tazzieman Posted 6June, 2018 Report Share Posted 6June, 2018 I know I'll get the "you just have to know where to go" comments, however... I'm at Dublin airport about to return home after 5 weeks and ~4000km driving through Scotland (incl Orkneys), England , Wales and Ireland. Oh and some nice train trips too. A few cities , lots of country and many places tourists don't generally cluster. The thing is: 1. Virtually no classics on the roads 2. Virtually no exotics except on the motorways (boring as all shite) and in the cities (pointless) 3. Tourists , often no idea how to drive (too slow , wrong side of road , clueless at the hundreds of roundabouts). Roundabouts. Don't even mention the word. Satnav doesn't even speak their language. Satnav. lol. Bring me a real old skool papery map and spare me 2 hours lost in a disused Irish logging coupe with deer running across my path. 4. Plethora of narrow roads (if you want to actually see pleasant sights or skip between motorway arteries). Not for the faint hearted. Luckily I have some Cockney blood and a wife who knows how to blaspheme politely. 5. Speed cameras and town/village limits like you wouldn't believe. And there is a village/town every 1-2km in some places 6. Hire cars will rape your wallet if you get nary a scratch , which is hard to avoid due to general congestion (we were lucky and I am a superb driver). Europcar is under investigation for its practise of colluding with "repair" companies and overcharging for "repairs" which never get done anyway. Taking advantage of tired travellers at busy airports. So , driving over here is not especially pleasant. I would think twice about "investing" in a classic or exotic. If you lived near a raceway and/or little village with a pub you could tootle off to with some chums, maybe different. But for the most part it's an effort getting anywhere decent and you cannot relax for fear of tourists , buses , campers (lord spare me they are like ants at a picnic), cyclists (Vomits and Volits as well) and the boys in blue. NOTWITHSTANDING ANY OF THE ABOVE lest you think this is a rant , we had the best holiday ever. Nothing really went wrong , though it can be proven we weren't in Bratislava when our credit card was charged for a night at the Crowne Plaza. Not even in Europe as such. Booking.com - no trusty and no helpy! Will be glad to get back to Tassie's B roads. Notwithstanding the tourists and campervans and roadkill. ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
firstone Posted 6June, 2018 Report Share Posted 6June, 2018 Thanks, confused, haha, sad, and like. ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
symsy Posted 6June, 2018 Report Share Posted 6June, 2018 You are just lucky they are not all driving Teslas.. You didn't mention the white van man , a very special kind of UK motorist. Now you know how the nature must feel with loss of their habitat.. We will start as car lovers to slowly have less and less play space , you're probably the luckiest starting out with the network of tassies road. one of my key house buying criteria is being able to turn onto a back B road in around 5 -6 mins and be able to have a little blat and feel of my cars.. This is getting harder and harder.. the roads that are useable either have camper vans on them , have been reduced to 80kmh zones or are now full of potholes.. Or we/I are now the sport of the visiting cops due to the level of festivals and unfortunately drink drug drivers which I despise , but changes the policing dynamic to over zealous with a change increases local old mate who was quite understanding and allowing us motorists to go about life , to a small town with 20 + robocop style highway patrol with quotas Fuchen Tourism Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
firstone Posted 6June, 2018 Report Share Posted 6June, 2018 Tourists from Vic SA WA ACT all here atm. Just passing through on their way to Byron. ??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tazzieman Posted 6June, 2018 Author Report Share Posted 6June, 2018 47 minutes ago, symsy said: You are just lucky they are not all driving Teslas.. You didn't mention the white van man , a very special kind of UK motorist. I left them as a surprise for the unknowing ? When you want to potter along a country road admiring the scenery and romance , you look up and suddenly HE is THERE , banging both hands on the wheel (in apparent exasperation) for as long as you want him there until you find a place to pull over (if you are lucky).Or you push above the recommended limit (driving to the conditions) and round a bend to meet a massive tractor+attached grim reaper device or similar slowly turning into a field. With the dog running behind. If it's not white van man , it's black Audiwoman. A1s and A3s driven by drugged out wild eyed soccer moms. Lots of series Landrovers in Scotland. I like Scotland. Didn't hit any cyclists , though there were many. Was overtaken by some Landies , which was interesting as I was in a spritely little black Audi. There must be many Landies in Valhalla. Just for your amusement , her indoors said "let's take the high road across the mountain" rather than get caught up with the campers and Vomits. Call me old fashioned , but I don't like internet guidance. But SWMBO prevailed. End result WTF? Where's my Landy when I need it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
symsy Posted 6June, 2018 Report Share Posted 6June, 2018 Playing Chicken and or hoping for a pull in bay is a national sport dude on English/Scotish country roads Even more exciting is watching people trying to back up 300-400 meters with a reversing camera … looking back over the shoulder , whats that an old yoga pose long forgotten. Darkness and a beer from he pub just increases the fun factor even more Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tazzieman Posted 6June, 2018 Author Report Share Posted 6June, 2018 People passing with both hands on top of the wheel, leaning fwd and looking GRIM. Are we having fun yet? They are 1/2 on your side. Of the road. I'm pretty relaxed and all that but it's no fun for the passenger who at times can't see around the next corner before me. And if she can , all hell breaks loose and I drop the wheel. Yeah lads , hire a BXSTR on hols cos it's so romantic and roads so curvy. The country's superb but the counts on the road are not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stephen Tinker Posted 6June, 2018 Report Share Posted 6June, 2018 Now you all know why there are so many Poms in Australia...…. I left there in 1969 and have only ventured back for funerals and my wife's family reunions. Now you know why!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StevepGT3 Posted 6June, 2018 Report Share Posted 6June, 2018 Makes sense, since 99.9% of the human race are Knobs, with 3 times our population crammed into 1/32 of the land mass, you`re going to run into more of them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ANF Posted 6June, 2018 Report Share Posted 6June, 2018 points 1 through 6 sound very much like here, hmmm did you go away at all I will find out for myself next year as we are doing similar but also taking in Germany and Switzerland, I think the difference will be amazing! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Troubleshooter Posted 7June, 2018 Report Share Posted 7June, 2018 Great trip Tassie, aside from the fun and education of o/s travel it's always good to leave the colony and experience the dark side of excess population and in every way it hinders your enjoyment of life. We have it really really good here. Aside from the absolute over-governance by not just the government but by a growing portion of the general population also, the fuckin' destructive meddling, tampering, and manipulation in ALL areas of our lives and culture which is really accelerating like a snowball growing in an avalanche astounds/angers me. We are losing our sense of fun and fairplay and freedom and ability to enjoy what's on .offer in this country . Okay that observation quickly went from driving enjoyment to a societal vent hahahhaha ....Driving __The 2 main cities here are becoming absolutely jampacked on the inner roads, moderately jampacked on the suburban roads and just plain busy on the outer roads. I am guessing Adelaide, Bris, Perth and Hobart are further down the scale in turn but ever increasing of course. Hmmm nothing to be done about it except move to less busy places. With non busy roads and in turn quiet country B / C roads not far away. Can't all do that of course. To quote Symsy above "one of my key house buying criteria is being able to turn onto a back B road in around 5 -6 mins and be able to have a little blat and feel of my cars.. " I've done it as well and would be bloody depressed if I couldn't smack the cars or motorbikes through the hills within 10 mins of turning the key. One day they'll increasingly tax (and suppress with laws), us out of our cars and firstly our "Fun Toy cars" ...enjoy while you can .... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gavn Posted 7June, 2018 Report Share Posted 7June, 2018 @symsy- feeling a similar sensation down here. Ever increasing volumes and increasing presence of plod. It's still manageable but I reckon it'll all be over within 5 or 10 years. I've been perusing the top end of Tasmania for a little while (Tamar Valley area) & will likely get down there later in the year for a bit of a serious look-around. I love walking around a city but wrt driving & day to day living I can't stand crowds, congestion etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ANF Posted 7June, 2018 Report Share Posted 7June, 2018 24 minutes ago, Gavin (CliffToCoast) said: @symsy- feeling a similar sensation down here. Ever increasing volumes and increasing presence of plod. It's still manageable but I reckon it'll all be over within 5 or 10 years. I've been perusing the top end of Tasmania for a little while (Tamar Valley area) & will likely get down there later in the year for a bit of a serious look-around. I love walking around a city but wrt driving & day to day living I can't stand crowds, congestion etc. Nooooo, Tasmania is already TOO crowded and not a nice place to live at all.... Actually Gavin your business would go very nicely down here with our great roads and scenery (no really they are rubbish!!). I have the best way possible to beat the daily traffic grind, work from home Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tazzieman Posted 7June, 2018 Author Report Share Posted 7June, 2018 I left Oxford in 1970. Given that I love history & old monuments etc (& have a little bit of family in England) I go back reasonably often. Oz cities leave me cold and beaches are...beaches. "Great drives" have been ruined by tourists & plod & numpties. As I said , it was a fabulous holiday & we will do it again. But I can see why older folk go for bus tours (eeew) and cruises(more eew unless it's a small exclusive affair) Perhaps a canal boat one day. Even if it rains you can just tie up and read a book or browse PFA! I could say "go now before its all gone" but that would just be encouraging more of youse road yobs ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coastr Posted 7June, 2018 Report Share Posted 7June, 2018 You ex-poms are a special lot! I think I have visited the UK for the last time, I don't really see myself going back in the future. The people crush is oppressive, and the 'high vis' brigade is out of control. Sadly yes, Australia is following suit - the first lot of speed cameras should have been violently damaged wherever they appeared. We have it good in Australia but people have to keep pushing back against the nannies. Our biggest ally here is the 4wd brigade. If you want great driving holidays North America is where it's at (after NZ, which is brilliant) Lots of high mountain roads, wider and better constructed than british/irish goat tracks, no speed cameras *at all* and plod that generally doesn't patrol back roads (can you imagine lumbering one of those crown vics up a mountain road?) I did 600 km last weekend and didn't see a single cop car outside a town. And stunning scenery galore. Just have to get 50 miles from a city and it's all there. See Magnus Walker & Jay Leno videos hammering it up the hills behind LA. Only the flat and boring mid-west states/provinces don't have good roads. The 'famous' routes are generally overrated and no good but there are plenty of less well known roads. And when you want to get from Point A to Point B, wide interstates take you wherever you want to go quicky and easily without being held up by the admittedly numerous lumbering RVs. And as for rental cars, in the USA just pay the damage waiver, and flog them to death. They don't care, there's another 500 in the rental lot - it's a numbers game. I ruined a brand new Nissan SUV in the desert once. The rear storage area had permanent green where a carton of heineken had vibrated so much on corrugated roads that the ink had impregnated the plastic floor cover. Rock chips and dust everywhere - paid one of those mexican car wash places to give it a $20 wash and clean before handing it back and the rental people didn't blink an eyelid. Of course Germany gets a special mention as well, but it has the same issues with a very dense thicket of speed cameras and villages every 5 ks. But that is forgiven due to the magnificent Autobahns, high alpine passes (more in Austria, but still) and the existence of the nurburgring. And don't forget Italy - same issues as the UK for overcrowding and terrible roads, but shocking driving standards actually becomes fun to be a part of after you get over the initial shock. Lots and lots of beautiful roads with not much traffic. I think in the next 20 years Eastern Europe will be the place to drive as they continue to invest in the road network but lag their policing and high vis. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tazzieman Posted 7June, 2018 Author Report Share Posted 7June, 2018 One other thing...why would hire car companies rent out black cars , other than to rip into customers wallets for scratches they wouldn't see on a white car (which is far safer on the road anyway)? And scratches they don't even bother repairing.... We certainly didn't want a black car, and good luck driving/parking on holiday over here without getting a scuff (which they can try to categorise as a scratch , unless you are cluey) See https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/08/04/europcar-scandal-will-cost-40m-admits-ditches-rip-off-billing/ One car we hired had a note stating if we attached anything to the windscreen it might incur a 2.500 euro fee for any "damage". "Any"being the operative word. They are , like the ATO , out to get you. I had thought about buying a clunker , but SWMBO said no way. Caveat emptor as always. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ANF Posted 7June, 2018 Report Share Posted 7June, 2018 I have not used Europcar for many years, always use Thrifty for local hire now and Avis for overseas travel, no issues so far. Did they try and convince you to upgrade to full insurance cover (if they have that scam over there)? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YellowDieselGolf Posted 7June, 2018 Report Share Posted 7June, 2018 Eek. I just emailed Europcar for a quote today. Thanks for the heads up guys. What's the full insurance cover scam Adam? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tazzieman Posted 7June, 2018 Author Report Share Posted 7June, 2018 7 minutes ago, YellowDieselGolf said: Eek. I just emailed Europcar for a quote today. Thanks for the heads up guys. What's the full insurance cover scam Adam? 200Euros/week ; can get it as low as 20 something with a private company. And They will slap 1000 quid on your credit card as soon as you rock up, to save them any hassles getting money out of you. Good luck fighting them over any issue , esp if you note a discrepancy when you get home. We use our travel insurance through mastercard (or something like that) Take photos before you drive off (& on return when you are stressed out having been clobbered on the roundabouts and motorway ) : odometer , fuel gauge , every mark including scuffs. Check the paperwork and if you notice any extra scuffs don't drive off until they have noted them. A scratch is something that catches a fingernail. Cut your fingernails short ;<) Oh and fill up before you return. Good luck finding the servo at the airport. It's not on the return car side and I still have no idea how to find it in 3 of the big airports. They slugged us something like 50 quid filling fee PLUS the extra expensive fuel when we returned the car at Belfast. It's stacked in their favour every step of the way. Haha read the small print after a 17 hour flight...right Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WOKA Posted 7June, 2018 Report Share Posted 7June, 2018 Oh great.. I'm heading over in less than two weeks, first stop the Europcar counter.! Unreal. I did buy third party insurance though, so hopefully that might help if needed. Then a hire car in Spain for a week. Why oh why. Could have simply gone to Tassie for a holiday. Thanks for the tips... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ANF Posted 7June, 2018 Report Share Posted 7June, 2018 2 minutes ago, WOKA said: Oh great.. I'm heading over in less than two weeks, first stop the Europcar counter.! Unreal. I did buy third party insurance though, so hopefully that might help if needed. Then a hire car in Spain for a week. Why oh why. Could have simply gone to Tassie for a holiday. Thanks for the tips... Do you have travel insurance? If so most of them cover the extortive insurance excesses. 56 minutes ago, YellowDieselGolf said: Eek. I just emailed Europcar for a quote today. Thanks for the heads up guys. What's the full insurance cover scam Adam? Most car hire companies structure their insurance excesses so that the standard hire rate leaves you with say a $3k to $4k excess if you need to make a claim (only place I have seen this not in existence is North America) but if you have travel insurance (and you really should if travelling overseas, or for that matter even in Aus if you hire a car) most of the good companies cover this crazy high excess in their standard policies. I for one have been caught in the past and paid their stupidly high extra daily rate to cover this, but not anymore. Even in Australia most times the travel insurance premium will be way less than any extra they may try to charge you for excess reduction plus it gives you other benefits as well - no I don't sell travel insurance I used Avis in the US and Canada, and will use them in Europe next year as they have much better rates and inclusions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
symsy Posted 7June, 2018 Report Share Posted 7June, 2018 13 hours ago, Troubleshooter said: To quote Symsy above "one of my key house buying criteria is being able to turn onto a back B road in around 5 -6 mins and be able to have a little blat and feel of my cars.. " I've done it as well and would be bloody depressed if I couldn't smack the cars or motorbikes through the hills within 10 mins of turning the key. One day they'll increasingly tax (and suppress with laws), us out of our cars and firstly our "Fun Toy cars" ...enjoy while you can .... Sounds like , we should set up the hotel de Porsche mate , pool the cars and have a nice fly in fly out tour company We can have a stool at the bar for Tassie to honour being the seed for it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Troubleshooter Posted 7June, 2018 Report Share Posted 7June, 2018 9 hours ago, symsy said: Sounds like , we should set up the hotel de Porsche mate , pool the cars and have a nice fly in fly out tour company We can have a stool at the bar for Tassie to honour being the seed for it Sounds like a plan Symsy, the more Porsches to play with the better ....just gotta get those hippie campers off the back roads, danger looms at times. That's half the fun! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
symsy Posted 8June, 2018 Report Share Posted 8June, 2018 Boxrods in the paddock races @Troubleshooter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Troubleshooter Posted 8June, 2018 Report Share Posted 8June, 2018 10 hours ago, symsy said: Boxrods in the paddock races @Troubleshooter Every 2nd Sunday of the month at Channon Market "Boxrod Paddock Bash" centre stage on the oval - would go off! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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