Driving in Australia

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Kyanar

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Reply # 1528583 8-Apr-2016 16:51

Another note though - despite how the Queenslanders indicate at roundabouts, the indication rules are the same as NZ. I.e. indicate left for any exits less than half way around, right for any exits more than half way around, and left just prior to your exit.

blakamin

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Reply # 1528750 8-Apr-2016 20:29

Kyanar:

Another note though - despite how the Queenslanders indicate at roundabouts, the indication rules are the same as NZ. I.e. indicate left for any exits less than half way around, right for any exits more than half way around, and left just prior to your exit.

Halfway round has nothing to do with it... Some QLD roundabouts can have 3 exists before you're halfway! ;-P

Just watch the entry to the right of you, and don't expect a queenslander to indicate.. they make BMW drivers look courteous!

They also have a love of cats-eyes, stripes and road cones...

The "using your phone as a GPS" thing is weird in QLD because they don't have a law saying you can, but they don't have one saying you can't. Only state that is that ambiguous. Up to the officer that nails you.

SA, Tas and ACT say you can't (but that's because they're all backwards)

Other states say you can....

Except QLD... :/

Batman

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Reply # 1528756 8-Apr-2016 20:52

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Not just that, they also don't observe daylight saving.

Swype on iOS is detrimental to accurate typing. Apologies in advance.

Kyanar

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Reply # 1528829 8-Apr-2016 23:48

joker97: Not just that, they also don't observe daylight saving.

Yup. As you cross the border from NSW, set your watch back one hour and 100 years. (And yes, I can say this as a born again Brisbanite).

Personally, given I hate Daylight Savings, I'm OK with that one.

Stu

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Reply # 1528846 9-Apr-2016 06:36

Wasn't so keen on the broad daylight at 4am while visiting there in November last year. Other than that I didn't have a problem with it!

Keep calm, and carry on posting.

MikeAqua

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Reply # 1528946 9-Apr-2016 12:30

Not referring to hook turns, referring to intersections with signposted lane control requiring vehicles to do what I am describing.

Kyanar:
MikeAqua:

I've only driven in QLD, so it must have been there I experienced them. Pretty sure it was on a trip from Brisbane to Noosa in 2008.

Kind of odd, but once you get used to it logical. Allows straight traffic to use the right lane, rather than have it blocked by right turn traffic waiting for a turn. Left turn traffic uses the middle lane, while the right turn traffic waits in the left lane held by a red right arrow.

Hook turns are bicycle only. No hook turns for cars in QLD.

Mike

Kyanar

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Reply # 1529034 9-Apr-2016 15:33

MikeAqua: Not referring to hook turns, referring to intersections with signposted lane control requiring vehicles to do what I am describing.

That is a hook turn, and there are no hook turns in Queensland. That's exclusive to Melbourne, though I suppose it's possible Brisbane once had some of those when there was a tram network. There's no tram network now.

tripper1000

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Reply # 1531047 12-Apr-2016 20:26

Don't speed. The limit is the limit. They don't have a 4kph or similar tolerance. That said, their limits tend to be much more realistic and less conservative than NZ. In NSW the cops will set speed traps at the bottom of hills, & ping drivers at 52 & 53 so they're a really popular profession.

Your typical kiwi cruises in the fast lane & doesn't indicate which is not tolerated many places overseas, so make sure you keep left and use your mirrors and indicators.

Their booze limit is lower - more like our new fine+demerit points limit.

Speed camera tickets are very expensive. I've not had camera tickets in Queensland, but in Adelaide 58kph in a 50 zone cost me around $240 and if you don't pay within 30 days it doubles. (Took Avis a good 2 months to forward me the camera fine!! efing ouch).

Kyanar

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Reply # 1531147 12-Apr-2016 22:07

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tripper1000:

Don't speed. The limit is the limit. They don't have a 4kph or similar tolerance. That said, their limits tend to be much more realistic and less conservative than NZ. In NSW the cops will set speed traps at the bottom of hills, & ping drivers at 52 & 53 so they're a really popular profession.

Your typical kiwi cruises in the fast lane & doesn't indicate which is not tolerated many places overseas, so make sure you keep left and use your mirrors and indicators.

Their booze limit is lower - more like our new fine+demerit points limit.

Speed camera tickets are very expensive. I've not had camera tickets in Queensland, but in Adelaide 58kph in a 50 zone cost me around $240 and if you don't pay within 30 days it doubles. (Took Avis a good 2 months to forward me the camera fine!! efing ouch).

You clearly haven't driven in Queensland. The average Queenslander either drives 5km/hr over the limit or 10km/hr under it. QPS will tolerate a small amount over the limit, but it's classified information (and not static - it changes) what that limit is.

The alcohol limit is 0.05 - exactly the same as in NZ. However if you are on a Restricted license, your blood alcohol limit is zero.

sonyxperiageek

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Reply # 1531151 12-Apr-2016 22:14

Cool thanks guys. And at no point do I plan on drinking any alcohol before driving. :-)

Sony

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MikeAqua

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Reply # 1532448 13-Apr-2016 11:21

I have never driven in Melbourne. Only QLD. Would be more up towards Mooloolaba and Marochydore than Brisbane that I am recalling. But it was nearly 10 years ago.

I think trams were gone from Brisbane long before I ever went there.

Kyanar:

MikeAqua: Not referring to hook turns, referring to intersections with signposted lane control requiring vehicles to do what I am describing.

That is a hook turn, and there are no hook turns in Queensland. That's exclusive to Melbourne, though I suppose it's possible Brisbane once had some of those when there was a tram network. There's no tram network now.

Mike

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Reply # 1540727 23-Apr-2016 16:29

Re rental car companies and restricted licences.. I went over to QLD in November but had only had my full licence since August (3 months). I was looking on vroomvroom and all bar one of the companies had a requirement to have held your licence for at least 12 months, and also required a full unrestricted licence.

I couldn't get a proper clarification out of them, as I have obviously held a licence for 12+ months but a full licence for only 3 months.

Managed to get a car in the end but whether it would have been technically against Budget's terms and conditions if something had happened.. who knows.

sonyxperiageek

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Reply # 1543712 28-Apr-2016 23:56

Just a quick update on driving in Queensland: I'm back from the trip and drove all the time there. Driving is pretty straight forward there and things I noticed with Aussie drivers when changing lanes is that they tend to either change lanes first then indicate, or indicate as they change lanes. I think the drivers there knew I was foreign or from NZ because of how long I tended to indicate (3 seconds) before making a move.

I also liked how most of their suburban area speed limits were 60km/h and the motorways were mainly 110km/h. The speed limit also tended to change quite quickly e.g from 80 to 70 then back to 80 within a distance of say 1km in some areas.

Sony

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dickytim

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Reply # 1543756 29-Apr-2016 06:50

sonyxperiageek:

Just a quick update on driving in Queensland: I'm back from the trip and drove all the time there. Driving is pretty straight forward there and things I noticed with Aussie drivers when changing lanes is that they tend to either change lanes first then indicate, or indicate as they change lanes. I think the drivers there knew I was foreign or from NZ because of how long I tended to indicate (3 seconds) before making a move.

I also liked how most of their suburban area speed limits were 60km/h and the motorways were mainly 110km/h. The speed limit also tended to change quite quickly e.g from 80 to 70 then back to 80 within a distance of say 1km in some areas.

Yep and arterial roads similar to Great South Road are dual lane and 80km/h.

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