How do we fix the traffic lunacy | GTAMotorcycle.com

How do we fix the traffic lunacy

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nobbie48

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The other day I was at a red light waiting to make a left. Knowing it was a short advanced I didn't waste a lot of time making the turn. Half way through I had to brake to avoid hitting an e-scooter running the Don't Walk signal at full tilt.

Kid riding dirt bikes in Elmvale with his buddies collides with a pickup.

Today I timed another e-something running uphill on a sidewalk at 40KPH, no helmet and didn't look 16 YO.

Later I was wondering why the car in front of me wasn't moving when the light turned green. Then he started backing up and I had to blow my horn to get him to stop. He used his new found space to change lanes and I saw the problem. Then I saw why. Some lunatic / space cadet was doing a Heebee Jeebee dance in the street.

Coming home, approachng a four way stop the vehicle coming from the other direction made a left slowing down no more than if he had a green light.

I could add a few more examples every day as could most.

Do we wait until it's Mad Max time? Anarchy?

What would it take to get drivers to think about doing things right? Massive fines? More rigorous training? More enforcement? Regular retesting?

It's as if the politicians have given up and said "F*** it. It's too big for us and let the peons duke it out."

Just getting tired of seeing the posts in "Fallen Riders"
 
I think there are to many factors that contribute to all of this.
Some are:
Distractions (cell, radio, thinking about winning the lottery, stress from everyday life etc)
Lack of skill in operating a vehicle
Ease of getting a license (too easy to get a DL in Ontario)

In general I think people in Ontario (most likely in North America) are poor drivers. Not all but a good chunk of them.

Don't mean to be stereotypical but I think drivers in Europe are much better drivers.

At first it seems like European drivers are reckless but I think they drive with much more control and awareness of the roads and their surroundings.

I spend a few days in Paris this summer and I saw chaos on the roads but it was controlled chaos. Yes, people cut in or cut others off but it was done in a way where the traffic flowed and no accidents were witnessed. Also no one was flipping each other off or worse getting into fist fights.

Now, add a bunch of bicycles, scooters, moped, motorcycles into the mix and everyone seemed to get along just fine.

This could be the same for other parts of the works that I have not travelled to yet.
 
It’s not gonna get better. It’ll get much worse as they are ramping up immigration to bring more people in and prop up the system.

The licensing infrastructure can barely keep up with current demand so it’s going to be a gong show with more people going out of the GTA to pass the tests.

With more people, we have a higher value of ‘eff them I’m more important’ mentality and this will continue to get worse as our population swells.

The licensing here is a joke. Any fool can come in and do their test with no issues. European (Poland in my experience) is ridiculously tough. You need to show you can change a tire on the side of the road (so I heard)! Compared to Ontario it’s a PHD to our grade 9 type of licensing.

Not gonna get better unfortunately…but much worse.

EDIT: add the fact that our laws are laughable at best and it’s no surprise people don’t give a poo while driving.

I can literally kill a cyclist, pedestrian or motorcyclist and be handed a slap on the wrist for it.

Drunk driving? LoL
Driving while high? Bahahahaha
No license? Be back behind the wheel in 24h

The system, enforcement, and punishment for driving here is a joke.
 
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I agree only getting worse and worse and so many think they are more important than others. Last week they finally did a QEW HOV blitz 2 days and got something like 36 people the first day and 42 the second day in the HOV as single occupant...as I saw one get pulled over and moving over to the right shoulder, 5 more single occupants drove past in hov. So frustrating/annoying to see.
 
Mikedezo44 said:
I agree only getting worse and worse and so many think they are more important than others. Last week they finally did a QEW HOV blitz 2 days and got something like 36 people the first day and 42 the second day in the HOV as single occupant...as I saw one get pulled over and moving over to the right shoulder, 5 more single occupants drove past in hov. So frustrating/annoying to see.
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The HOV lane has become nothing more than a passing lane. In and out, in and out as people see fit.

As a hybrid driver I can drive it solo, and I do, but the amount of times I see people jumping in and out of that lane is a joke.

Should be separated by a hard barrier.
 
I did not do the research but I once heard that it takes 3 years to get a license in Finland. Part of the test is displaying the ability to maneuver in/out of a spin out on ice.

Often, the accidents that are known as fender benders are a result of not paying attaching to your surroundings.

Again, the time I spent in Europe (mostly Poland) there are far less fender benders. Their accidents are often big or fatal but that is often caused by either speed or drunk driving.
 
A lot of stuff I see on the road is technically not illegal or very hard to charge and prove in court.

IMO it's the trend going with society which is echoed with social media.
People do not think about others or put themselves in other people's shoes.
Most drivers out just use cars as a way to get from A to B. They do not care about being better drivers, improving their skills or courteous ways of the road.
Miss my turn? Stop and wait til I can get in. Turning out onto a road? yea that car looks far enough (not judging their speed)
Don't get me started about cell phone users that leave mile long gaps and brake for no goddamn reason.

All you can do is influence your sphere of reach. I give **** to all my friends, family members, etc. who can't drive for **** or do things wrong. (will also explain why). Going to ingrain proper road manners and general etiquette to my kids.
Might be fighting a losing battle because stupid reproduces faster than smart.

TLDR; most people DGAF, teach your kids to be nice
 
We have a dangerous mix.
Vehicles are getting "Safer" + Drivers are getting more aggressive.
And toss in the "Hit me, I'll sue" mentality..
 
Jampy00 said:
We have a dangerous mix.
Vehicles are getting "Safer" + Drivers are getting more aggressive.
And toss in the "Hit me, I'll sue" mentality..
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There needs to be more corporal punishment for bad decisions. If "autopilot" hit a tazer in the seat cushion when it intervened, people would treat it appropriately. Get in two at-fault crashes and a bedazzled airbag cover should be court mandated to encourage you to stop crashing. As it is, I know more than a few terrible drivers that get a bigger vehicle every time they cause a crash so they are better protected. What a terrible system.
 
GreyGhost said:
There needs to be more corporal punishment for bad decisions. If "autopilot" hit a tazer in the seat cushion when it intervened, people would treat it appropriately. Get in two at-fault crashes and a bedazzled airbag cover should be court mandated to encourage you to stop crashing. As it is, I know more than a few terrible drivers that get a bigger vehicle every time they cause a crash so they are better protected. What a terrible system.
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Kill or injure someone and lose your licence for 3 months. Then start over with a G-1.
 
nobbie48 said:
Kill or injure someone and lose your licence for 3 months. Then start over with a G-1.
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3 months is nothing for killing someone.
3 decades more like it
 
oioioi said:
3 months is nothing for killing someone.
3 decades more like it
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sorry but for me context, history and intent needs to be looked at.
everyone makes mistakes that could cause an accident. severity often depends on luck.
everyone's had close calls from their own error. different circumstances and someone could be dead or injured severely. does that mean your life should be ruined?

IMO, not if they show remorse and there's no clear neglect/disregard for others or not a repeat offender. Maximum current charges, go back to G1, community service, all for it. but criminal charge and jail time is too much.
 
killvino said:
sorry but for me context, history and intent needs to be looked at.
everyone makes mistakes that could cause an accident. severity often depends on luck.
everyone's had close calls from their own error. different circumstances and someone could be dead or injured severely. does that mean your life should be ruined?

IMO, not if they show remorse and there's no clear neglect/disregard for others or not a repeat offender. Maximum current charges, go back to G1, community service, all for it. but criminal charge and jail time is too much.
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I basically agree but the courts and legal systems need overhauls as well.

Ten people are dead in Saskatchewan, allegedly stabbed to death by someone who has a list of 59 convictions with half of them violent crimes. He was out on parole as he was only consider a medium risk.
 
nobbie48 said:
I basically agree but the courts and legal systems need overhauls as well.

Ten people are dead in Saskatchewan, allegedly stabbed to death by someone who has a list of 59 convictions with half of them violent crimes. He was out on parole as he was only consider a medium risk.
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I don't have an easy answer to criminal justice system. As Killvino said and MM has said in the past, sticking someone with a criminal record for a driving offence can drastically change the course of someones life. The first criminal conviction has huge implications. Any future conviction is almost meaningless. I would prefer a lifetime driving ban long before a criminal charge (even for DUI). Get caught driving again and I have no problem with exploding your life.

Cops are reluctant to waste their time arresting criminals as the courts will have them back on the street in hours. Is society served by spending thousands on paperwork with no effect?

The canadian system is designed to keep people out of formal incarceration. The US system is screwed up as they keep far too many in for minor crimes. Somewhere in the middle is probably better than either.

With 59 convictions (or 10), it's really clear that killer will always be hurting citizens and reintegration is impossible. Continuing to release them is an epic failure. Sadly they have proven they cannot exist in society.
 
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