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Verges and all that


Biltongboer

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Well, this Biltongboertjie has learnt a lot of new stuff lately. I even found out what the word “verge†means. Or I think I have. I am not on the “verge†of a nervous breakdown, either. I am in love with this country - I really love the place.

By the way, verge is another word for pavement or sidewalk, or “sypaadjie†as we know it in Biltongland.

So, what happens, is this: Every now and then, a certain suburban area is up for verge collection. What happens then, is that people put stuff on the verge. Junk, old furniture, anything. I saw this with my own eyes, and it amazes me to see what people casually put out on the sidewalk.

I have seen, amongst other things, the following items standing on the verge:

TV’s. Old ones, new ones, small ones, laaarge ones (that wouldn’t fit into my car’s boot).

Couches, chairs, even leather couches.

Prams, baby car seats, toys, computer screens.

Bicycles, lawnmowers, camping chairs.

Tables, cabinets, lawn furniture, beds and mattresses

Anyone who drives by can stop and take whatever they want - free of charge. Anything that’s left over on the verge after a week, is taken away by the local city council - then it gets dumped at the correct environmentally friendly local garbage facility. If you want to score Big-time, buy yourself a ute or a big trailer - you can furnish your whole house from doing verge collection.

Another thing I learnt was how the whole “filling-up-at-the-service-stationâ€-thing works. I already knew they have no boys doing the work at the service station. What I did not know, was the procedure to use when filling up your car. Luckily Dewald told me his story, and I learnt from his mistake.

He went to the filling station, filled up the car, and then got in the car and drove it away from the fuel pump so that the next customer could fill up. When he went to pay for the fuel, the guy at the counter was confused. He thought Dewald was driving away without paying for his fuel, and was ready to call the Police! Dewald explained that he just made it easier for the next guy to fill up, and the cashier told him to never, ever do that again.

Here’s how it works, for all the dummies from Biltongland:

You stop at the fuel pump. Open the fuel tank lid. Take the fuel pump hose, and then stick its nose into the car’s fuel thingy. You press the handle, and hold it down for a few seconds, until the fuel starts flowing. When the tank is full, the pump will stop by itself. Now, replace the hose to it’s resting place, and check the number on your pump. They are numbered from 1 to 6, or whatever. You walk into the service station shop, go to the cashier, and give him your pump number. You can pay with cash, credit card, or any other bank card imaginable. If you buy stuff inside the shop, you just add them to ‘pump no 4â€, and there you go. Easy as pie.

If you are still on your way to Oz, please save this blog entry and print it out - it will help you settling during those first days.

Another thing is the lekka thing called “cash-outâ€. When you get to the till in a shop (or the “check-outâ€, as they call it), the cashier will sometimes ask whether you “want cash-outâ€? What this means is that you can pay with your bank card, and they can add an amount of cash to that. They then give you the cash you asked for. This is nearly like an ATM, you just withdraw money from the local Woolworths or IGA shop.

A “roundabout†is a traffic circle. You get lots of those around here, and they work quite well.

Oh, another thing. My wife was explaining to someone about some trip where she was driving, and she told this person how she put on the “flickerâ€. I explained to her later that I don’t think the word “flicker†is understood around here. It’s a turn signal, or indicator, as far as I know.

One think I noticed around here is that the Aussies like to add the k at the end of a word where it doesn’t belong. Like “there’s somethink wrong hereâ€, or “ he ate everythinkâ€. Maybe I heard wrong, but that’s what I heard. So, instead of saying “thingâ€, they say “thinkâ€.

My colleague Henry informed me that the “up†at the end of most place-names, like Kerrinyup, Dandelup, Joondalup - they come from Aboriginal words, and the “up†means: “place of waterâ€, or something to do with water.

Now that was a mouth-full, wasn’t it?

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Kewl by the pool! ;) Thanks Biltongboer, I am saving this one for our eventual arrival. I am certain that most of the tips in here will come in very handy indeed!

KFC - finger Licking-K good..? Hmmm... doesn't quite sound right...

My son's gonna have to give his mom a crash course in Aussie lingo when we get there! LOL! He's had 7 years practice!

Edited by africvisions
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Something to add about the roundabouts. In Aus you must yield to the car approaching from your right when at a roundabout - regardless of who gets to the roundabout first. I almost had a few accidents when I first got here. Example if somebody is coming from your right and wants to go straight accross the roundabout, you must wait for him. If someone is coming from the oncoming side but has his indicator on to turn right accross the roundabout, you have to stop too. The other guy will assume you are going to stop for him and if you drive because you think he'll stop for you things could get pretty funky. It's completely different to the rule in SA, so it's something to get used to.

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SA traffic rules

Regulation 284. Definitions

"traffic circle" means a junction which contains a traffic or painted island, around which a road user travels in a clockwise direction, and "roundabout" shall have the same meaning;

Regulation 301. Right of way at certain road junctions

The driver of a vehicle on a public road shall, when he or she intends entering any portion of a public road which constitutes a junction of two or more public roads where vehicular traffic is required to move around a traffic island within such junction, yield right of way to all vehicular traffic approaching from his or her right within such junction, unless his or her entry into such junction is controlled by an instruction given by a traffic officer or a direction conveyed by a road traffic sign requiring him or her to act differently.

Regulation 300. Driving signals

The driver of a vehicle on a public road who intends to stop such a vehicle or suddenly reduce the speed thereof, or to turn such vehicle to the left or to the right, or to move such vehicle to the left or right on the roadway, shall give a conspicious signal, in the manner prescribed in regulations 324 to 328, of his or her intention, visible to any person approaching him or her from the front or from the rear or from the side, and of a duration sufficient to warn any such person of his or her intention.

Therefore, it is required of all drivers of vehicles to signal their intentions when entering and leaving a traffic circle and yield to traffic from the right even in SA ;)

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Guest Vermeulens

Hie hie, Biltongboer, ek het lekker gelag vir jou beskrywing van die petrol ingooi sage. Ek het so stupid gevoel my eerste keer, ek moes die "vroumens" in die winkel vra om my te kom help. (So terloops ek is ook 'n vroumens).

Ons het die hele naweek ook lekker "verge" shopping gedoen, ek het alles vertel in 'n ander post.

Em

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SA traffic rules

Therefore, it is required of all drivers of vehicles to signal their intentions when entering and leaving a traffic circle and yield to traffic from the right even in SA ;)

Thanks for clarifying that apetrova, I have always yielded to the right in a traffic circle, for a moment there I thought that I was loosing the plot! LOL!

:ilikeit:

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Some things are just as confusing for Aussies rocking up for a holiday in South Africa.

I remember the first time I ever heard of a "robot" . . . . . you go outside, turn right at the next set of robots, go two hundred metres . . . . . :unsure:

Roundabouts are those big round things we drive clockwise around.

A verge is actually, a strip of grass along the roadside. you plonk your "hard" rubbish (old TVs, furniture, etc) there for the council to pick it up.

"Sidewalk" is an American expression. Aussies usually say "pavement".

It's alright to SLOWLY drive a little away from the petrol pump after filling it up, so as not to let the console operator think you're driving off without paying. The next bloke in line will thank you for letting him fill up sooner.

If it's impractical to shunt ahead to let the bloke behind fill up, then he'll just have to wait until you've gone inside, and finished paying. If he / she gets cranky, just tell them to shove it.

Just because you're from overseas and not totally familiar with all that goes on, doesn't mean they have the right to abuse you for doing the right thing.

A fellow Australian will just tell them to shove their comments some place.

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Ja they have the same thing in NZ (verge collecting) but they Kiwi's call it Maori shopping day (no seriously not having a laff)

Edited by Mythryl
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Ja they have the same thing in NZ (verge collecting) but they Kiwi's call it Maori shopping day (no seriously not having a laff)

Around here I thinks it's immigrant shopping day! Although, I had two Aussies circling the neighbourhood like hienas, we were competing for the carcass... :whome:

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BB, thanks for always keeping us updated... It really is awesome that someone takes the time to describe what migrant living is like, from a migrants perspective. Really enjoyed the post, and really enjoyed reading the further conversations on this thread, especially Bob's Australian point of view.

Take care,

red

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Oh BB you had me laughing about the circling for the carcass! I will most definantly send hubby out to fight for something i want! (Dont know if he will agree!!!)

This idea of free stuff on pavement appeals to me no end! It is more then just the saved money! It reminds me of a treasure hunt or something. I mean its free!

Thanks also for the tips on the petrol pumps. Was wondering how that worked. What if you dont want to fill your tank? Can you idnicate how much you want to put in?

Thanks

Al

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Yeah, mate!

You had us all wistfully listening for a hyena call in the distance for a sec.

Are you sure you weren't a jackal in one of your past lives?? :ilikeit:

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Ours are also called verges in South Africa!

Well, I am from Namibia, where the official language is English. (The reason for that is that no-one can claim it as their own indiginous tongue, and no-one can really speak it!)

So, the word "verge" is totally unknown in this English-speaking country! We refer to it as a pavement or sidewalk, or sypaadjie, or just "ehh?" :D

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In South Africa we have "Collect from inside your house that's next to the verge" collections. Also TV's, leather couches etc. etc. :rolleyes:

Oh, and the roundabout or traffic circle rule in SA is the same as Aussie but South Africans don't know it, they treat them as stop streets (except for the really big ones).

I enjoy your posts Biltongboer. Informative and entertaining :rolleyes:

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Corne and Jacqui... I agree with you regarding the South African version of verge shopping...

Collect from inside your house next to the verge behind a 10ft wall with razor wire and electric fencing and beams inside your garden and metal window bars with anarmed-response-linked alarm system inside.....shopping!!!!!!!!!

Perhaps we should adopt the Oz way of verge shopping ---- may help lower the theft stats in Sarf Effrika

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So, the word "verge" is totally unknown in this English-speaking country! We refer to it as a pavement or sidewalk, or sypaadjie, or just "ehh?" :whome:

Well, can only imagine what it would be in the other 10 official languages in South Africa... :ilikeit: :ilikeit: :ilikeit:

Keep the posts coming, they are wonderful and give me something to smile at. I need that at the moment!

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