Standards of driving in Canada
Nov 25th 2009, 3:06 am
#16
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 3,054
Re: Standards of driving in Canada
What irks me is everyone on the hwy driving the exact same speed in every lane!
Nov 25th 2009, 3:11 am
#18
Lowering the tone
Joined: Mar 2007
Location: Here and there
Posts: 7,349
Re: Standards of driving in Canada
Driving at 100kph just 4 feet from the car in front, but when you arrive at red lights, leaving a 30 foot gap. Which you then spend the cycle of the lights closing. A couple of inches at a time.
Most North American cars could be sold with just "D" and "R" in the gearbox. Most people have no use for "N", "1" or "2"... and only "P" when the engine is turned off.
Most North American cars could be sold with just "D" and "R" in the gearbox. Most people have no use for "N", "1" or "2"... and only "P" when the engine is turned off.
Nov 25th 2009, 3:21 am
#19
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Oct 2003
Location: Just outside Calgary
Posts: 513
Re: Standards of driving in Canada
I despair at the quality of driving in the Ottawa region. I saw a thread with Rae and ExMetCop in it indicating they are Police officers so I'd like their opinion as well as anyone else on BE.
The general standard of driving here is poor in my opinion. Every day you see someone who is driving on high beam, or at night only on day notice lights. You will see someone with the car halfway across a stop line. You'll see someone who is wandering between the two lines and can't keep their car parallel to them, or is tailgating terrifyingly close. You will see someone dashing out of a junction in front of you. Speeding, texting and emailing is the norm. A colleague of mine openly admits to browsing the web on his iPhone while driving. There is no courtesy whatsoever. If you give way to someone they will just drive away without a wave or acknowledging your consideration. I would like to ask the next one to pull in front of me causing me to brake - would he have done that had I been standing in line in a Timmies? Of course not - so why does the anonymity of a car make them think it's acceptable? There seems to be no pride in peoples driving quality.
So I'd like to ask - how come the quality is so poor? Is it because Canada has so many immigrants from different countries bringing different driving standards? Is it because the Police are too overworked to catch offenders of minor offenses? Have the Police been told to turn a blind eye to minor offenses in order to only concentrate on major ones? Is the Police force under manned, under resourced and under financed?
Anyway - rant over, anyone got anything to add?
The general standard of driving here is poor in my opinion. Every day you see someone who is driving on high beam, or at night only on day notice lights. You will see someone with the car halfway across a stop line. You'll see someone who is wandering between the two lines and can't keep their car parallel to them, or is tailgating terrifyingly close. You will see someone dashing out of a junction in front of you. Speeding, texting and emailing is the norm. A colleague of mine openly admits to browsing the web on his iPhone while driving. There is no courtesy whatsoever. If you give way to someone they will just drive away without a wave or acknowledging your consideration. I would like to ask the next one to pull in front of me causing me to brake - would he have done that had I been standing in line in a Timmies? Of course not - so why does the anonymity of a car make them think it's acceptable? There seems to be no pride in peoples driving quality.
So I'd like to ask - how come the quality is so poor? Is it because Canada has so many immigrants from different countries bringing different driving standards? Is it because the Police are too overworked to catch offenders of minor offenses? Have the Police been told to turn a blind eye to minor offenses in order to only concentrate on major ones? Is the Police force under manned, under resourced and under financed?
Anyway - rant over, anyone got anything to add?
The police are far too over worked catching offenders of minor (traffic) offenses, that they fail to see the real dangerous, accident causing morons out there on roads.
The standard of driving here is abysmal
Nov 25th 2009, 3:38 am
#20
Account Closed
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 26,319
Re: Standards of driving in Canada
Bus and coach drivers are some of my pet peeves.
I regularly have TTC buses tailgaiting me when I'm driving up to 10kph over the legal speed limit on regular roads, and when I asked a bus driver why they need to speed he repilied that the schedules are too tight and they can be penalised for being late to turn.
Go Transit, Greyhound and Coach Canada coaches are some of the worst offenders for speeding, as I've lost count of the number of times a coach has passed me doing 20-30kph above the speed limit. Also when they go from the kerb lane to the on-ramp just to pass 3 or 4 vehicles before rejoining the the kerb lane again where cars have to yield to let them in.
I regularly have TTC buses tailgaiting me when I'm driving up to 10kph over the legal speed limit on regular roads, and when I asked a bus driver why they need to speed he repilied that the schedules are too tight and they can be penalised for being late to turn.
Go Transit, Greyhound and Coach Canada coaches are some of the worst offenders for speeding, as I've lost count of the number of times a coach has passed me doing 20-30kph above the speed limit. Also when they go from the kerb lane to the on-ramp just to pass 3 or 4 vehicles before rejoining the the kerb lane again where cars have to yield to let them in.
Last edited by DaveLovesDee; Nov 25th 2009 at 3:41 am.
Nov 25th 2009, 4:21 am
#21
Forum Regular
Joined: Aug 2007
Location: Stittsville, ON
Posts: 252
Re: Standards of driving in Canada
Bus and coach drivers are some of my pet peeves.
I regularly have TTC buses tailgaiting me when I'm driving up to 10kph over the legal speed limit on regular roads, and when I asked a bus driver why they need to speed he repilied that the schedules are too tight and they can be penalised for being late to turn.
Go Transit, Greyhound and Coach Canada coaches are some of the worst offenders for speeding, as I've lost count of the number of times a coach has passed me doing 20-30kph above the speed limit. Also when they go from the kerb lane to the on-ramp just to pass 3 or 4 vehicles before rejoining the the kerb lane again where cars have to yield to let them in.
I regularly have TTC buses tailgaiting me when I'm driving up to 10kph over the legal speed limit on regular roads, and when I asked a bus driver why they need to speed he repilied that the schedules are too tight and they can be penalised for being late to turn.
Go Transit, Greyhound and Coach Canada coaches are some of the worst offenders for speeding, as I've lost count of the number of times a coach has passed me doing 20-30kph above the speed limit. Also when they go from the kerb lane to the on-ramp just to pass 3 or 4 vehicles before rejoining the the kerb lane again where cars have to yield to let them in.
Nov 25th 2009, 4:25 am
#22
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Sep 2006
Location: Kelowna
Posts: 2,514
Re: Standards of driving in Canada
Bus and coach drivers are some of my pet peeves.
I regularly have TTC buses tailgaiting me when I'm driving up to 10kph over the legal speed limit on regular roads, and when I asked a bus driver why they need to speed he repilied that the schedules are too tight and they can be penalised for being late to turn.
Go Transit, Greyhound and Coach Canada coaches are some of the worst offenders for speeding, as I've lost count of the number of times a coach has passed me doing 20-30kph above the speed limit. Also when they go from the kerb lane to the on-ramp just to pass 3 or 4 vehicles before rejoining the the kerb lane again where cars have to yield to let them in.
I regularly have TTC buses tailgaiting me when I'm driving up to 10kph over the legal speed limit on regular roads, and when I asked a bus driver why they need to speed he repilied that the schedules are too tight and they can be penalised for being late to turn.
Go Transit, Greyhound and Coach Canada coaches are some of the worst offenders for speeding, as I've lost count of the number of times a coach has passed me doing 20-30kph above the speed limit. Also when they go from the kerb lane to the on-ramp just to pass 3 or 4 vehicles before rejoining the the kerb lane again where cars have to yield to let them in.
Agree with above comment about buses and coaches and huge semi drivers who also seem intent on riding your trunk even though you are already over the speed limit. Worse still when it's minus god knows what and the roads are dangerous yet the distance and speed remain the same.
Nov 25th 2009, 4:49 am
#23
Forum Regular
Joined: Aug 2007
Location: Stittsville, ON
Posts: 252
Re: Standards of driving in Canada
Ditto just about every comment on here for Kelowna too. Today we witnessed 4 different near misses on the same stretch of road where vehicles were overtaking on double yellows.
Agree with above comment about buses and coaches and huge semi drivers who also seem intent on riding your trunk even though you are already over the speed limit. Worse still when it's minus god knows what and the roads are dangerous yet the distance and speed remain the same.
Agree with above comment about buses and coaches and huge semi drivers who also seem intent on riding your trunk even though you are already over the speed limit. Worse still when it's minus god knows what and the roads are dangerous yet the distance and speed remain the same.
Semi comes up behind me and tailgates so close I cannot see his plate, then he starts yanking the chain! FFS
What is wrong with these drivers?
Don't get me started on the Drink Drive mentality!
Nov 25th 2009, 4:56 am
#24
BE Troll
Joined: Feb 2009
Location: Upper Atmosphere
Posts: 1,708
Re: Standards of driving in Canada
Hasn't anyone every told you guys that no one else in the world can drive?
Nov 25th 2009, 5:04 am
#25
Account Closed
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 26,319
Re: Standards of driving in Canada
One of the contestants on this season's Canada' Worst Driver in India just just by being able to start the car.
He says he's never had any instruction, and it shows in his driving.
Nov 25th 2009, 5:17 am
#26
BE Troll
Joined: Feb 2009
Location: Upper Atmosphere
Posts: 1,708
Re: Standards of driving in Canada
Do you mean Canada's worst driver in India or India's worst driver in Canada?
Nov 25th 2009, 6:32 am
#27
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 720
Re: Standards of driving in Canada
the driving is poor in winnipeg, they are rude and aggressive and do not plan ahead so have to cut you up to avoid disaster!
mind you there are a large number of expats in winnipeg!
the thing that tickles me is that on a general basis canadians are very friendly and earnest, but they appear to completely change when they get behind the wheel
mind you there are a large number of expats in winnipeg!
the thing that tickles me is that on a general basis canadians are very friendly and earnest, but they appear to completely change when they get behind the wheel
Nov 25th 2009, 7:08 am
#28
Éireann go Brách
Joined: Mar 2006
Location: White Man in Hammersmith Palais
Posts: 2,932
Re: Standards of driving in Canada
I think its down to being very laid back. Moved to Ireland and they're exactly the same, terrible. In London i think the threat of a screw driver being waved in your face makes people drive a bit better.
Ireland and Vancouver are the only places ive seen people indicate one way and turn the other... regularly.
Ireland and Vancouver are the only places ive seen people indicate one way and turn the other... regularly.
Nov 25th 2009, 11:22 am
#29
Slob
Joined: Sep 2009
Location: Ottineau
Posts: 6,342
Re: Standards of driving in Canada
Bus and coach drivers are some of my pet peeves.
I regularly have TTC buses tailgaiting me when I'm driving up to 10kph over the legal speed limit on regular roads, and when I asked a bus driver why they need to speed he repilied that the schedules are too tight and they can be penalised for being late to turn.
Go Transit, Greyhound and Coach Canada coaches are some of the worst offenders for speeding, as I've lost count of the number of times a coach has passed me doing 20-30kph above the speed limit. Also when they go from the kerb lane to the on-ramp just to pass 3 or 4 vehicles before rejoining the the kerb lane again where cars have to yield to let them in.
I regularly have TTC buses tailgaiting me when I'm driving up to 10kph over the legal speed limit on regular roads, and when I asked a bus driver why they need to speed he repilied that the schedules are too tight and they can be penalised for being late to turn.
Go Transit, Greyhound and Coach Canada coaches are some of the worst offenders for speeding, as I've lost count of the number of times a coach has passed me doing 20-30kph above the speed limit. Also when they go from the kerb lane to the on-ramp just to pass 3 or 4 vehicles before rejoining the the kerb lane again where cars have to yield to let them in.
Nov 25th 2009, 12:51 pm
#30
Assimilated Pauper
Joined: Mar 2005
Location: Ontario
Posts: 40,018
Re: Standards of driving in Canada
I sometimes fear that I lower the standard of driving in Ontario. I usually go at the posted speed limit in miles though sometimes much faster. One night this week I noticed that I was going 120mph on a country road, I suppose the limit is 50. I habitually telephone and text on my handheld device while driving, sometimes I boot up the PC and read email. I occasionally have a glass of wine while driving though, as a rule, that's only when going out to shoot beer cans; not much of that trip is on public roads.
I do, however, generally know which lane I'm in and I know how long the car is, I can park it. Perhaps, on balance I'm average.
I do, however, generally know which lane I'm in and I know how long the car is, I can park it. Perhaps, on balance I'm average.