Couriers and astro' equipment.

[Louis D]

13 hours ago, Geoff Barnes said:

Now we're in Australia we too think nothing of 200 mile trips, it's just up the road!  

Yep, Australia dwarfs Texas:

But it's about the same size as the continental US:

[Demonperformer]

15 hours ago, Louis D said:

  Maybe y'all have higher gas taxes.

57.95p fuel duty per litre & 20% VAT.

[LukeSkywatcher]

On 03/12/2018 at 15:17, Demonperformer said:

Don't live in London - just can't justify the extortionate cost of car ownership now I am no longer working.

I cant justify the cost because of the traffic in my town. Its quicker to walk anywhere, and it's free.

[Louis D]

On 03/09/2019 at 07:36, LukeSkywatcher said:

I cant justify the cost because of the traffic in my town. Its quicker to walk anywhere, and it's free.

Sounds like Manhattan.  Only 22% of the residents there even own a car.  That's not much of a surprise when it costs $300,000 to buy and maintain a parking spot there.

[Andy R]

When having a drive round oz a few years back I went from Cloncurry to Noosaville in 22hours of solid driving in 1978 Hiace camper van. Well apart from 1/2 lunch and a several fuel stops. Something like 1800km. The experience has stayed with me as it doesn’t bother me driving from North Wales to Essex and back in a day just for a cup of tea and a catch up with my mates. 

[Louis D]

19 hours ago, Andy R said:

When having a drive round oz a few years back I went from Cloncurry to Noosaville in 22hours of solid driving in 1978 Hiace camper van. Well apart from 1/2 lunch and a several fuel stops. Something like 1800km. The experience has stayed with me as it doesn’t bother me driving from North Wales to Essex and back in a day just for a cup of tea and a catch up with my mates. 

It's what you're used to.  I can't believe people actually fly directly (not a connection flight, mind you) between Dallas and Austin or Dallas and Houston when it's actually quicker to drive when you count in all the time it takes to get to and from the airports and get through security and boarding, etc.  I've driven 900 miles and 18 hours solo with just quick stops for food and fuel as well.  We road-tripped 3000 miles in two weeks on vacations when my kids were younger, now they think nothing of driving 500 miles solo in their early 20s to get to or from college, friends, holidays, etc.

[DaveS]

Not always quicker. Not on our congested nightmare of a road system.

A few years ago now a group of our 6th Form geography students went to the Cairngorms for a day trip, flying from Heathrow to Edinburgh, then on by minibus. Now, trying to do a trip from London to Edinburgh then into the Cairngorms by car / minibus all the way would be a weekend at leat, possibly a long weekend. When I drove down from Pitlochry to London with my parents Dad and I spelled each other at the wheel, it still took 10 hours to do the 500 miles, and was a weary grind through motorway congestion with spray being thrown up by log wagons so bad it was impossible to see past them.