Quebec Drivers...

[Jarnhamar]

WTF is wrong with drivers from Quebec?

It's snowing heavily, the highways in Ottawa and surrounding areas are slushy and slippery. There's accidents ALL over the place being broadcast on the radio including ones with fatalities. This seems to be some kind of signal for Quebec drivers to speed up. On the way home from Ottawa every single person I saw driving like a moron had Quebec plates.  You know, traffic is slow because there is an accident ahead so buddy NEEDS to weave in and out of traffic just to get to the spot where the two lanes merge into one.
Don't merge like a courteous driver though, race up the side past all the losers who merged and try to cut in at the last second then wave your hands in the air when people oddly enough don't give you room to pull in.

I had one douche bag race up behind me and start flashing his brights. There were still 2 cars ahead of me so me moving over wouldn't have mattered, except risk  crossing the snow covered middle of the lane. There's also a  car ahead of me to the  right.  Smart guy decides to shift right (which is right right infront of another car) race up past me then cut left right across my bumper, pass the car on the right then shift right again. Wonder what province he was from.

Yea  yea there are bad drivers everywhere but why are Quebec drivers continually the most prevalent? What's so important that they need to drive so fast-everywhere?

From now on every single person I see driving like a moron I'm going to catch their license plate number pull over and call 911 and report them as driving recklessly and looking intoxicated.

 

[cupper]

Sounds like the same thing we get here in the suburbs of DC. Anytime we get any amount of snow (1" will shut down the region ifor the day, 12" will shut the place down for a week or more) it is taking your life into your own hands if you venture onto the roads.

Due to the excessive number of SUV's on the roads, everyone figures that they can drive in anything, and don't need to slow down.

These people can't drive at the best of times, fire any inclement weather at them and all hell breaks loose.

 

[Cui]

Sure your not here in Ontario on the 401?

you're = you are
your = something that belongs to you

 

[Fishbone Jones]

Thank-you. Changed.

Is 401 spelt spelled correctly?

TFTFY

 

[PPCLI Guy]

All I know is that, as a former courier driver in Montreal, I am ready, at all times, for all conditions, including Washington DC (those guys are nuts!!).

Just remember that driving is a full contact competitive sport, and that is it unmanly to ever give an inch, and all will be fine.

 

[aesop081]

Grimaldus, if you want to generalize, the moron that i saw cause an accident on the 417 eastbound yesterday had Ontario plates............

Stupid Ontario drivers.........Whats up with Ontario drivers eh ?

 

[Scott]

haha, you should see the dolts in the UK when a couple of flakes fall. They're not all bad, I generally find it's pretty easy to identify the Scots compared to the Emglish in a heartbeat, though

At home...when I have that arsehole roaring up the tailgate it only causes me to drive more deliberately. Perhaps not slowly but I'll be damned if I am going to let him take me careening into the rhubarb with him. I get honked at, gestured at and, I am sure, sworn at. All I do is smile and wave gaily at them. For some strange reason this causes them to get even more upset...

Then again, I am never in a hurry to get places.

 

[Pat in Halifax]

Grimaldus, if you want to generalize, the moron that i saw cause an accident on the 417 eastbound yesterday had Ontario plates............

Stupid Ontario drivers.........Whats up with Ontario drivers eh ?

Have to agree there. On IR in Ottawa from Halifax and have taken up walking to work. I live in Vanier and work over near the Museum of Civilization on the Hull side (a little over 5k). As a pedestrian, you truly see the stupidity in many drivers especially in nasty weather and I hate to say it but the bulk seem to have Ontario plates. I have come to the assumption that Ottawa drivers (Ontario side) are colour blind (yellow, green, red at the intersection-who cares), are illiterate (can't read that 4 letter word on those big red octagonal signs nor the word above the number on the speed limit signs) and of course my personal favorite (I mentioned this in another thread a few weeks back), if you have your 4-ways on, you can park/stop ANYWHERE!

 

[aesop081]

Then there's the morons, with Ontario plates, who drive 40-50 km/h on the 417 Westbound just because it's raining out........

The drivers, again with Ontario plates, who stop when its a free-flow lane and not a merge.......

The ones, with Ontario plates, who drive 150+ on the 417 when it is a sheet of ice...........

 

[Jarnhamar]

The ones, with Ontario plates, who drive 150+ on the 417 when it is a sheet of ice...........

Clearly a Quebec driver using a borrowed vehicle.

 

[Pat in Halifax]

Then there's the morons, with Ontario plates, who drive 40-50 km/h on the 417 Westbound just because it's raining out........

Not completely defending the individual in your first example but I am the son of a 30+ year veteran Driving Instructor who taught in the Toronto area (specifically Oakville) in the 50s, 60s and 70s. Needless to say, my own experiences as a 16 year old in learning to drive with 'good old dad' were interesting to say the least. All that said, he had a bunch of rules and though they meant nothing to me at the time, I remember most now. Two that stand out:
1.  The 2 second rule when trailing another vehicle? - Make it a 3 second rule.
2.  The "10% rule" - For each road hazard (night, rain, ice, snow...) drop your speed by 10% (This is a rough estimate of course). I must admit, in 35 years of driving, I have never had any serious kind of accident-not to say there haven't been numerous close calls.

I did a very informal study a couple years ago and I can't remember the exact numbers but here are them as I recall. I think the numbers come from 2003 (Province of Nova Scotia).

1. Of 96 highway fatalities, 26 were alcohol related,
2. Of the remaining 70, 7 were attributed to young or inexperienced drivers;
3. Of the remaining 63, 4 were deemed mechanical in nature;
4. Of the remaining 59, reasons like, driving too fast for road conditions, driver inattentiveness etc were cited. Suffice to say, 59 highway fatalities were caused by BAD DRIVING HABITS.
Now I am not belittling the efforts of groups like MADD and the local police in addressing the impaired driver aspect-That is a must. How though, do you address the 'bad driving habits' group though.
We have all lost someone we know to a vehicle related accident and we have all likely run through our mind how could this have been avoided.

Bottom line for all of us? Pay attention, be courtious, obey the rules and for f*** sake, SLOW DOWN, especially in shitty weather!

OK - I'm done!

 

[mariomike]

* In 2008 ( the most recent stat I could find ), Ontario's fatality rate was the lowest ever recorded in the province, and the lowest in North America:
http://www.mto.gov.on.ca/english/about/quickfacts.shtml

I think it has a lot to do with safety  improvements in the automotive industry, rather than defensive driving.
Unlike the old death traps we used to extricate people out of in the 1970's - before MADD and mandatory seat belt laws - the cars of today are equipped with air bags, laminated and tempered glass, crumple zones, side impact protection beams, collapsible steering columns and padded dashboards.  Convertibles without roll-over bars are less common now. Car fires are also much less common, thanks to improved fuel system integrity and fire retardant materials.

In Toronto, most traffic fatalities are pedestrians.

"Last year in Toronto, there was the lowest number of traffic fatalities in 50 years."
Police Chief Bill Blair
Star Jan 21 2010.

 

[Pat in Halifax]

In Toronto, most traffic fatalities are pedestrians.

That, in itself is terrible too. In 13 months in Ottawa, I have been clipped by 5 cyclists, two cars and an OCTranspo bus. The bus I didn't realize  (it was a 'brush by') until after the fact and the two cars, I exacted my own justice in frustration by punching (not recommended AT ALL) and denting the hoods in both cases. When both drivers threatened police action, I reminded them that they had just struck a pedestrian and that the minimum fine (Halifax anyway) is $684. Again, I don't recommend this response - I am 6' 5" 250 lbs.

 

[Jarnhamar]

* In 2008 ( the most recent stat I could find ), Ontario's fatality rate was the lowest ever recorded in the province, and the lowest in North America.

Any idea what the fatality rate is for Quebec in the same time frame?

 

[mariomike]

"Did you know that more people have died on Canada's roads in the last 50 years than the number of Canadians killed in two world wars?":
http://www.tc.gc.ca/eng/roadsafety/menu.htm

Any idea what the fatality rate is for Quebec in the same time frame?

Some provincial fatality comparisons on page 4:
http://www.ccmta.ca/english/pdf/collision_stats00_e.pdf

"Quebec road death toll hits 60-year low":
http://www.canada.com/montrealgazette/news/story.html?id=c3066fa1-ab2a-4497-b96f-22beb3308ce5&k=15690

 

[dapaterson]

That, in itself is terrible too. In 13 months in Ottawa, I have been clipped by 5 cyclists, two cars and an OCTranspo bus. The bus I didn't realize  (it was a 'brush by') until after the fact and the two cars, I exacted my own justice in frustration by punching (not recommended AT ALL) and denting the hoods in both cases. When both drivers threatened police action, I reminded them that they had just struck a pedestrian and that the minimum fine (Halifax anyway) is $684. Again, I don't recommend this response - I am 6' 5" 250 lbs.

Ditto the above. I grew up in Montreal, and as a pedestrian, feel safer in Mtl than in Ottawa, where the drivers are universally bad, with a disregard for traffic regulations - rolling right hand turns through an intersection without checking for pedestrians are routine - even in front of police, who do nothing.

My rule of thumb: watch out for red plates (diplomats) and Blue Line (local taxi company) - they tend to be the worst.

(And don't get me started on taxi drivers who ask for directions to the airport...)

 

[RangerRay]

My take (originally from the Interior of BC):

Lower Mainland drivers: Can't drive in any snow whatsoever.  If they don't get stuck on 1 cm of snow, they drive on snow like they would if the roads were bare, and wonder why their car is upside down in the rhubarb.  On the #1, everyone drives in the fast lane (speed limit 100 km/h).  So basically, there will be one car in the slow lane doing 90, and the rest of traffic will be in the fast lane doing 91 km/h.  If you give anyone a dirty look for cutting you off, you might get shot.

Northeastern BC:  Between all the Alberta drivers (see below) and the high use of booze and coke amongst rig-pigs, this relatively unpopulated area of BC has the highest accident rate, and fatality rate in BC.

Alberta drivers:  When driving in BC, they can be classed into two categories.  The first (most common) drive in the mountains like they are still in the Prairies with good roads; they drive at 30+ km/h over the speed limit on twisty, windey roads, scaring the $*** out of the BC drivers.  The second category is scared $***less of the mountains, and drives 20 km/h slower than the posted speed limit.

Winnipeg drivers:  People here are really friendly...until they get behind the wheel.  The most uncourteous drivers I have had the privilege of driving with.  If you want to change lanes or merge into traffic, you have to bull your way in; no one will let you in.  Red lights and stop signs are "suggestions" and there are some bizarre rules with regards to turning left at an uncontrolled intersection on a road with a boulevard.

Interior BC drivers:  Can't drive in cities with more than 80,000 people.  Assume bad drivers are "idiots from the Coast", especially during the first snowfall of the year.  ;D

 

[Jorkapp]

Winnipeg drivers:  People here are really friendly...until they get behind the wheel.  The most uncourteous drivers I have had the privilege of driving with.  If you want to change lanes or merge into traffic, you have to bull your way in; no one will let you in.  Red lights and stop signs are "suggestions" and there are some bizarre rules with regards to turning left at an uncontrolled intersection on a road with a boulevard.

Coming from S. Ontario, I have to agree.

Also to add, Winnipeg drivers never make use of merge lanes. They stop at the traffic island, wait, then merge into the FARTHEST lane, despite there being 500 feet of merge lane and 2 empty lanes. Its like this city needs a collective lesson on how to drive.

 

[GAP]

Coming from S. Ontario, I have to agree.

Also to add, Winnipeg drivers never make use of merge lanes. They stop at the traffic island, wait, then merge into the FARTHEST lane, despite there being 500 feet of merge lane and 2 empty lanes. Its like this city needs a collective lesson on how to drive.

No, we just thought the contractor had so much concrete left over he did part of the shoulder too......you mean you can drive on them?  ;D

 

[Jorkapp]

No, we just thought the contractor had so much concrete left over he did part of the shoulder too......you mean you can drive on them?  ;D

Yes, but they're so unused, you'd almost think it's sacred ground

I think the fact that Winnipeg is the only place in the world that possesses a U-turn traffic signal speaks volumes to how f-ed up driving here is: