Observing the Aussies: Rules of the road...

There are a few more things about driving that have puzzled me since coming to Australia. Things you point out to your standard Aussie and they laugh a bit uncomfortably thinking, "Yeah, why do we do that?"

DEATH SIGNS - Nothing seem to preoccupy the road safety nannies here in Australia than letting you know that getting behind the wheel of a car means you better have a paid up life insurance policy and a valid will. From distance markers predicting your demise, road side indicators marking someone else's demise or gruesome ads depicting your likely demise it makes you want to just stay home.

ROAD PILLOWS - What the heck are these yellow concrete things anyway? From what I can tell, other than to rip the suspension from the bottom of your car they can't really serve a purpose a simple painted line can't. And with much less vehicle damage.

WHAT EXIT NUMBERS? - The New Jersey state query of "What exit number do you live off of?" would be met with a puzzled silence here. Not sure why, but highway exits only list town or road names. It sure did get me lost one day when trying to find Pigeon's place and his breezy instructions to "Get off at the exit for my town" was not enough. Mostly because his town wasn't listed on any of the signs. After traveling for miles past and, I kid you not, seeing cow skeletons by the side of the road we finally got turned around and found it. "Oh, I guess it's not on the sign is it?" he apologized when we drove up dusty and almost out of gas, adding, "But I know the exit when I see it."

Just call me "King of the Road." Mate.

- Farmer Ted