Some terrible drivers out there.

[lew]

My wife and I spent the weekend at our daughters place in Mississauga but getting across the GTA on the 401 is always mind blowing with all the morons on the road. Speed limits mean nothing and guys just fly back & forth changing lanes without even looking. Worst I saw though, we were cruising along around Keele St.doing about 110 like most folks when the guy in front of me missed his exit and slammed on his brakes and stopped dead on the road waiting for a chance to cross 3 lanes. I always leave LOTS of room between me and the car in front but I was sure we'd get hit from behind but fortunately everyone behind me was paying attention.

I left Toronto 14 years ago and moved to the boonies and now almost never travel the 401 for just that reason.

Coming home yesterday morning I said to heck with the price and took the 407 and what a treat that place is, there were practically no cars on the road and it sure was nice. Won't get the bill for awhile and it probably cost me a small fortune but I think it may just be the way to go from now on.

Or maybe I'll just never leave the peace & tranquility of the boonies again LOL

[slwndwn]

That particular moron could have changed peoples lives forever. I dread everytime I have to go south. If I want to get racey I go north. Hwy 11 once you get north of Orillia on a summer Friday can get a little sporty. lol

As for the 407, I dont recall the cost the few times my wife and I have used it, but I dont recall thinking it wasnt worth it.

Edited April 8 by slwndwn

[b2kptbo]

407 from 115 to DVP and back cost me $60, that was last year. Gonna do it again this year.

[ketchenany]

I hear you Lew. I keep off the hay’s at all costs. When I go to Brooklin or Newmarket I take the country roads. Leave a bit early and have a pleasant drive, stop if I want to . . . As for the 407 our taxes paid for it and I have been on it twice. Once on the back of tow truck for car service and they sent me a bill!!!! yah right. In Jan I was going up the 400 after a hospital visit with my wife and somehow ended up on the 407! My next exit is PineValley, that cost me $10.50 for less than a minute. I would have gotten off at the 400 at Major Mac anyway. Glad you didn’t get hit. 

[Fisherman]

I feel your aggravation Lew, I had to go to my brothers place in Scarborough yesterday,  coming back at 11am was just a grudge match of idiots on the road.  If it wasn't for him living there, I would never go south of highway 9.

[lew]

It really is a shame how expensive it is to drive on a road that WE payed for. I used it a couple years back and went from 115 to Mississauga Road and back and it cost me over $80

[John]

I try and steer clear of the QEW, 401 and 400 whenever I can. What actually surprises me is considering the way idiots drive on those highways there are not more devastating crashes. Sad that we don't have more policing on our highways.  Seems that catching 20 over speeders via radar is where it's at! We are told that speed kills. Well, reckless, inconsiderate, distracted, DUI, dangerous driving is what kills. We moved from the city to a 5,000 or so population village/small town  almost 5 years ago. Luckily we can head back down to Burlington using country roads when we want to visit family, no stress driving.

 

[slwndwn]

Holy crap, I dont remember those costs associated with the 407. My wife must have paid. 

I'd rather stick to the rural routes. There's always a place to pee.

[John]

Burlington to 35/115 trailering the boat return cost me almost $100 last year! 

[Headhunter]

Hey @Lew,

Remember in the old days in city where the one thing you kept an eye out for when driving was just cabs?

Well, as someone who still lives in the city and is subjected to the trauma, yes trauma of the 401 almost daily, here's a few thoughts on what to watch out for...

-Any of the following vehicles: Tesla, BMW, Audi, Mercedes Benz, you get the idea. they all think they are immune to road rules and that speed limits are simply suggestion.

-turn signals, forget it!

-road rage... be careful who you give the finger to, they are likely armed

-driving on the right, really right where there is no lane

-tailgating seems to have become an art form many are trying to perfect

I could go on, but those are what I see most.

HH

 

[Big Cliff]

I drove truck in the GTA up until I retired a few years ago. You had to really be on your toes every second. Cyclists, coming out of no where in seconds, people who had no idea of where they were going (or how to drive).

Sitting up high in a truck I saw lots of things going on in cars but the biggest problem was people talking on cell phones.  Perhaps we need to put some cops in trucks, I bet I could have handed out a hundred tickets a day easily. 

[John]

Lots of cops in pickup trucks here Cliff but they still are intent on sitting at the side of the road ticketing the 20 overs rather than catching the hundreds if not thousands of those  that consider using a cell phone while driving an art form.

[OhioFisherman]

quit driving in 2011, knew my skills were gone.

[16 Footer]

The only day I can visit my sister in Scarborough is Sunday using the 401. It moves but you have to keep your eye out for the crazy drivers. On the week days it is a constant stop wait and slow go across the city. I can't afford the 407, why did Harris give it away? 

[lew]

1 hour ago, 16 Footer said:

 I can't afford the 407

I don't know if I can afford it either, I haven't got my bill yet LOL

[DRIFTER_016]

Gotta say I don't miss the highways in Ontario!!!!!

But there are morons everywhere!!!! Last week while legally crossing in a crosswalk I got knocked down buy a guy driving a pickup that figured red lights were just a suggestion. 🙄

[slwndwn]

Went east on 9, south on the 400 and east to Pickering on the 401 the other day. 

What exactly does "express lanes" imply??? Am I missing something? I get why people tailgate. At 120km if you leave an opening the size of a small town parking spot, some one will fill it. 

My wife had to self medicate. 

[16 Footer]

I only drive the 400 and 401 when there is no other way. The 401 is a bit less crazy on Sundays when I use it to visit my sister. I usually stay in the right lane at 100 to 110 km and let the speeders go by on the left.

[lew]

Since 1st posting about the 401 insanity back in April we've gone to my daughters place in Mississauga 3 or 4 times and have only used the 407 since then. Costs around $70 - $80 return from Mississauga Rd. to Hwy.115 but well worth it in my mind. Nice peaceful drive with about 10% of the traffic.

Doubt I'll ever take the 401 across the GTA again.