A Homecoming Observation

Greetings folks. I write this latest post not from the grounds of our broad acred Sunny Coast house but from my hometown of Brisbane. My in-laws study to be precise.

Yes, I'm back in town with the wife and son for a few days while the wife undertakes some vocational training for her job. The son and I thought we'd join her for the trip 'down' and allow for some time with the grandparents. We also managed to catch up with some good friends just this morning for a 'playdate' that has long been talked about and now finally realised.

Now this isn't meant to be a bagging or anything. Just an observation from our first trip 'back home'. Actually, we've been down twice before since we moved to the Sunny Coast but once was just for the day and the other a quick one-night visit for a farewell dinner.

My observation? Traffic. Or more precisely, traffic lights. Now I know I may sound like some country bumpkin or something, but life around the Noosa region means you rarely see a traffic light let alone have to stop for one. From memory, the only two we have any contact with are between Noosa Junction and Sunshine Beach and both are for school pedestrian traffic so are only used occasionally.

Yes, the preferred method of traffic management in the Noosa region appears to be roundabouts as there's definitely plenty of them. I have heard that Canberra is the capital of not just the country but of roundabouts as well but I reckon Noosa could easily give it a run for its money. The area around Noosaville when entering from Eumundi-Noosa Road stands out the most and that's before another couple are constructed for a new super Bunnings store coming soon.

Anyway, most of the driving that I do at the moment in getting from our hinterland property to the beach, to the pool (yes, the home one is still not working if you've read my last post), to the park and so on is on main roads or allows for continual movement. So a lot of it is up around 80-100km/h and of course involves mainly roundabouts except for occasionally getting stuck behind some dopey tourist or grey nomad caravan (being a local now, I can say that).

So it was quite a shock yesterday afternoon to be cruising into Brisbane and coming across our first traffic light at Carseldine. We'd arrived at the big city obviously but we moved off again pretty quickly to resume our journey. But what's this? Another traffic light. And another. In the next ten minutes we were stopped at another ten lights and that doesn't count the other ten we managed to drive through.

My driving was a little 'stop-start' as a result and had to brake suddenly on a number of occasions which caused the wife and son to lurch forward violently and promptly raise their eyebrows at me. And I think this was happening due to the fact I'm so used to gaining some momentum and speed and then being able to maintain that for quite some time before having to slow down or come to a stop. This whole 'just start to accelerate before having to decelerate quickly and stop in the space of 200m' thing was causing me all sorts.

"What did you expect EDM?", I can hear some of you saying. "Geez mate, it's only Brisbane. It's not like it's Sydney or London or Tokyo", I can hear the rest of you saying.

Well, I did mention that this post was merely an observation and not a complaint. And this was a small and probably very trivial observation that hit me upon arriving back in Brissy town for the first time in months. That I hadn't come across a traffic light in weeks, or maybe even longer, and that the humble roundabout has become such a large part of my life. All the big issues hey?

Yes, I know this post isn't particularly hardhitting or edgey and that some of you may well be asking for your five minutes back after reading this. But hey, this blog is about joting down some musings on all walks of my life and a light bulb moment regarding my driving habits and traffic lights will have to do for today.

So greetings once again from Brissy town and I'll be back with a Sunny Coast broadcast later in the week. And sorry again, but no, you can't have your five minutes back this time.

EDM.