The totally off-topic thread

[RooFlyer]

Wait till you drive in Europe.. that's the norm rather than the exception! Although in Montenegro people seemed to largely obey the speed limit (there were cops EVERYWHERE).

I've always wondered on the UK motorways what the situation with the BMWs etc that pass me easily when I'm doing 65-70 mph.

Are there no active cameras and no police patrols on the motorways? Do they just have a big fines budget? Are they all diplomats?

 

[Quickstatus]

I've always wondered on the UK motorways what the situation with the BMWs etc that pass me easily when I'm doing 65-70 mph.

Are there no active cameras and no police patrols on the motorways? Do they just have a big fines budget? Are they all diplomats?

In the UK diplomatic cars usually have a xx_ D xx_ number plate (x being numbers)

Unless they have personalised number plates like AUS 1

 

[tgh]

A local advised me that the motorways are open slather, I took him at his word and whistled along with no issues
Of course ymmv….

 

[VPS]

My friend lost her licence for 6 months for doing 90 on the motorway - she passed a police car but was too busy chatting and didn't notice it (WTF)

 

[JohnK]

Wait till you drive in Europe.. that's the norm rather than the exception! Although in Montenegro people seemed to largely obey the speed limit (there were cops EVERYWHERE).

Yes they drive like crazy. I'll drive in the UK but more than likely not in Europe.

 

[roadrunner]

Welcome to California. I live here and love reading all of the great posts here. Someday hope to be able to travel to Australia.

We are in California listening to “shock and Orr” as the Banking Royal Commission deals with Suncorp. The commissioner and the QCs are very, very good.
Listening to this and reading Sydney Airports report while jet lagged is keeping us awake into the night.

 

[roadrunner]

Wow, I think driving in Southern CA is crazy and I am used to it. I know how to play the Dodge cars here. I can't imagine attempting to drive in the opposite direction than I am used to in the US. I will Uber/bus it when I get my first chance to see the UK in a few months.

Yes they drive like crazy. I'll drive in the UK but more than likely not in Europe.[/QUOT

 

[TheRealTMA]

I've always wondered on the UK motorways what the situation with the BMWs etc that pass me easily when I'm doing 65-70 mph.

Are there no active cameras and no police patrols on the motorways? Do they just have a big fines budget? Are they all diplomats?

There’s a range of fines according to speed and there are fixed speed cameras. Very rare mobile cameras IME. But, rarely does anyone get pulled over under 90-100, depending on sanity of driver. I’ve passed police cars at 80 with no issues. (Apart from giving me a serious fright.)

Interestingly, the UK drivers used to be good at speed and always passed on the right, never ever on the left but the increasing traffic and idiots who sit in the outside lane causes frustration and for some years they now pass on the left. Very dangerous IMHO.

 

[TheRealTMA]

Yes they drive like crazy. I'll drive in the UK but more than likely not in Europe.

Ah driving in Europe is a doddle, and fun!

Now if you want lesions on close driving with give and take and respect, get a taxi or drive in Madrid. Taxis drive about 10cm apart, pulling in and out with good grace (generally), some horn blowing but not that much. Australian drivers would be horrified. But it all works nicely.

 

[Quickstatus]

During the Sydney Olympics we escaped to France.

Peugeot 406 on some motorway between Paris and Tours
Started at signposted speed ?130kmh but slowly increased speed as we were overtaken by everyone.
Top speed attained 210kmh
Was still overtaken all the time. Being overtaken by police with no sirens and lights is always a good sign

I was happy I went over 200kmh but quickly dropped back to 150kmh. We were on holidays so no rush to get anywhere. Surprisingly the car drove smoother at 210 than at 150kmh

 

[TheRealTMA]

During the Sydney Olympics we escaped to France.

Peugeot 406 on some motorway between Paris and Tours
Started at signposted speed ?130kmh but slowly increased speed as we were overtaken by everyone.
Top speed attained 210kmh
Was still overtaken all the time. Being overtaken by police with no sirens and lights is always a good sign

I was happy I went over 200kmh but quickly dropped back to 150kmh. We were on holidays so no rush to get anywhere. Surprisingly the car drove smoother at 210 than at 150kmh

Been passed on French motorways when driving at 160 by Renault espaces loaded with surfboards on the top.

Be aware that on the payage roads, if you drive too fast they can tell when you pay the toll at the end. Rumours have it that people have got speeding fines along with the toll (but probably urban myth).

 

[cove]

The chief at Samsonite apparently has a fake doctorate. I don’t care because their deal at Costco in the US is 2 bags for $149 USD plus tax and the bags work out ok.

 

[Flashback]

I've always wondered on the UK motorways what the situation with the BMWs etc that pass me easily when I'm doing 65-70 mph.

Are there no active cameras and no police patrols on the motorways? Do they just have a big fines budget? Are they all diplomats?

Apparently not, but who knows! M25 (London orbital) supposedly has them all over but I always see people flying past so I guess they're not on. Mystery to me... I do my speed gauged upon my peers! Cops often go flying past anyway, so if they can bang it then why not me too

A local advised me that the motorways are open slather, I took him at his word and whistled along with no issues
Of course ymmv….

M3 has new average speed check cameras installed. Not sure if they're live yet and even if they are whether they're enforced. I generally stick to the limit anyway so yet to go over the average on the motorway anyway.

My friend lost her licence for 6 months for doing 90 on the motorway - she passed a police car but was too busy chatting and didn't notice it (WTF)

Surprising, it's normally them flogging past us!

Yes they drive like crazy. I'll drive in the UK but more than likely not in Europe.

Europe is a piece of cake. India on the other hand......

Been passed on French motorways when driving at 160 by Renault espaces loaded with surfboards on the top.

Be aware that on the payage roads, if you drive too fast they can tell when you pay the toll at the end. Rumours have it that people have got speeding fines along with the toll (but probably urban myth).

I normally view till roads as you're paying for the privilege of being able to drive as you like, so would drift towards urban myth. If there are average speed cameras on it then that's a different story but then again it's whether they're enforced or just a deterrent. Montenegro was the only place we found serious, my mate got pulled over doing 25km/h over and the only reason he didn't end up with a fine was due to being Aussie and also it was too much effort as we were off to Croatia the next day. I think he was saying they send your license to the post office or somewhere like that and you get it back when you go in and pay the fine.

 

[TheRealTMA]

Driving on Spanish motorways is interesting. The speed limit is 120kph but most drive at 100-110, unless you are around Madrid when speeds are higher. One annoying trait we’ve found (happened three times to me) is that with cruise set to so where between 120-140, drivers will catch you and sit close behind for quite a while as if gaging whether their car car has the capacity to pass. Then they pass, pull back into your lane AND cough***G SLOW DOWN to 110. It’s really stupid. You then have to brake and the repays them to stick to your cruising speed.

 

[Toad]

Yes they drive like crazy. I'll drive in the UK but more than likely not in Europe.

Agree with you JohnK but going to Germany for the first time in October and really looking forward to experiencing the Autobahn. However I am no speed demon and obey the rules of the road but will be interesting to compare it to aussie freeway driving behaviours.

 

[RooFlyer]

I've always wondered on the UK motorways what the situation with the BMWs etc that pass me easily when I'm doing 65-70 mph.
Are there no active cameras and no police patrols on the motorways? Do they just have a big fines budget? Are they all diplomats?

There’s a range of fines according to speed and there are fixed speed cameras. Very rare mobile cameras IME. But, rarely does anyone get pulled over under 90-100, depending on sanity of driver. I’ve passed police cars at 80 with no issues. (Apart from giving me a serious fright.)

Apparently not, but who knows! M25 (London orbital) supposedly has them all over but I always see people flying past so I guess they're not on. Mystery to me... I do my speed gauged upon my peers! Cops often go flying past anyway, so if they can bang it then why not me too

So I'm still none the wiser how the 100mph and more lot get away with it in England at least. I can understand cops on the road not worrying about it too much under 100 mph; the motorways are good quality and the 'public risk' is probably less than other issues they are dealing with (but certainly not zero). But I can't see that the fixed cameras positions are all empty; surely there is some oversight which says "We have speed limits, we have camera positions, why aren't they being used to enforce the law?". I can only assume, as I have always done that these are wealthy bogans or criminals who just speed with impunity and just pay the fine or who can work the system in other ways.

In respect of the Continental European situation, they are different cultures and my curiosity was limited to England, where much of our culture and law originates. You don't see anything like this phenomenon (or the frequency, at least)on Australian freeways, even in the open, rural areas.

Europe is a piece of cake. India on the other hand.......

Yes, but in India you are rarely able to get up to a speed where consequences are lethal ...

 

[JohnK]

Europe is a piece of cake. India on the other hand......

I used to think the same about Thailand but able to drive in Chiang Mai now. Haven't progressed to Bangkok yet.

I don't feel comfortable driving on the other side of the road and would never be there long enough. Plus those speeds are too high.

 

[Quickstatus]

I have driven on the left side of the road. No real issues. However I kept getting into the right side of the car.

In the USA why is petrol 85,87,89,91 octane. And over here it’s 91,93,95,98?

Diesel here is the black pumphandle but over in the US it’s the green pumphandle. Nearly put diesel into a petrol car once.

......

I used to think the same about Thailand but able to drive in Chiang Mai now. Haven't progressed to Bangkok yet.

I don't feel comfortable driving on the other side of the road and would never be there long enough. Plus those speeds are too high.

How can speeds be too high in gridlocked Bangkok?

 

[drron]

Depends on the time of day in Bangkok.We were driving in from BKK.Our driver held it at 115-120 kph and others just sped by.At times it sounded like an old F1 grand prix.You know when the cars actually made a noise.

 

[JohnK]

How can speeds be too high in gridlocked Bangkok?

Thailand drive the same side of the road as us. Most of Europe drives on the opposite side of the road and speed out of control. I would not feel comfortable driving around Europe.