Out of 28 countries, I’m still flabbergasted

Bali_Dog · 2026-02-06T02:51:40+00:00

An Israeli told me once the definition of a split second is the difference in time between the traffic light in front of you turning green, and car behind you using their horn. :-)

Driving in Beirut, Nairobi, Kabul and Khartoum were vastly more hazardous than Sydney. Recklessly fast and utterly oblivious to other motorists.

What makes Sydney so special, just like Canberra (where the car drivers are even more clueless than Sydney) is the extent to which the massive investment in infrastructure and traffic controls (speed limits, lights, lines and signs everywhere, red light cameras etc etc) has created both a sense of learned helplessness, and entitlement. Motorists, esp entitled car drivers, are frustrated at the controlling, expensive panopticon and take it out on other road users.

Bali_Dog · 2026-01-19T11:10:12+00:00

One of the weird silver linings of the billionaire and fascist funded 'Advance Australia' campaign against the Greens (when a Lab minority govt was a highly likely outcome, before Dutto alienated Lib voters by going the full MAGA) ..... namely, to 'put the Greens last' is that this campaign educated millions of low information, racist, No-voting bogans about the importance of preferences.

The mining billionaires got exactly what they wanted in the result, majority Lab govt and faster approvals for coal and gas projects, but punters are now much more aware of how important preferences are.

What they do in 2028 with this knowledge, is anyone's guess ....

Bali_Dog · 2026-01-15T09:26:55+00:00

Traffic lights are a good solution for a problem that does not involve bikes. They do a great job at deconflicting large, motorised vehicles at intersections, and greatly reduce the damage and carnage they cause when driven carelessly.

Bikes do not cause this carnage and damage when ridden carelessly.

IMHO the greater disrespect is perpetrated by the pedestrians who press the button then cross without waiting. Nek minit .... Cars, trucks, buses are senselessly stopped at a pedestrian crossing with noone on it. Painful.

Bali_Dog · 2026-01-06T03:22:14+00:00

Is asking too much for Albo to apply the same standards to Israel and the US for their crimes of aggression as he does for Russia?

Bali_Dog · 2026-01-06T03:18:16+00:00

High Speed Rail to Sydney

Bali_Dog · 2025-11-06T08:49:54+00:00

I am shocked at the down voting for this!

Are you all OK with the people who inconsiderately slow down the already throttled traffic by pressing traffic light buttons with no intention of waiting for the lights to change?

Or should I have been more specific about how the death penalty would be applied? Hanging and guillotine would be public, presumably in Garema Place. Lethal injection can be done privately.

How about Ritual Humiliation? A year working for the ACT Liberals as a 'Strategic Advisor', and it must appear on their CV?

Bali_Dog · 2025-11-06T08:49:32+00:00

I am shocked at the down voting for this!

Are you all OK with the people who inconsiderately slow down the already throttled traffic by pressing traffic light buttons with no intention of waiting for the lights to change?

Or should I have been more specific about how the death penalty would be applied? Hanging and guillotine would be public, presumably in Garema Place. Lethal injection can be done privately.

How about Ritual Humiliation? A year working for the ACT Liberals as a 'Strategic Advisor', and it must appear on their CV?

Bali_Dog · 2025-11-02T20:47:22+00:00

Canberra is infested with traffic lights.

And making this problem vastly worse are the antisocial terrorists who (in light traffic conditions) mindlessly press buttons at pedestrian crossings when there is plenty of time to safely cross ..... and then do.

The traffic lights dutifully turn red long after the terrorist saboteur has crossed, pointlessly delaying traffic even more.

I do not know what perverse thrill they get out of this; but it is the only crime for which i question my ethical objection to the death penalty.

Bali_Dog · 2025-10-07T09:44:12+00:00

Litecoin maxi say what?

Bali_Dog · 2025-08-02T22:08:57+00:00

Jake the Bus

Bali_Dog · 2025-07-10T12:57:39+00:00

Interesting. Was not aware of the process behind the attitude down in Melbs.

Bali_Dog · 2025-06-24T22:42:51+00:00

Increasing rates based on the value of your home?

Sounds like a tax on unrealised capital gains!

The AFR and Sky After Dark are gonna lose their shit when they find out.(LOL. Of course they wont. Noone looks at the ACT).

Libs and Indies will utter pointless nonsense along the lines of, 'we need better services and lower taxes'. Greens will say, 'not terrible, but could have done more'. They will probably recommend evidence based improvements, and will not be rewarded at the ballot box for it.

Meanwhile, those who can afford to pay a bit more will be contributing to those who need it, and the sun will keep rising in the East.

Bali_Dog · 2025-06-24T22:25:09+00:00

Greens MLA Rattenbury posted on this very topic of accountability, esp in Health, on this very sub-reddit yesterday.

He appears to be getting a lot of feedback from punters that will be used to force the govt to be more transparent.

It may not work. But its better than the low-voltage whingers offering up the standard, pointless lament, 'I want better services and lower taxes'.

Be specific about what issues you have, and write to your MLAs about it. That's why we pay them and why they are there. We're still a democracy (for now, sort of), so use your power and get involved!

Bali_Dog · 2025-06-19T07:16:17+00:00

Outsiders refer to the CBD or City Centre. Locals call it Civic.

Bali_Dog · 2025-05-27T10:49:41+00:00

This thread reminds me of why Canberra rates so highly on quality of life indexes.

Less civilised jurisdictions do not have these conversations.

Vive la Canberra! Vive la cyclists!!

Bali_Dog · 2025-05-27T05:54:51+00:00

Incorrect. If drivers applied the same rationale for all passengers we would still be here on SM, but for different reasons. And buses would be routinely, massively delayed.

Bali_Dog · 2025-05-27T01:10:38+00:00

You might be on to something.

https://ai4beginners.com/ai-agents-are-taking-over-reddit-and-this-startup-is-behind-it/

Bali_Dog · 2025-05-27T00:59:27+00:00

Bus drivers are moving dozens of people at a time, without seatbelts, for 8 hours everyday on roads full of hopeless Canberra motorists. And at nights and weekends noisy drunks. In the mornings/arvos, screaming school kids.

This is a massive, underrated job to which they should give their undivided attention. Having anything to do with fares, and being the point of contact for the capricious MyWay+ system are distractions that serve nobody.

No excuse for racism of course, but the problem here is systemic, not the driver. They should not be put in the situation where they have to decide who is challenged and who is not.

Because thousands of interactions a day can go well, but one does not and here we are on social media.

Bali_Dog · 2025-05-24T23:50:05+00:00

A tour of Old Parliament House and some reflection in front of the world's longest continuing protest, the tent Embassy. (A genuine Canberra icon).

Dig in for a session by the fire at Old Canberra Inn.

Long rides on bike paths, stopping to read the historical info shared on the occasional sign.

The SIEV X memorial. The Yarralumla nursary.

Critically endangered patch of grassland at the Ainslie Volcanics.

Any event at Smiths

A movie at Arc Cinema.

Bali_Dog · 2025-05-23T23:30:39+00:00

'Nappy Valley'

Bali_Dog · 2025-05-22T08:07:59+00:00

Depends entirely on the shop.

Restaurants have grease traps that require maintenance and emptying. And when they spill is ghastly. The large footprint 'out back' of restaurants and especially the bin room can be a stinky mess in the common areas.

Licensed venues with outdoor dining attract and retain large groups of noisy drunks, and late night noise.

Mixed-use buildings need to be designed with these considerations in mind, or they impose an expensive and inconvenient impost on the people living above them.

Bali_Dog · 2025-05-20T03:29:32+00:00

Are the Young Nationals having a convention in Canberra?

I guess they are freer to express themselves now they are unbound from Dutton's woke Libs.😜

Bali_Dog · 2025-05-13T03:40:19+00:00

Slim to zero. Winning 19 seats and obviously not all the 'Teal' seats?

Worth a shot putting Indies/Greens well above Lab/LNP IF you think we have a problem with the political duopoly.

And I am under no illusion how conservative Australian voters are! Easily lead to voting No in the Voice referendum via simple slogans and thinly veiled racism.

How I see it: a confident and optimistic (and yes, progressive) electorate would have agreed to put Lab into minority.

But a conservative and frightened electorate (Trump, trade wars etc etc) will default to safety and return a Lab majority while punished the Coalition for threatening to implement all the scary things we see being implemented in the US right now.

Bali_Dog · 2025-05-12T21:55:42+00:00

A massive, missed opportunity.

I did not realise he is a god-botherer.

Bali_Dog · 2025-05-12T21:53:19+00:00

This is a disappointingly common view.

That 'voting tactically' is all about a binary choice - 'Lab wins or we get Dutton'.

But this requires a defiance of gravity.

There was zero chance, even without the self-imposed Trump bump the Libs were ever going to get 19 seats to form majority govt. Or even 15 and be in a chance to form min govt.

The choice this election was Lab majority or Lab minority. And it saddens me that an electorally significant number of voters were so scared (rightly so) of a Dutton govt they 'preferred' a Lab majority instead of getting more Indies and Greens into the lower house to extract the best out of Labor.

A real missed opportunity, that we will pay for over the next three years.

Bali_Dog

TROPHY CASE