Paul_Shepherd

I know driving in Canada has been a topic thats been covered on here before, but I have noticed something quite different when driving here in comparison to the UK - and no its not just that they drive on the right! Its the fact that when you want to change lanes or pull out of a junction no one and I mean NO ONE wants to let you out, or across into the other lane... infact changing lanes is the worst - you have to indicate and move and be very assertive or you will never get across. Infact earlier tonight I needed to pull into the left hand lane as the right was blocked, one car went past almost took my mirror off, despite me signalling in plnty of time, so I went to pull over more assertively and had to jam the brakes on as the second car just didnt want to let me in, its not as if he was going anywhere either as a line of traffic had now built up infront of him in the left hand lane, and he had to pull up quite sharply, this is just one of many occasions, a couple of times ive missed a left or right turning I wanted to make because people just do not want to let you across (and Im not a hesitant driver) - this astounds me it really does, as off the road I have found Canadians to be some of the most nicest, friendly and courteous people, with the Hi how are you , holding doors for you, and just generally cheerful people as a whole, and if you know them a little better are actually quite caring people, and with the exception of this not wanting to let you into the flow of traffic, are not as bad with road rage as in Britain (major cites excepted) - I have never really experienced the same type of road rage here as I have in the UK.

Now when I lived in the UK, I increasingly started to find many people to have a selfish "im alright Jack" attitude, would let the door slam in your face, even a snarl in the supermarket on occasion if you accidentally crossed their path or banged their trolley, instead of Hi how are you today, and I remember one charming chap the once when I mentioned to him "oh I think your van is blocking the entrance there and someone is trying to get in" and him replying to me "ah f**k him" (white van man) with attitudes like this, I found I was often more liable to experience road rage with a fair few drivers, and even if I had acknowledged doing something wrong and putting my hand up as an apology, however when it came to pulling out of junctions and more so changing lanes, I always found someone would allow you to move accross, with a flash of their lights as a signal to pull out/move accross - and if they didnt I often thought what an ignorant, bloody minded and childish bunch! and now here it happens all the time! No one wants to know! and it can get quite dangerous!

With all due respect to Canadians (as I would by no means tar them all with the same brush) but I do think the standard of driving in the UK, is better than here in Canada, for example compare the antics on the 401 with say the M6; there is a lot more discipline and order on the latter (in comparison you still get your share of clowns!).... so perhaps driving standards may have something to do with it? I also think the road structure and rules in the UK create a driving style that is more flowing...with give way rather than stop, and flowing traffic islands, rather than stop, even when there is no one there, so maybe Brits are more subconcsious towards keeping traffic flowing.

Does anyone else find this? or have I got a sign on my car saying on no account let this person move infront of you!

Paul

wire

I totally agree with what you say however from my experience the poor courtesy demonstrated by Canadian drivers simply stems from poor road craft and lack of awareness rather than the quite deliberate aggression found in the UK.
Hence the absence of road rage.
For me this makes it easier to forgive but of course no less frustrating.

Alan2005

I put it down to two reasons:
- The roads are frustrating to drive on with the constant stop/start.
- People generally don't know how to drive manual transmission cars. Without doing this people don't get a feel for the road or what the car is doing.

There is very little joy in driving in Canada. I used to enjoy it in the UK, but here it's a means to an end. The speed limits are far too low and there are too many stop signs and traffic lights. (I think I said this on another thread recently).

ctraveler

I find the comments about driving quite interesting. I feel the opposite, I truly enjoy driving in Canada and find driving much better there. I do not like roundabouts AT ALL and prefer 4-way stops and feel they make so much more sense. I also prefer the wider roads, the clearly marked signage, the lack of traffic, the lack of speed humps and bumps and the more prevalant use of automatics in Canada.

In the UK I dislike the overuse of signs combined with directions painted on roadways, the never ending (often useless in suburban areas) roundabouts, the speed humps and bumps everwhere (that ruin your vehicles), the constant road rage, the traffic that is neverending (why do people in the UK have to stop and stare whenever there is an incident on the road causing huge blockages in traffic???), the huge number of unlicensed, uninsured drivers (been hit twice in the last five years by them), and that manuals are more common then automatics when all you do when you live in an urban area is shift up and down constantly causing excessive cramping.

I suppose it can really be a matter of preferences and different driving practices in some instances but on the whole I do feel Canada trumps the UK when it comes to driving, for me anyways.

dbd33

Eh? The 401 vies with some road around Mexico City as the most congested in the world.

Here you have the problem of cradle driving, cutting corners outrageously, moving into the lane of oncoming traffic before turning left, failure to signal, not using lights in the dark or in fog, having no concept of overtaking safely. As well as you have the problems generated by congestion; lane changing without planning, lack of courtesy, willingness to get out and kick the next car. On top of that you have childish legislation, illustrated by absurd speed limits, nominally 50mph on two lane roads, 60mph is ok with the cops, everyone does 70 or better. And then there are taxi drivers, chosen for their ability to provide emergency medical services to their victims, they have no idea how to operate anything more substantial than a donkey and cart.

I'm with Alan2005, driving here is, for the most part, a chore.

helcol

That's the first time I've heard someone say that hate roundabouts, especially an expat! I find 4 way stops (in fact most stops) so frustrating, especially when there is no traffic. Luckily here in Fredericton they're planning on building up to 30 roundabouts It'll take some time for people to get used to them (and should be entertaining watching!), but it'll be good in the long run.

I do actually prefer driving here, but that's because I'm in New Brunswick, so major traffic congestion isn't an issue. But I hear what Paul says about traffic and lanes. Even here, people will almost scrape the side of your car to get ahead when two lanes merege into one - just to be a single car ahead! I also find that people put much effort into accelerating to stop you merging onto a road, it's pathetic.

My 2 cents ....

Lorry1

Don't even talk to me about driving in Canada, I get very frustrated with the incompetent drivers here

Tuppence

I found in NB and NS there was this vague wandering about, that looks like you are getting cut up, but the driver is just very unaware of their surroundings. No malice intended as far as I could see. Merging onto the MacKay in Halifax was a piece of piss compared to merging to get over the Hogarth roundabout from the A316.

In the GTA it seems like the standard "gotta be in front" like a lot of the UK.

dbd33

I think this is probably why people do not signal when changing lanes on Canadian motorways, if you do plan a move into a gap and signal your intent, that just gives warning to the driver behind to close the gap. At least if you don't signal then you have a fair chance at finding the space still there when you move into it.

Signalled or not, I find moving into the centre lane on motorways to be dangerous. Given that anyone can drive at any speed in any lane, there are often people moving out from the right lane to overtake at the same time as someone else moves right into the centre to undertake a dawdler in the left lane. Given the proximity of the cars and the latteral nature of their movement, signalling is of no help. It rather baffles me that Canadians, who so love to have most aspects of their lives regulated by the government, haven't cottoned on to the convention of overtaking on one side or the other. Many of them have been to America so you'd think they'd have seen the convenience of driving on a road where most drivers are grudgingly conforming to convention.

ctraveler

Have you driven in an Urban centre in the UK recently?? People cut corners, rarely ever signal, have very little concept of overtaking safely and a serious lack of courtesy as well. The amount of men that I have seen give fingers to, roll windows down to, or even get out and get aggresive with other drivers including women with small children in the car is all too common place. Not to mention the empty (for the most part) bus lanes, the incredibly poorly maintained roads, the tiny parking spaces and that people are able to park on opposing sides of the road and on corners.

I don't know what traffic is like in the GTA as I have only every lived in Western Canada but it is far worse than any traffic in London or Manchester. Traffic on a Sunday morning??? Traffic at 2am?? Never in Canada, regularly in the UK.

I agree that the speed limits can be a bit but the UK is slowly heading in that direction. Speed cameras everywhere, constant calls for lowering speed limits etc. Mind you with all the traffic it can be difficult to get up to any sort of nice cruising speed unlike the nice wide open Canadian Motorways.

Tuppence

Traffic at 2am? Oh, yes, plenty!

dbd33

London. South coast. I don't usually go past Watford. I love the, relatively, free flowing M25.

That's just part of driving. I routinely do that, here and there, it makes me chuckle to see people here strugglingly to grasp the meaning of "wanker" gestures. I love the look on their faces when they catch on.

You're having us on. The major roads in the GTA are closed on weekends and at night for constant repair, repair to an abysmal standard, none of them have camber so none of them drain rain nor snow. The papers feature competitions for the biggest potholes. Infrastructure aint what Canada's got.

Of course there's nose to tail traffic in Toronto at 2am. Closing the motorways at night means that the smaller streets are clogged.

Ha! Sandwiched between huge lorries, it's a challenge even to read the signage on the 401.

dbd33

How goes the man's commute? Does he love that bridge work?

Oink

Their trucks stops are crap compared to motorway service stations, couple that with the crap radio and driving is boring over here.

iaink

Maybe its a city rat race thing. Ive found the opposite true here, people see you waiting to pull out and leave a gap. When I do the same I get the thank you wave, its all quite relaxed.

Not perfect by any means, but not dog eat dog at all as it is in Toronto. Perhaps its all the damned immigrants there