Standards of driving in Canada
Dec 1st 2009 | 12:29 am
#121
Slob
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 6,345
From: Ottineau
Re: Standards of driving in Canada
There is snow here this morning, not a lot of snow, perhaps 4".
There was snow last winter too, that's why they call it the snowbelt. The entire population seems to have been replaced by new immigrants unfamiliar with the stuff. For God's sake, if the best you can do in snow is to drive at the speed limit please stay in bed and let people who have places to go get on with getting there. If you're going to meander along at 50mph and still crash into the ditch why not do it in your own driveway so as to save public inconvenience?
There were umpteen cars and trucks in ditches this morning. That, and the pathetic pace of the yokels in their pick ups caused me a tedious journey enlivened only by overtaking in blowing snow having to trust that any oncoming vehicle would have the lights on. That's not a given by any stretch.
Ballix. There's months of this to come.
There was snow last winter too, that's why they call it the snowbelt. The entire population seems to have been replaced by new immigrants unfamiliar with the stuff. For God's sake, if the best you can do in snow is to drive at the speed limit please stay in bed and let people who have places to go get on with getting there. If you're going to meander along at 50mph and still crash into the ditch why not do it in your own driveway so as to save public inconvenience?
There were umpteen cars and trucks in ditches this morning. That, and the pathetic pace of the yokels in their pick ups caused me a tedious journey enlivened only by overtaking in blowing snow having to trust that any oncoming vehicle would have the lights on. That's not a given by any stretch.
Ballix. There's months of this to come.
Dec 1st 2009 | 3:59 am
#123
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 3,448
From: Calgary
Re: Standards of driving in Canada
Roads in Calgary were pretty slow last night. Didn't see any ploughs or gritters last night or this morning. Suprisingly didn't see any accidents either.
Dec 1st 2009 | 4:18 am
#124
Assimilated Pauper
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 40,070
From: Ontario
Re: Standards of driving in Canada
The worst of it being snowy is that the phone doesn't work well so you can't even fill in the tedium of driving at the speed limit by chatting or texting.
Dec 1st 2009 | 7:58 am
#125
Lowering the tone
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 8,154
From: Here and there
Re: Standards of driving in Canada
What's funny is that if someone gets stuck in a residential area, there are usually plenty of people willing to stop and help. If they get stuck on a main road or a highway, people just charge past and ignore it - it's given up for lost, like a lame wildebeest at the edge of the herd running from lions.
Went past a pickup truck struggling to get up 69th Street in the ice last Friday evening. A guy was sitting in the flat bed to keep some weight over the rear wheels. I shouted to him that he must have got the short straw, and he laughed and said, "No, I've got all the beer here!"
Went past a pickup truck struggling to get up 69th Street in the ice last Friday evening. A guy was sitting in the flat bed to keep some weight over the rear wheels. I shouted to him that he must have got the short straw, and he laughed and said, "No, I've got all the beer here!"
Dec 1st 2009 | 9:09 am
#126
Account Closed
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 7,284
Re: Standards of driving in Canada
We had about an inch, inch and a half. Most of it had gone by the time I was on the road, 8:30 but there were still ploughs out.
No snow down on the 401 though.
I'm one of those who pootle along below the speed limit. Your hurry is not my problem.
No snow down on the 401 though.
I'm one of those who pootle along below the speed limit. Your hurry is not my problem.
Dec 1st 2009 | 11:29 am
#127
Forum Regular
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 263
From: Bushmills, Northern Ireland
Re: Standards of driving in Canada
[QUOTE=Jingsamichty;8139413]What's funny is that if someone gets stuck in a residential area, there are usually plenty of people willing to stop and help. If they get stuck on a main road or a highway, people just charge past and ignore it - it's given up for lost, like a lame wildebeest at the edge of the herd running from lions.QUOTE]
This is true.
We were coming home from Jasper about a month or so ago and got caught in really heavy snow with uncleared roads and a car overtaking us in the other lane doing no more than 60 spun around and went into a ditch, luckily there was no damage or no-one hurt and we were able to push them out, but no-one else on that road stopped let alone slowed down.
This is true.
We were coming home from Jasper about a month or so ago and got caught in really heavy snow with uncleared roads and a car overtaking us in the other lane doing no more than 60 spun around and went into a ditch, luckily there was no damage or no-one hurt and we were able to push them out, but no-one else on that road stopped let alone slowed down.
Dec 1st 2009 | 12:41 pm
#128
Thread Starter
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 404
From: Ottawa, ON
Re: Standards of driving in Canada
There is snow here this morning, not a lot of snow, perhaps 4".
There was snow last winter too, that's why they call it the snowbelt. The entire population seems to have been replaced by new immigrants unfamiliar with the stuff. For God's sake, if the best you can do in snow is to drive at the speed limit please stay in bed and let people who have places to go get on with getting there. If you're going to meander along at 50mph and still crash into the ditch why not do it in your own driveway so as to save public inconvenience?
There were umpteen cars and trucks in ditches this morning. That, and the pathetic pace of the yokels in their pick ups caused me a tedious journey enlivened only by overtaking in blowing snow having to trust that any oncoming vehicle would have the lights on. That's not a given by any stretch.
Ballix. There's months of this to come.
There was snow last winter too, that's why they call it the snowbelt. The entire population seems to have been replaced by new immigrants unfamiliar with the stuff. For God's sake, if the best you can do in snow is to drive at the speed limit please stay in bed and let people who have places to go get on with getting there. If you're going to meander along at 50mph and still crash into the ditch why not do it in your own driveway so as to save public inconvenience?
There were umpteen cars and trucks in ditches this morning. That, and the pathetic pace of the yokels in their pick ups caused me a tedious journey enlivened only by overtaking in blowing snow having to trust that any oncoming vehicle would have the lights on. That's not a given by any stretch.
Ballix. There's months of this to come.
Over the years I've also seen DBD's comments, usually enjoying his sparring with some other poor poster. However, this one just about sums up what the thread was about. To suggest that anyone who is driving so slow as to match the speed limit during snow is what we all are talking about. The 4XX series highways have a speed limit of 100km/h. If you maintain that speed in a "beater" with a couple of cm's of snow on the asphalt, you will be passing me and not disappearing over my POV's horizon quick enough, in my opinion. You have been taught in the UK to drive to suit the conditions of the road. If it is summer, daylight and 28C, then do 120km/h and enjoy your 'Stang. If it is winter, -10C and has snow, slush, or ice on the road, then drive to suit the conditions. Then when some lunatic spins out in front of you as he is doing 110km/h, you have an even or better chance of avoiding him, watching him spin off, and driving past. You will get to your destination quicker than he gets to his.
Dec 1st 2009 | 12:54 pm
#129
Binned by Muderators
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 11,708
From: White Rock BC
Re: Standards of driving in Canada
It is never save to assume dbd33 is being entirely serious.
Dec 1st 2009 | 1:11 pm
#130
Banned
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 3,824
From: the GTA
Re: Standards of driving in Canada
Dec 1st 2009 | 2:17 pm
#131
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 611
From: Vegreville, AB
Re: Standards of driving in Canada
Lived in Montreal for 6 years - some of the drivers were pretty crazy
The the GTA - definitely crazy drivers there, worse than Montreal
Now in Saskatoon, much smaller place and the drivers aren't half as crazy
The the GTA - definitely crazy drivers there, worse than Montreal
Now in Saskatoon, much smaller place and the drivers aren't half as crazy
Dec 1st 2009 | 5:52 pm
#132
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 2,514
From: Kelowna
Re: Standards of driving in Canada
Talking of speed limits and bad weather the posted speed limits on each road are the maximum in "ideal" conditions, so yes on a perfect day it's probably acceptable to push the limits but in bad weather it's a different story.
My son was at a junction today in the company's van and he was waiting to turn left at one of the many intersections here that do not have a left turn light. The traffic was busy and just as the light started to change it was clear for him to turn, then out of nowhere a large SUV sped across the intersection and caught him. Turns out she was in the opposite left turn lane and got fed up waiting so swung out and went straight across. She apologised as they swapped details and said it was her second one in a week
My son was at a junction today in the company's van and he was waiting to turn left at one of the many intersections here that do not have a left turn light. The traffic was busy and just as the light started to change it was clear for him to turn, then out of nowhere a large SUV sped across the intersection and caught him. Turns out she was in the opposite left turn lane and got fed up waiting so swung out and went straight across. She apologised as they swapped details and said it was her second one in a week
Dec 2nd 2009 | 3:17 am
#133
Forum Regular
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 259
From: Okotoks AB
Re: Standards of driving in Canada
It's crazy here in Calgary. Undertaking, speeding passed you when there is white out conditions. tail gaiting.. I could go on but i'm just getting my self all worked up.. 
