h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Judging from reactions I had here in the UK from an Oz cousin in my passenger seat, many Oz drivers have never had to use the steering wheel. She seemed to have come from an area where the roads were so straight and wide, that the mere choice of going North or South was sufficient to ensure she reached her destination. Steering, braking, maps etc etc were all unnecessary and extraneous decoration. Aussies really do seem to be able measure distances "as the crow flies" on the trip recorder. Corners are a source of some curiousity and are features to be negotiate3d only by the advanced motorist in some areas.
So I drove my cuz at a moderate lick of speed, at night, along the very narrow and exceedingly twisty Cheshire lanes, which, having been around for some centuries before the 6 foot wide strip of tarmac was applied, are now also sunk down as much as 5 or 6 feet below the surrounding fields.
Result was absolute terror and panic from a passenger being driven totally blind along what she considered to be a roller coaster track. My explanation that this was normal, that any oncoming vehicles could be seen by their headlights, and that my speed was perfectly usual on these roads did little to remove her wish to get out. I was sore tempted to drive very quickly, but was soon dissuaded by her screams.

Nao.

You 'cus must have been from a country town. Around the big cities traffic moves at quite a lick, and in the 'burbs there are twists and turns.

Although travelling from Adelaide to Perth across the nullabor desert, I did have to stop once to avoid hitting a camel. It was only after it padded off into the desert I thought to wake up one of my four sleeping passengers, but by the time I had it had gone.

In country Australia they don't measure distance in miles or kilometers, but in hours, the reason being that once you leave the place you are at (you can't call them "towns") there is no real reference point (like a turning, or a change in scenery, or a house) until you get to the place you are going, so you pretty much drive at the recommended speed (about 20KPH over the speed limit , which is 100 or 110KPH).

You don't realise how big Oz is until you drive interstate. Sydney (NSW) to Perth (WA) is 3972 K or nearly 2500 miles (Land's End to John o' Groats is about 950 miles, I believe)

try bookcrossing !