Tales from the Southern Expressway

[MatteeG]

Howdy all,

As a frequent user of the Southern Expressway I have seen some of the most amazing/baffling/dumb driving you can think of.

For instance yesterday when coming down the hill, where 100 changes to 80, we had most cars switching to the right lane (Marion Road exit) to get around 2 buses doing 40 km/h in the middle lane overtaking 2 Kalari quarry trucks doing 20 km/h. (Separate argument here, dont get me started on Trucks/large vehicles being allowed on the road during peak hour)

Then all cars were swinging into the lanes to go on to South road. This kept going right up to the Marion Road exit until the cars had no way of getting through, so the rock ape driver(s) decided to stop (in the Marion Road exit) with the left indicator on trying to get back in the South Road lane instead of cutting their losses and getting out at Marion Road. This held up all the Marion Road lanes and Adelaide drivers being Adelaide drivers no-one let this drongo in making it worse. I actually LOL in my car, much to the amusement of Mrs P plate sitting next to me (MatteeG you still got it

What is it about this stretch of road which makes people turn into mindless morons? Or is there just a high % of no-brainers down south?

Post some of your favourite expressway tales...

[Bully]

the fact that it is one way is a comedy in its own

[am Bays]

I'm glad I ride along side it not drive on it...

[CK]

Boy oh boy, where to start on this one....I go to and from the CBD each day on it, around 6.30am in the morning, around 5.00pm at night.

The one thing that never fails to amaze me is the number of people who, presumably, use it each day, but still have the need to sit in the left hand lane until about 400m from their exit and then lurch across cars in the right hand lane, forcing them to brake heavily.

On the other hand, the number who drive all the way along it, and sit in the right hand lane all the way, happily tootling along at 90km/h, holding up all other drivers behind them - until said drivers try to go around them in the left lane. This usually gets them moving, to the point of planting the foot to prevent them passing, until they play the "not letting you back in" game.

The best part of this game, is being in the right hand lane, and then being overtaken on your RIGHT hand side - yes, the emergency lane.

Then comes three recent phenomenons peculiar to the Expressway:

- The male 4WD driver, who, by the power of wearing sunglasses and a stony expression, can appear oblivious to all other road users, and then have the power to push other road users out of their way, through sitting closer and closer to their rear bumper at whatever speed they desire.

- The young, female driver, usually of a hatchback, with a dashboard adorned with copious numbers of fluffy toys, a crystal hanging from the front mirror to blind other road users as it catches the sun, a back window covered with "Bad Girl", "Boy Toy" or "Playboy" stickers, which gives them an inability to use an indicator or complete a lane change correctly.

- The young, male driver, generally of a Holden but able to adapt to other species, with one arm hanging either out of the window, or, the new trend of resting it over the passenger seat, and able to drive with one hand, change the radio, juggle a smoke and an Iced Coffee all at once and maintain the ability to verbally abuse all other drivers in their immediate vicinity.

You touched on the number of trucks and buses that merrily go along side by side at 70k's in peak hour. They should be BANNED from this road between 7am and 9am, and 4pm and 6pm. They have Main South Road or the Lonsdale Highway as an alternative.

[spell_check]

As an infrequent user of the Southern Expressway, I must say it's a fantastic road to use to get to Noarlunga Oval and back - I just need to remember to get there before it closes! Based on my experiences of the road, 9/10. Minus one point for the times I forget to get there before it closes.

[MW]

Its not just the Southern Expressway, its across all of Adelaide. We just don't know how to drive.

[southee]

One story.

A mate of mine coming over from Victoria was driving up Marion Rd. He turned to head up the expressway when the traffic lights stopped him....he waited....then the "boom" gates came down on him. He had to reverse out.

Its a joke....but hey...really...it's Adelaide!!!

(MW...agreed ...we have NFI how to drive in this state. No skills or most of all patience!!!)

[smithy]

I haven't used the expressway for a while now, but always felt it saved plenty of time and can't remember too many issues.
I would add that I rarely used it around the "peak times".
Does it still close for 2 hours during change over? That I always thought was a bit extreme.

[heater31]

There are some brain-dead idiots allowed behind the wheel these days.

1. Some toss bag in a commodore on the Expressway on a Sunday arvo travelling well below the speed limit with another vehicle with as similar speed alongside. I get out into the free lane to go past and just as I'm at a safe distance to change back into the middle lane someone is preparing to get into the exit lane and this w1nker decides to speed up boxing me in behind the exit car. fall back and change lanes only to have this idiot go above the speed limit all because they didn't want their crappy Commodore over taken by a Lancer with a large spoiler on the back

2. Main North Rd between the Munno Para and Elizabeth Shopping centres a Semi Truck running a ute completely off the road just before the afternoon peak hour. Luckily the ute still had the nature strip in the middle

[heater31]

Does it still close for 2 hours during change over? That I always thought was a bit extreme.

Think it still does. not a completely stupid idea as it allows some minor maintenance tasks to be completed in the change over

[Mic]

I don't mind buses using it at peak times, but the trucks can p*** off. They constantly hold up traffic.

I come down Shepherds Hill Road and then have to quickly get across to get to the entrance. This has not been possible a couple times, due to a**holes not letting me in (I'm sure they do this in purpose).

The Panatalinga Road entrance at Reynella is stupid, merging 3 lanes (sometimes 4 if there is a bus using the bus lane) of traffic into 1. This gets so congested that, at times, you have to slow down to 10km/h so that everyone gets in. Then this lane enters you onto the fast lane of the expressway - how many highway entrances put you straight into the fast lane?

The northern exit is a dangerously sharp turn, I'm surprised there hasn't been more accidents from people driving across their lanes.

It even annoys me that we give people a thankyou wave for letting them in front, why does someone need to thank me for lifting my foot 10 degrees to let them in?

And it will always annoy me that it is one-way. Stupid.

[Barto]

the fact that it is one way is a comedy in its own

I've talked to people here in WA about that and they think I'm pulling the piss.

[PhilH]

I like the way when you go citibound there is no exit between Lonsdale and Darlington

How about one at Reynella, Trott Park or even Majors Road so those going to Hallett Cove, Happy Valley, Aberfoyle Park, O'Halloran Hill & Flagstaff Hill dont have to use other roads for an extra 10 minutes when the expressway goes right past.

[Barto]

Vale the MATS plan.

This is what Perth bit the bullet and did back when the population was smaller than Adelaide's

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mitchell_Freeway
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kwinana_Freeway

[GWW]

Was it Dunstan who didn't go ahead with the Adelaide version of the MATS back in the 60's?

[Bully]

yes dunstan abandoned the MATS plan. Everyone in adelaide at the time thought the city would become like Los Angeles (search for it in wikiencyclopedia and you will know what i mean) with suburbs or duldrems that have ugly overpasses and pollution in rich parts of the city. Hence the reason for the obahn.

It is comical telling people in here in QLD about a one way freeway.

You get people sitting in the right hadn lane under the speed limit everywhere. In QLD if your caught by police you get a fine and 3 demerit points but people still do it and they did a survey here in the city if people do this and 95% of people asked said they didnt know keeping left unless overtaking was a road rule instead they thought it was drive in any lane you want at any speed. Its the most simplest road rule and people dont know it. Most drivers doing this are taxis with indians and arabs that dont know how to drive.

[zipzap]

Its not just the Southern Expressway, its across all of Adelaide. We just don't know how to drive.

I was nodding in agreement with CK's observations, and I don't even drive on the SEW - I see that crap every day

[Wedgie]

If I could go around Adelaide cancelling the license of driver who have no idea and shouldn't have a license we'd be lucky to have 5% of drivers left on the road.

Are only a select few of us taught what the words "Keep Left Unless Overtaking" means at school?
I'm sure most people read "Left" as "Right".
Its not frigging rocket science!

[Booney]

If I could go around Adelaide cancelling the license of driver who have no idea and shouldn't have a license we'd be lucky to have 5% of drivers left on the road.

Are only a select few of us taught what the words "Keep Left Unless Overtaking" means at school?
I'm sure most people read "Left" as "Right".
Its not frigging rocket science!

[Strawb]

You want bad driving come to Werribee. Even if there is a curve in the road, speed humps or anything else this area can sound like a racing track. No one Indicates even when the police are around. The best of all is some of the parking efforts those chicks in their little buzz boxes can take up to parking spaces. I think in general driving is becoming worse, highlight for me is going to Melbourne and watching all the interstate number plates trying to work out how to do this.