Differences between Canadian and British people
#586
Slob
Joined: Sep 2009
Location: Ottineau
Posts: 6,342
Re: Differences between Canadian and British people
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).
HR would have been all over it in the UK (in my experience).
I have a vast collection of business cards from all over the world. The UK (and Aussie) ones are generally the least descriptive with regard to titles. US and Asian ones make Canadian ones look positively terse (the titles can run to several lines).
I tend to use my full job title when dealing with title-obsessed countries. It puts me at the same level as most of the people I talk to (high-level management and board).
#587
Re: Differences between Canadian and British people
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!!!)
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!!!)
Most of the guys i came over with didn't even drive a big truck in a built up area while having lessons so how does driving grid roads prepare you for Toronto or Calgary or any major city ? Especially if your a canadian driver trying to get his class 1 ????? Most English car drivers could pass the backing test with little or no training, i was quite shocked at how easy it was.
#588
Re: Differences between Canadian and British people
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.
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.
Your actually allowed to turn right on a red light here so long as you don't impede the flow of traffic from the left (rare i did in a big truck as that impedes everyone lol) There are at time signs telling you no right turn on red but most ignore them unless theres a camera on the lights, I see cars running red lights all the time, Locals know which ones have camera's on them and which don't. On a regular basis i see news reports of people permanently crippled or killed because they where T boned by another car running a red light, maybe because you don't actually drive you don't notice this behaviour as much as others ?
#589
Re: Differences between Canadian and British people
The no right turn on red here is usually where there is a railway track or (most often) in a school zone, sometimes 8 AM to 8 PM, sometimes only at the lights nearest the school. The fines are too much to make cheating an option for most.
#590
Re: Differences between Canadian and British people
But I still notice nobody going through on red (green for me) here, while it happened frequently back in England.
I got so used to not crossing immediately because cars carrying on was common that I continued the habit in Canada and I've yet to feel it just as well I didn't cross straight away.
Cars giving way to me on my bike happens almost every day I'm out on it here. It's really not something that happened much before I left England.
#591
Account Closed
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 0
Re: Differences between Canadian and British people
Yeah I made that point upthread a bit. (post 584) If you're driving you're more likely to be aware of lights and notice cars going through on red whereas I'm only paying attention when I need to cross.
But I still notice nobody going through on red (green for me) here, while it happened frequently back in England.
I got so used to not crossing immediately because cars carrying on was common that I continued the habit in Canada and I've yet to feel it just as well I didn't cross straight away.
Cars giving way to me on my bike happens almost every day I'm out on it here. It's really not something that happened much before I left England.
But I still notice nobody going through on red (green for me) here, while it happened frequently back in England.
I got so used to not crossing immediately because cars carrying on was common that I continued the habit in Canada and I've yet to feel it just as well I didn't cross straight away.
Cars giving way to me on my bike happens almost every day I'm out on it here. It's really not something that happened much before I left England.
I don't think I'd ever consider turning right on a red without stopping first to ensure no oncoming traffic or pedestrians are coming
In BC when it comes to driving Vancouver area are the worst I have experienced, but driving there is a complete cluster and congestion is horrendous so it kind of explains why people are such asses behind the wheel.
They are not as bad in Squamish most drive fairly polite.
In Whistler it's a free for all, so many tourists not from North America and apparently 4 way stops are too confusing for people to figure out, as are turning left without a signal, oh and the stopping completely in an intersection because they are so confused as to what they should do.
If I recorded my day at work, I could make some pretty entertaining videos for you tube.
Sometimes I think they would be better off building a massive parking lot south of Whistler and a mono-rail or light rail train to take people up and just ban cars altogether, too small a space and too many people in cars who are unable to drive.
#592
Re: Differences between Canadian and British people
I do find nowadays I have to remind myself in the UK that in no circumstances is it permitted to turn left on red. I caught myself edging into the junction turning west onto the Bath Road near the car rental lots at Heathrow last time I was over. That might have turned into a rather awkward moment
#593
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Dec 2008
Location: Winnipeg
Posts: 1,497
Re: Differences between Canadian and British people
Drives me nuts that as a pedestrian when I am crossing a dual carriageway, a lot of drivers don't let you complete your crossing and try to run you over before you get across the second part, even though the light is still in my favour.
Even when they do wait they still practically shave your butt off behind you because you held them up for a few seconds.
I would hate to be elderly and trying to cross the roads.
Even when they do wait they still practically shave your butt off behind you because you held them up for a few seconds.
I would hate to be elderly and trying to cross the roads.
#594
Re: Differences between Canadian and British people
I was leaving Penticton last summer and spotted a roundabout a few blocks ahead. I said "Eek!" and turned off, took the main street out instead.
#595
Re: Differences between Canadian and British people
They can't handle roundabouts here so they put lights on them and makes you think why bother building them, just put lights up instead lol
#596
Re: Differences between Canadian and British people
Canadians haven't really taken to Nando's, in fact they don't seem to like chicken places that much at all. It seems to be mostly about pizza and Mac Donald's here.
#597
Forum Regular
Joined: Apr 2009
Location: Alberta
Posts: 126
Re: Differences between Canadian and British people
I'd be happy if we could just get Pukka Pies here - even if they were the frozen ones in a supermarket.
I did e-mail the company in Leicester pointing out that they export to some other countries,
("Look out for our logo when travelling abroad as we now export into the following
countries: Austria, Barbados & Southern Islands, Cyprus, France, Gibraltar, Greece,
Holland, Hong Kong, Ibiza, Lanzarote, Malta, Portugal, Spain, Tenerife.")
There's a fair-sized British population in Canada. But I never even received a reply from them. (:
Maybe it needs a concerted e-mail effort from all the expats on here.
Here ya go:
Contact Us | Pukka Pies
I did e-mail the company in Leicester pointing out that they export to some other countries,
("Look out for our logo when travelling abroad as we now export into the following
countries: Austria, Barbados & Southern Islands, Cyprus, France, Gibraltar, Greece,
Holland, Hong Kong, Ibiza, Lanzarote, Malta, Portugal, Spain, Tenerife.")
There's a fair-sized British population in Canada. But I never even received a reply from them. (:
Maybe it needs a concerted e-mail effort from all the expats on here.
Here ya go:
Contact Us | Pukka Pies
#598
Re: Differences between Canadian and British people
I'd be happy if we could just get Pukka Pies here - even if they were the frozen ones in a supermarket.
I did e-mail the company in Leicester pointing out that they export to some other countries,
("Look out for our logo when travelling abroad as we now export into the following
countries: Austria, Barbados & Southern Islands, Cyprus, France, Gibraltar, Greece,
Holland, Hong Kong, Ibiza, Lanzarote, Malta, Portugal, Spain, Tenerife.")
There's a fair-sized British population in Canada. But I never even received a reply from them. (:
Maybe it needs a concerted e-mail effort from all the expats on here.
Here ya go:
Contact Us | Pukka Pies
I did e-mail the company in Leicester pointing out that they export to some other countries,
("Look out for our logo when travelling abroad as we now export into the following
countries: Austria, Barbados & Southern Islands, Cyprus, France, Gibraltar, Greece,
Holland, Hong Kong, Ibiza, Lanzarote, Malta, Portugal, Spain, Tenerife.")
There's a fair-sized British population in Canada. But I never even received a reply from them. (:
Maybe it needs a concerted e-mail effort from all the expats on here.
Here ya go:
Contact Us | Pukka Pies
Ooh, good call.