Life in America - I made the move.

[luv2ride]

Eating in America...

Bottomless coffee means you don't get to see the bottom of your coffee cup  

Sounds like a good option for Bikers Brew

[Knucklhead]

Driving a car in America...  


Driving in the USA is very different to driving in SA.

Firstly, they have the steering wheel on the wrong side.  

Do you ou's have any idea how many times I have gotten in on the wrong side of the car?     I get in, and then... it's like...  "Fok. Someone stole my steering wheel"

But then I remember that I'm in 'merica and its on the uvva saaid. Eish.



And then. These ou's here ride on the wrong side of the road.

Its a kak feeling when you turn up a road and suddenly there are 4 lanes of traffic all coming straight for you, head-on! FOK!!!! Hang a right!!! Bliksem!!!

But so far I only had one "lady"  start hooting and swearing and gooi-ing me finger language. I think she was just having a kak day anyway. Everyone else just stops and then I can reverse or whatever and get onto "my side"  of the street. Maybe they scheme I'm drunk or something? But I have yet to be pulled over by a cop. Touch wood.  Its worse when I'm really tired or thinking hard about other stuff. Then I'm sort of on "auto-pilot" and my autopilot is still calibrated to driving on the left side of the road. But I'm getting better....

The rules of the road are obeyed. Period.

Well... except for two rules...

1. Speeding. I know that I said that they guys here don't speed, but I was wrong. They do. On the biggest highway around here, Interstate 95, or I-95 as its known, the speed limit in most areas is 70 MPH. And they guys do up to around 77 MPH. Apparently the cops here only nail you if you do over 79 MPH on I-95.

2. Talking on cell-phones. Jissis... they ALL talk on their phones. Now this bugs me. Because these guys are all so fricken law-abiding that MAYBE, just MAYBE its not illegal in the State of Florida?

ok, decided to google it. It IS legal to talk on your phone while driving in Florida!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Fok my.  

But the DMV (Department of Motor Vehicles) asks that you do it responsibly.          

Ok, so I just learned something    


When you approach a pedestrian crossing that isn't guarded by a traffic light (they don't call them robots here) and there is a person wanting to cross, you stop so they can cross.

They also have something called "Right on Red". This means that if you are at the red traffic light, and you want to turn right, you can do so, as long as its safe to do so. This would be the same in SA as turning left on a red light.... makes sense to me. And it works really well. If you are in a double lane at the red light, you stick to the left lane if you are going straight or turning left. You leave the right lane clear for guys that may want to hang a "Right on Red".  Very courteous and thoughtful these 'mericans.

Driving here is a pleasure. No taxi's. No honking of horns. No taxi's. No cars weaving in and out and jaaging like maniacs. No taxi's. No skorro-skorro's all over. No taxi's.

Did I mention there are no taxi's?  Flippit!!! Everyone just hangs in the queue, waits their turn, and gets to go. Nobody pushes past to get to the front, nobody drives in the emergency lane. Its all just so... civilised.

I like it a lot  

When I'm in Germany I always remember passenger = pavement

[HarryDieStrandloper]

Driving a car in America...  


Driving in the USA is very different to driving in SA.

Firstly, they have the steering wheel on the wrong side.  

Do you ou's have any idea how many times I have gotten in on the wrong side of the car?     I get in, and then... it's like...  "Fok. Someone stole my steering wheel"

But then I remember that I'm in 'merica and its on the uvva saaid. Eish.



And then. These ou's here ride on the wrong side of the road.

Its a kak feeling when you turn up a road and suddenly there are 4 lanes of traffic all coming straight for you, head-on! FOK!!!! Hang a right!!! Bliksem!!!

But so far I only had one "lady"  start hooting and swearing and gooi-ing me finger language. I think she was just having a kak day anyway. Everyone else just stops and then I can reverse or whatever and get onto "my side"  of the street. Maybe they scheme I'm drunk or something? But I have yet to be pulled over by a cop. Touch wood.  Its worse when I'm really tired or thinking hard about other stuff. Then I'm sort of on "auto-pilot" and my autopilot is still calibrated to driving on the left side of the road. But I'm getting better....

The rules of the road are obeyed. Period.

Well... except for two rules...

1. Speeding. I know that I said that they guys here don't speed, but I was wrong. They do. On the biggest highway around here, Interstate 95, or I-95 as its known, the speed limit in most areas is 70 MPH. And they guys do up to around 77 MPH. Apparently the cops here only nail you if you do over 79 MPH on I-95.

2. Talking on cell-phones. Jissis... they ALL talk on their phones. Now this bugs me. Because these guys are all so fricken law-abiding that MAYBE, just MAYBE its not illegal in the State of Florida?

ok, decided to google it. It IS legal to talk on your phone while driving in Florida!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Fok my.  

But the DMV (Department of Motor Vehicles) asks that you do it responsibly.          

Ok, so I just learned something    


When you approach a pedestrian crossing that isn't guarded by a traffic light (they don't call them robots here) and there is a person wanting to cross, you stop so they can cross.

They also have something called "Right on Red". This means that if you are at the red traffic light, and you want to turn right, you can do so, as long as its safe to do so. This would be the same in SA as turning left on a red light.... makes sense to me. And it works really well. If you are in a double lane at the red light, you stick to the left lane if you are going straight or turning left. You leave the right lane clear for guys that may want to hang a "Right on Red".  Very courteous and thoughtful these 'mericans.

Driving here is a pleasure. No taxi's. No honking of horns. No taxi's. No cars weaving in and out and jaaging like maniacs. No taxi's. No skorro-skorro's all over. No taxi's.

Did I mention there are no taxi's?  Flippit!!! Everyone just hangs in the queue, waits their turn, and gets to go. Nobody pushes past to get to the front, nobody drives in the emergency lane. Its all just so... civilised.

I like it a lot  

When I'm in Germany I always remember passenger = pavement

In meriqua the "pavement" include the road surface.
In SA the pavement is the sidewalk where the plebs on foot must walk.

[Johann990]

 

[Pilchie]

 

[silvrav]

Mr zog must be enjoying al those fast foods.... 

[Mr Zog]

Mr zog must be enjoying al those fast foods.... 

You have no idea....   


My broek raak stywer. En ek dink nie dis my Zaber wat groter raak nie       

[Mr Zog]

Biking in Florida...


Helmets are not compulsory in Florida.

Lets not get into a debate about the pro's and cons about wearing a helmet or not. Lest just imagine riding at a sedate 35MPH (about 50Kmh?) along the seaside, cruising on your boney in the lekker warm weather... wind in your hair...    AWESOME!!!!

Here is just one dude that I managed to get a pic of... Easy rider! 

[Mr Zog]

Biking in Florida - continued...

Today I decided to stop in and have a quick look at the local Harley dealer. It is located just off the I-95 at Palm Bay Road, next door to the Bass Pro Shop. You can see the back of the dealership from the highway. I have noticed a LOT of bikes parked outside the back of the shop, in the rain. I wondered about this...

Well.

The expletives (vloekwoorde for you's Afrikaanse ou's) came thick and fast. It was one of those WTF moments... I stood and laughed.

The first pic is of the name of the dealership. But its the back entrance, for staff only. My bad...

The second pic is of the ONE side of the inside of the shop. I took a pic of the other side, but it didn't come out, Sorry.

There at least 300 NEW bikes on the floor. Minimum 300... all models... they even had 5 Harley Trikes on the floor. Brand new. I can't describe the smell in there... I got wood... fresh new leather, mixed with chrome and steel and rubber... BLIKSEM!!!!!!

Then it started raining, so I didn't take any pics of the bikes outside, along the side and at the back or the shop. All second-hand, and probably between 300 and 400 bikes. STANDING IN THE RAIN AND SUN!!! 

Inside it was like heaven for a Harley lover. Bikes. Accessories for the bikes. Clothing; jackets, t-shirts, jeans, wallets, headscarves, shades, caps, chains, ALLES!!!! And probably more clothing than the average Edgars store has in SA...

They do it BIG here. Moerofa BIG....

   I am secretly beginning to like the Harley image down here...       

[Mr Zog]

OH!!!!

Today a UPS brown-van stopped in front of the house, dropped off a package.

Inside was my Social Security Card!!!!

So now I can pay taxes.     IF I get a job 


AND... I can go apply to get my USA drivers license. I gotta do the whole thing over. Theory test, practical test, and a 6-hour course on drugs and alcohol while driving or something... eish. 


But, best of all. I can now get a local fishing license. For freshwater, its $17. For Saltwater its $17. But package deal its $32,50. For Out-Of_State people the license is $47 for fresh and $47 for Saltwater. So a BIG saving...

I'll be at the DMV (Department of Motor Vehicles) tomorrow morning at 8. They open at 08h30, but I want to beat the queue 

I NEED to go fishing. There is more water here than anywhere else I have ever seen. And all the water has fish... fresh water = Bass. Salt water = whatever is swimming around 

[Airguitar]

Congratulations on the move. It's a big deal and it takes time to adjust to a new surroundings and job and culture and language and way of life.
I am enjoying the thread. Subscribed!
As for me, I've packed up and moved to Luxembourg to start a new job. Family is staying in SA until the end of the year as our daughter is doing matric.
I can relate to so much of what you have written here, it's incredible.
As you have said, Africa is not something you just walk away from.
Not as easily as the dreamers think.

[silvrav]

Nice mr zog! Florida is home to some of the best custom chopper workshops!

[1ougat]

 

[Coxwain]

Yep ....soon it will be .....ZOG ON A HOG

[Casting from Turd]

Yep ....soon it will be .....ZOG ON A HOG

Whats that gonna be.
A hogzog or a zoghog?

Orange Elephant Backpackers, Addo

[punisher]

fokkit ZogDog ,  this is a lekker kiff thread , i schmaak the fact that you have made the move , and are happy with it mate 

the biggest reason i am still here in SA is , my kiddies as well , but what you have done takes courage and determination , and you have now made it possible for your son to have a great opportunity to live and study ( properly) in a civilized place , well done to you SIR

FANTASTIC

[Bikerboer1973]

   I am secretly beginning to like the Harley image down here...       

F@@ken verraaier, joiner, daai XL500 van jou gaan nog by jou kom spook en jou nagmerries gee oor dit...

[ktmmer]

Jy moet maar so bietjie Afrikaans skryf. Net sodat dit nie verroes nie ! 

[brianw]

Subscribed..
this thread is striking a cord in many of us.

[HarryDieStrandloper]

Moet net nie "Baie Dankie" sê as iemand daar vir jou iets gee nie.

Else you might have to sell somebody a donkey or you'll have to explain that you didn't say "buy a donkey".