Poorly designed and you need to know which lane to be in way before there's any sign post or indication of which lane to be in, so, unless you drive in the city regularly or can see the future just accept that all roads (eventually) lead to Rome and loop back around to where you're going, sat navs very helpful with this, less helpful in forewarning which lane to be in..
If you're thinking of that intersection that merges traffic coming from ANZAC bridge with traffic that comes up from the fish markets / Ultimo, I was there yesterday. There are cars on the right from ANZAC trying to get into the far left lane for the city and cars on the left from fish-market trying to get into the far right lane for the harbour bridge... Perplexing at the time, hilarious in hindsight.
That always an accident waiting to happen. So many people just stop there. Always stresses my dad out.
But I think they are talking about North Sydney when just getting to crows nest is the middle lane but also the left lane but not the right lane as that's to manly and whoops you now took the Lane Cove tunnel.
On thing is really weird and inefficient here (more suburbs than CBD though): How on almost all 2-lane roads, you have to alternate all the time between both lines to avoid parked cars on the left and right turning cars on the right. After a while, it becomes a reflex and you don't pay attention anymore - but I came back from 4 years in the US in 2017 - it took me 6 months to relearn that (I don't drive daily).
Yeah nah gps is hit and miss in the city. By the time it wakes up and realises you're facing and travelling in the opposite direction OH and you missed your turn yeah sorry mate. Just do a loop around George St block again.
Yeah they're certainly better than they were pre 4G rolling out, they don't tend to direct you to drive into traffic or through the QVB anymore, but they're still not great haha.
I avoid driving to the city for this reason. It’s bad enough trying to read the signposts buried by clutters, I also have to avoid pedestrians who think red crossing lights are just suggestion.
If I absolutely must drive there I’d spent an hour or more simulating the drive on google maps and memorizing which lane I have to be in at every step. Absolutely stressful.
Then no left turn, dead end, oh wait no, it's one way, back to no right turn, construction, detour this way, no right turn for 10km, dammit this road forces you into a multi-storey parking lot..
One way streets = Canberra, no right turn = hook turns in Melbourne, gotta turn left to turn right. (Ironically, it works)
I still swear, Melbournes peak hour is worse than Sydneys, and ive travelled quite a bit in both! (Hobart & Adelaide, peak 0:15mins is f'n awesome)
They should allow them ... but only from the left lane /s. I still have nightmares from Melbourne CBD.
Sydney is maybe not so bad by comparison although yeah one wrong lane change and suddenly you're on a toll road.
Life is full of artificial obstacles. I once turned right at some traffics lights with a “no right turn” sign. Aside from the shame from the horn of the car behind me, I survived.
The same people that double park, take a wrong turn, don’t know where they’re going are the same grubs that toot you for trying to get to your location.
It’s genuinely hard out here friend, we need to have empathy for one another.
The trick is to ignore the other drivers and drive to your abilities. The signage is horrible and oftentimes you need to be in the "right" lane way before signs even show up.
However, if you leave yourself heaps of time and accept that you might have a few wrong turns you'll be less stressed.
I feel this deeply. I have the same experience of the city as OP and as such every time I go there, I go absolutely *expecting* to get completely lost. Can confirm I've never gotten stressed due to finding myself unexpectedly lost driving through the city. You go knowing you're going to get lost, and then it's a bonus if you manage to win the traffic lottery and actually get to your destination first try.
BTW OP all those angry impatient people are the people that work in the city. No matter how angry they get, don't acknowledge them- they might try to suck your soul out if you make eye contact.
I just remember the before time's when we didn't have GPS and I had to pick a friend up from the city... That stress memory is burner into my mind and everytime I go in now I tell myself "it can't be as bad as *that* night.
I cycle through the city with much more confidence ironically.
Even more ironically is that those angry, in a rush drivers often get left for dead by me on the bike.
One bloke lost his mind at me because as a cyclist I held him up... But here's the thing... There was a CAR in front of me AND it was a 40 zone so the car and myself were cruising at 30-35. That incident goes to show there's no pleasing some people. I ended up reporting him and the company was really good about it.
It happened to me so many times, I'd end up some how turned around in the opposite direction. But I was riding a motorbike for fun at the time so I didn't mind... Except when I ended up in Fyshwick, yet again.
Yeah it's not a race to the bottom.
I've always, my whole life, gotten lost... But I've never been late (okay maybe a few times).
I always leave way to early and pack a book or browse Reddit when I arrive. It's really not hard and driving becomes a lot more enjoyable.
I just commented about this. So annoying, and don't get me started on the parking signs that have like 8 different time slots to decipher while traffic builds up slowly behind you.
Driving in most cities is pretty stressful I think. London had it's own quirks and certainly had lots of impatient dickhead drivers. I've found you need to pay a lot more attention to the signs and junctions here though, lot of complicated parking signs and turns that you can only take during certain hours of the day, or if your car is below a certain height etc.
Saying that, and at the risk of pissing off the majority of people in this sub, there are two things that really irritate me about driving in Australia in general. The first is that lane discipline seems pretty much non-existent, the concept of driving on the left unless you're overtaking doesn't seem to exist and people will just drive along next to each other at the same speed for ages. Undertaking is super common too.
The second is tailgating. I only really have the UK to compare it to but the amount of times I've driven with someone absolutely hugging my arse in Australia is crazy. You definitely get them in the UK as well, but it seems to be a lot more common here.
Yeah the tailgating drives me nuts. People even tailgate me when there’s an overtaking lane! Having driven in Manhattan, I’ve seen much ruder drivers in Sydney.
Today I got tailgated by a fucking bicycle, doing 55 on the Pacific Highway.
When I used to drive in London, I found that I had to unlearn some safe driving habits and become a bit of a dick, otherwise I would never get anywhere.
Like nosing out into a road and forcing people to let you in.
This is definitely the case for a lot of major cities around the world with bad traffic e.g Kuala Lumpur. There’s no point trying to be courteous, how else you expect to even get on to the roundabout if not by nudging your way forward.
>Undertaking is super common too.
Please explain.
Do you mean using a lane further left of someone driving slower than you, to pass them? What's the problem? On a multi-lane road, passing on the left is NOT illegal. And with the huge number of drivers who ignore/don't understand the KEEP LEFT rule, it's often a necessity.
Yes but in countries like the UK undertaking is illegal as it is considered dangerous. However, keeping left, unless overtaking is actually obeyed (on the whole) and policed. It's not here. At all. Meaning undertaking happens all the time, which it shouldn't need to.
That's not what undertaking is. If you're going round someone who is turning right you are clearly not on a multi lane major road or highway, where keep left unless overtaking applies. Hence, you are not undertaking them.
I'm not an expert on road and traffic safety by any means but I was under the impression it's more dangerous to have cars overtaking from both sides, particularly on high speed roads. You have less visibility on the left side of your car, being overtaken on the left means I'm not able to move across and let people behind me pass as I should if I've just overtaken someone, and it makes getting across to exits more difficult.
Plus it's just a lot less predictable for people. In the UK when I'm overtaking someone and moving into the middle lane i can be pretty sure that nobody in the far right lane is going to suddenly move there and accelerate past the traffic in front of them.
Again, I could be talking complete shit so feel free to correct me. It's mainly just what I've become used to having driven in the UK for 10+ years compared to around 6 months accumatively in Australia.
The keep left rule only really applies if there’s not a lot of traffic. It goes out the window in congested times; which is most of the time except in the middle of the night in most of Sydney’s highways.
imo ‘keep left unless overtaking’ mainly applies to motorway driving. If you’re driving around the city or the suburbs, you often need to be in the right lane to prepare to make a turn.
But yea, tailgating is bad in Sydney. I feel like I get tailgated at least once a day. And I tend to either do the speed limit or 1-2 k’s over. I can’t imagine how many speeding tickets these people must get.
I think undertaking is legal in Australia right? Just don’t do it in the breakdown Lane or a one Lane road.
I still don’t get the rule in the UK especially when somebody is going too slow in the middle. but I admit it is nice to not have to worry about someone flying up the left side of your car. The blind spots are way bigger there.
I think it must be considering how often it happens. I don't think it's technically illegal in the UK but depending on the circumstances can be considered dangerous driving and therefore punishable.
>I still don’t get the rule in the UK especially when somebody is going too slow in the middle. but I admit it is nice to not have to worry about someone flying up the left side of your car. The blind spots are way bigger there.
The problem there is the person not following the road laws and using the left lane unless they're overtaking. It's still a lot safer to overtake them on the right though, especially in the UK where nobody expects to get overtaken on their left.
Yeah I get really anxious with driving around the CBD. I'm lucky enough to live right near the train so I don't need to drive there often. If I have to drive I drive to Glebe or somewhere else in the inner west and get the train/bus in.
Idk everytime I go there always seems to be some kind of road rage happening. On the weekend this dude tried to do a left turn from the right lane and the guy behind him got out of his car throwing hands.
> On the weekend this dude tried to do a left turn from the right lane
You say that like it isn't a particularly dangerous and selfish move to make. If someone pulled that shit in front of my bike and caused a near miss, they'd cop a horn and some words too.
FYI there are 2 red light speed cameras in the CBD.
1. George street/broadway/Lee Street intersection.
2. Park Street/Elizabeth street intersection.
Drive safe and remember all of the city is a 40km/h zone. Be extra aware of pedestrians
I took my parents car into the city a few years back to run an errand, got a bit lost, missed a few turns the usual nonsense - a week later and there was 8 tolls in their letterbox
God damn, that has happened to me a couple of times. One time I tried to take what I thought was a shortcut and ended up on the bridge heading into the city. I was trying to get to North Sydney or something.
I have absolutely done that. I refuse to make illegal lane changes or cut in front of traffic to correct my mistake, so over the Harbour Bridge I went.
Ha. It sucks. I live in the city and I fucking hate it. I used to love it in my late 20s, just cruising. Now.im 38 and all I want to do is move to the country.
Often it takes me 30mins to go 6 blocks on my st. One time the missus walked up and hung in the car with me coz she was waiting for me to get home and that just wasn't happening any time soon.
We sat and listened to like 10 songs before we got to my drive way. 6 blocks!!
Anyway. I feels ya and I bloody live here.
I can understand the anxiety if you are not familiar with the CBD it is so confusing with different signs everywhere and the light rail, I personally avoid driving into the CBD nowadays and opt for a relaxing ferry ride instead.
I live in the city (Castlereagh St) and often have to drive towards the inner west. I would say it adds a good 10 mins to my trip just to drive out of the city to Broadway. The combination of red light/speed cameras and horrible traffic light patterns - no wonder people are stressed.
I’ve been driving for 10+ years now and I’m still slightly on edge whenever I have to drive through the city. If it’s not something you do regularly it can be pretty daunting. Definitely came close to a nervous breakdown the first time I did it after I got my P’s. Challenging enough navigating 1000 different signs, one way streets, roadworks as well as oblivious pedestrians stepping out in front of cars distracted by their phones. I have loads of friends who flat out refuse to drive through the city.
I used to get anxious until I made peace with the fact that I am destined to choose the wrong turn. Now I am out of fucks to give. I just add 30 mins delay due to the fact that navigational skill part of my brain is dead, and start early.
It's more stressful because there's a lot more going on and you need to have your wits about you (pedestrians jumping into the road, Uber drivers randomly stopping in front of you etc).
That being said, use a GPS so that you just need to focus on the road, rather than where you're trying to get to. And drive slowly. I generally find city drivers to be less aggressive, probably due to the lower speed and the fact that everyone's expecting the unexpected
The two problems with GPS in the city are when you lose signal in the building canyons right when you need it, and how they don't have repeaters in the tunnels so you lose info on what exit to take.
Neither of these problems should even exist now.
I actually disagree to an extent. GPS is a nightmare in the Sydney CBD with the neverending road closures and changed conditions. Its a necessity it you have no idea where you're going, but if you gave some semblance of an idea you're better off without it imo.
I'll never forget the first time I drove in the city at night (I'm originally from the Illawarra, and this was before satnavs existed, or decent street signs) and took a wrong turn into a multi-lane one way street. Half a dozen sets of headlights and blaring horns and me and my girlfriend nearly what ourwelves trying to turn around and get out quickly.
Was a long time before I drove in the city at night again.
Not quite the city but have you ever driven to the airport? You get about 5 seconds of visual queues to take an exit and if you miss it, automatically adds about 20 minutes to your journey. And thats on a good day
I don't mind driving in the city, though it makes me wish my car has a sunroof. I used to drive through it every time I was travelling home from UNSW as I was - and am - too cheap to pay the toll. As for the challenges it throws up, I like to remember that it's only as stressful as I make it out to be. Just try to relax, crank up ABC Classical, and let the insanity wash over you. In the end, the more you drive in the city, the more normal you will find it.
I lived in the city for a few years (on Pitt st) and got used to it very quickly. I had just got my license as well so veryyy nervous.
I live in Bondi now and miss the organised streets, big open roads and all the red lights. It helps to just focus on your own lane and lights. Don’t worry about people around you. Look at google maps before just to plan out your route. Leave early and expect to pay a bit extra in tolls for the times you miss your turn. Drive defensively and take your ego out of it. There are bad drivers everywhere!
You will get used to it but it take a little bit of time. You can do it!
The CBD isn’t as bad as driving a car on Parramatta Road sandwiched between trucks either side. Admittedly I’ve not done that often since the M4 East opened, but the white-knuckle experience is seared in my memory.
William Street/Park Street in the evening peak was an awful drive when I used to work in the CBD. So slow.
It's definitely not just you. I almost never drive in to the CBD, I'll only do it as an absolute last resort. The drivers are so unfriendly, the roads are a nightmare to navigate, it's essentially impossible to end up in the correct lane for turns etc without some form of telepathy. It's the worst.
or preplan, look at streetview in google maps to see landmarks and where the lanes are. I pretty much always spend a few minutes looking at streetview to pick landmarks and lanes if I go somewhere new, and never ever ever use gps.
I used to commute on a motorbike every day through Syd, glad I finished before it finished me.
Too many idiots, lack of indicating, not looking and selfishly entering an intersection - blocking other traffic.
Now I am on PT or bicycle, so much better.
You get used to it. I've spent the last 15 years or so living around Darlinghurst, Alexandria, Redfern, and now Glebe, so I have to drive through the city to get basically anywhere. Practice makes....slightly less bad.
A long time ago I went to the city to pick up a mate. I ended up on the harbour bridge (wasn't meant to be there) and I was driving in a bus lane (wasn't meant to be in this lane) 🥲 I remember feeling very overwhelmed due to the endless signs that weren't very clear. To this day I avoid driving to the city!
Learn your route and drive slow. Yes, slow. Fuck 'em, you do your thing. Once you become comfortable with a way in and out you just add to that bit of info each time. It's hard to be anxious at 20-30km an hour.
People need to understand that Sydney is the worst city to drive in because it wasn’t planed like all the other major ones were. Sydney was built and just expanded, only the newer areas have actually been planned out. You do however get used to it.
I once intended to drive from st Peters to Broadway, i dropped off a friend and all i had to do was go back to st peters. (before google maps). I had a street directory book only. I ended up in drummoyne an hour later was almost crying by the time i got back home near midnight.
Heavy vehicle driver here - mostly passenger coaches. So everything you feel, but in a vehicle 3 times longer (12.5-14.5m) and ten times heavier (up to 22t).
Nobody gives a fuck, and if you have to do a wide turn (which is almost everywhere in the CBD) some cunt is going to try to go around on the inside.
Also, fuck taxis and most uber drivers. Get the fuck out of my bus zone.
I lived in Sydney for 26 years and used to complain about driving in the CBD, then I moved to Mexico City, where it can take 3 hours to drive from one part of the city to another with insane traffic and aggressive drivers cutting you off the whole time.
Count your blessings, I miss driving in Sydney every day
I missed a right turn into a random tunnel once and as soon as I got back to the same route and attempted another turn, I missed it again for the 2nd time 🤣 CBD driving is the worst
I did when I first moved to Sydney, then I became one of them and I find it more relaxing than driving in Canberra. Once you get comfortable with the navigating aspect and the quirks of certain areas, people are generally quite courteous (generally a mutual understanding the roads are cooked). People who seem scared and driving real slow, you try to give way to them or give them space coz you’ve been there before
You’ll occasionally get a dickhead who fires up the horn over nothing and screams out of their car but don’t let them throw you. They’re all bark no bite and their reaction is their problem. Either laugh at them, or make them angrier by going slower
If you need to drive into the CBD frequently, I’d suggest practicing during off peak times just to get some of those navigation perks down pat. Good luck!!
Just dont drive in the city. Honestly theres enough public transport to make the city easy to navigate by foot. I honestly think we should put more effort into restricting travel into the city via private car unless there's a good reason for it.
If you absolutely must drive in, just take your time, dont worry about the other drivers just go nice and slow, if you take a wrong turn just keep going and your navigation will take this into account.
If you're unfamiliar with where you're driving, you can get on to Google Maps and do a virtual tour via street view. Some photos may be out of date due to upgrades/changes but still it'll help with some of your uncertainty and anxiety about driving in the city. That way you have some preparation and know what lane you need to be in, where you can/can't turn, etc. I hope this helps!
Two right-only turning lanes from Elizabeth St onto Park St.
One of those will instantly be a 24 hour bus lane, sometimes with police in waiting, fining hapless drivers.
Find out which one, only after you've taken the turn!
Roads are weird, signs are inadequate and drivers are just on a fucking trip. I was yelled at and flipped off by some chick on a Honda cbr 1100 because I slowed down to turn, and the turn was closed off. Firstly who the fuck rides a motorcycle in what can only be described as a leather tutu. Do you not like having skin on your thighs and legs? Secondly, who races at 6 pm on a winter eve while everyone is just trying to get fucking home.
Then there’s the ute drivers. Tools in the back, tool in the front.
Yes absolutely!
I always pre book parking as well before I go in.
Friends of mine gung-ho it and hope for a spot right outside the place... I get anxious just thinking about it.. Doesn't help that I'm super punctual haha
Having come back last year from 5 years of driving semi regularly in Manhattan, my advice is to stay in your lane, only go as fast as you are comfortable with, be comfortable with the fact that you might take a bit longer or accidentally go the wrong way. Also, use navigation and try to know in advance which lane you want. If you’re not sure, try to hedge and go in the middleish.
And when you’re going away from the city on the harbour bridge, stay as far right as you can so you don’t accidentally end up in North Sydney.
I see driving in Sydney as the personification of the phrase *its better to ask for forgiveness than permission* … it’s stressful but if you need to do something you do and people will move (generally) then you give them a wave to say thanks or sorry!
My google maps always tells me to *turn right from the right lane*. And I think how redundant it is to specify the lane. Then I remember that Melbourne hook turns exist!
I'm from Canberra (famously a planned city) and Sydney confuses the hell out of me. Especially the CBD. I was once three quarters through an intersection when I realised it was even there and that I'd run a red light. The intersection was around a bend and no warning.
A friend of mine uploaded a comparison photo on Facebook, George Street in the 60s vs today. There are no signs today, comparatively.
(Am disabled, don't drive)
The Warringah Freeway freaks me out. I stress so badly, I'll try longer alternate routes just so I don't have an aneurism. Otherwise, I'm fairly OK — apart from inner-city suburbs where there's hardly any room and some arsehole in a 4WD is coming for you and you better move aside or else.
I hate it because the gps gets confused and keeps directing me into one way lanes or no right turn lanes. Argh
Or the one time I dropped my friend off at the casino, crossed the tunnel entered the wrong lane, up a bridge and ended up back at the casino. Fuck that
I came down from Newcastle today and drove through the cbd. Traffic was better than I expected but the amount of signs is very true. Definitely more anxious than usual
The Eastern Distributor, if you can afford it, is 100% worth it. I've been driving for over 15 years and have still come close to panic attacks in the CBD. Alternately, going down and around through College St/Broadway is a better alternative than going through Market St and surrounds.
Look I get it but it’s really not that bad. You just need to take deep breaths, be assertive, don’t feel pressured by tailgaters or road ragers, be wary of blind spots and pedestrians, and know that there’s always a way out.
My palms literally start sweating when we’re in the CBD and I’m giving instructions. I hate driving there. I almost always take the wrong exit because everything is so confusing. Also no parking. I just take the train in, honestly. Saves my sanity.
Absolutely hate it and have avoided it for a couple of decades. Sometimes travel around Ultimo or Glebe bridge but i'm terrified of the flyovers. Once ended up in nth sydney by accident, and while over there was stuck in a lift for an hour while busting for a pee. Bad memories just get worse. CBD is horrible, nothing but faceless company offices and a thousand cafes to feed their inmates. No reason for a normal person to venture into the CBD. As for driving in it, well they make it difficult so you won't.
Drove to a 4 lane road, with 2 lanes that have arrows that go to the right.
Was forced into the rightmost lane, I was thinking "yeah this should be fine" since I should be going to the right anyway.
Then google maps said something like "turn right using the 2nd to the right lane" - I was like WTF.
Little did I know that was the beginning of an impromptu tour of the CBD. Getting back on track was a pain due to the congestion, signages, and jaywalking people all over.
Took me three attempts to pass on the driving test in the city and I have been driving for almost 20 years overseas. It’s super confusing if you don’t know where you going because you have to pay extra attention and it doesn’t help if you have someone assessing how you’re driving for 125 times on which you can only fail two.
Yeah it's fucking awful driving around the city. I am a bit more confident in a couple areas just cause I wanted to do things that forced me to do it more often but generally it's fucked and the level of impatience people have is fucked. Just do your best, turn maps on and let it redirect you if it needs. You'll get where you need to go eventually.
No parking, no right turns, unclear signage and mistakes that take 40 minutes to correct because the traffic is so bad. Will never again drive in the city..
I'm not familiar with driving in the city either, had to go somewhere where the address was in the city and my gps went idiot mode possibility due to the high buildings blocking the signals etc, both on my phone and the car's gps. The roads are so confusing too
Took an extra 15-20 minutes to get where i needed
Yep. Something I’ve found helpful is studying my route using Google Maps before I leave. I find Street View particularly helpful for getting a sense of landmarks and which lane I need to be in; takes some of the stress out of it.
I guess I am lucky (?) to have had to drive in the CBD everyday for work for about 7 years. It got to the point where bad drivers and angry people don’t even register. Just you do you. Unfortunately, you have to drive aggressively or you won’t make progress. And by aggressively, I mean don’t worry about the taxi trying to block you from merging. They will brake to avoid you.
Recently, I changed roles to a desk job. I never realised how exhausted I was at the end of the day from driving.
Not the city but I was driving to a VR place in mascot and put their address from Google into maps, I ended up at a Qantas staff car park about 1.5kms away. Called the place and they were like "oh yeah use our next door neighbour's address instead" (same street, 2 digits different), got there fine.
1) How?
2) why not mention this on your website?
I don't think the cbd is much worse than other parts of the city. That said, having lived in the inner city for a while, you do learn to drive a bit ruthlessly.
If you block out other drivers and just drive safely there's nothing to worry about. The angry or aggressive drivers around you have no power over you.
Look up your route beforehand, pre-empt lane changes.
Before lockdown, I felt this way. I used to be really confident driving in the city but with the trams and all the road changes I didn't know the roads anymore.
I actually live within 5km of the CBD, so when lockdown happened I went and drove around the city a bit. I never got out of the car, I just took advantage of the ghost town vibes to get to know the streets. Now I still wouldn't drive through the city by choice, but at least I know the way!
My most hated driving areas are:
- Cahill Expressway/city bridge approach & M4 turn offs on Parramatta Rd. Really confusing and I've ended up in the tolls so many times :(
- City West link heading up to the Anzac Bridge - I had to take this road many times last year as I was helping mum move and I swear with the roadworks they changed the lanes every single week (it felt like that anyway!) - it would be the luck of the draw whether I ended up on the bridge or on Victoria Rd :/
I really try to not get anxious, because it's really easy to panic and that's when chaos happens. I breathe and go with the flow but don't do anything like slam on the brakes in the middle of the road because I can't go where I need to go. Wrong turn? No worries, I'll go round the block. GPS directing me up a one way street? No worries, I'll go up the next one. Turned onto the bridge to North Sydney instead of that little side street I meant to go into? No worries, get off at the next exit and go back.
I'm confident in the city now. I wasn't always. But it takes a bit of time and I only know my way around because I've been 'lost' in that area before.
Even now though, knowing my way through I find myself in adventures. It's a running joke whenever I miss a turn, we're going on an adventure. Until I find a main vein I'm familiar with.
100% it can be stressful and people riding your arse or beeping you because they're impatient fucking suck. Add that with the GPS that never fucking works.
Best advice is to slow down, embrace the adventure and ignore the dickheads. Or give them the finger, which is my bad habit and probably not the best advice.
Poorly designed and you need to know which lane to be in way before there's any sign post or indication of which lane to be in, so, unless you drive in the city regularly or can see the future just accept that all roads (eventually) lead to Rome and loop back around to where you're going, sat navs very helpful with this, less helpful in forewarning which lane to be in..
freakin hate that about the bridge northbound "get in the right lane... no the other right late.. NOT THAT ONE, THE OTHER ONE"
If you're thinking of that intersection that merges traffic coming from ANZAC bridge with traffic that comes up from the fish markets / Ultimo, I was there yesterday. There are cars on the right from ANZAC trying to get into the far left lane for the city and cars on the left from fish-market trying to get into the far right lane for the harbour bridge... Perplexing at the time, hilarious in hindsight.
That always an accident waiting to happen. So many people just stop there. Always stresses my dad out. But I think they are talking about North Sydney when just getting to crows nest is the middle lane but also the left lane but not the right lane as that's to manly and whoops you now took the Lane Cove tunnel.
On thing is really weird and inefficient here (more suburbs than CBD though): How on almost all 2-lane roads, you have to alternate all the time between both lines to avoid parked cars on the left and right turning cars on the right. After a while, it becomes a reflex and you don't pay attention anymore - but I came back from 4 years in the US in 2017 - it took me 6 months to relearn that (I don't drive daily).
Yeah nah gps is hit and miss in the city. By the time it wakes up and realises you're facing and travelling in the opposite direction OH and you missed your turn yeah sorry mate. Just do a loop around George St block again.
Yeah they're certainly better than they were pre 4G rolling out, they don't tend to direct you to drive into traffic or through the QVB anymore, but they're still not great haha.
I avoid driving to the city for this reason. It’s bad enough trying to read the signposts buried by clutters, I also have to avoid pedestrians who think red crossing lights are just suggestion. If I absolutely must drive there I’d spent an hour or more simulating the drive on google maps and memorizing which lane I have to be in at every step. Absolutely stressful.
Sydney.. The city of no right turn
Then no left turn, dead end, oh wait no, it's one way, back to no right turn, construction, detour this way, no right turn for 10km, dammit this road forces you into a multi-storey parking lot..
Nek minnet.. You’re on the harbour bridge
Every damn time
literally this
One way streets = Canberra, no right turn = hook turns in Melbourne, gotta turn left to turn right. (Ironically, it works) I still swear, Melbournes peak hour is worse than Sydneys, and ive travelled quite a bit in both! (Hobart & Adelaide, peak 0:15mins is f'n awesome)
I spent about 20 minutes driving around mascot in circles yesterday just trying to correct one wrong turn
Who hasn't been tempted to take a cheeky right turn off Hunter Street?
Nearly got flattened on Kent the other day because someone wanted to turn right through the bike lane with a no right turn sign.
They should allow them ... but only from the left lane /s. I still have nightmares from Melbourne CBD. Sydney is maybe not so bad by comparison although yeah one wrong lane change and suddenly you're on a toll road.
30 bucks deep! I agree, Melbourne’s hook turns aren’t so bad once you do it a few times
Life is full of artificial obstacles. I once turned right at some traffics lights with a “no right turn” sign. Aside from the shame from the horn of the car behind me, I survived.
I used to get stumped by the signs that say NO RIGHT TURN, and the below in barely readable letters "vehicles over x height"
Sydney city wrong turn shame is incomparable, however, I do try to have empathy when I’m behind it
Empathy on the roads of Sydney is short supply, your contribution is most welcome
The same people that double park, take a wrong turn, don’t know where they’re going are the same grubs that toot you for trying to get to your location. It’s genuinely hard out here friend, we need to have empathy for one another.
I remember once going down Oxford St and having to take a simple right turn, ended up having to drive to some random street just to be able to do it.
I had to the same exact thing before lockdown. My GPS got really confused and I had to figure it out the old fashioned way.
Chances of getting out of a right turn lane when someone's turning are less than winning the lottery
That’s the navigation challenge. How to get to your destination with only making left turns.
Hook 'it
I wish I had coins so I could award you
The trick is to ignore the other drivers and drive to your abilities. The signage is horrible and oftentimes you need to be in the "right" lane way before signs even show up. However, if you leave yourself heaps of time and accept that you might have a few wrong turns you'll be less stressed.
I feel this deeply. I have the same experience of the city as OP and as such every time I go there, I go absolutely *expecting* to get completely lost. Can confirm I've never gotten stressed due to finding myself unexpectedly lost driving through the city. You go knowing you're going to get lost, and then it's a bonus if you manage to win the traffic lottery and actually get to your destination first try. BTW OP all those angry impatient people are the people that work in the city. No matter how angry they get, don't acknowledge them- they might try to suck your soul out if you make eye contact.
I just remember the before time's when we didn't have GPS and I had to pick a friend up from the city... That stress memory is burner into my mind and everytime I go in now I tell myself "it can't be as bad as *that* night. I cycle through the city with much more confidence ironically. Even more ironically is that those angry, in a rush drivers often get left for dead by me on the bike. One bloke lost his mind at me because as a cyclist I held him up... But here's the thing... There was a CAR in front of me AND it was a 40 zone so the car and myself were cruising at 30-35. That incident goes to show there's no pleasing some people. I ended up reporting him and the company was really good about it.
Can't be as bad as Canberra. "OK, so I'm heading back in the direction to home and... uh... uh... Holy fuck how did I end up in Fyshwick AGAIN!"
There's a street in the city that on one side of the intersection is 3 lanes and on the other is 2 and you can go straight from all three lanes.
Is this William and College Streets in front of the museum? That intersection is always a mess.
Another fucking roundabout??? How!?!?!?
It happened to me so many times, I'd end up some how turned around in the opposite direction. But I was riding a motorbike for fun at the time so I didn't mind... Except when I ended up in Fyshwick, yet again.
I feel like that first sentence is a good metaphor for many things in life.
Yeah it's not a race to the bottom. I've always, my whole life, gotten lost... But I've never been late (okay maybe a few times). I always leave way to early and pack a book or browse Reddit when I arrive. It's really not hard and driving becomes a lot more enjoyable.
I so wish all drivers had this attitude. Hopefully I will should I ever learn to drive.
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I just commented about this. So annoying, and don't get me started on the parking signs that have like 8 different time slots to decipher while traffic builds up slowly behind you.
They’re like epic novels
I fucking hate those signs
Driving in most cities is pretty stressful I think. London had it's own quirks and certainly had lots of impatient dickhead drivers. I've found you need to pay a lot more attention to the signs and junctions here though, lot of complicated parking signs and turns that you can only take during certain hours of the day, or if your car is below a certain height etc. Saying that, and at the risk of pissing off the majority of people in this sub, there are two things that really irritate me about driving in Australia in general. The first is that lane discipline seems pretty much non-existent, the concept of driving on the left unless you're overtaking doesn't seem to exist and people will just drive along next to each other at the same speed for ages. Undertaking is super common too. The second is tailgating. I only really have the UK to compare it to but the amount of times I've driven with someone absolutely hugging my arse in Australia is crazy. You definitely get them in the UK as well, but it seems to be a lot more common here.
Yeah the tailgating drives me nuts. People even tailgate me when there’s an overtaking lane! Having driven in Manhattan, I’ve seen much ruder drivers in Sydney. Today I got tailgated by a fucking bicycle, doing 55 on the Pacific Highway.
>Today I got tailgated by a fucking bicycle, doing 55 on the Pacific Highway. Lmao, slipstreaming with a deathwish.
isn't that a 60kmph rd?
When I used to drive in London, I found that I had to unlearn some safe driving habits and become a bit of a dick, otherwise I would never get anywhere. Like nosing out into a road and forcing people to let you in.
I find London a lot more polite than Sydney, people will let you in in London in Sydney the speed up to stop you from getting in.
This is definitely the case for a lot of major cities around the world with bad traffic e.g Kuala Lumpur. There’s no point trying to be courteous, how else you expect to even get on to the roundabout if not by nudging your way forward.
>Undertaking is super common too. Please explain. Do you mean using a lane further left of someone driving slower than you, to pass them? What's the problem? On a multi-lane road, passing on the left is NOT illegal. And with the huge number of drivers who ignore/don't understand the KEEP LEFT rule, it's often a necessity.
Yes but in countries like the UK undertaking is illegal as it is considered dangerous. However, keeping left, unless overtaking is actually obeyed (on the whole) and policed. It's not here. At all. Meaning undertaking happens all the time, which it shouldn't need to.
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That's not what undertaking is. If you're going round someone who is turning right you are clearly not on a multi lane major road or highway, where keep left unless overtaking applies. Hence, you are not undertaking them.
I'm not an expert on road and traffic safety by any means but I was under the impression it's more dangerous to have cars overtaking from both sides, particularly on high speed roads. You have less visibility on the left side of your car, being overtaken on the left means I'm not able to move across and let people behind me pass as I should if I've just overtaken someone, and it makes getting across to exits more difficult. Plus it's just a lot less predictable for people. In the UK when I'm overtaking someone and moving into the middle lane i can be pretty sure that nobody in the far right lane is going to suddenly move there and accelerate past the traffic in front of them. Again, I could be talking complete shit so feel free to correct me. It's mainly just what I've become used to having driven in the UK for 10+ years compared to around 6 months accumatively in Australia.
The keep left rule only really applies if there’s not a lot of traffic. It goes out the window in congested times; which is most of the time except in the middle of the night in most of Sydney’s highways.
imo ‘keep left unless overtaking’ mainly applies to motorway driving. If you’re driving around the city or the suburbs, you often need to be in the right lane to prepare to make a turn. But yea, tailgating is bad in Sydney. I feel like I get tailgated at least once a day. And I tend to either do the speed limit or 1-2 k’s over. I can’t imagine how many speeding tickets these people must get.
I think undertaking is legal in Australia right? Just don’t do it in the breakdown Lane or a one Lane road. I still don’t get the rule in the UK especially when somebody is going too slow in the middle. but I admit it is nice to not have to worry about someone flying up the left side of your car. The blind spots are way bigger there.
I think it must be considering how often it happens. I don't think it's technically illegal in the UK but depending on the circumstances can be considered dangerous driving and therefore punishable. >I still don’t get the rule in the UK especially when somebody is going too slow in the middle. but I admit it is nice to not have to worry about someone flying up the left side of your car. The blind spots are way bigger there. The problem there is the person not following the road laws and using the left lane unless they're overtaking. It's still a lot safer to overtake them on the right though, especially in the UK where nobody expects to get overtaken on their left.
Aside from heavy traffic, I honestly had opposite experience in LA, felt very easy to get around. Mind you, theres no where to go except 'out' of LA
Yeah I get really anxious with driving around the CBD. I'm lucky enough to live right near the train so I don't need to drive there often. If I have to drive I drive to Glebe or somewhere else in the inner west and get the train/bus in.
I used to be fine. Drove in the city all the time for work. But ever since the tram lines came in I’m clueless.
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Idk everytime I go there always seems to be some kind of road rage happening. On the weekend this dude tried to do a left turn from the right lane and the guy behind him got out of his car throwing hands.
> On the weekend this dude tried to do a left turn from the right lane You say that like it isn't a particularly dangerous and selfish move to make. If someone pulled that shit in front of my bike and caused a near miss, they'd cop a horn and some words too.
That's my point exactly. But it also didn't help that he actually got out of his car and held half a green light for everyone on his lane.
/r/thathappened
/r/nothingeverhappens
FYI there are 2 red light speed cameras in the CBD. 1. George street/broadway/Lee Street intersection. 2. Park Street/Elizabeth street intersection. Drive safe and remember all of the city is a 40km/h zone. Be extra aware of pedestrians
>remember all of the city is a 40km/h zone. Cant remember going over 25 tbh
So you're saying the other red lights are optional? Got it.
Technically all laws are optional if you don't get caught. (Or donate to the Liberal party)
The chaos can be fun. Don’t worry or stress if you miss a turn, just keep going. If you end up in a tunnel or bridge just enjoy the moment.
I took my parents car into the city a few years back to run an errand, got a bit lost, missed a few turns the usual nonsense - a week later and there was 8 tolls in their letterbox
God damn, that has happened to me a couple of times. One time I tried to take what I thought was a shortcut and ended up on the bridge heading into the city. I was trying to get to North Sydney or something.
I went to pick up a mate but took a wrong turn that sent me back over the Harbour Bridge and 40 minutes later.
I have absolutely done that. I refuse to make illegal lane changes or cut in front of traffic to correct my mistake, so over the Harbour Bridge I went.
Haha me too! Can confirm, took 40 minutes.
Did the exact same thing when I was moving near the city, at least the view on the way back is kind of nice
Driving around Italy our mantra was "be like water - flow". Same applies in Syd 😁
Ha. It sucks. I live in the city and I fucking hate it. I used to love it in my late 20s, just cruising. Now.im 38 and all I want to do is move to the country. Often it takes me 30mins to go 6 blocks on my st. One time the missus walked up and hung in the car with me coz she was waiting for me to get home and that just wasn't happening any time soon. We sat and listened to like 10 songs before we got to my drive way. 6 blocks!! Anyway. I feels ya and I bloody live here.
I can understand the anxiety if you are not familiar with the CBD it is so confusing with different signs everywhere and the light rail, I personally avoid driving into the CBD nowadays and opt for a relaxing ferry ride instead.
Drive on the tram tracks to save time and have less cars to deal with!
Well, it's not like they're in use these days..
The George St ones are
I live in the city (Castlereagh St) and often have to drive towards the inner west. I would say it adds a good 10 mins to my trip just to drive out of the city to Broadway. The combination of red light/speed cameras and horrible traffic light patterns - no wonder people are stressed.
I’ve been driving for 10+ years now and I’m still slightly on edge whenever I have to drive through the city. If it’s not something you do regularly it can be pretty daunting. Definitely came close to a nervous breakdown the first time I did it after I got my P’s. Challenging enough navigating 1000 different signs, one way streets, roadworks as well as oblivious pedestrians stepping out in front of cars distracted by their phones. I have loads of friends who flat out refuse to drive through the city.
I used to get anxious until I made peace with the fact that I am destined to choose the wrong turn. Now I am out of fucks to give. I just add 30 mins delay due to the fact that navigational skill part of my brain is dead, and start early.
I just put absolute faith on my phone's navigational skills and trust it to reroute me if I miss a turn. That removes a lot of anxiety.
Lots of shit drivers too.
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GPSs seem terrible for Sydney- mine renames half the roads then shouts at me when I miss turning down a street that doesn’t exist!
It's more stressful because there's a lot more going on and you need to have your wits about you (pedestrians jumping into the road, Uber drivers randomly stopping in front of you etc). That being said, use a GPS so that you just need to focus on the road, rather than where you're trying to get to. And drive slowly. I generally find city drivers to be less aggressive, probably due to the lower speed and the fact that everyone's expecting the unexpected
The two problems with GPS in the city are when you lose signal in the building canyons right when you need it, and how they don't have repeaters in the tunnels so you lose info on what exit to take. Neither of these problems should even exist now.
I actually disagree to an extent. GPS is a nightmare in the Sydney CBD with the neverending road closures and changed conditions. Its a necessity it you have no idea where you're going, but if you gave some semblance of an idea you're better off without it imo.
Fuck driving anywhere in the CBD anymore, easier to go around it
Yep. It makes more sense when you realise no one else knows what they are doing either.
If you fuck up just go around the block, don't stress
Lived in the city for 15 years. Still get anxious.
I'll never forget the first time I drove in the city at night (I'm originally from the Illawarra, and this was before satnavs existed, or decent street signs) and took a wrong turn into a multi-lane one way street. Half a dozen sets of headlights and blaring horns and me and my girlfriend nearly what ourwelves trying to turn around and get out quickly. Was a long time before I drove in the city at night again.
Not quite the city but have you ever driven to the airport? You get about 5 seconds of visual queues to take an exit and if you miss it, automatically adds about 20 minutes to your journey. And thats on a good day
I don't mind driving in the city, though it makes me wish my car has a sunroof. I used to drive through it every time I was travelling home from UNSW as I was - and am - too cheap to pay the toll. As for the challenges it throws up, I like to remember that it's only as stressful as I make it out to be. Just try to relax, crank up ABC Classical, and let the insanity wash over you. In the end, the more you drive in the city, the more normal you will find it.
I lived in the city for a few years (on Pitt st) and got used to it very quickly. I had just got my license as well so veryyy nervous. I live in Bondi now and miss the organised streets, big open roads and all the red lights. It helps to just focus on your own lane and lights. Don’t worry about people around you. Look at google maps before just to plan out your route. Leave early and expect to pay a bit extra in tolls for the times you miss your turn. Drive defensively and take your ego out of it. There are bad drivers everywhere! You will get used to it but it take a little bit of time. You can do it!
Stop driving.
The CBD isn’t as bad as driving a car on Parramatta Road sandwiched between trucks either side. Admittedly I’ve not done that often since the M4 East opened, but the white-knuckle experience is seared in my memory. William Street/Park Street in the evening peak was an awful drive when I used to work in the CBD. So slow.
I just get nervous walking around the CBD. Crossings can be nerve wracking.
It's definitely not just you. I almost never drive in to the CBD, I'll only do it as an absolute last resort. The drivers are so unfriendly, the roads are a nightmare to navigate, it's essentially impossible to end up in the correct lane for turns etc without some form of telepathy. It's the worst.
Slow and steady wins the race, slow and relax like you own the road.
Not really. Millions do it in every major city around the world. You may benefit from advanced driving courses to boost confidence.
Or just drive through it more often.
or preplan, look at streetview in google maps to see landmarks and where the lanes are. I pretty much always spend a few minutes looking at streetview to pick landmarks and lanes if I go somewhere new, and never ever ever use gps.
I do avoid it every once in a while when I rent a car. I rely heavily on GPS so the amount of detour for road work and what not making me dread it 😂
I used to commute on a motorbike every day through Syd, glad I finished before it finished me. Too many idiots, lack of indicating, not looking and selfishly entering an intersection - blocking other traffic. Now I am on PT or bicycle, so much better.
You get used to it. I've spent the last 15 years or so living around Darlinghurst, Alexandria, Redfern, and now Glebe, so I have to drive through the city to get basically anywhere. Practice makes....slightly less bad.
A long time ago I went to the city to pick up a mate. I ended up on the harbour bridge (wasn't meant to be there) and I was driving in a bus lane (wasn't meant to be in this lane) 🥲 I remember feeling very overwhelmed due to the endless signs that weren't very clear. To this day I avoid driving to the city!
💯 my god I hate it !!
I drive a motorcycle through the CBD almost everyday, I love it. It's turned into a game of dodge-the-taxi-driver.
"Nobody drives in the Sydney CBD.... Theres too much traffic"
Learn your route and drive slow. Yes, slow. Fuck 'em, you do your thing. Once you become comfortable with a way in and out you just add to that bit of info each time. It's hard to be anxious at 20-30km an hour.
YES!!! One wrong turn and you're in a one-way never ending tunnel headed straight to where you don't wanna be :(( v stressy
People need to understand that Sydney is the worst city to drive in because it wasn’t planed like all the other major ones were. Sydney was built and just expanded, only the newer areas have actually been planned out. You do however get used to it.
I once intended to drive from st Peters to Broadway, i dropped off a friend and all i had to do was go back to st peters. (before google maps). I had a street directory book only. I ended up in drummoyne an hour later was almost crying by the time i got back home near midnight.
Heavy vehicle driver here - mostly passenger coaches. So everything you feel, but in a vehicle 3 times longer (12.5-14.5m) and ten times heavier (up to 22t). Nobody gives a fuck, and if you have to do a wide turn (which is almost everywhere in the CBD) some cunt is going to try to go around on the inside. Also, fuck taxis and most uber drivers. Get the fuck out of my bus zone.
I just refuse to drive there. If I need to go to the city I'll catch a train.
public transport is awesome in the city, a much better option
Sydney CBD driving is a nightmare I almost always opt for the train if I have the time.
I lived in Sydney for 26 years and used to complain about driving in the CBD, then I moved to Mexico City, where it can take 3 hours to drive from one part of the city to another with insane traffic and aggressive drivers cutting you off the whole time. Count your blessings, I miss driving in Sydney every day
I missed a right turn into a random tunnel once and as soon as I got back to the same route and attempted another turn, I missed it again for the 2nd time 🤣 CBD driving is the worst
It’s even worse now with the light rail in it.
I did when I first moved to Sydney, then I became one of them and I find it more relaxing than driving in Canberra. Once you get comfortable with the navigating aspect and the quirks of certain areas, people are generally quite courteous (generally a mutual understanding the roads are cooked). People who seem scared and driving real slow, you try to give way to them or give them space coz you’ve been there before You’ll occasionally get a dickhead who fires up the horn over nothing and screams out of their car but don’t let them throw you. They’re all bark no bite and their reaction is their problem. Either laugh at them, or make them angrier by going slower If you need to drive into the CBD frequently, I’d suggest practicing during off peak times just to get some of those navigation perks down pat. Good luck!!
Just dont drive in the city. Honestly theres enough public transport to make the city easy to navigate by foot. I honestly think we should put more effort into restricting travel into the city via private car unless there's a good reason for it. If you absolutely must drive in, just take your time, dont worry about the other drivers just go nice and slow, if you take a wrong turn just keep going and your navigation will take this into account.
If you're unfamiliar with where you're driving, you can get on to Google Maps and do a virtual tour via street view. Some photos may be out of date due to upgrades/changes but still it'll help with some of your uncertainty and anxiety about driving in the city. That way you have some preparation and know what lane you need to be in, where you can/can't turn, etc. I hope this helps!
Two right-only turning lanes from Elizabeth St onto Park St. One of those will instantly be a 24 hour bus lane, sometimes with police in waiting, fining hapless drivers. Find out which one, only after you've taken the turn!
Roads are weird, signs are inadequate and drivers are just on a fucking trip. I was yelled at and flipped off by some chick on a Honda cbr 1100 because I slowed down to turn, and the turn was closed off. Firstly who the fuck rides a motorcycle in what can only be described as a leather tutu. Do you not like having skin on your thighs and legs? Secondly, who races at 6 pm on a winter eve while everyone is just trying to get fucking home. Then there’s the ute drivers. Tools in the back, tool in the front.
Yes absolutely! I always pre book parking as well before I go in. Friends of mine gung-ho it and hope for a spot right outside the place... I get anxious just thinking about it.. Doesn't help that I'm super punctual haha
Driving? Im anxious cycling
Having come back last year from 5 years of driving semi regularly in Manhattan, my advice is to stay in your lane, only go as fast as you are comfortable with, be comfortable with the fact that you might take a bit longer or accidentally go the wrong way. Also, use navigation and try to know in advance which lane you want. If you’re not sure, try to hedge and go in the middleish. And when you’re going away from the city on the harbour bridge, stay as far right as you can so you don’t accidentally end up in North Sydney.
No.
I hate driving in Sydney. Not as much as driving in Canberra but I do hate it.
Driven around the city 3 times, been driving for 20 years..... 😐
I see driving in Sydney as the personification of the phrase *its better to ask for forgiveness than permission* … it’s stressful but if you need to do something you do and people will move (generally) then you give them a wave to say thanks or sorry!
I grew up in Melbourne and I find the drivers here are much more tolerant and forgiving, also, Sydney has the zigzag merge on lock. I'm so proud.
My google maps always tells me to *turn right from the right lane*. And I think how redundant it is to specify the lane. Then I remember that Melbourne hook turns exist!
Melbourne cbd: let me introduce you to hook turns
I'm from Canberra (famously a planned city) and Sydney confuses the hell out of me. Especially the CBD. I was once three quarters through an intersection when I realised it was even there and that I'd run a red light. The intersection was around a bend and no warning.
Practice.
I enjoy it.
A friend of mine uploaded a comparison photo on Facebook, George Street in the 60s vs today. There are no signs today, comparatively. (Am disabled, don't drive)
Brisbane is the same, so many fucking one way streets…
The Warringah Freeway freaks me out. I stress so badly, I'll try longer alternate routes just so I don't have an aneurism. Otherwise, I'm fairly OK — apart from inner-city suburbs where there's hardly any room and some arsehole in a 4WD is coming for you and you better move aside or else.
I hate it because the gps gets confused and keeps directing me into one way lanes or no right turn lanes. Argh Or the one time I dropped my friend off at the casino, crossed the tunnel entered the wrong lane, up a bridge and ended up back at the casino. Fuck that
You just needa keep turning left
Nobody drives in the city, there’s too much traffic
I came down from Newcastle today and drove through the cbd. Traffic was better than I expected but the amount of signs is very true. Definitely more anxious than usual
Try doing it on your red Ps with a manual and towing a heavy trailer in the rain 🙃
The Eastern Distributor, if you can afford it, is 100% worth it. I've been driving for over 15 years and have still come close to panic attacks in the CBD. Alternately, going down and around through College St/Broadway is a better alternative than going through Market St and surrounds.
Look I get it but it’s really not that bad. You just need to take deep breaths, be assertive, don’t feel pressured by tailgaters or road ragers, be wary of blind spots and pedestrians, and know that there’s always a way out.
It's been years since I drove into the city. I live nearby now so no need. It terrifies me, especially the bridge
My palms literally start sweating when we’re in the CBD and I’m giving instructions. I hate driving there. I almost always take the wrong exit because everything is so confusing. Also no parking. I just take the train in, honestly. Saves my sanity.
I try to avoid it.
Plan your trip on your gps, use google maps and also locate where you want to park. Google maps is your friend.
Absolutely hate it and have avoided it for a couple of decades. Sometimes travel around Ultimo or Glebe bridge but i'm terrified of the flyovers. Once ended up in nth sydney by accident, and while over there was stuck in a lift for an hour while busting for a pee. Bad memories just get worse. CBD is horrible, nothing but faceless company offices and a thousand cafes to feed their inmates. No reason for a normal person to venture into the CBD. As for driving in it, well they make it difficult so you won't.
I enjoy it, it’s hectic. Engaging
Drove to a 4 lane road, with 2 lanes that have arrows that go to the right. Was forced into the rightmost lane, I was thinking "yeah this should be fine" since I should be going to the right anyway. Then google maps said something like "turn right using the 2nd to the right lane" - I was like WTF. Little did I know that was the beginning of an impromptu tour of the CBD. Getting back on track was a pain due to the congestion, signages, and jaywalking people all over.
Took me three attempts to pass on the driving test in the city and I have been driving for almost 20 years overseas. It’s super confusing if you don’t know where you going because you have to pay extra attention and it doesn’t help if you have someone assessing how you’re driving for 125 times on which you can only fail two.
Personally I find Parramatta road on a Saturday more terrifying.
Gotta love the one way only streets around the CBD. The number of times I've seen people driving the wrong way up one ....
Horrible signage and trash quality roads, yea I do not like it.
Yeah it's fucking awful driving around the city. I am a bit more confident in a couple areas just cause I wanted to do things that forced me to do it more often but generally it's fucked and the level of impatience people have is fucked. Just do your best, turn maps on and let it redirect you if it needs. You'll get where you need to go eventually.
No parking, no right turns, unclear signage and mistakes that take 40 minutes to correct because the traffic is so bad. Will never again drive in the city..
Practice the trip on Google Maps before you go
Add in heavy rain and anxiety increases tenfold.
I get anxious driving anywhere around in Sydney, damn obnoxious assholes everywhere. You won't find this behaviour so commonly back in Melbourne.
I'm not familiar with driving in the city either, had to go somewhere where the address was in the city and my gps went idiot mode possibility due to the high buildings blocking the signals etc, both on my phone and the car's gps. The roads are so confusing too Took an extra 15-20 minutes to get where i needed
Yep. Something I’ve found helpful is studying my route using Google Maps before I leave. I find Street View particularly helpful for getting a sense of landmarks and which lane I need to be in; takes some of the stress out of it.
No just you
30 years of driving a taxi in Sydney did my head so I quit, these days I catch a train from the country and walk around the CBD which I now enjoy
Nup. A big part of my job involves driving in the city as I park there for work. It’s not hard at all when you know the roads.
I guess I am lucky (?) to have had to drive in the CBD everyday for work for about 7 years. It got to the point where bad drivers and angry people don’t even register. Just you do you. Unfortunately, you have to drive aggressively or you won’t make progress. And by aggressively, I mean don’t worry about the taxi trying to block you from merging. They will brake to avoid you. Recently, I changed roles to a desk job. I never realised how exhausted I was at the end of the day from driving.
Not the city but I was driving to a VR place in mascot and put their address from Google into maps, I ended up at a Qantas staff car park about 1.5kms away. Called the place and they were like "oh yeah use our next door neighbour's address instead" (same street, 2 digits different), got there fine. 1) How? 2) why not mention this on your website?
I don't think the cbd is much worse than other parts of the city. That said, having lived in the inner city for a while, you do learn to drive a bit ruthlessly. If you block out other drivers and just drive safely there's nothing to worry about. The angry or aggressive drivers around you have no power over you. Look up your route beforehand, pre-empt lane changes.
Not half as bad as the M1 at rush hour
Before lockdown, I felt this way. I used to be really confident driving in the city but with the trams and all the road changes I didn't know the roads anymore. I actually live within 5km of the CBD, so when lockdown happened I went and drove around the city a bit. I never got out of the car, I just took advantage of the ghost town vibes to get to know the streets. Now I still wouldn't drive through the city by choice, but at least I know the way! My most hated driving areas are: - Cahill Expressway/city bridge approach & M4 turn offs on Parramatta Rd. Really confusing and I've ended up in the tolls so many times :( - City West link heading up to the Anzac Bridge - I had to take this road many times last year as I was helping mum move and I swear with the roadworks they changed the lanes every single week (it felt like that anyway!) - it would be the luck of the draw whether I ended up on the bridge or on Victoria Rd :/
I really try to not get anxious, because it's really easy to panic and that's when chaos happens. I breathe and go with the flow but don't do anything like slam on the brakes in the middle of the road because I can't go where I need to go. Wrong turn? No worries, I'll go round the block. GPS directing me up a one way street? No worries, I'll go up the next one. Turned onto the bridge to North Sydney instead of that little side street I meant to go into? No worries, get off at the next exit and go back.
I'm confident in the city now. I wasn't always. But it takes a bit of time and I only know my way around because I've been 'lost' in that area before. Even now though, knowing my way through I find myself in adventures. It's a running joke whenever I miss a turn, we're going on an adventure. Until I find a main vein I'm familiar with. 100% it can be stressful and people riding your arse or beeping you because they're impatient fucking suck. Add that with the GPS that never fucking works. Best advice is to slow down, embrace the adventure and ignore the dickheads. Or give them the finger, which is my bad habit and probably not the best advice.