NF - Are Drivers Bad in Your Area ?

[LeafsFan]

So another long weekend is upon us and the driving in Niagara is awful. I have been lucky enough travel through most of the US and Canada with a previous job, and my current job puts in me into Alberta when I am working. In Alberta I think I might have had to honk once or twice this year, but in Niagara I have had to honk every day to let people know HI I AM HERE.

 

Nowhere compares to how bad the driving seems to be getting in Niagara, give me NYC, Boston, San Fran, or Texas any day of the week.

 

Thankfully I only have to drive in Niagara for a week out of the month, maybe two weeks at most. The following are violations I see every day (not including speeding).

• Red light running (past the point of even lying to yourself it was yellow)
• No signal use
• Turning into the wrong lane (not the lane the lines indicate you need to)

And the kicker now seems to be the e-bikes (AKA the "I got busted for a DUI but still drive so HA"). No license is required, no plates are needed, and no insurance is needed (to my understanding). These bikes are becoming a menace in Niagara, since they lack proper lighting (I have to give it to cyclists, at least they put on proper lighting as a whole in Niagara). I have seen people ride the e-bikes on the sidewalks, side of the road, and down the middle of the traffic lane (of which they have trouble maintaining 50 kilometers an hour).

 

Are any communities outside of Niagara experiencing the e-bikes issue or find driving is getting significantly worse? I am at the point where I think red light cameras and speed cameras might actually be useful (as long as they are not setup like they have been in Alberta).

 

I will admit I used to be an awful driver when I first got my license, but after getting pulled over one night (10 years ago) where the cop was exceptionally kind (the $65 ticket was a massive sigh of relief), I made it my mission to be conscious of all traffic rules/regulations and to pay attention to speed limits.

[DRIFTER_016]

There are terrible drivers every where.

I've dealt with them from Florida to Alaska.

My biggest pet peaves are no/late signal use and red light running.

Plus the worst offenders seem to be cab drivers. I hate those guys!!!!

[dave524]

Distracted walking is my biggest peeve, eyes glued to a smartphone oblivious to stoplights and walklights and traffic.

[OhioFisherman]

I drove an 18 wheeler for 30+ years, it's sort of amazing to look down and see what some people are doing behind the wheel! LOL

 

I stopped driving around 5 years ago, MS, I decided it was beyond my abilities to do so safely. I do believe it is a problem everywhere though, in some areas more than others?

 

I live in a small rural township near a junction of two state highways, it has a one way traffic circle at the junction, only the north and south part have stop signs, none on the east and west part. People can't seem to read the stop signs or travel in the direction of the arrows?

 

Dirt bikes, 4 wheelers, and snowmobiles aren't allowed on our roads here, that doesn't seem to stop them, or keep them from taking off across some one Else's property if they see a cop.

 

There is no perfect world? You just hope not to injure or kill some one " by accident "?

[Fisherman]

Small town grandpa or grandma white knuckling it at 40k in and 80k zone. If you can't drive at least the speed limit, take a cab, bus or friend. If you want to make a scenic tour, (hey martha look at the cow with 5 boobs) NO take the damm bus.

[Grimace]

All the drivers in my area are fine.

[irishfield]

Sure.. sure they are Dave... in your own laneway maybe.

[Terry]

drivers in my area have learned to pull over when they see me on the road...so they are fine all good..lol

[npt1]

After I left a major steel company, I drove an Ambulance for a few years

and I attest that some people are 3 numbers short of a "Bingo"!

No signals when coming to a turn, tail-gaiting--I just took my foot of the gas

and forced them to go around me, they were impatient anyway.

Red light runners, people on bikes that ran stop signs and stop lights.

I really detest those folks.

Drivers that sit in your blind spot on the QEW, dumb transport truckers

that ride in the middle lane, why do they do that? Either pass or pull

into the slow lane, that pisses me off.

Huge concern for me is folks that continue to do the following,

Drink coffee, apply make-up, talk on phone, texting,

smoking with kids in the car, eating while driving, if you choke ,you deserve it.

I could go on and on but I think you see the issue,

don't be stupid when driving--.

Pass the aspirin and pour me some Yukon Jack, p.s. --Im not driving. lol..

[fishing n autograph]

Driver in general in Ontario are horrible. Especially southern Ontario.

[Carp]

Good and bad everywhere. I see multiple violations every day.

The # of people looking down at their laps (texting) while driving is incredible.

Some are holding the phone right to their ear, yapping away with hundreds of other drivers watching them.

 

My son and I were on the 401 eastbound going towards Toronto last week in heavy traffic. One car ahead of us was leaving a large gap and I couldn't understand why at first.

We watched the driver look down into her lap at least 10 times in a one minute span. I finally had enough and gave her a quick sound of the horn to let her know we were watching.

She promptly gives us the single digit salute. We pull up beside her and she already has the window open, ready to say something. I yell, " GET OFF THE PHONE ! " She calls ME an idiot, rolls up the window and goes about her business.

 

Umm, " I'm the idiot ? "

[pics]

Since Hamilton has become a go to place for Toronto people to buy homes the drivers have become increasingly bad.. always in a hurry.. I have to turn left into my driveway and at least once a week I have some dummy passing me or trying to pass me.. one day I will get hit.. it's a solid yellow line.. just driving the speed limit gets people worked up.. I've driven in Toronto quite a bit and it would seem the same driving attitudes are coming here..

[chessy]

lol our town has one extra officer on duty now to cover the car accidents in port hope during the salmon run as there is usually 3 a day on the weekends everything from hitting motorcycles from behind at red lights to not stopping at a 4x4 stop sign...

[Fisherman]

One was definitely bad this afternoon, pulled a barrel roll into the ditch on Crossland Rd, probably ________ (texting, phoning, not paying attention), fill in the blank. Fortunately only one vehicle involved. Seemed like every 3rd or 4th car going towards the beach today, the driver was on the phone. Idiots.

[ketchenany]

Driver in general in Ontario are horrible. Especially southern Ontario.

Dave, you have to come to Woody on a sunny Sunday morning and see the boys play with their "toys".

 

last year at Pine Valley and Langstaff, buddy let go of his Vet going east and one of our finest was right behind him! You guys look all the same in the rear view mirror!

 

I drive a Jeep Compass leave me alone!

[Fishwilly]

I can't keep track of how many people I see texting at the wheel here in Ottawa. The worst ones are young women. This social media addiction is nuts !!

Edited May 24, 2016 by Fishwilly

[Old Ironmaker]

Texting while driving is my pet peeve, I don't want to sound sexist but 95% are young women that I see doing it.

 

There are bad drivers everywhere. Retirees in south Florida worse than most. Parking your car in a Wall Mart parking lot there is a quick way to get dinged.

 

I saw them all today. Drove from north of Parry Sound to St. Kitts today then over to Haldimand. It got worse the closer we got to T.O. Ferraris and crotch rockets weaving in and out of traffic and all makes of bikes creating their personal laneways during jam ups from 69 to the QEW, and there were plenty. Why is it traffic comes to a stop when someone is parked on the side of the highway? Nothing to see here kids, move along.

 

I don't have stats but the vehicle related fatalities on the Concessions and Side Rds. seem to be a regular occurrence in Niagara.

[Raf]

i have noticed my driving related blood pressure drop since moving 1 hr north of gta but i have a feeling it's just a numbers game and the percentage is same. smaller population, more space = seems like there's less.

[leaf4]

I have to say living in Hamilton and working in downtown Toronto most days of the week, I haven't seen much crazy driving save for the idiots on the way up the 400 when I was working in Orillia the past 3 months.

 

When I took this job I really was expecting worse, though this winter was quite nice on the roads. I have had a couple older people surprise me with the stupid antics on the road though, I leave a 2-3 car gap when driving on the QEW in traffic (doing 70-90) and I had some guy rip it up beside me flailing his arms then get in front of me and continue, he then give me the finger, I proceeded to move over into the slow lane and pass him by and gave him a wave to which he then gave me the finger again and I could just laugh. Hahaha

[glen]

Doing 110 on the 400 and people pass on my side of the dotted line.

[Headhunter]

My biggest pet peeve is getting on to the express way and folks in front of me doing 50K! They putter along the on ramp and then hit the gas at the very last minute, to get to 80K and then try and merge.

I don't care if you have a death wish, merge onto the highway at 80k and get yerself killed... but don't take me out with yah!

Why some people think they are more important than anyone else is also mind boggling!

HH

PS... don't forget the unicorns that jump in front of folks to! Has to be the reason they hit their brakes!!!!

[RHK]

Having grown up in St Catharines and now living in Niagara Falls I can defiantly say the drivers here are bad. A good 60 to 70 percent do not come to a complete stop at stops signs just slow down and roll through. Red light, turning right I don't have to stop if its clear seems to be the latest, seeing lots of this. But the Number one problem here is tourist and there GPS's. People but so much dam blind faith in these that they never look at a real map, so they do not have a frigging clue were they are going just when to turn left or right when the box tells them to. See it all the time cutting across multiple lanes to make the turn or cut off at the last second. People please just look at a map before your trip and get an idea in your head were and how you are going.

We actually have higher insurance rates because of all the tourist driving in are area.

[DanD]

It doesn't matter where you live or have to drive too; people are people and we all have had brain farts and screwed up behind the wheel at one time or another.

We just need to learn from the mistakes we've made; but I do agree that these lessons seem to be hard for some to learn. I believe stronger fines are in order and not just monetary; but mandatory class room time and driving sessions with a trainer.

Wouldn't be all that hard to implement; get a speeding ticket and you get an 8 hour safe drive class, that must be completed within the next 3-4-6 months?

Don't comply you loose your license.

 

Dan.

[salmon]

Brampton

You should see what I see every day.

 

Enough said

The highest insurance rates in Ontario

[DRIFTER_016]

 people are people