Do people switch off their brains when driving?

[Jayems]

Originally Posted by llama64

I can't wait till I can move out of the 'burbs and into a decent place somewhere in the inner core. The day I can stop driving everywhere will be a great day in deed. Seriously, driving around Calgary these days is a nightmare.

I tend to stay well away from SUV's and any pickup truck. Seems to me that the trucks are the worst offenders on the road. They accellerate way to fast for their size and tend to be driven by revved up 20 year old single guys who think its fun to swerved around slower moving traffic (read, going the speed limit). Way too many close calls for me regarding trucks.

meh... avoiding the panhandlers is just as bad.

[Addick]

Originally Posted by Jayems

meh... avoiding the panhandlers is just as bad.

Funny thing is that if there were more people like llama64 and the downtown population becomes large enough panhandlers will become less of a problem. The "Eyes on the Street" theory, God bless Jane Jacobs!

[MagicallyAdept]

This could be merged with the other thread about great feelings.

Because getting to work without someone nearly crashing into me, having to use my horn or getting shouted it is one of those feelings.

[Looger]

Originally Posted by llama64

I can't wait till I can move out of the 'burbs and into a decent place somewhere in the inner core. The day I can stop driving everywhere will be a great day in deed. Seriously, driving around Calgary these days is a nightmare.

i moved out of calgary's burbs a few years ago, haven't looked back.

soccer moms tailgating me for not doing 80 in residential / school zones full of slow-witted children that wander the main arteries was a major factor, somewhat ahead of local busybodies 'where were you last night, got home pretty late...' or people calling the cops at 9 pm on a saturday for 'noise'.

down harvest hills boulevard the cops finally started hanging out across the road from that 7-11 and i was chatting with the officer one day, he'd nailed women in minivans doing 130. they've put a few more lights on that road since but it's still pretty ridiculous.

problems listed with SUVs and people's attitudes are all valid so far, i'll add a couple:

300 horsepower convinces people that these things are sports cars, all that glass and steel up high and the laws of physics and the comfy suspensions are often on the edge of telling them for sure what the score is. 4x4 does not equal the ability to stop, none of these monstrosities has the brakes of a performance car - maybe they never can.

as for the issue in general i think automatic transmissions play some part, people are just disconnected. but yes i know. traffic, coffee, makeup, who has the time to switch gears. these CVT's are going to turn people into zombies, the engine note doesn't change - i am fearing a slide further into the abyss on this one.

[llama64]

Originally Posted by Jayems

meh... avoiding the panhandlers is just as bad.

You avoid them?

[Resolute 14]

My favorite are the idiots on Elbow and 68th who stop in the intersection - usually blocking the crosswalk - so they can be on the "right side" of the red light there while parked because traffic is backed up at Glenmore. I have found that a mocking applause of their actions when I am walking by them is much more insulting than the middle finger is. One of these days, I am simply going to jump up and walk over their hood. Afterall, I would still be crossing over the lines.

The flip side, however, is that I nearly killed a kid once who thought that it was a good idea to run across 61st Avenue to get to Chinook Centre against a red. I personally think that in that area - from Chinook Centre to the LRT station, vehicles should have the right to hit pedestrians who are cross the street against the lighjts.

[habernac]

Try dealing with idiot drivers talking on their cell phones while you're on a bicycle. Someone in Illinois recently was run over by a vehilce and killed. The driver was busy downloading ringtones to her phone. She got 6 months probation for killing a cycle commuter.

[Jayems]

Originally Posted by llama64

You avoid them?

Yeah, the last thing i need is some drunk bum with TB breathing in my face asking to spare some change so he can get hom...

[Jagger]

I've noticed the driving standards in Red Deer getting much worse as the city continues to grow. My wife has said numerous times recently that "It's getting as bad as Edmonton and Calgary" and it really is.

I also believe that driver education might have something to do with it. The driving test in England was MUCH more difficult than over here. I passed on the second attempt there but some people take many more times to pass. When I took the test here I made a couple of minor mistakes and I thought that I had blown it for sure. I was amazed when the examiner told me that I had passed easily! I would have failed in England for sure.

However, don't get me wrong some of the driving in the UK is pathetic and scary as hell. It's all relative I guess.

Roundabouts, or traffic circles, are the norm in England and actually work really well over there to keep the traffic flowing. Here, where they are not the norm they appear to cause chaos. If drivers would simply yield to cars already in the circle or to their left there would be no problems.

Worst traffic circle ever: Arc de Triomphe in Paris. I sat there once watching the traffic and witnessed three accidents in about 10 minutes. The drivers would get out of their cars, shout, push, and wave their arms about madly for about 30 seconds then jump in their cars and drive away, like nothing had happened. Very entertaining stuff!

[Dion]

About 5 years ago I was sitting at the lights on McLeod ad Heritage. At the lights were 2 pickups side by side. When the light turned green they were gonna show the rest of us what great traction they had. lol it turns green and off they went, tires spinning. Halfway through the intersection their back ends fish tail and the hit each other.

I drove by and shouted nice driving out the window.

[Nicole]

Originally Posted by Dion

About 5 years ago I was sitting at the lights on McLeod ad Heritage. At the lights were 2 pickups side by side. When the light turned green they were gonna show the rest of us what great traction they had. lol it turns green and off they went, tires spinning. Halfway through the intersection their back ends fish tail and the hit each other.

I drove by and shouted nice driving out the window.

I'll admit that I love trucks and am a total truck girl but I find that most guy's who drive them are complete asses and act like they own the road. I have been tailgated and cut off so many times by a guy in a truck that I've lost count. Seems like the majority are so aggressive and I think it makes them feel like they are a 'real man' while driving their 'real man' trucks.
... Overcompensating maybe??

[Dion]

Originally Posted by Nicole

I'll admit that I love trucks and am a total truck girl but I find that most guy's who drive them are complete asses and act like they own the road. I have been tailgated and cut off so many times by a guy in a truck that I've lost count. Seems like the majority are so aggressive and I think it makes them feel like they are a 'real man' while driving their 'real man' trucks.
... Overcompensating maybe??

Well i'm an SUV guy myself and drive one to boot. The problem is jackasses like the drivers of said pickups and SUVs for that matter give us very small minority of drivers a bad name. The fact I have AWD does not mean have I instant traction or that I can stop on a dime when it comes to snow and ice.

A few winters ago the local news did a survey of the bodyshops. each one said their biggest business came from pickups and SUV's.

I agree.......overcompensation

[Bobblehead]

4x4 last week was handy. It is also handy remembering that 4x4 helps get going, but not stopping. I drive through the 36th/McKnight construction and the lanes do a few jogs on southbound 36th (actually, it is now called Metis Trail). People couldn't see the lines and it was quite the adventure.

[shane_c]

Countless times I have almost been run off the road. Going NB on Deerfoot where Anderson merges on some guy in a big pickup went from the far right lane to the far left lane that I was in. I was laying on my horn but he didn't care. I had to lock my brakes up (thank goodness for ABS) from about 90km/h. Then another time going NB on Deerfoot where it's 2 lanes, just before those Anderson lanes merge on, traffic was all backed up and not really moving anywhere. Some guy in a Country Hills Toyota minivan was on my left. He looked over and saw me, at least I would assume he did because I saw him looking, then proceeded to get out of the left lane and drive into the side of me. I laid on my horn and he went back over to his lane. As soon as traffic started moving he cut in front of me and then cut across the median where Anderson is coming on and nearly got smoked by 2 cars flying up that way. They both had to swerve to avoid the guy.

FWIW I have upgraded my stock horn with the FIAMM highway blaster. It was a great improvment and hopefully wakes people up.

[Jayems]

Originally Posted by shane_c

Countless times I have almost been run off the road. Going NB on Deerfoot where Anderson merges on some guy in a big pickup went from the far right lane to the far left lane that I was in. I was laying on my horn but he didn't care. I had to lock my brakes up (thank goodness for ABS) from about 90km/h. Then another time going NB on Deerfoot where it's 2 lanes, just before those Anderson lanes merge on, traffic was all backed up and not really moving anywhere. Some guy in a Country Hills Toyota minivan was on my left. He looked over and saw me, at least I would assume he did because I saw him looking, then proceeded to get out of the left lane and drive into the side of me. I laid on my horn and he went back over to his lane. As soon as traffic started moving he cut in front of me and then cut across the median where Anderson is coming on and nearly got smoked by 2 cars flying up that way. They both had to swerve to avoid the guy.

FWIW I have upgraded my stock horn with the FIAMM highway blaster. It was a great improvment and hopefully wakes people up.

I'll call the cops on *******s like that anyday of the week.

[SpitFire40]

Originally Posted by Winsor_Pilates

I live by the Westhills ones and you're completely right. They're small and people have no idea how to deal with them. I'd say 90% of people just don't signal there at all and it ****es me off every time.

They're so damn small you have almost no time to Signal, but yeah it's annoying. The traffic definetely flows better there though.

[soulchoice]

Originally Posted by shane_c

Countless times I have almost been run off the road. Going NB on Deerfoot where Anderson merges on some guy in a big pickup went from the far right lane to the far left lane that I was in. I was laying on my horn but he didn't care. I had to lock my brakes up (thank goodness for ABS) from about 90km/h. Then another time going NB on Deerfoot where it's 2 lanes, just before those Anderson lanes merge on, traffic was all backed up and not really moving anywhere. Some guy in a Country Hills Toyota minivan was on my left. He looked over and saw me, at least I would assume he did because I saw him looking, then proceeded to get out of the left lane and drive into the side of me. I laid on my horn and he went back over to his lane. As soon as traffic started moving he cut in front of me and then cut across the median where Anderson is coming on and nearly got smoked by 2 cars flying up that way. They both had to swerve to avoid the guy.

FWIW I have upgraded my stock horn with the FIAMM highway blaster. It was a great improvment and hopefully wakes people up.

I can understand the second scenario, being that traffice was tied up. However, your first story, why were you only going 90km/h on Deerfoot, let alone in the left lane while doing so? Im just curious.

[shane_c]

Originally Posted by soulchoice

I can understand the second scenario, being that traffice was tied up. However, your first story, why were you only going 90km/h on Deerfoot, let alone in the left lane while doing so? Im just curious.

It wasn't wide open and traffic was going at that speed.

[Cube Inmate]

I don't know if it's as much a switching OFF, as it is a change from Dr. Jekyll to Mr. Hyde.

My brain sometimes turns off, but that doesn't stop me from signalling, shoulder-checking, and keeping my eyes open for potential idiots. I think it takes active thought to drive as poorly as some people do, and for some reason they don't feel that it's wrong when they're in the car.

I can start to become a road-hole when others around me are doing so...it's contagious. For others, it just comes naturally whenever they get in the car.

[trudinator]

Originally Posted by Ford Prefect

In Drumheller, where we moved to, this incident would never occur. It's not because Drumhellians are nicer people or anything. It has more to do with personal accountability. In a small town like Drum, if you act like a complete jerkoff, people know who you are and word gets around. In Calgary, anonimity removes the neccessity for people to be accountable for their behaviour. If you act like a jerkoff in public, so what. The odds of anybody knowing who you are are pretty slim. Calgary is great city, as far as cities go. It's not necessarily the best place to live though.

I agree
I grew up in a small town and if I was ever speeding or not driving properly my parents knew about before I got home. Once a construction worker who knew my friend called her parents to let them know she was speeding through a construction zone. You can bet that after being caught once we followed the rules of the road, once our parents let us drive again. I think all drivers of all ages should have there parents phone number on the back of their car so people can call the parents and let them know what they have been up too.