HadEnoughofJuju Posted July 17, 2014 Report Share Posted July 17, 2014 Here in QLD it's 12 (I think) but the stress on the road is no where near what it is in South Africa and you eventually realise that you no longer have to drive on the offensive any more and once that sinks in you automatically slow down. No one is in a rush here to get anywhere. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DXB2OZ Posted July 17, 2014 Report Share Posted July 17, 2014 I also drive with a "lead foot", but here when everyone around you is driving so slowly, it is easier to slow down. As HEOJJ says, it's not very aggressive, so it is ok to calm down and relax. Still getting my head around the novelty of it all, but it's quite nice actually. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nev Posted July 17, 2014 Report Share Posted July 17, 2014 I skipped on the sporty number I had in RSA and got a pavement warrior SUV, Automatic of course (Ford Escape), seriously helps keep your speed down 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ruditrix Posted July 17, 2014 Report Share Posted July 17, 2014 A i already drive a suv here, hence me playing chicken with the taxis...... lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HadEnoughofJuju Posted July 17, 2014 Report Share Posted July 17, 2014 The lack of taxi's here is a novelty for me but they are replaced by the less frequent occurrence of the dreaded P-Plater's who all have lead feet and V8's and a burning desire to show off their incredible burnout and doughnut skills. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marcie Posted July 24, 2014 Report Share Posted July 24, 2014 Sister also got a speeding fine in Brisbane the other day in a school zone which is apparently a cardinal sin. Shame....it was SO unintentional she says and feels pretty awful about it.Think I'm going to start practicing now already. Not that I'm not a cautious driver but the fact that I do a lot of long distance on roads that don't have cameras...oops!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bronwyn&Co Posted July 25, 2014 Report Share Posted July 25, 2014 Sister also got a speeding fine in Brisbane the other day in a school zone which is apparently a cardinal sin. Shame....it was SO unintentional she says and feels pretty awful about it.Think I'm going to start practicing now already. Not that I'm not a cautious driver but the fact that I do a lot of long distance on roads that don't have cameras...oops!!I'm not entirely sure how that works because the 40 limit applies during school terms only. But how are you supposed to know when that is?? Different schools have different term dates, let alone states. What if you don't have kids at school? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marcie Posted July 25, 2014 Report Share Posted July 25, 2014 Well this was during a school term unfortunately. I didn't ask my sis too many questions but I'm assuming she had/was dropping my niece at school. But I agree you you, hard to know if you don't have kids but I can see this is something I am going to have to take notice of in the future. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heymanse Posted July 27, 2014 Report Share Posted July 27, 2014 I'm not entirely sure how that works because the 40 limit applies during school terms only. But how are you supposed to know when that is?? Different schools have different term dates, let alone states. What if you don't have kids at school?Not having kids at school anymore, I rely on the flashing school zone sign to alert me to the fact that it is a school term. That and the fact that all the other drivers around me are driving at a much lower speed than the normal 60 speed limit. Some of the newer model cars with sat nav built in, will also sound an alarm saying that you're in a school zone when that is the case (that was really helpful when I had to take my car in for a service and got given the new model Mazda 3 to drive with on a route that I don't normally take to work - so not complete familiar with where the school zones were - and there were plenty of them, probably around 3 or 4 that I had to pass through to get to work). 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
liewelulu38 Posted August 24, 2014 Report Share Posted August 24, 2014 I was very relieved to find we could only exchange our licences! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SurferMan Posted August 25, 2014 Report Share Posted August 25, 2014 They can only fine you if they can catch you!!!!lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bronwyn&Co Posted August 25, 2014 Report Share Posted August 25, 2014 (edited) There are no flashing lights around the schools in our area. My daughter is quite devastated as she just got a $550 fine driving past a Montessori she didn't notice (on her way to her nannying job!). Pouring rain, missed seeing the sign. Poor kid earns $20ph but we think her license is going to be suspended too, which is far worse news!I rang my friend to ask about term dates as her son goes to that school but she said 'Montessori doesn't have holidays, thank God!' !!?? Edited August 25, 2014 by Bronwyn&Co Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SurferMan Posted August 25, 2014 Report Share Posted August 25, 2014 Yikes B!Is there not appeal or I'm genuinely sorry process you can follow? I know in SA it would involved slipping the fatass metro cop a few bucks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bronwyn&Co Posted August 25, 2014 Report Share Posted August 25, 2014 No i don't think so Suferman...she did the crime now she must do the time. Only problem is I really need her to take our youngest to school when we are overseas for 3 weeks in Oct. it's a disaster actually! ? no school bus early enough in our area. Ah well... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HadEnoughofJuju Posted August 25, 2014 Report Share Posted August 25, 2014 We waited out the three months that it took QLD to add South Africa to the list of countries that can convert because I just wasn't prepared to re-write my license. Unfortunately though the one thing you can't do is convert anything higher that a code 8. If you have a heavy duty license you have to go through the whole process again. I thought I would never be able to face that again but alas I decided to to sign up and do my HR license on Friday just gone.Now how many of you that have done a heavy duty license in South Africa remember the pain and suffering you had to go through to get a learners booking and then wait possibly 6 to 8 months before you could even get in behind the wheel of a truck to start learning and then wait another 6 to 8 months for a booking to actually do the license and then still have to remember the 382 point pre-flight inspection you had to do before you even turned the vehicle on for the yard test. Most of the people I saw at the traffic department the day I did my code 10 in RSA didn't even make it out of the yard having either forgotten too many of the 382 things to check on the truck or they hit one of those annoying white PVC pipes sticking out of the ground or they rolled backwards on the handbrake takeoff, I say take off because most of them floored the accelerator and got the revs so high that the front end of the truck nearly lifted off the ground and came crashing down on the other side dislodging the examiners clipboard and ending in an instant fail. If you were lucky enough to eventually make it out onto the road, you would end up failing because you didn't observe (blind spot, mirror, mirror, mirror, blind spot) 35 times a minute or you didn't break your neck checking each and every intersection you crossed regardless of whether it's was a four way stop, traffic light or simple intersection where two roads crossed.So my experience getting an HR drivers license here.Called the driving school 2 weeks ago to enquire about the next step to getting my HR License. The very helpful lady told me that it would cost $950.00 (which is the average for lessons and booking of the test here on the Sunshine Coast) which included a 5 hour training session starting at 7am, ending with a 60min practical road test which started at 13:10 and that unfortunately the first available booking they had was only in a weeks time on 14 Aug. I then asked what about the written learners test which she promptly replied to with a bit of a snigger (because they have never heard of such a thing) and continued with once I had finished the road test and passed I would be given a 10 question monkey puzzle to fill in which is a basic road rules test which you can practice before the time online. I chose to only book for the 22nd because that's the earliest I could arrange leave. I promptly arrived at the department of transport and main roads at 7am, began with the training which had two 30min breaks in between (because you cannot be expected to work to hard now), started the test at exactly 13:10 with the examiner checking the indicators, brakes and lights and making sure I knew where all the auxiliary controls were and off we went, none of this lets check your vehicle from bonnet to boot to make sure it's roadworthy and has a petrol cap and jack and sufficient air in the tyres with little cap thingys to keep the air in and no-one hanging from under the vehicle to stow away or catch a free ride. On the road, the only time I was actually expected to observe blind spots and mirrors was where it was actually necessary, like merging lanes and reversing, the rest of the time you're expected to occasionally observe your surroundings and pay attention to the road signs and rules. When I was done it was a handshake from the examiner to say congratulations and off into the office to write the 10 question test and pay the $21.50 for the new license and that all took about 15 minutes in total and I now have an HR license.Not at all traumatic and stressful like doing it in RSA and the examiners are only there to test you, not fail you 52 times to make their annual Christmas quota for bonus purposes and make you suffer as much as possible. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SurferMan Posted August 25, 2014 Report Share Posted August 25, 2014 ROFL HEOJJ,Mate that was golden! When I went to renew my licence in SA, the bumhug behind the desk said, "I think you need to sit your licence again' I was like what! based on what do you decide I need to do that? His reply? "I look like I need to"Anyways, short of pucking the fellow over the desk, I had to wait 12 hours for my licence. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HadEnoughofJuju Posted August 25, 2014 Report Share Posted August 25, 2014 Eish, now that's where I would have lost it mate. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SurferMan Posted August 25, 2014 Report Share Posted August 25, 2014 Another thing, At least here in Aus the roadblocks are courteous, man in SA they like predators and are aggro and pushy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sbhennops Posted August 30, 2014 Report Share Posted August 30, 2014 In Queensland you have to sit the test again and drive it again, don't know what happens in other states.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rozellem Posted August 30, 2014 Report Share Posted August 30, 2014 HEOJJ, what are you planning to do with your HR licence? Just curious. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HadEnoughofJuju Posted August 30, 2014 Report Share Posted August 30, 2014 Thinking about a career change and can earn more money as a delivery truck driver than what I'm doing now. The reason I did the HR license is that the training, test and costs are exactly the same for the LR and MR licenses as the HR license and it gives you more options in terms of vehicles you can drive. It's also the highest license you can upgrade to from a standard open car license in QLD. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HadEnoughofJuju Posted August 30, 2014 Report Share Posted August 30, 2014 You also have to have at least 2 years driving experience on your open car license before you can book the test for the HR license. If you were one of the unlucky soles that had to rewrite the test instead of converting then you will need to wait the 2 years before doing the HR license. If and when you convert your license make sure they include the years you had your license in RSA. I had to call QLD Transport and get them to verify that the years had been added to my QLD license (which they luckily had done already) before the driving school could book the test. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chzaau Posted August 31, 2014 Report Share Posted August 31, 2014 The is quite a change of career. I've heard that being a truck driveris similar to fifo work and that you can be away from home for long periods of time. Could be hard on the family and you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chzaau Posted August 31, 2014 Report Share Posted August 31, 2014 Interesting article about truck drivinghttp://mobile.news.com.au/finance/work/truck-drivers-show-us-inside-their-workplace-home-and-playground/story-fnkgbb6w-1227042425438 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
julesktm1 Posted September 22, 2014 Report Share Posted September 22, 2014 So... while you lucky South Africans stroll into DVS and happily change your licenses over, it is a little known fact that those of us from North of the Limpopo have to re-do the whole &*&^%%$ thing.... Today was not so good - I waited 3 months for my practical assessment only to fail because it seems that I think STOP signs are more of a guideline than a rule.... I know it sounds crazy, surely I would have been more careful but 15 years of bad habits take a lot to get rid of.So there you have it - very frustrated and whats worse I cried in front of the instructor!!!! Just a build up of everything we have been through and then this poor instructor has to have me sobbing on their paperwork!Eish...Hello Zim,Wondering how you doing and if you finally managed to pass, as in a few months time I will be doing the same and having to re-write and do the physical driving exam too. Hope you settling in well.Julesxxx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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