What are you trying to say?... Going faster IS safer?...
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Why is Ontario becoming the wild-west of roads and highways?
- Thread starter PrivatePilot
- Start date
Yes it is
TK4
Well-known member
Your comment about speed limits - it's specious.
I don't drive beside people, and I don't pass time in the left lane.
It gets bizarre.
People complain about an issue that they cause, and then claim that what they're doing is fixing it, as they make it worse.
The MAIN difference that makes driving better in the US, is that they tend NOT to sit in the left lane.
I am in favour of enforcing rules that make sense. I am not in favour of enforcing rules that are politically motivated, or which are in place due to knee-jerk reactions, or which exist as revenue-generators.
40 km/h speed limit in front of a school during school hours plus an hour before and after school? Sure. 24/7? No.
30 km/h speed limit on narrow residential streets with on-street parking in downtown Toronto? Sure. Not in all residential areas. My street doesn't need it. (N.B My street, residential but not super dense, is a default 50 zone. I have no problem with the cops busting the idiots that charge through here at 80 and blow through the stop sign.)
Speed camera enforcement in school zones during school hours? Sure. In an arbitrary "community safety zone" that exists purely because one resident along a rural road bent someone's ear on council? No.
Red-light camera? Sure. But only ticket the last vehicle to go through. Don't ticket someone who runs a red light because there's a dump truck 5 metres behind their bumper, that isn't going to be able to stop.
40 km/h speed limit in front of a school during school hours plus an hour before and after school? Sure. 24/7? No.
30 km/h speed limit on narrow residential streets with on-street parking in downtown Toronto? Sure. Not in all residential areas. My street doesn't need it. (N.B My street, residential but not super dense, is a default 50 zone. I have no problem with the cops busting the idiots that charge through here at 80 and blow through the stop sign.)
Speed camera enforcement in school zones during school hours? Sure. In an arbitrary "community safety zone" that exists purely because one resident along a rural road bent someone's ear on council? No.
Red-light camera? Sure. But only ticket the last vehicle to go through. Don't ticket someone who runs a red light because there's a dump truck 5 metres behind their bumper, that isn't going to be able to stop.
Different rules make different sense to different people. Judging by how people treat stop signs - majority thinks that stop signs don't make sense. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ (I personally think following stop signs makes sense, just in case)
The left lane bandit thing is worse in Ontario than many other places because we incorrectly add and subtract lanes (capacity) from the right (driving) not the left (passing) lanes. As an example, if driving from Toronto to Fort Erie on the QEW, if you park yourself out in the left (passing) lane you can pretty much drive the entire distance without a lane change. If you do the correct thing and hangout in the right (driving) lane you will have to make multiple lane changes along the way as this lane gets added and subtracted.
Engineering/design impacts human behaviour and this one is a big (not only) factor. It is worse (IME) on the weekends as you get people highway driving that do it rarely (less comfortable dong it) and they resist uncomfortable to them lane changes. Same with people pulling trailers, that are lacking in skills. I am sure many don't even realize how they have been trained to pick a lane. On the weekend when things are moving more times than not the right lane is near empty and the left ones are full. Result, "slow" movers in the left lane, only option is to pass on the right.
Basically (what should be) if the highway goes from three to two lanes, the left lane ends, today the left goes through and the right ends as an exit. We are not the only place that does it wrong but we are one of the worst. For the most part it is an easy fix with paint but chaos will be the outcome until everyone is subconsciously retrained. Nothing will change as long as we keep the left lane as the defacto driving (through) lane....
Engineering/design impacts human behaviour and this one is a big (not only) factor. It is worse (IME) on the weekends as you get people highway driving that do it rarely (less comfortable dong it) and they resist uncomfortable to them lane changes. Same with people pulling trailers, that are lacking in skills. I am sure many don't even realize how they have been trained to pick a lane. On the weekend when things are moving more times than not the right lane is near empty and the left ones are full. Result, "slow" movers in the left lane, only option is to pass on the right.
Basically (what should be) if the highway goes from three to two lanes, the left lane ends, today the left goes through and the right ends as an exit. We are not the only place that does it wrong but we are one of the worst. For the most part it is an easy fix with paint but chaos will be the outcome until everyone is subconsciously retrained. Nothing will change as long as we keep the left lane as the defacto driving (through) lane....
Comments on subpar roadway design are not wrong.
There's a Youtube channel called "Not Just Bikes" that has excellent commentary on roadway design, and how it's done well in some places (he likes the Netherlands) and not in others (us, but we're not alone).
His contention is that there should be three types of roads: Motorways (long-distance high speed travel by motor vehicles), roads (motor vehicles separated from pedestrians and cyclists, no direct access to them from private driveways), and streets (for local access to houses and businesses - mixed traffic - SLOW). In North America we mix these up too much. I'm not completely convinced, but he has some valid points.
We (North America) have been doing intersections wrong. Roundabouts are usually a better choice than stop signs or signals. They force everyone to slow down and pay attention, but they don't force anyone to stop and sit there for no reason (e.g. red traffic signal with no cross traffic). They're not reliant upon electrical power to operate the signal lights.
There's a Youtube channel called "Not Just Bikes" that has excellent commentary on roadway design, and how it's done well in some places (he likes the Netherlands) and not in others (us, but we're not alone).
His contention is that there should be three types of roads: Motorways (long-distance high speed travel by motor vehicles), roads (motor vehicles separated from pedestrians and cyclists, no direct access to them from private driveways), and streets (for local access to houses and businesses - mixed traffic - SLOW). In North America we mix these up too much. I'm not completely convinced, but he has some valid points.
We (North America) have been doing intersections wrong. Roundabouts are usually a better choice than stop signs or signals. They force everyone to slow down and pay attention, but they don't force anyone to stop and sit there for no reason (e.g. red traffic signal with no cross traffic). They're not reliant upon electrical power to operate the signal lights.
I give everyone one mistake. We have all screwed up before. If you continue to endanger others, I will call on you (or in york complain online and they will send the owner a grumpy letter and show no mercy if they pull them over in the future).
Everyone is depressed and grumpy
Coming up the escarpment to Clappison’s Corners on 6N this morning. There a passing lane, a right lane, and a merge lane. Light is red, transports in all three lanes. So it’s a drag race (“timed” in ft./ min.) to the next lights at Parkinson’s St. Half a kilometre up the road. And they wonder why they’re despised in general.
The problem is no one bothers to LEARN THE #*%•?!# RULES FOR THEM.
To be fair, I think designers need to pull their heads out of their *****. Many smaller roundabouts would be safer and easier with a single lane. A box store hell in barrie has a double lane roundabout just inside the entrance. Not really much distance between the exits (<20m) so changing out from the centre lane is no bueno. Most people treat is as a single lane as everyone has been close to a crash when two parallel lanes are attempted.
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It's rare that I blow through a yellow without someone following me thru.
Whoa dude. That's pretty broad and wrong. Put me in the happy slot.
To be fair, I think designers need to pull their heads out of their *****. Many smaller roundabouts would be safer and easier with a single lane. A box store hell in barrie has a double lane roundabout just inside the entrance. Not really much distance between the exits (<20m) so changing out from the centre lane is no bueno. Most people treat is as a single lane as everyone has been close to a crash when two parallel lanes are attempted.
Google Maps
Find local businesses, view maps and get driving directions in Google Maps.
The ones in Milton have a huge YIELD painted on the road and signs saying yield to traffic in the circle as you're approaching. At least twice a week coming down Steeles off the escarpment heading straight through I'm in the traffic circle and someone approaching the circle north on Tremain going straight through cutting right across in front of me, cutting it close enough that I have to jump on the brakes to keep from hitting them. Half the time they don't even look to see if anyone's in the circle with the right of way. They do the Family Guy Chinese woman driving thing. I'm going, so whoever's coming can hit the binders and dodge me. One of these days I'm gonna be in a bad mood and I'm not even gonna let off the gas. Just aim for their B pillar and write my truck off.
AllistonGT
Well-known member
Very few stop signs in the UK. Yield signs everywhere. Why would I proceed if the way isn't clear.
They manage fine.
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