Are you prepared for Exploring your City ?

Submitted: Thursday, Sep 29, 2011 at 11:56
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A few weeks ago we had a severe challenge when our path was completely blocked on the Madigan line.
But we had the right equipment and plan to get out of that one.

Last night Melbourne had its biggest sept rainfall day since 1916, or 95 years ago, with consequent traffic issues.

After hearing from someone caught up in a largely unnecessary 6 hr highway traffic/Airport terminal wait to go nowhere, its raises the question about how prepared one needs to be for doing the everyday drive to work ?

Already this year in the city we have had to cross flooded roads, turn around over median strips, sneak up lanes, drive though faulty lights, up the odd footpath, remove a tree, all just to get home.

Even had a potentially embrassing time with need to go to toilet - luckily Patrols have rear barn doors.

Sounds silly I guess but as our "100 year events" are coming much more frequently now we will probably all have to consider a whole range of scenario's more carefully.

We have learnt to carry a little food in the car, be able to make a cup of coffee, never go anywhere without a full sub tank etc etc.
Probably should carry a book to read - but for some people I suppose they may be caught short with medication issues !

Even read somewhere that carrying a couple of easily accessible aspirin to chew and swallow is a good idea, as its quite possible to have worrying chest pains and be caught on an overpass in plain site of a hospital and have no way at all to get help in a useful time.

One thing we have learnt is to watch the traffic and see what roads build up quickly when something goes wrong so as to avoid them when it counts.

We now have several alternate tracks and useful bypass waypoints loaded into our GPS such that we can not just avoid areas affected, but have intelligent bypasses in place.

Our experience has been that while many GPSes have some avoidance functionality, in practice you need to react fast and often can not effectively use marginal features.

Generally radio station warnings are also to late to be useful, and are often repeated long after the event has been cleared.

Last night for instance, we arrived at a traffic jam that had the effect of cutting access to a tollway, it meant a turn around and drive a couple of km away from our destination.
Pre-planning enabled us to pick a road that is busy in mornings but quieter in the evenings and provide
alternate tollway access.

As we drove past on the tollway a few minutes later we could see the same cars just stuck where we turned around
and ahead a stalled train crossing.


I guess we need to explore alternative routes and be prepared just as much in our cities as the bush.

Robin Miller

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Reply By: Member - Joe n Mel n kids (FNQ - Thursday, Sep 29, 2011 at 13:01

Thursday, Sep 29, 2011 at 13:01
we are about to head into Perth, a mild city by most standards, but it is still a CITY and i dread it, we now almast live by the GPS for city driving so do understand where you are coming from, it would be far more relaxing for me to be totally lost in the bush and have to make a major re-plan than to be lost and stuck in a big city, the main reason is i dont have an understanding of the basic layouts of the citys and with out that it is really hard to make snap changes as i often dont have a clue where it is taking me, i have gotten off freeways at an exit that was simply one to late but still taken more than an hour to get back on it .......
Thank god for gps hahaha
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Follow Up By: Robin Miller - Thursday, Sep 29, 2011 at 18:08

Thursday, Sep 29, 2011 at 18:08
There is definately something to be said for being streetwize in our cities Joe , even last night when we made the descision to turn around , I didn't do it because there was a traffic jam ahead as there is often one and you can't see the front of it, and it clears quickly.

In this case I turned around because I could see , in the distance , another car turning around and this meant he was either up the front where he could see or else had not moved for a while.

Still recently on our approach to Madigans camp1 , well most people can't find it, because of confusing new tracks , our group did but it probably took an hour.
So streetwize or Bush savy , you have to think before you act to make the most of any situation.
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Reply By: Member - Des Lexic - Thursday, Sep 29, 2011 at 14:33

Thursday, Sep 29, 2011 at 14:33
Robin, I hear what your saying about alternative plans and traffic. Only just this morning, I had to wait for three vehicles to go past me before I could pull out on the highway to complete my 3 minute journey to work. 8.20 am to 8.30 am is my peak hour traffic period and this morning I got caught up in the middle of it. Oh well, shouldn't complain too much I suppose.
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Follow Up By: Member - Krakka - Thursday, Sep 29, 2011 at 17:34

Thursday, Sep 29, 2011 at 17:34
Oh come on Al, Robin is talking about a CITY, far from where you live, LOL.
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Follow Up By: Robin Miller - Thursday, Sep 29, 2011 at 18:10

Thursday, Sep 29, 2011 at 18:10
Gee Des , do you live in Mt Dare south or some other busy suburb !
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Follow Up By: Member - Michael J (SA) - Thursday, Sep 29, 2011 at 18:15

Thursday, Sep 29, 2011 at 18:15
Des, My country cousin...

I know exactly where you are coming from..I will often get stuck behind a gopher or two if I leave a few minutes late..
But I too have alternatives, nick down the back of the saleyards -no probs..lol

Seriously though, what you say is very true Robin. However my biggest problem is being unable to 'guesstimate' what the traffic will be like en-route.
when in the big smoke I usually find it is too late for me to track via an alternate route and remain gridlocked. Not too worry tho', turn the music up a tad and relax;))



MJ
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Follow Up By: Alpaca - Thursday, Sep 29, 2011 at 18:16

Thursday, Sep 29, 2011 at 18:16
Yes Robin, were a bit south of Mt Dare and for Krakka, Berri is a town with a booming population of about 7,000people and about 1,000 from Renmark migrate to Berri each day for work.
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Follow Up By: Road Warrior - Friday, Sep 30, 2011 at 22:12

Friday, Sep 30, 2011 at 22:12
Heh, living 15klm as the crow flies from the Perth CBD I guess I am used to it. But we sussed out our alternative 'escape' routes long ago. You need to in a place like this with little to no order or system to the way traffic moves.

I guess that's also the reason why I hate Perth and love getting away so much :-/

Last year with that 100yr storm event, the Minister and I caught the train to work that day but we still had to deal with flooded roads (all 3 lanes of Albany Highway outside the Carousel were flooded - there was a car floating in it) from the train station to our house. We were 'fording' flooded roads in her little Ford Capri roadster!! Water washed over the bonnet and I was half expecting the engine to get a gutful of water but it didn't.

However getting back to Robin's point - yes, urban survival is becoming more and more relevant these days, and I dunno whether its just me or other people can see it as well, but the people without that survival instinct and 'streetwise' smarts stick out like the proverbial when something like a major storm event hits.
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Follow Up By: Robin Miller - Saturday, Oct 01, 2011 at 08:15

Saturday, Oct 01, 2011 at 08:15
Note that some loss there entire crops to hail up your way unfortunately Alpaca.

Hi Road Warrior , Yep as Mj says its easy to get gridlocked and some pre-prepartion really helps, I imagine your adventure will be remember a long time and with a little cunning may be translated into more "vital goodies".
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Reply By: Member - Fred B (NT) - Thursday, Sep 29, 2011 at 16:44

Thursday, Sep 29, 2011 at 16:44
As always, you come with a great "yarn", Robin.

But you are right, often "we" come to accept our fate when travelling in cities (either that or go into 'road rage' mode); especially the ones we don't live in. Trouble is, most don't even know their own city, and can't be bothered learning. It is even harder for those who are directionally challenged... lol...

I think it takes a certain type of character to want to have pre-planned 6 different routes to and from work.... Go for it Robin.... lol... (: Unfortuanately, I think many people lose their commonsense when they get behing the wheel of a car going to or from work.... (my 2 cents woth)
regards
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Follow Up By: The Landy - Thursday, Sep 29, 2011 at 16:54

Thursday, Sep 29, 2011 at 16:54
"I think it takes a certain type of character to want to have pre-planned 6 different routes to and from work...."

Nah, just an engineer to overcomplicate it! ;)
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Follow Up By: Robin Miller - Thursday, Sep 29, 2011 at 18:54

Thursday, Sep 29, 2011 at 18:54
Hi Guys

I guess engineers just can't help looking for better solutions , but it is truely amazing to see the extent of the available data streams we can intregrate into a solution these days.

I have only touched on the exploring angle , but when you visit apps that deliver instant report readouts of booze buses , camera's as well as "other" life obstackles then it throws a whole new meaning on survival of the fittest that goes way beyond just getting home on time.

Another thread recently commented on the usefulness or otherwise of IPADs but I think it won't be to long before we all have an intregated unit like that as our main dash board display.







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Follow Up By: Member - Joe n Mel n kids (FNQ - Friday, Sep 30, 2011 at 00:17

Friday, Sep 30, 2011 at 00:17
Robin . you serious ...... talk like that and i am going to park up outside the citys and get a taxi .....
If i can get one that talks english that is, i think the time has come for a skin graft of a USB plug ...
hahahha
Cheers
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Reply By: Member - Jack - Thursday, Sep 29, 2011 at 17:27

Thursday, Sep 29, 2011 at 17:27
I always felt for the poor people who were trapped on the F3 north of Sydney for a couple of DAYS when there were very bad bushfires. Biggest problem there was keeping water up to the many stranded people. Thank God for the Salvos!
Jack
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Follow Up By: Robin Miller - Thursday, Sep 29, 2011 at 19:46

Thursday, Sep 29, 2011 at 19:46
Makes you think you always need to be somewhat self reliant Jack.

I don't know anything about that event , but I hope it didn't arise from overly protective officals - actually you reminded me of a thread (65905) I wrote during our fires which ultimately meant we had to deliver bread past roadblocks to get to those who could see a shop in the distance.
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Reply By: Axle - Thursday, Sep 29, 2011 at 19:18

Thursday, Sep 29, 2011 at 19:18
G/Day Robin,.....Lol what you say makes sense, But in our pathetic so called city up here on the Central coast NSW, it dosen't take a 100yr natural mishap to make things any worse than normal, 50yrs of development, and pathetic planning and infratructure,makes it a nightmare to access,and exit this place at the best of times all roads lead to know where. Hovercraft might be the next best thing ..lol.


Cheers Axle.
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Follow Up By: Robin Miller - Thursday, Sep 29, 2011 at 22:39

Thursday, Sep 29, 2011 at 22:39
Hi Axle

Must be a mess with that on top of the weather , all the more to be somewhat self reliant I guess.
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Reply By: Member - blackbird1937 - Friday, Sep 30, 2011 at 08:51

Friday, Sep 30, 2011 at 08:51
We have had many flash floods that I can remember since WW 2 . When the Sun News Pictorial had the photos in the middle pages several years ago , photos of cars stopped in water in Sth Melb were common . Many times over several years we could not get home for hours to Castlemaine from Maldon or Newstead because of floods over the road but that is just part of living in Aust . As I put in an earlier post when the dirt roads were wet you sat and waited for them to dry out so you could continue on the trip . If you did not it ruins the roads for all concerned . That is why there are big fines for anyone caught driving on closed roads . All the money collected from fuel tax is not going into road maintainance or new roads .
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Follow Up By: Robin Miller - Friday, Sep 30, 2011 at 09:16

Friday, Sep 30, 2011 at 09:16
Hi Blackbird

Tend to agree with you as far as country travel goes , but I'm pretty convinced that the number of incidents in cities has increased.

Essentially what has happened is that the number of cars on roads per/km has gone up and when a problem occurs there is a tendency to close off bigger areas , inconviencing more and more people for longer.

Certainly I have found that as a result the 4wd bits can be a big help in our city.

Your last point I agree is very valid , for a long time taxes have been going more and more into general revenue.
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Reply By: Fatso - Friday, Sep 30, 2011 at 09:05

Friday, Sep 30, 2011 at 09:05
I think you have got too much time on your hands Robin.
You need a hobby.
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Follow Up By: Robin Miller - Friday, Sep 30, 2011 at 09:09

Friday, Sep 30, 2011 at 09:09
No Fatso....One wife is enough !
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Reply By: The Landy - Friday, Sep 30, 2011 at 09:12

Friday, Sep 30, 2011 at 09:12
Now, can I throw this in the mix...

Could the simple act of trying to avoid the ‘problem’ as you describe actually create a far greater problem? I’m relying on the ‘Chaos Theory’ and ‘Non Linear Dynamics’.

Assuming there has been an incident like an accident, or perhaps nothing more than people continually changing lanes and this has slowed traffic as the traffic breaks to allow (impatient) drivers into another lane, it might have even been caused by a chicken crossing the road!

Now as drivers, like you, start taking other exits and roads to avoid the original problem, the increased traffic and the possibility for other incidents to occur on the other roads increases and thus spreading the condition from the original road or highway and before we know it we have gridlock everywhere...

How does it go, a butterfly flapping it wings in China causes a storm of monumental proportions somewhere else in the world...

Go easy on me, I’m out of bex!

Cheers, The Landy
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Follow Up By: Robin Miller - Friday, Sep 30, 2011 at 10:42

Friday, Sep 30, 2011 at 10:42
Hi Landy

I just love words like ‘Non Linear Dynamics’ they have to win any discussion but I would suggest that drivers reactions are a secondary effect which may build over time as more get impatient , but by then those with increased capabilities are likely to be long gone.

I think many who visit this site are likely to be more prepared , but prepared for what I guess depends on your interests.

After I posted this thread we had another heavy storm front come thru , apparantly some 35,000 lighting strikes to, I got to use one of my alternative
paths home.
This weaved thru lots of back streets which made me realize one of the main benefits of this technology - without the plot , I simply would not have remembered the complex path.

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Follow Up By: The Landy - Friday, Sep 30, 2011 at 11:36

Friday, Sep 30, 2011 at 11:36
"I just love words like ‘Non Linear Dynamics’ they have to win any discussion but I would suggest that drivers reactions are a secondary effect which may build over time as more get impatient , but by then those with increased capabilities are likely to be long gone."

Gotta love those terms....

But that is precisely the 'chaos' theory at work, the aftermath of your actions are felt by the many long after you have arrived home and are drinking your beer. But wait, if everybody else did the same were would it leave us and would we be better doing nothing?

This is far too deep for a simple person like me, I won't be able to sleep tonight thinking about it!

Bex me up, and have a good weekend...

Cheers, The Landy
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Reply By: Member - Bucky - Saturday, Oct 01, 2011 at 06:41

Saturday, Oct 01, 2011 at 06:41
Robin
Luckily, or fortunately, which ever comes first we have a pit stop on the way in. otherwise it's hang on time, or the embarrising "wee" on the side of the freeway..

"Ahhhhh, feels good", and been guilty of that a few times.

We regularly travell in on the South Eastern ( Mulgrave ) fairly regularly, and know all the by-passes.
I do agree with you, that by the time you hear about the problem, what ever it is, everything is blocked, even the bypass roads, and by the time you have gotten around the problem spot, you then have to re-negotiate your way back onto the freeway.
For this reason we (99 times out of 100) go straight in on the freeways.
But I do like the Princes Highway in occasionally, just to reminise.

When it rains heavily in Melbourne, or I quess in many other cities, the low lying areas are the first hit. I recon you can thankk our planners for that one, digging out under an existing road or bridge seems to be the cheapest way to fix things, .. Hence the floods.

Back in 2008-2009, I was on secondment, to the NUW, running a Worksafe funded project, and had to drive into Docklands every day.
I happened to be stuck in a traffic jam for 40 minutes the day before "Black Saturday" and the outside temp was 46 1/2 c ... bugger me that whole week was hot.

I found out that patience is a virtue, and also a packet of Panadol/Asprin helps heaps, but also timing was a biggest virtue.
Times home ranges from 1hr 40 min to 5 1/2 hrs. .....and those long trips back to Wonthaggi really wrecks the "country boy spirit".

Coming out weekdays, is alll about timing, and trying to get onto the freeway inbeteeen workers various knock off times. But this dosent always work, as by the time you get out to Waverley Rd, it's all chocked up.

Believe it or not, and to my great suprise, I have found the greater majority of freeway drivers are abliging, and let you in and out, if you indicate with plenty of time. There are a few idiots, but they are everywhere, and not all "young'ins" either.

Enuf dribble from me
Have a good one mate
Cheers
Bucky

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Follow Up By: Robin Miller - Saturday, Oct 01, 2011 at 11:24

Saturday, Oct 01, 2011 at 11:24
Developing a feel for the situation seems to help all right Bucky.

I found, as you have that there has to be a substancial potential saving before you get off your known path and this can be hard to judge.

We drive the entire length of stud rd each day and this has been paralleled
by the new Eastlink , which gives us a high probability that our alternate path is both good and not flooded.

I have noted your other observation also, that of giving a long indication you wish to cut in , and this and not being agressive seems to get more results.

Its constant light drizzle today, the 4th day of the current cold snap and things are pretty quiet out there (perhaps many are watching the footy).
A regular run of ours through Yarra Glen has been closed on & off due to local flooding so probably a good day to be in a warm car researching a few more options.

Robin Miller

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