You Know What Really Grinds My Gears? Now with 3x more gears...

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by Fuzz

They just made it all easier to get licenses last year. Expect driving to get worse.

Why? I feel driving is a big responsibility that far too many people take for granted as incompetence can lead to deadly consequences. Making it easier for strugglers to get licenses simply makes the roads more unpredictable and less safe. It seems to me that a lot of people barely use their turn signals or shoulder check these days as we gradually get worse and worse at driving.

[Fuzz]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

Why? I feel driving is a big responsibility that far too many people take for granted as incompetence can lead to deadly consequences. Making it easier for strugglers to get licenses simply makes the roads more unpredictable and less safe. It seems to me that a lot of people barely use their turn signals or shoulder check these days as we gradually get worse and worse at driving.

Because they got rid of the graduated licensing, but instead of keeping the advanced test, they just kept the basic one. They did this for votes, of course.

[Wormius]

Originally Posted by Fuzz

They just made it all easier to get licenses last year. Expect driving to get worse.

Counterpoint: If won’t make much of a difference. The restrictions imposed by the graduated licensing wouldn’t have an appreciable affect on anyone’s experience around a new driver on the road.

[Fuzz]

OK, so I guess the information they gave out earlier was not clear. They had indicated they were doing away with the advance part. What they actually did was add 15 minutes to the road test for new licensees. This is good. But it does leave all those who got their GDL and didn't upgrade never having to do a more advanced one.

The Class 5 and Class 6 road tests are enhanced, and both include elements from the advanced road test.

• The Class 5 road test will increase from 30 minutes to 45 minutes to ensure that we are focused on safety first.

https://www.alberta.ca/changes-to-dr...censing-system


Given the general quality of drivers out there, I suggest we need to be more strict because whatever we are doing isn't producing competent drivers.

[Erick Estrada]

While we are on the topic of bad drivers, is it me or does there seem to be more people that are lane wandering real bad. Daily I watch cars ahead of me on John Laurie start moving towards the centerline practically with a tire on the line like they are making an unsignalled change only to slowly drift back into their lane close to the curb, rinse and repeat with the wandering from side to side.

[Fuzz]

Every time I see that, they are on their phones. Often it's work vehicles, like contractors.

[PepsiFree]

They need to do another push on distracted driving and up the fines for being on your phone. I’ve definitely seen it more since the pandemic.

[Fuzz]

If you cause an accident while using your phone driving, you should be forced to stand in the middle of Deerfoot solving Xitter captchas for 10 minutes. Stream it for publicity.

[Weitz]

Does it matter if they’re not enforcing it? The amount of people I see on phones… cops should be giving out huge amount of tickets but I imagine there isn’t many.

[GirlySports]

There are alot. Whenever you are to the right of a left turning lane and the flashing arrow goes, watch how slow people react to it because they are on their phones. Instead of 10 cars going through, it's maybe 6.

[Sainters7]

Originally Posted by TorqueDog

Probably don't want to see them on the road, quite frankly.



Strugglers stay home.

At the very least until 9 AM. People with nowhere to be (and drive like it) who just choose to start their daily errands or go out for breakfast in the middle of morning rush hour are the worst. At least match the urgency on the road in that hour, you know you can feel it.

[CliffFletcher]

The wife and kids were rear-ended a couple months ago by a lady in a pickup truck. They were stopped with their signal on waiting for pedestrians to cross the entrance to parking lot and she slammed into them without slowing down. The mini-van was almost a write-off. My wife has neck issues now.

The driver was almost certainly on their phone. Is there any way to prove it? Nope.

I wish insurance companies could pull cell-phone records in the case of serious collisions. A few well-publicized cases of drivers being on the hook for tens of thousands would change behaviour.

[SutterBrother]

I’m trading in a perfectly good car that is 12 years old and less than 100k miles simply so we can have sensor tech and 360 cameras because so many other people drive with their cell phones out.

I can’t wait for self driving cars. Women can chat with friends and online shop, and dudes can get in a good wank. How is this a bad plan?

I mean sure. A.I. will make mistakes, and not see Oiler jerseys in crosswalks, but the odd glitch is a low price for getting rid of distracted, drunk, angry, incompetent meatbags who would rather not be driving anyway.

[Titan2]

Originally Posted by SutterBrother

I’m trading in a perfectly good car that is 12 years old and less than 100k miles simply so we can have sensor tech and 360 cameras because so many other people drive with their cell phones out.

I can’t wait for self driving cars. Women can chat with friends and online shop, and dudes can get in a good wank. How is this a bad plan?

I mean sure. A.I. will make mistakes, and not see Oiler jerseys in crosswalks, but the odd glitch is a low price for getting rid of distracted, drunk, angry, incompetent meatbags who would rather not be driving anyway.

Running over an Oiler fan? That's going in the bank!

[Nyah]

Originally Posted by CliffFletcher

The driver was almost certainly on their phone. Is there any way to prove it? Nope.

I have front and rear dashcams that I had installed after a close call like that (on Deerfoot). The rear dashcam is great, and would definitely catch if someone was looking down at their phone at the time of a collision. There are just so many idiots on the road and I drive Deerfoot every day as part of my commute, so the dashcam was a must for me.

[Slava]

Originally Posted by Fuzz

Because they got rid of the graduated licensing, but instead of keeping the advanced test, they just kept the basic one. They did this for votes, of course.

No one was bothering to take the second test though. It was a money grab, pure and simple under the guise of safety.

Originally Posted by CliffFletcher

The wife and kids were rear-ended a couple months ago by a lady in a pickup truck. They were stopped with their signal on waiting for pedestrians to cross the entrance to parking lot and she slammed into them without slowing down. The mini-van was almost a write-off. My wife has neck issues now.

The driver was almost certainly on their phone. Is there any way to prove it? Nope.

I wish insurance companies could pull cell-phone records in the case of serious collisions. A few well-publicized cases of drivers being on the hook for tens of thousands would change behaviour.

Would that pose problems if you have it connected through bluetooth or plugged in though? I listen to things while I drive and I wouldn't want to get flagged for this, but I would image the tech is there to show that you were just listening to a book or whatever and not taking selfies.

[lazypucker]

Originally Posted by Nyah

I have front and rear dashcams that I had installed after a close call like that (on Deerfoot). The rear dashcam is great, and would definitely catch if someone was looking down at their phone at the time of a collision. There are just so many idiots on the road and I drive Deerfoot every day as part of my commute, so the dashcam was a must for me.

I make it a habit to honk at the car in front of me if they are on their phones on a red light when it turns green.

[Erick Estrada]

One thing I liked about Tesla ownership is that the cameras are always on which is incredibly handy for accident events. It appears the technology has been tested in hopes of catching distracted drivers. I imagine it's just a matter of time as I'm sure the cities these days would welcome the opportunity to easily generate more money as this is something that would probably bring in a lot.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmon...2022-1.6581840

[Fuzz]

Originally Posted by SutterBrother

I’m trading in a perfectly good car that is 12 years old and less than 100k miles simply so we can have sensor tech and 360 cameras because so many other people drive with their cell phones out.

I can’t wait for self driving cars. Women can chat with friends and online shop, and dudes can get in a good wank. How is this a bad plan?

I mean sure. A.I. will make mistakes, and not see Oiler jerseys in crosswalks, but the odd glitch is a low price for getting rid of distracted, drunk, angry, incompetent meatbags who would rather not be driving anyway.

This sensor tech and overconfidence in it is contributing tot he poor driver problem. People can't backup without backup cams, and rely on the tech to make up for their pathetic abilities, along with vehicles that have horrible visibility to the point you almost have to have something.


Get everyone back in sedans, hatchbacks, minivans, and wagons and you don't need all these features. Modern vehicles are awful in so many ways. But then, consumers choose them too.

[CliffFletcher]

Originally Posted by Fuzz

Get everyone back in sedans, hatchbacks, minivans, and wagons and you don't need all these features. Modern vehicles are awful in so many ways. But then, consumers choose them too.

It probably goes with saying, but the F150 that slammed into my wife’s minivan barely had a scratch on it. But no doubt the driver - a teacher on her way home from work - needs that sort of vehicle to get around.