4 Wheel Drive Zone

A rally driving experience can be your thrill of a lifetime if you take the chance to do it sometime. Sure, driving the kids to school, going to the supermarket and driving to work are a part of daily life but there are all sorts of off road driving escapades waiting to be explored. Off road driving or rally driving, is driving on unpaved, raw roads such as sand, gravel, riverbeds, mud, snow, rocks, and other natural environments. It involves driving a highly specialized automobile such as a four-wheel drive or an all terrain vehicle through such natural surroundings. Rally driving is a sport which has become quite popular with people who are looking for a high adrenaline filled, recreational pursuit.

Off Roading first emerged in the early 20th century. The rally driving experience actually materialized as a television show on ABC and quickly became so popular as to be a full fledged sport. Rally driving has been dominated by the Nordics since the end of the 1970’s. Earlier, the amateurs of the 1950’s, were paid almost nothing. 1960 is when Eric Carlsson became the world’s first rally driving celebrity. Today, the World Rally Championship caters to almost all the continents.

Off road driving is also known as “autocross” in the UK. Most people think this type of driving is all about the speed and horsepower you aren’t able to legally accumulate on metropolitan roads and streets we use everyday. However, rally driving stresses more on car handling and driver skill. Out of all the motorsports you can get involved in, off roading is the most affordable and inexpensive and caters to the middle class as well as the elite. It has become a lucrative business for car manufacturers to show off their products in rally driving competitions and other off roading events. These races test the car’s performance, safety and reliability for mass consumer approval.

There are two types of major rally driving experiences which are known as stage and road rallies. Stage rallies are basically the more professional branch of racing using direct speed and stretches of roads which are closed off from urban traffic. It also involves other mediums such as asphalt mountain passes, rough forest trails, ice, snow, desert sand, etc. This type of rally driving experience is mainly popular in Europe, Asia and Australia. If accuracy and navigation are your assets you’ll be sure to win this race!

Road rallies are the original form of road rallying. Highways are used in this type of race but they can be quite difficult to master in long distances. It is known sometimes as the “time-speed-distance rally.” The earlier races were known as trials and some of the races are still known as trials today. Rally driving experiences are very popular among the common people such as motor clubs and individuals who are fans of motor sports.

Road rallies cover all types of surfaces across the world and you never know where and when they will hold a race. This keeps each road rally driving experience exciting and captivating for the drivers as well as their audience and fans. Now you can stop living your road rally dreams on video games and bring them to life! If you think this is a thrill for you, go ahead and give it a go and you may find that a rally driving experience is worth having.

Touring Australia by car offers a unique freedom and more and more people choose to traverse this beautiful land on their own four wheels. For New South Wales and the Queensland coast, no special considerations need to be taken into account when renting a car. Just make sure the seats are nice and soft, as you’ll be in the car for long periods.

If you’re heading for the hinterlands of central Australia, it’s a different matter altogether. A four-wheel drive vehicle is a must, and you’ll need to bring your own food and water supplies as well as extra fuel.

It is generally a hassle-free experience to rent a car in Australia. As long as you are staying for less than 6 months, you can drive anywhere with your driving licence from home. Best deals Australia car rentals Australia recognises foreign licences and you are not required to use an international permit.

The road rules are fairly straightforward and common sense should prevail. Everyone in the car must be strapped in with a seat belt, while 0.5mg/ml is the legal alcohol limit. The police conduct random stops in all states. Australians drive on the left-hand side of the road.

The driving age is 16 to 18 years old, depending on the state. Expect to part with anywhere from A$0.90 to A$1 per litre at the pump. You may notice prices are higher in the outback compared to those on a highway near Sydney.

In developed areas, Australia’s motorways are excellent. They are all paved, wide and uncongested outside of the big cities. They are also simple to navigate with all signs being well-marked.

The motorways are classified as ‘A’ routes. Their speed limits are between 60 and 68mph (100 and 110kph). ‘B’ routes are smaller highways, usually having two lanes, but are equally well-maintained. Discounted rates Australia rental autos You can comfortably travel at 60mph (100kph). When you get into suburban areas or city driving, this will be considered a ‘C’ route and your speed should not exceed 30 to 35mph (50 to 60kph).

If you’re heading to the outback, regular highway rules apply, except on the Northern Territory’s remote roads. These roads are long, narrow and straight. For the most part, these routes are hassle-free, but be prepared for a few potholes and adverse weather conditions. A dust storm will reduce your speed to a crawl.

Service stations are spread roughly between 60 and 200 miles (100 and 300kms) along motorways, many of them open 24 hours, making it easy to travel continually. A few hours is all you should undertake in one driving session before stopping to rest. The best way to travel is to plan ahead to stop somewhere overnight. Having more than one driver will also help the long journeys to pass more easily.

In the outback, it’s not so cut and dry. The operating hours of service station are erratic, and you may not find it as easy to use your overseas credit card. As with everything in the outback, it’s always better to plan ahead as there are many more chances to be stranded in this massive desert. One precaution could be to join an auto club. In case of emergency, dial: 13 11 11 for roadside assistance.