A Road Trip

[cleanerg6e]

Here's a video taken from my car using the rail cam micro camera which was attached the the dashboard just in front of the steering wheel with a big lump of blu tac.http://youtu.be/1-piqPBWWww

Roy.

[grockle]

An interesting road trip. Glad to see that the road repairs look as rough as the one's here in my area of Devon, UK.

Woolworths, now no longer here in the UK. Out of interest how much is petrol.

Ian

[cleanerg6e]

Petrol in Gunnedah was for 95 RON $1.63 per litre or around 80p per litre. That video is one of 10 I will up load. On some the sun plays havoc with the lighting making the trees look like they have snow on their foliage.

Roy.

[grockle]

Here in Paignton Devon the cheapest petrol available is at Morrison's or Sainsbury's supermarket petrol stations at £1-36.9p per litre of petrol. Diesel is at about £1-40.9p per litre I think, but still cheaper than the many other local petrol stations.

Do you ever see any of the infamous Road Trains on your travels ?

Ian

[cleanerg6e]

Hi Ian, for English prices in Australian dollars prices you just have to double you local prices then subtract 30 to 40 p off the total. No I didn't come across any road trains in my travels as I wasn't in the really remote country. For those not familiar with a road train it consists of one prime mover and usually hauling three or four trailers.

Ian, that video is Part 1 of 10.

Roy.

[grockle]

Eagerly awaiting the remainder of the video clips. Some lorries that are not familier to me as well, probably Japanese, but not sure. How about telling us what vehicles are spotted as I am sure that to those that have never been to Australia will not have a clue on them. Luckly I was able to visit an Aunt of mine in Freemantle 40 years ago back in the mid 70's when I was a young man in my early 20's, and even then Jap cars and lorries were fairly common, even if they weren't over here in Blighty, as they are now.

Ian

[cleanerg6e]

Now you've really asked for something Ian in the line of oncoming traffic I can only tell you from the start to the 50kph section near the roundabout. After that there are just too many vehicles.

1. Isuzu truck- Japan

2. Toyota Prado 4x4-Japan

3. Hyundai Santa Fe 4x4-Korea

4. Mitsubishi Pajero 4x4-Japan

5. Holden Commodore sedan-Australia

6. Mitsubishi truck-Japan

7. Toyota Landcruiser 4x4-Japan

8. Holden/Isuzu Rodeo 4x4-Japan

9. Isuzu truck-Japan

10. Toyota Hilux dual cab 4x4-Japan

11. VW Ambulance-Germany

12. Mitsubishi Triton single cab 4x4-Japan

13. " Outlander small 4x4-Japan

14. Toyota Hilux dual cab 2x4-Japan

15. Ford Falcon Sedan-Australian

16. Holden Commodore Utility-Australian

17. Toyota Hilux Single Cab 4x4-Japan

18. Nissan Micra-Japan

19. Toyota Landcruiser Single Cab 4x4-Japan

20. Holden Commodore Sedan-Australian

21. Mitsubishi truck-Japan

22. Ford Falcon Sedan-Australian

23. Holden Commodore Sedan-Australian

24. Ford Falcon Station Wagon-Australian

25. Mack Semi Trailer U.S

26. Toyota Hilux 4x4-Japan

27. Subaru Liberty Wagon AWD (All Wheel Drive)

28. Toyota Prado 4x4-Japan

29. " Hilux 4x4-Japan

30. Hyundai Elantra-Korea

31. " Excel -Korea

[grockle]

Bloody hell I wasn't exspecting that list so quick. Well done that man.

Most of the Jap stuff is now common as muck here as well. 4 X 4 are nicked named 'Chelsea Tractors' as they never go off road and driven by bloody women drivers doing the school (brat) runs everyday of the working week. Can't see the front or back of their bloody monster crap and certainlu can't park the damn thinks properly.

More interested in the Aussie build cars and stuff if I am to be perfectly honest. Don't get them over here unless imported.

I used to watch the V8 utes and the like racing but now not shown here in the UK. Bathurst was the race to watch, going up and down that hill with the odd bit of livestock causing mayhem when it strayed into the path of racing cars.

Ian

[cleanerg6e]

One of my workmates is a die hard V8 Super cars fan and every year attends the Bathurst race at Mount Panorama. He has a friend who lives on the racing circuit so he and his wife stay are able to stay with him and his wife. Many people overseas don't realise that Mount Panorama is actually a public road with a speed of 60kph.

I know what you mean about the large 4x4's being used as kid carriers to and from school as it happens here as well. Even my work vehicle which is a Ranger 4x4 spends most of it's time on the black top.

Here's a photo of it.

[grockle]

Take the equipment out the back and replace with a mobile exhibition model railway. Sorted.

Roo bars on the front I see. Not allowed in the UK now, unless you can prove that you go off roading a lot.

If that was marketed here would probably have a 2 or 2.5 litre normally aspirated diesel engine. Boring.

Like the use of the high level white lamp for working but also for blinding the idiots that don't dip. I have done something similair on my 1990 Mazda 626 estate. 2 x 150w spotlights for those dark country roads that we have around here, but the offside spotlamp is trained slightly to the right and at about 400yards ahead so any idiot that don't dip gets a good eyefull of main beam, and its blinding.

Ian

[cleanerg6e]

Actually Ian we didn't want the bull bar at the front but were told we had to have it simply because we wanted fog lights and after market fog lights with the bull bar were cheaper than the manufacturers fog lights. The Ford Rangers here are now a 5 cylinder diesel and as such we will not be getting them as the council has a 4 cylinder policy for car and light trucks. So the next work light truck will be a Isuzu D Max 5 speed auto 4x4. If all light truck 4x4's end up becoming 5 cylinder then the council will have to change it's policy. It's doesn't worry me what I get as I don't have to pay for it.

Roy.

[cleanerg6e]

Part 2 of the Road Trip driving through the small town of Boggabri with me getting upset with the Sat Nav mispronouncing the Town of Narrabri.http://youtu.be/OVbJrO1s36s The music is a CD of the now defunct Australian band Ice House.

The oncoming traffic in this video is,

1. Holden Commodore Utility

2. Nissan Patrol 4x4

3. Ford Ranger 4x4

4. Toyota Camry Wagon.

5. Toyota Kluger 4x4

6. Toyota Land Cruiser 4x4

7. Toyota Prado 4x4

8. Mercedes Benz semi trailer

9. Kenworth semi trailer

10. Toyota Land Cruiser

11. Holden Commodore

12. Isuzu Dual cab 4x4.

[grockle]

What is considered a traffic que in Aus, 3 vehicles or 5 vehicles ?

Ian

[cleanerg6e]

No in the country it's usually easy to get passed slower traffic whereas in the cities it's much harder simply due to the fact that most of the population live there so the traffic queues are often several kilometers long.

Roy.

[cleanerg6e]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yVsgR07k6k0

here is part 3 of 10.

The oncoming traffic is.

Toyota Prado 4x4-Japan

Volvo or Scania semi trailer- Sweden.

[cleanerg6e]

Here is part 4 of 10. This is in Queensland driving on the Bunya Highway and through the small settlement called Kumbia. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=13Qov5lcxAU

The oncoming traffic is,

Nissan XTrail SUV

Toyota Landcruiser 4x4

Nissan Narvara 4x4

Nissan Patrol 4x4

Lexus Sedan

Mazda 323

Toyota Hilux 4x2 dual cab

Holden Commodore

Mitsubishi Lancer

Mercedes Sprinter high roof van

Roy.

[grockle]

Enjoying the road trips, and the commentary as well.

cheers

Ian

[cleanerg6e]

I settlement of Kumbia is spelt that way not Kumbria.

Roy.

[grockle]

Roy,

Please correct me if wrong, but have noticed that the national speed limit in Australia is 110kph, except in the Northern Territories. Approx 64mph. It must getting pretty boring travelling at that speed with such open road begging for a greater speed.

In Germany, although very strict on their speed limits, I have actually driven on the Germany Autobahn at speeds in excess of 100mph or 160kph quite legally.

Here in the UK the max speed allowed is 70mph on the motorways but this is regulary exceeded by most drivers, including myself, as I tend to sit the old Mazda at about 80mph with the rev counter sitting at 3000rpm in overdrive. Its an old three speed automatic with overdrive.

Back in 1985 I was able to drive on of my cars legally at 136.8mph around Goodwood Motor Racing Circuit on a track open day with my co-driver Derek Bell, Le mans 24 Hours Porchs driver. He drove my car as well and managed to get 138.6mph out of it. Not bad for a slightly modified 1975 Audi 80LS 1451cc automatic. Engine was rebored to true 1500cc, stage three head, stage 2 high lift cam, titanuim buckets, Janspeed exhaust and Audi 80GT carb, all matched to a 1890 Audi 80 1600cc auto gearbox stripped and rebuilt to 2litre specifications. Torque on the road wheels was 115 as apposed to the then new Audi 100 1800cc 5 cylinder engine with 110 torque at the flywheel.

Ian

[cleanerg6e]

Actually Ian the national speed limit is 100kph or 62mph. 110kph or 70mph is only allowed on motorways and some roads in the interiors of states. The Northern Territory was the only place in Australia that had no speed limit and you could drive as fast as you wanted to. But due to a number of horrific accidents there is now a speed limit on the outback roads of 100kph. Just before they brought in the speed limit they had a bloke belting down one of the outback roads in a high powered Ford Falcon at 250kph. The trouble is that the roads abound in wildlife and if you hit a Kangaroo at 250kph both you and the "roo" are dead. The Kangaroos are the size and weight of a horse.

A motor racing driver by the name of Mark Skaife was calling for the motorway speed limit to be raised to 140kph or 87mph but was booed into retreat by the "go slow" lobby. One of the "local" racing circuits has driver/owner days in which those with high powered cars can belt around the track. It's the Eastern Creek Motor Racing Circuit at Prospect near the Sydney suburb of Blacktown. They brought that in due to races such as V8 Super cars not racing there and wanted to keep the racing circuit open. Now V8 Super cars is once again racing at Eastern Creek.

My standard Falcon has a 6 in line cylinder DOHC 24V 4L rear wheel drive engine producing 265.4hp and 288.3 torques. It comes with a 5* ANCAP rating, has a 6 speed ZF adaptive automatic gearbox and the fuel tank holds 68 litres. The tyres are 235/50/17's and the wheels are 8" wide. It achieves 31mpg around town and 38-39mpg in the country. The car weighs 1,850kgs but with me and luggage 2 tons.

Roy.

Edited November 25, 2012 by Guest