Tourists. Should they be here driving at all?

[Mallory Black]

In the 90's I worked for many years for an assistance company. The medical side dealt with Aussies who had emergencies overseas.

We had LOTS of work involving traffic accidents from Aussies veering to the wrong side of the road, turning wrong way into other streets, and of course victim of poor driving standards of the locals. (I left before GPS) More often than not the best plan was to stabilize the patient and get them the hell out of there by any means available and in some countries that included bribery to save a life.

The worst however is Africa because nobody obeys the road rules, no decent hospitals except in major cities, and half the time a passerby will rob you while you're bleeding and unconscious. That last part,,, we might be heading that way in some areas.....

[austastar]

Hi,
 


  countries with right-hand traffic
  countries with left-hand traffic

perhaps we should eventually change sides to get some uniformity?

cheers

[time]

In the late 80s I worked in the NT at a research institute out of Darwin.

A new employee from Canada arrived at Darwin airport, picked up a brand new Landcruiser and had a head on coming out of the car park.  He had traveled less than 100 metres in Australia, couldn't understand why everyone was driving on the wrong side of the road, the hint for him that the steering wheel was on the right hand side didn't compute.  He is/was a world leader in his field of science, a truly brilliant man, but, not one ounce of common sense.

He was barred from driving 'office" vehicles until he passed a local driving test, his international licence was a useless piece of paper that took no account of his inability to locate the "common sense" lobe in his brain.


 

[loshde]

About 15years ago we were driving on the Capricorn Hwy heading towards Rockhampton.  Coming around a bend on a huge hill, with huge drop off's either side of the road, when we come across a car load of tourists driving at 120km's hr ON OUR SIDE OF THE ROAD.  Other than slamming the brakes on we really weren't left with any alternative.  It seemed apparent to us that they thought we were on the wrong side of the road and only at the last moment did they take evasive action.  They just went on their merry way and left us having coronaries. 

Seen some stupid things having lived in the bush for most of my life, but we moved to NSW (Wollongong) 2 years ago and I just can't believe the amount of fools on the road.  I think it's just that there are just so many more people in such a small area and there is little care factor other than wanting to get from A to B.  There are not many trips where I am not gobsmacked by the crap driving out there these days.  I mean no offence but the ASIAN's are the worst.  I am sure that most do not have a licence.

That's my bleat for today

[Campfire]

Hi,
 


  countries with right-hand traffic
  countries with left-hand traffic

perhaps we should eventually change sides to get some uniformity?

cheers

Shouldn't Victoria be red instead of blue, like Mexico.......

Campfire

[loshde]

I'll bet lots of Aussies travel to the States or right hand driving countries in Europe, etc, and have their share of mishaps or accidents!

We spent 7 wks in Alaska, Canada & the states a few years ago and while we weren't looking at hiring a car, it was just as well as my bearing were so out of wack.  There was at least a couple of times in Vancouver that my husband had to reef me back to the kerb to save me from a car hitting me.  I just couldn't adjust to the cars going the wrong way and therefore crossing at the lights at times became a bit of an ordeal.  When we were in San Fransisco and trying to cross at lights (which are stupid by the way) and the roads were huge hills were you couldn't see all of the traffic until they arrived at the lights.  My husband became infuriated with me because I panicked and I just couldn't (wouldn't) cross the road.  I was sure that I was going to hit and I really freaked out.  Would like to think I would cope better next time round.  I think I'll just stick with Alaska, much calmer than the rest of the states and Canada

[bobnrob]

Those 2 drivers that killed themselves and 3 of their passengers on the Kings Highway last week must have been from Germany then.

Actually, the 2nd driver - whilst not tourist - was a Chinese National studying at ANU

The story that started this topic, IMO isn't anything to do with race or country or driving in a different country. That driver is obviously a complete fruit-loop that shouldn't hold a license anywhere!

[fuji]

As a Highway Patrol member, all tourists including people studying etc etc should be made to undergo a driving test and theory, signs etc. the students are the worst drivers and they don 't have a care in the world as they do not accrue demerit points on foreign licences. Very frustrating.
Donuts

[Nomad]

I watched in horror one night as a french girl in an old Cortina ploughed headlong into a motorcycle in front of my oldies house in Caloundra. She was on the wrong side of the road on a crest in the road when he came over the top..........I think he was doing a fair rate of knots at the time as well. Not pretty.

[austastar]

Hi,
   A friend works over seas in RH drive countries and has a similar model car over there to his vehicle stored here, just to add a multiplier to the problem.
He switches from left to right with out any difficulty by thinking drivers/passengers side instead of left/right.
I'm not sure I could do that.
cheers

[Northy]

Accidentally driving on the wrong side of the road can be human nature - takes adjustment for most so the first day or so are frought with danger.  Agree some sort of basic driving test for tourists should be the go - but if the situation were reversed we would see it as a drag going OS and doing the same.

In Canada I was going to be there for a year or two and even though I could have driven as is I thought it best to sit for a local license - some laws are always slightly different.

What is less dangerous but probably worse is situations like the OP or when I have had to explain to a tourist in their hire 4WD - see these here, they are your front locking hubs......

[Fridge Magnet]

Shouldn't Victoria be red instead of blue, like Mexico.......

Campfire

Classic!  I'll get the roller out and start on the bottom left if you can send me some paint money 

I can't drive on the wrong side of the road to save myself.  Scared the wife witless when we hired a car in Italy a couple of years ago (she did arrange pick up in Rome  ). Couldn't make myself believe that there wasn't half a car to the left of me that was going to get swiped if I drove too close to the centre line. Clipped every kerb and roundabout we passed. On the bright side she insisted on driving everywhere for the next 3 weeks which left me free to sample the local wines  at every opportunity. Funnily enough I don't think the locals would've even noticed the erratic driving on the first day, I was probably one of the better ones.   

[Kit_e_kat9]

I'm still trying to get my head around the red bit right up the top of the world. 

Do they require sled dogs and reindeer to keep to one side of the road?   

And why is it a free for all down the very bottom?

Kit_e

[Fridge Magnet]

I'm still trying to get my head around the red bit right up the top of the world. 

Do they require sled dogs and reindeer to keep to one side of the road?   

And why is it a free for all down the very bottom?

Kit_e

What about Antarctica? They must drive in the middle .

Hard to believe that the big blue bit down the bottom is a result of that tiny little blue speck up the top. I believe that Sweden changed from left to right at some stage in the 60s/70s, maybe we should try that to make life easier for the international visitors    *ducks*

[lilstookie]

I rode the creb on my bike off road bike when I lived up in cairns. Amazing trip. I headed up the Bloomfield track as an alternative one weekend and when I got to the first creek crossing there was a line of 4wds waiting to cross. I pulled up behind a farmer who was sitting on his ute tray with a beer. I asked him what was going on and he said head down to the creek and have a laugh.
28 cars I past in this line to find a britz trooper full of Germans wading through an ankle deep crossing that was about 5m long with sticks with several on croc patrol. Most of the locals at the front where shouting at them and they didn't speak English and kept on doing what they where doing. I just rode straight over and I think they thought i was either the bravest man or the stupidest they had ever seen.

Safety first I guess but god help them at the next few. I bet they set up a tent city. !!!!!

[TOPNDR]

Mrs T & I helped out some Japanese backpackers, broken down in Western Qld the other day. They had a list of towns they were expecting to pass through between Blackall & Townsville, the first was Barcaldine.

We found them broken down on the Tambo to Alpha road, 75 km short of Alpha.  They'd driven in the opposite direction to what they'd written, because that's what the GPS indicated.