Ride Like Hell and You'll Get There: Detours into Mayhem

by Paul Carter

The author of Don't Tell Mom I Work on the Rigs shares more hugely entertaining stories of his seriously crazy, sometimes terrifying, always hilarious adventures   Paul Carter is still, well . . . Paul Carter. He's still risking his life performing daredevil acts like trying to break speed records on unusually fueled vehicles, and he is still up to hijinks with his friends and a cast of complete strangers, both in Australia and in the U.S. Decidedly odd things seem to happen to Paul Carter (in this case falling through the floor of his own bathroom—don't ask). But, more importantly, he's still the funniest man in the bar and the nicest alpha male you'll ever meet as he rudely risks all for the sake of a good story.

Genres: Biography, Nonfiction, Humor, Memoir, Autobiography

286 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 23, 2013

About the author

Paul Carter was born in England in 1969. His father's military career had the family moving all over the world, re-locating every few years. Paul has lived, worked, gotten into trouble and been given a serious talking to in England, Scotland, Germany, France, Holland, Norway, Portugal, Tunisia, Australia, Nigeria, Russia, Singapore, Malaysia, Borneo, Columbia, Vietnam, Thailand, Papua New Guinea, Sumatra, the Philippines, Korea, Japan, China, USA and Saudi Arabia. Today he lives in Perth with his wife, baby daughter and two motorbikes.

Reviews

[Ruprecht · Rating 1 out of 5]

Don't read this book!
I read it (a) Because his first book had some funny anecdotes (b) there is reference to the manufacture and utilisation of bio-diesel, but didn't grab my attention/interest.
His first book is PC working blue-collar jobs on oil-rigs around the world and he shares his experiences of doing this. This book is a miss-mash. PC is now grown-up running a company with a rather cavalier attitude to the responsibilities it demands (Cirque de Supreme Court) plus half baked plans to race the BDM-SLS - the Bio Diesel Motorcycle Salt Lake Special on Adelaide's Lake Gairdner.
He praises Linc Energy as the greatest operation since sliced bread, but Linc Energy has since been severely fined for environmental damage at Chinchilla, Queensland and is in liquidation.
His uninformed rant about the poor standards of Perth's hospitality and service industries (p.178) is way of mark too. The standards were then lower because most WA people were working in mines and oil rigs - that's where the well paying jobs were. Just like he and his jock mates were doing!

[Dennis · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was a really disappointing book for me to give it two out of five and I didn't finish it, but gave it away at about the half way mark when he was writing about a motorbike tour of Tassie that sounded like a payback for a free trip. I loved his first book "Don't tell Mum I work on the rigs..." and his colourful turn of phrase, but in so much of this the language sounds forced and contrived, particularly when describing the birth of his son and his many illnesses. I'm afraid it wasn't the book for me as indicated by the rare occasion (for me) of not finishing the book.

[Kirsti · Rating 4 out of 5]

My first audio book! Well, technically. I have listened to this with my partner in the car over the past few weeks. I bought it for him because he doesn't read, yet I know he would enjoy certain stories. He's definitely got a kick out of this one, shushing me if I went to talk, tutting in annoyance if we reached our destination at an exciting point. He even sat in the car for an extra ten minutes to hear more. So while I enjoyed it, the four stars are also from his POV. I've even ordered another audio book from this author for us. This is definitely a book for the bolkey blokes out there who don't read much.

[Tracy · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars - this is so funny but you MUST listen to it as an audio book. Paul is a brilliant narrator and had me laughing out loud as I was walking my dog. Neighbours probably wondering what the hell I was doing!
Loved his accent for his mate Diego. Hilarious. Short but sweet as is Pauls stories but just the right mix of detail whilst moving things along.

[Toni · Rating 1 out of 5]

I found it boring. I got 1/3 of the way through & decided to give it a miss.

[Julie Berzins · Rating 4 out of 5]

Like “don’t tell mum I work on the rigs” this reads like you’re having a beer and chatting with Paul. Focusing on his motorcycle ride through Tasmania and his attempts to beat the world speed record for their experimental drag bike at speed week. Over the span of 3 Speedweek years he tells of his & his mates attempts and 1) attending Speedweek, and 2) pushing for the world record. I think I would have liked to have read his two books in between as I feel there may have been more on the actual construction of the bike, but you don’t need to to still enjoy this book. For all of Paul’s blokey antics, he's a very knowledgeable man in his field of biofuel and clean energy. He glosses over all this instead focusing on the fun trips and hilarious people he meets along the way.

[Melissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

I borrowed this as an audio book to listen to with my son as we were driving to and from camp, and had no idea what to expect. When it started, I thought 'why am I listening to this with my son?', but then we got into the story and wanted to find out what happens to his motorcycle on the salt lakes - and whether or not they'd get there.

[Michele Brooker · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really liked Paul Carter's 'Don't Tell Mum I Work on the Rigs: (She Thinks I'm a Piano Player in a Whorehouse)' and this book had the same blokey humour. It was a bit technical on the motor bike and bike racing front, but still easily readable, even with no knowledge or interest in either. It kept me amused on a long train journey.

[~Emmy~ REYN · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ok so. Nostalgic read for me. HUET training I can directly relate to. He's got the best wife. Allowing him to gallivant around throwing his dollars, driving his Jag.
I love that He's also from Perth 🥰

I have read a few of his books now but I definately love The Pet Monkey stories the most!

[Jessica George · Rating 3 out of 5]

Listened to the audiobook of this novel. The technology side of things went over my head a bit. I found the pace a bit fast as well, was a fun audiobook though.

[Juliana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very entertaining

[Joss · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic read. So funny. Absolutely loved it!

[Kt · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75

[Shelleyrae at Book'd Out · Rating 3 out of 5]

A few years ago now I picked up Don't Tell Mum I Work on the Rigs, She Thinks I'm a Piano Player in a Whorehouse by Paul Carter at the library on a whim. Part memoir, part travel diary Paul wrote about his adventures as an oil rigger around the world and I remember finding the anecdotes within to be oftentimes hilarious but also interesting.

In Ride Like Hell and You'll Get There: Detours into Mayhem Pauli has grown older, if not quite up. Though now a middle aged, executive part owner of a successful oil-related company, and a happily married man with young children, British born/Australian resident Paul, continues to seek adventure and challenge, albeit a little closer to home.

Ride Like Hell and You'll Get There chronicles,in the main, Paul's efforts to race in Speed Week on a motorcycle (of sorts) engineered to run on bio-diesel fuel and go very fast on a salt lake in the middle of nowhere. Plagued by cancellations, logistical obstacles, lost keys and broken limbs, it takes three years before Paul finally gets a break.

Paul also writes of a motorcycle touring trip with a friend around Tasmania, a wild conference in the US and his temporary gig as a documentary presenter, marriage, fatherhood and business

Carter's books could be accused of being juvenile and crude, and there is some truth to that. Reading Ride Like Hell and You'll Get There is often like eavesdropping on a 'boy's' only pub night, complete with poo jokes, copious amounts of alcohol, bad language and displays of machismo. Not everyone will appreciate Paul's sense of humour but I found myself smiling widely often, even while occasionally shaking my head with a mixture of disbelief and wry contempt.
Yet Ride Like Hell and You'll Get There is not all a 'boys own adventure', Paul also relates several serious moments though often tempered by the surreal, including suffering the side effects of food poisoning while his wife is in the throes of a miscarriage, a court case that drags on and on and on, and a ruined $1000 helmet thanks to a territorial dog and a potty training two year old.

I'm not that interested in motor racing or the specifics of alternate fuel (though I believe we should be investing in it) but I still enjoyed Ride Like Hell and You'll Get There. It's a quick read, mostly light and amusing and is as advertised -a detour into mayhem. I imagine this book will particularly find an audience amongst fans of the television show 'Top Gear' and its ilk and, with Christmas coming up, it would make a great stocking stuffer for your father/husband/brother etc.

[Lyn Richards · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not sure how I ended up borrowing this audio book from my local library, but I am so glad I did. What a great read, so much fun to hear about motorcycles powered by recycled cooking oil (biodiesel), world speed attempts on dry salt lakes and simply the range of funny stories peppered throughout the book. I can't help but smile at the fart that wormed its way up through Paul's cycle gear into his helmet, nearly gassing him at high speed.

This book had me laughing and also solemn at times at the sheer raw honesty at the difficulties in Paul Carters life as well, no story left untold. Thank you for your honesty and sheer determination at how nothing seems to stop you and your friends. Diego sounds like a great (but forgetful) character, even if he does lose the odd thing now and then.

And the story of your 2 year old son versus $1k bike helmet, very funny.

[Sunflower · Rating 3 out of 5]

More blokey anecdotes from Paul Carter. He's moved on from the oilfields, now runs an oil-related business and has a family. This book is largely about his attempts to break a record riding a purpose-built motor bike on the salt, but there are the usual detours, really funny metaphors and wry comments throughout. He doesn't take himself seriously, apparently, and seems to have a large network of equally blokey friends to help him in his endeavours- both to drink large quantities of alcohol and to attempt the record.

[Charmaine · Rating 3 out of 5]

I listened to "Don't tell mum I work on the rigs....." As an audiobook and loved it. I did enjoy this book and the writing is concise and modest. It's an easy read by a guy who's obviously got a lot more going for him than just being the 'brawn behind the brains' as I felt he portrayed himself. I think this would be a great audiobook too, especially if Paul Carter has narrated it himself.

[CL · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you liked Paul Carter's other books, you'll like this one too. Funny all the way through, he hits all the Australian and motor world stuff that I like, aong with some entertaining stories about his family.

[Chantal · Rating 4 out of 5]

Laugh out loud funny. A must for those who love toilet / bodily function humour, hilariously outrageous things going wrong, all things mechanical, and a lot of bad language and sexual references.
Recommend for 15+

[Duncan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Carter's writing gets better with each book, and there are many great similes in this book to add to his comic descriptions of the insane events he finds himself in. There are also photos to prove his stories are true as he states 'Most of my friends say 'Bulls**t. Did you take a photo?'

[Duncan Milne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good fast read. More classic Paul Carter mayhem. Amazing this guy has survived long enough to be on Australia Geographic.

[James Nathan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great fun, easy read. Lots of laughs

[Peter Cotter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another good anecdotal book, with a couple of wicked laughs thrown in for good measure.

Wonderful ending Paul....beautiful way to finish the book