Bicko1

It might be a bit late but I can't not have my say in this one!

1). I completely agree with all those users who talk about the driving skills of Canadians or lack of therefore. Don't be surprised to have someone cut you up and then use their indicator to thank you for the pleasure, not pull over to let you on a motorway when there is absolutely no traffic preventing them amongst a trillion other things. They do however understand direct orders such as those imposed by stop signs. Stop signs, that are on then end of every road, intersection and car park. Maybe we should leave roundabouts for a few more years.
2). Pedestrians will walk in front of your car. No ifs, no buts. They will do it with a baby or small child in toe (it seems to have more effect). This combined with the above point has led me to believe that most Canadians may infact be lemmings (from the old video games) or kamikaze trainees.
3). I have met so many Canadians that are obsessed with certain food additives.......aspartame, msg to name a few. Besides the Candian governments stance on them (which says they are safe), most people are more against these than they are walking there newborns in front of a moving car. I'm not sure where their obsession with these things have come from unless it is innate.
4). Healthy lifestyle seems to be at the forefront of a Candians mindset. Ask any one of them as they eat their Burger or poutine.

Having said all of the above, I actually do like Canadians a lot! I have made some good friends who themselves tend to agree as Canadians of these traits! Typically most Canadians are fun, helpful and honest.

scrubbedexpat133

I actually am Sociopathic.....

scrubbedexpat133

I drive for a living and find their behavior behind the wheel fascinating. I think that the single biggest problem when observing them is that they are purely reactive whereas your average Brit driver is proactive. They will talk to a perfect stranger in the street or supermarket quite happily yet hell will freeze over before they let you pull out!

The one thing that I find more infuriating than anything else is that the last thing that occurs to them is to stop or just give you a bit of space and a moment to do what you need to do. I never experienced this problem on the UK. Truck puts on hazard warning lights, slows right down and pulls into the center of the road. Brit driver realizes that the truck needs to manoeuvre and gives space and time. Canuck driver follows 5 feet from your bumper before trying to driver around the front or the back of you then gives you the finger because you are in the way and they are now stuck. Yet being completely unaware that had they just stopped a bit further back that I would be out of the way a lot quicker than having to get out and tell them that they need to move because I now cant!!!

Bicko1

All very true! I'd love to try their driving test to see the differences if there are any......or again maybe it's just inherent Canadian traits!?

scrubbedexpat133

I actually think that it is not so much a Canadian people thing it is just a system problem. Having said this they seem to lose 30 IQ points once behind the wheel.

My friends 17 year old recently passed his driving test. It took all of 15 minutes!!! That is the real problem when it comes to the way they drive. Also the roads and traffic conditions in most parts of Canada require very little fast and dynamic decision making i.e. straight roads,traffic lights and stop signs everywhere. Plus 95% of cars have automatic gearboxes. Less thinking more just stop and go. I maintain that Montreal drivers are the best that I have seen here. Very simply because they are more decisive and more aggressive. They are also a lot more communicative.

BristolUK

I'm not a driver so can't speak for driving skills but my experiences just seem the opposite. Courtesy is way better.

Back in Bristol I had to cross at the lights where the Bath and Wells Roads merge into one road into town. The drivers on either of the two prongs of the fork can see the lights for each other's approach and if the other's is red they'll happily go through on their own red.

When waiting to cross and getting the green light for pedestrian crossing, it was routine that at least four cars would pass through on their red/my green before I'd be able to cross.

I've yet to notice a car go through red here. Not saying it doesn't happen, just that when I need them to stop they do. There are four-way stops here where every car religiously stops even though the driver can see nothing is coming and there's no camera so they don't do it to not get caught.

On my bike when I want a nice gap to be able to pull out safely it's routine for cars to stop and let me.

I can cross a main rd (Mountain Rd for Alex) 30 yards away from a crossing and cars will stop to allow me to.

I also get taxis and experience cars giving way to other cars.

I do see the odd bit of silly driving - trucks and buses overtaking me on my bike and then pulling over in such a way that the back of the vehicle would hit me sideways if I don't slow down...the odd bit of speeding (and motorists always justify that don't they ) but the courteous aspects just seem far greater here.

Shard

That's the rub isn't it. Good post.

Shard

Welcome to BE Bicko.

It's crazy when people assert their pedestrian rights by walking in front of cars.

BristolUK

There is one difference I wouldn't dispute. The belief that cycling on the left is a good idea.

It seems they confuse the 'walk facing the traffic' advice for when there's no sidewalk and apply it to cycling.

This is not a comment on cyclists on the wrong side of the road, it really does seem to be a belief I hadn't come across in the UK.

scrubbedexpat133

I agree with most of what you say but I think that it is a lack of awareness and observation rather than a lack of courtesy. I think its Canadians being oblivious vs Brits not giving a flying in general terms.

I do not agree with going through the red light....I have seen many times people going through a changing and or red like their behind is on fire yet when sitting waiting the light does turn green they sit there dribbling on themselves!!!

I also agree that here drivers are very aware of pedestrians and cyclists so why cant that be applied to all road users!!! Never understood cycling into on coming traffic....Is that just in NB???

Please dont get me started on the standards of commercial drivers here..... again testing standards etc...

I recently renewed my license and as a commercial driver require a medical. I went to the local walk in clinic, paid 60 dollars. The doctor came into the room and asked me if I had any illnesses or was taking any medication.
No. Okay....signed the form and says here you are all set..... me .....excuse me Dr but you do know that this is for a class one??? ......Yep came the reply and walked out!!!!
The Dr never came closer than 8 feet much less actually examine me!!

Just to really make everyone feel better I am a petrol tanker driver!!!
(I am in fact in rude health but that is hardly the point!!!)

Jericho79

One thing I've noticed, and maybe it's just my industry, is that Canadians love their titles. I'm surrounded by "senior" this and "senior" that- usually, people who have a couple of years experience at the most. In most cases, they are titles they've awarded to themselves.
HR would have been all over it in the UK (in my experience).

PMM

Hi


Compared to the Brits who refer to themselves as Engineers?

Pizzawheel

When they don't know one end of a train from the other!

BristolUK

You're probably more aware of it than me since you're on the road and aware of the lights continuously, whereas apart from cycling, I'm only paying attention when I want to cross.


It's funny...back in England when a car got too close to me I'd be thinking "you wouldn't do that if I was another car because the other car might damage yours, whereas you don't mind getting to close to me..."

Perhaps here they are more careful with those more vulnerable while not being that fussed about their car.

I dunno. My wife's from Quebec and she seemed to think it was a common belief there. Here I've seen loads cycling towards me when there's been no obvious 'justification' for it.

Maybe it's a French thing.

Novocastrian

It's not.