ends, Merge Right."

Its the endless lane merges that take you into oncoming traffic that is the issue, not the simple 2 into 1

[Laminge]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=btkuSm-NMws

[FTE217]

I like Minge have and still travel all over our country for business and pleasure and overseas.....
Whats the fuss ?!! grrrr the post starter comes to the bigger smoke and gets confused....did you hit alot of holes ? there chichanes up here lol....

[SNB05T]

Originally Posted by Steffo

I never get lost in Sydney... but got lost in Wagga Wagga when I went there for the AFD in 2006!

how the hell did you get lost in wagga steffo? there's 10 streets in the town?
nah seriously wagga rocks, especially at the vic hotel.

the main gripe i have about sydney, apart from driving in annandale lane ways in a ba xr8 :togo: is the fact that a majority of the drivers (especially in the shire area) are weetbix drivers, they got their licence from the back of a weetbix box.
they don't watch what they're doing, drive 30km/h below the spped limit if there is a cop near them, cant merge properly and just shrug their shoulders when you have a go at them " i can't speak english very well"

apart from that at 3am its very good

[Mont5.0]

For sydney drivers who have travelled melbourne for first time!- whats with the tram line stuff (give way etc) and the left lane-right turns??

[sgt_doofey]

Try an overseas city. Then you'll know what confusion is.
For starters, you're on the wrong side of the road and car.
Next, the signs are in a foreign language.
And finally, none of the locals follow the road rules.
Try Paris, Rome or anywhere in Malaysia. I've driven out of Paris, flatly refused to drive in to Rome, and have seen the carnage in Malaysia.
In Paris, if you hire a car, you are not covered by insurance if you drive around the Arc de Triumphe. That's how bad things can be.

[MotherNatureVer2]

All city driving should be banned :P

I have driven in both Sydney & Melbourne & neither one of them impressed me at all.....

When I first got my licence is was in Sydney on the Northern Beaches, I would never dare drive a little 64 Mini down there anymore!!!!!

Give me the serenity of ONE main street to travel on any day. That and the fact that I can go out of my drive & sit on 100km/h as soon as I leave our place is heaven compared to any form of city driving.

[XR8 Uterous]

Originally Posted by Steffo

I never get lost in Sydney... but got lost in Wagga Wagga when I went there for the AFD in 2006!

Originally Posted by dan b

how the hell did you get lost in wagga steffo? there's 10 streets in the town?
nah seriously wagga rocks, especially at the vic hotel.

Be nice Dan, there are atleast 12 streets here!

And everyone loves the vic, semi-permanent water features

[Steffo]

I did 4 laps of Wagga, what seemed like all of Wagga, looking for the motel... :

[Fev]

ya dont have to rub it in mate, ive gotta drive on the damn things..

[Laminge]

Originally Posted by Steffo

I did 4 laps of Wagga, what seemed like all of Wagga, looking for the motel... :

Have trouble driving along standard size lanes, with no one way streets, correctly marked Signs and No men riding their bikes an ALI G swimsuits?

[Rodp]

Perhaps I'm just used to Sydney drivers, rarely have a problem.

Melbourne was a different story though. An indicator there doesn't appear to be an intention to change lanes, it was a... I'm changing lanes now get out of my way signal. Was there for 2 weeks and narrowly missed several accidents where someone would indicate at my A pillar and I had to hit the anchors before they wiped out my mirror a couple of seconds later.

I guess it's whatever you're used to. I can normally spot someone about to be a typical Sydney bonehead and avoid them quite easily.

[b2tf]

Originally Posted by Steffo

I did 4 laps of Wagga, what seemed like all of Wagga, looking for the motel... :

If you get lost in Wagga you have absolutely ZERO credibility to comment on driving anywhere else in Australia.

[XDV800]

Originally Posted by Laminge

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=btkuSm-NMws

Yeah those hook turns and trams are pretty bizarre at first for interstaters i gotta say

Oh, you shoulda included this clip too Laminge. Ex-Astill hardtop anyone?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QFjtF...eature=related

[reds89]

and thats on a good day.