The Perth Thread

[Scotland]

Those are not mergers, they're people cutting in. Don't let them in, the f***ers can wait.

The only ones I let in were the ones who were on track to run into me.

 

[Forward Press]

The only ones I let in were the ones who were on track to run into me.

Since it seems it is bumper-to-bumper(ish) based on what you said, just leave a bit less of a gap. Yes I know, tailgating blah blah but if they're going to zoom up the left to try and cut in they can risk the crash.

 

[Scotland]

Since it seems it is bumper-to-bumper(ish) based on what you said, just leave a bit less of a gap. Yes I know, tailgating blah blah but if they're going to zoom up the left to try and cut in they can risk the crash.

I did!

Only problem in doing that is that when it's busy people also have no concept of maintaining speed so end up accelerating then slamming on the brakes repeatedly so you've got to watch whoever is in front of you like a hawk. ****ed if I know how people put up with Freeway commuting each day.

 

[Kram]

I really don't miss driving regularly around Perth at all tbh..

 

[Forward Press]

I did!

Only problem in doing that is that when it's busy people also have no concept of maintaining speed so end up accelerating then slamming on the brakes repeatedly so you've got to watch whoever is in front of you like a hawk. stuffed if I know how people put up with Freeway commuting each day.

Don't remind me that I have to start doing this, for the first time ever, this year. Perth drivers are terrible. I'm not excluding myself either, I have some bad habits too.

 

[Teriyakicat]

Those are not mergers, they're people cutting in. Don't let them in, the f***ers can wait.

Was about to say the same thing. They're the same people who take all the side roads to get ahead of traffic, then give you the finger when you don't let them in, knowing exactly where they've come from. They're the same people who refuse to move across and merge smoothly when they see a "lane closed" sign but, instead, they zoom right up to where the lane is actually closed and barge-arse their way in there, slowing down the traffic as some poor sod has to make way for them.

To these people, I say .....

 

[Teriyakicat]

Don't remind me that I have to start doing this, for the first time ever, this year. Perth drivers are terrible. I'm not excluding myself either, I have some bad habits too.

Not me....


Went to pick my daughter up from swimming the other night and got caught in a northbound (nowhere bound?) freeway carpark between Farrington Rd and South St. Three cop cars zoomed up the emergency lane - all with lights flashing- as we commenced crawling forward. Not long after, I did the Evil Eye to the back of a stupid frigging motorcyclist who wiggled himself free of the traffic jam and zoomed up the emergency lane- obviously so much more important than the rest of us.

As I passed the accident- where the two RH lanes had been closed- I noticed that there were about 10 cop cars, half a dozen tow trucks, two vehicles that looked like they'd been in a fairly solid rear-ender-type accident, plus another couple of undamaged cars and the cleanup crew.

I commented later to my son that I thought it was a bit of an "overkill" but maybe that was normal in these situations, to get these incidents cleared away ASAP and the freeway flowing freely again.

The following day my son sent me a link to a news article that said a motorcyclist had been killed after ploughing into the back of a truck that had stopped at the scene of an earlier accident. Stupid bugger
It wasn't the bloke that I'd seen- I passed by about an hour after the fatality occurred.

When will these people learn??

 

[UFO Tatsu]

All the bad Perf driver come from the eastern states or Asia, everyone knows that.

hey, i resent that ... but i would still have to agree

 

[Off The Couch]

Our freeway system is a joke full stop. Narrow minded planners whrn they were first built have ensured that we are resigned too a lifetime of angst every time we have to travel on them.

Thank God I live inner city

 

[Teriyakicat]

Our freeway system is a joke full stop. Narrow minded planners whrn they were first built have ensured that we are resigned too a lifetime of angst every time we have to travel on them.

Thank God I live inner city

I live south of Perth and, in my 10-ish years here, we've had the Mandurah rail line built and the widening of the freeway north of the a Roe Hwy.
Both major works have reduced the freeway to a bloody big carpark most of the time.
Now, because they didn't widen the damn thing far enough south the first time, they've gone back in to do it now
I don't think I've ever bothered to take the freeway home. Now all my back roads have also been turned into carparks, I travel 5+ kms out of my way to get home, turning what used to be a 10 minute trip into a 20 minute trip- but at least I'm moving and not stuck in traffic for 20 minutes trying to travel the 3kms I need to get to my main connecting road.

 

[Scotland]

Our Freeway "system" (it's really just one that lasts for 100km or whatever it is now) is OK, it's the layout of the metro area and population density that is the problem.

Perth gets progressively worse with each ring of development sprawling South, North and East. We passed the optimal population for our layout and density a long time ago.

 

[Nothing]

They're the same people who refuse to move across and merge smoothly when they see a "lane closed" sign but, instead, they zoom right up to where the lane is actually closed and barge-arse their way in there, slowing down the traffic as some poor sod has to make way for them.

Which 'strategy' makes congestion worse?

 

[Teriyakicat]

Which 'strategy' makes congestion worse?

I think if the merging is done further back, it's smoother. If there are 20 cars parked at the obstruction, with nowhere to go, it forces the cars in the open lanes to stop to let them in, thus the domino effect is felt all the way back in the line.
Obviously, when the traffic is totally bogged down, neither merging closer or further back will make any difference but I was referring more to lighter traffic that is flowing leading up to the closed lane. Not sure if I've explained that very well.

 

[scon]

From about 300 k's away I am timing my trips to the big smoke now to minimise exposure to Perth traffic density/rush hours.
The more of 'em there are the denser the behaviour.
What's more unfortunate is that they are visiting the bush in greater numbers and they bring their aggro-drongo driving with them

 

[Keys]

New job in northbridge now forces me to the daily commute so bus/train it is for me. Takes me 40 minutes from padbury which is reasonable and compared to cost of fuel and parking is significantly cheaper. Honestly don't understand why anyone would choose to drive, way too aggravating

 

[Scotland]

If you live anywhere near a train station you're mad not to use it to get to the city for a 9-5 job.

 

[Teriyakicat]

If you live anywhere near a train station you're mad not to use it to get to the city for a 9-5 job.

That's if you can squeeze onto a train.
They're pretty chocka block in peak hour on the Mandurah line.

 

[gaskin]

That's if you can squeeze onto a train.
They're pretty chocka block in peak hour on the Mandurah line.

Or get parking at the train station.

 

[kfc1]

Drive to the station
#justperfthings

 

[blueboy25]

New job in northbridge now forces me to the daily commute so bus/train it is for me. Takes me 40 minutes from padbury which is reasonable and compared to cost of fuel and parking is significantly cheaper. Honestly don't understand why anyone would choose to drive, way too aggravating

I am in Hillarys and work in the CBD and catch the train each day, leave the office at 5pm and pretty much walk in the door at 5.40 in time fo the sport segment on the channel 10 news.

Have my head down reading a book for most of the trip but sometimes have a look out the window at the car park they call the mitchell freeway.

 

[blueboy25]

Drive to the station
#justperfthings

I admit that i drive to the train station but only because the bus timetables are so stupid. The bus route that is closest to my place and is quite a busy route has a bus a 5.52pm and the next one isn't until 6.52pm.

Most people finishing up at 5pm in the city can get on the 5.52 service but if you are delayed for any reason and miss that bus you are rooted.

 

[Off The Couch]

I admit that i drive to the train station but only because the bus timetables are so stupid. The bus route that is closest to my place and is quite a busy route has a bus a 5.52pm and the next one isn't until 6.52pm.

Most people finishing up at 5pm in the city can get on the 5.52 service but if you are delayed for any reason and miss that bus you are rooted.

And therein IMO lies the problem - it's how the service is run that causes most of the problems

 

[Teriyakicat]

Drive to the station
#justperfthings

Our nearest station is 30-ish mins away- along bush land as there is no verge to speak of along the side of the roads.
My kids drive to the station or I drop them. The worst thing is trying to get out of the carpark... One day it took me 45 minutes to move the few hundred metres out to the intersection to get out.

 

[UFO Tatsu]

New job in northbridge now forces me to the daily commute so bus/train it is for me. Takes me 40 minutes from padbury which is reasonable and compared to cost of fuel and parking is significantly cheaper. Honestly don't understand why anyone would choose to drive, way too aggravating

Missus has a company parking bay in Ozzie Park. We calculated that it was cheaper to drive than it is to pay for two adults from Cockburn to Glendalough.

Then again, I am actually one of those guys that likes driving even if it is in a traffic jam

 

[UFO Tatsu]

That's if you can squeeze onto a train.
They're pretty chocka block in peak hour on the Mandurah line.

Just came back from China. Gives me a better appreciation of "my personal space"