E tag

[tuco]

Bloody hell, Victoria is like a police state now. Without an E tag you can't go anywhere without planning ahead. It's like a prison, you need 24 hour passes, weekend passes, passes for passes, etc.

This time we have to hire the car at the airport at almost midnight and get through Melbourne to the south east. We'll have to call the hire company to make sure it comes with a 24 hour pass.
Last time my sister-in-law left her car at the airport. It was a Nissan Stanza and after 14 tries I couldn't physically fit behind the wheel so my wife had to drive through Melbourne which pissed off my wife - not that I was fat, just the wrong shape.

You can't go anywhere without being charged a fee. Looks like it's back to the old way up north through Lillydale to escape which suits us as we're heading north east anyway. Other than getting to and from the airport we have no need to be in Melbourne. I worked in and around Melbourne long enough, I have no urge to go back. Maybe I've lived to long in the large country towns and realise it's a much better lifestyle, or maybe I'm just getting old and grumpy. Whinge over.

Any Melbourne people here? I believe a 24 hour pass starts after it's first used? I've tried ringing the pass people but I get on hold and then customers come in the shop and I need the phone line for EFTPOS.

[sogood]

Welcome to Melbourne. Yep, it sucks!

But Sydney is starting to look that way, but there's always an alternative surface road alternative.

[mikesbytes]

If the principal as got to you and I agree, you can avoid using the E tag roads by selecting the appropriate motorways, especially to go south east. Check out the maps.

[tuco]

Welcome to Melbourne. Yep, it sucks!

But Sydney is starting to look that way, but there's always an alternative surface road alternative.

True, there are alternates but when Kennett was in power he changed all the roads on me and then renamed them while I was living else where, the bastard.

Hopefully we'll only be in the south east for a day or two then head north.
I've heard xmas day and boxing day will be about 14 and 18 degrees. Should be interesting, I don't own a jumper and only have one long pair of pants.

[sogood]

I've heard xmas day and boxing day will be about 14 and 18 degrees. Should be interesting, I don't own a jumper and only have one long pair of pants.

Care to take up skiing this year? It's good high altitude leg training in the winter in preparation for the summer cycling season.

[Bernard]

It may be too late but the RTA sells infrequent user E-tags now, you could get one of those and take it whenever you travel to Melbourne. Sydney will be the same when the Lane Cove Tunnel opens. I worked out if you live in the Hills district (Castle Hill / Kellyville etc) it'll cost about $25 in tolls for a return trip to the airport.

E-Tag Link: http://www.rta.nsw.gov.au/publicationss ... 070923.pdf

[sogood]

I worked out if you live in the Hills district (Castle Hill / Kellyville etc) it'll cost about $25 in tolls for a return trip to the airport.

That really sucks! What are the taxes paying these day? You would think that the purpose of tax is to fund these projects.

[tuco]

I worked out if you live in the Hills district (Castle Hill / Kellyville etc) it'll cost about $25 in tolls for a return trip to the airport.

That really sucks! What are the taxes paying these day? You would think that the purpose of tax is to fund these projects.

I've been out of Victoria for nearly 20 years so I could be wrong but isn't it because Kennett sold the roads or private companies built the roads or some such thing?

[mikesbytes]

I worked out if you live in the Hills district (Castle Hill / Kellyville etc) it'll cost about $25 in tolls for a return trip to the airport.

That really sucks! What are the taxes paying these day? You would think that the purpose of tax is to fund these projects.

I've been out of Victoria for nearly 20 years so I could be wrong but isn't it because Kennett sold the roads or private companies built the roads or some such thing?

I think they are new motorways, such as in Sydney. But it sucks anyway cos we pay heaps of tax everytime we fill up the tank. (Tank is the nickname for my Magna).

[europa]

Ahhhh, nothing like a good grump to help you enjoy your Christmas travelling.

Have fun Tuco

Richard

[beauyboy]

Brisbane is also heading that way. the Hale street link and NSBTunnel (which in my mind are both a huge waste of money) are going to be straight E tag systems.

Donald

[tuco]

We're all starting to sound like the Monty Python "Four Yorkshiremen" sketch.

"When I was a kid . . ."

[europa]

The Four Yorkeshirmen

I like Youtube

Richard

[mduriem]

Prob. bit late now but i actually work for CityLink (the pass people in melbourne) and yeah passes last 24hrs from first trip. But you have to nominate a day of travel.

You can buy day passes for citylink up to 3 days post travel.

Memorised sales rants over. Enjoy melbourne, and don't get too stressed by the Kennet legacy

EDIT: Re the roads, Transurban was contracted by the gov't (ie. Kennett sold the roads to TU) to refurbish them, that is, the old Tulla and South Eastern between Burnley and Toorak Rd.
However they also built some new road, essentially joining the Tulla to the South Eastern via bridges and tunnels; hence CityLink.

All said, the only time I'd personally use CL is getting to the airport (I live south of the city); but, then again, I'm just a poor student.

[tuco]

Prob. bit late now but i actually work for CityLink (the pass people in melbourne) and yeah passes last 24hrs from first trip. But you have to nominate a day of travel.

You can buy day passes for citylink up to 3 days post travel.

Memorised sales rants over. Enjoy melbourne, and don't get too stressed by the Kennet legacy

EDIT: Re the roads, Transurban was contracted by the gov't (ie. Kennett sold the roads to TU) to refurbish them, that is, the old Tulla and South Eastern between the Punt Rd and Toorak Rd.
However they also built some new road, essentially joining the Tulla to the South Eastern via bridges and tunnels; hence CityLink.

All said, the only time I'd personally use CL is getting to the airport (I live south of the city); but, then again, I'm just a poor student.

Excellent, just what I wanted to know, thanks Mduriem.