Common driving Laws that are rarely followed

[The Special One]

jar_e is an EMT. I think he'd know.

[Huntingwhale]

Originally Posted by flip

Awesomest picture ever made because so much effort went into making it but l still don't know wtf is going on. l'm saving it on my computer.

[flip]

Originally Posted by flameswin

You know what I love about these driving threads? The fact that it shows that 100% of people believe they are a perfect driver, and 100% of people believe that everyone else sucks. But if all the claims and debates in this thread are any indication, maybe we aren't all as perfect as we think.

It's funny, when it comes to most things in life you will hear a lot of honestly and humility. aka "i'm a decent hockey player", "I'm kind of shaky at guitar, but I'm getting better", "Man I suck at snowboarding"

But you almost never hear people say "Yeah, I'm not bad at driving, but I seem to make mistakes sometimes", or "I'm a decent driver, but I find myself getting honked at because I don't know some of the small rules of the road"

All you ever hear is "Man there are so many bad drivers in this city", "I f-in hate it when drivers do so and such, how are they so stupid?". But if this thread is any indication, some of those same people that make the "How are people so stupid that they would...." are also the people that get into debates and then find out that they are in fact in the wrong sometimes as well.

Carlin has a great bit on driving. Don't watch the video, just listen because it isn't in sync and gets distracting.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2NU7O...eature=related

The whole part is basically about driving but the relevant part starts at about 1:00 and gets really good around 2 minutes in. I love the part about the message board on your car that he talks about at 445 in or so. I've always wanted one of those. Haha. And at about 6:30 in where he talks about being at a red light.

[sclitheroe]

Originally Posted by Russic

I used to do the old "oh I may or may not have dropped something hot on myself and need to aggressively hit the brakes for seemingly no reason" to tailgaters.
.......
I now just lay off the gas and get slower and slower. Usually by the time you hit 10 under the limit they find a way to get around you.

I love doing that to tailgaters. My rationale is that I have to slow down because there is no longer sufficient gap between me and tailgater for him to safely stop without hitting me during an emergency. It's for their own good, and safety, really.

[Shazam]

Originally Posted by flameswin

You know what I love about these driving threads? The fact that it shows that 100% of people believe they are a perfect driver, and 100% of people believe that everyone else sucks. But if all the claims and debates in this thread are any indication, maybe we aren't all as perfect as we think.

It's funny, when it comes to most things in life you will hear a lot of honestly and humility. aka "i'm a decent hockey player", "I'm kind of shaky at guitar, but I'm getting better", "Man I suck at snowboarding"

But you almost never hear people say "Yeah, I'm not bad at driving, but I seem to make mistakes sometimes", or "I'm a decent driver, but I find myself getting honked at because I don't know some of the small rules of the road"

All you ever hear is "Man there are so many bad drivers in this city", "I f-in hate it when drivers do so and such, how are they so stupid?". But if this thread is any indication, some of those same people that make the "How are people so stupid that they would...." are also the people that get into debates and then find out that they are in fact in the wrong sometimes as well.

I dunno, but I never engage in those driving behaviours I criticize.

I even let people pass me in the left lane, even if they're driving like lunatics or tailgating me.

[Pastiche]

One thing that bugs me is people who turn into the wrong lanes.

When you are at an intersection and you are turning onto a different road, you HAVE to turn into the nearest lane from the direction that you are turning from.

This happens alot with people making left turns at an intersection. By law, they are supposed to turn into the left lane of the road they are turning into. So many people take wide turns and turn into the right lane.

Why this bothers me is that people turning left think they have a right of way to turn into whichever lane they choose. This is a problem for people turning right onto that road coming from the opposing direction. Both streams of cars should be able to turn at the same time. But morons in the left turn (or right turn) turn into the opposite lane and thus slows down traffic.

Anyway, my point is that very rarely do I see people turning into their proper lanes. Turning wide is illegal.

[GreatWhiteEbola]

Originally Posted by troutman

When turning left, you are supposed to go to the first available lane.

You are not supposed to change lanes in an intersection.

Is this legal in Alberta?
http://www.cal-driver-ed.com/DMV-images/28ahop.gif

Does the driver turning right, have to yield to the left turning vehicle, when turning into the right lane?

[hmmhmmcamo]

Originally Posted by The Goon

So all someone needs to do is start walking from an intersection and traffic has to stop? This is not a good rule.

That's actually the problem with marked crosswalks. People think they are safe because every driver HAS to stop for them.

The thought behind leaving crosswalks unmarked is that a pedestrian using an unmarked crosswalk generally feels less secure, less certain that the motorist will stop, thus the pedestrian will exercise more caution in waiting for safe gaps in traffic before crossing. I know a few years ago the City of Victoria removed several marked crosswalks in the hopes of making pedestrians take more care when crossing.

[Pastiche]

Originally Posted by GreatWhiteEbola

Is this legal in Alberta?
http://www.cal-driver-ed.com/DMV-images/28ahop.gif

Does the driver turning right, have to yield to the left turning vehicle, when turning into the right lane?

That is just what my above post was about. It is NOT legal to turn into the outside lanes as indicated in that diagram.

[jar_e]

Originally Posted by TRIX

no, not always.

According to the Use of Highway and Rules of the Road Regulation of Alberta they're suppose to...not saying they all do, I know they don't, but they're suppose to.

http://www.qp.alberta.ca/574.cfm?pag...cln=0779738624

63(1) Where, considering the circumstances, it is reasonable and safe to do so, a person driving an emergency vehicle may while the vehicle’s siren is operating do one or more of the following:
(a) drive the vehicle in excess of the speed limit;
(b) proceed past a traffic control signal indicating stop or a stop sign without stopping;
(c) contravene any provision that is prescribed by the Act, this or other regulations or a municipal bylaw governing the use of the highways.

64(1) Where, considering the circumstances, it is reasonable and safe to do so, a peace officer driving a motor vehicle may, in carrying out the peace officer’s duties, do one or more of the following while not operating a siren:
(a) drive the motor vehicle in excess of the speed limit;
(b) proceed past a traffic control signal indicating stop or a stop sign without stopping;
(c) contravene any other provision that is prescribed by the Act, this or other regulations or a municipal bylaw governing the use of the highways.

Also, if a police vehicle has its siren/lights on, you must yield to them. If they're driving stealth (ie. no siren, just lights or no siren/lights), they have to yield to you.

[jar_e]

Originally Posted by The Special One

jar_e is an EMT. I think he'd know.

And just to verify...I've worked closely with EMS/CFD/CPS for the last 4 years in various roles...but not an EMT...I'm not that smart

[GreatWhiteEbola]

Originally Posted by Pastiche

That is just what my above post was about. It is NOT legal to turn into the outside lanes as indicated in that diagram.

Yeah, I found what I was looking for...

http://www.transportation.alberta.ca/2020.htm

[chummer]

Originally Posted by TRIX

no, not always.

Like Jar_e says it is the law but common sense takes over and many times we turn the siren off.Always try to have it on at intersections,the officer controls the siren and usully(the driver)operates the air horn.

As annoying as it is to other drivers,the siren is loud in the cab too.
A lot of times we are trying to talk about the call we're going to so the siren makes it hard to communicate.


One of the best tools we have are opticoms.These are little boxes with tubes at major intersections and they are activated by a flashing strobe on the fire truck that turns the light green for us.

For some reason they are only fire trucks ,still not sure why CPS and EMS don't have them.

[johnnyluv]

If there's one thing that bothers me for no good reason, it's people signalling in lanes that can only turn right/left. Particularly when they follow it up by not signalling to change lanes.

The use of certain merge lanes really pisses me off, particularly on the Glenmore bridge. In theory, a driver should merge to the left as soon as it's safe/convenient to do so. In practice, half the people will ignore an open space early on and zip to the end of the lane, forcing the person next to them to make room. I don't believe this is illegal, but it sure makes you look like an arrogant jackass.

[NBC]

Apparently the speed signs on off-ramps, etc. that are in yellow are suggested speeds and not enforceable speed limits. There is one on Crowchild South when exiting onto the Glenmore Trail overpass. I can't remember the speed but the sign is in yellow and therefore unenforceable.

[stampsx2]

Originally Posted by chummer

As annoying as it is to other drivers,the siren is loud in the cab too.
A lot of times we are trying to talk about the call we're going to so the siren makes it hard to communicate.

Thank you for clearing this up. Couldn't understand why it was turned on only at intersections. Startles drivers and we have a hard time getting out of your way. Like I mentioned before, we need time to adjust. You would think the cab would be sound proof. But I will stop complaining since I now see why you need it off.

[La Flames Fan]

Originally Posted by Tyler

Another one - the Mckenzie Towne traffic circle.

Dumbasses driving around the whole stupid thing in the outside lane.

Thank you. You can always tell who has never driven it or is just an arse.

[StealthOiler]

I wish they would paint lines or arrows on the road in the McKenzie Towne traffic circle. Everyone should know how to operate it, but far too many times I've seen some fender benders that could easily be avoided with a bit of knowledge. Lines might help the ignorant people.

[Thor]

Originally Posted by La Flames Fan

Thank you. You can always tell who has never driven it or is just an arse.

I was nearly hit so many times in that circle, I always drove it assuming someone wouldn't yield to me.

Once a guy nearly hit me in the outside circle as I turned from the inside towards 7/11 and the Gas station, we both slammed on the breaks and he lost it, followed me to 7/11 and got out yelling at me that I'm an idiot. There was a bunch of people outside the store listening to all this and after about 30 seconds of him explaining the outside lane had right of way a lady chirps up and yells your dead wrong and the whole group of people starts correcting him, mixed in with laughter and yelling.

Never seen someone go from so angry to so embarrassed, he got back into his car and drove away peeling out the parking-lot. Apperantly peeling out to indicate he was still 'the man.'

Never laughed so hard.

[Thor]

Traffic Circle

In a traffic circle , the vehicle on the right must yield to the vehicle on the left. The driver on the left must signal and use caution when leaving the circle and crossing through the outside lane.

In this diagram:

B and C must yield to A.

E must yield to D while F and D proceed together.

H must yield to G.

Traffic in the lanes indicated in red , must yield to traffic in the lanes indicated in yellow. Traffic entering into the circle must yield to traffic already in the circle. when you are leaving the traffic circle use your right turning signal to warn other drivers of your intention.