Learn How to Drive/Passenge/Pedest

[Phanuthier]

Originally Posted by Weiser Wonder

I also find driving stressful and will generally avoid it.

I drive about 80 miles a day in california, but less now, no problem. In calgary i can't drive more than ten minutes without getting pisses off so i avoid driving at all possible costs. Way too many passive aggressive drivers out there combined with cell phone drivers.

[Rathji]

Originally Posted by llama64

Personally I can't wait till car's drive themselves by interfacing with a municipal transit grid.

If I have a choice of using the train or diving, I use the train. Less stress and usually takes the same amount of time. Busses on the other hand are lame.

The option to sleep, read or watch a show while I am heading to work is far better than dealing with the idiots on the road.

Sometimes my schedule doesn't allow me to take transit so I need to drive, but I always make sure I am in downtown before 7am on those days.

[JustAnotherGuy]

Originally Posted by Rathji

The option to sleep, read or watch a show while I am heading to work is far better than dealing with the idiots on the road.

Sometimes my schedule doesn't allow me to take transit so I need to drive, but I always make sure I am in downtown before 7am on those days.

I have a question. I am being serious, not a jerk.

How many idiot drivers do you encounter when you drive? Is it 1 a day or 10 a day or a 100 a day?

For myself I think it is 1 a week. I drive maybe 100-150 kms a week.

[algernon]

I consider the following actions worthy of indictment in the hallowed halls of Idiocy;
Not signaling
Texting while driving
Impeding traffic flow for no good reason
4" muffler tips
Tinted side front windows
SUV's crashed into the ditch due to over-reliance of AWD
Complete stop in a dedicated merge lane
Late left hand signal in a turning lane
Dash full of trinkets/bauble head dolls
Over use of brakes

There are more, but I usually see at least one of these on an average day.

[Rathji]

Originally Posted by JustAnotherGuy

I have a question. I am being serious, not a jerk.

How many idiot drivers do you encounter when you drive? Is it 1 a day or 10 a day or a 100 a day?

For myself I think it is 1 a week. I drive maybe 100-150 kms a week.

When it snows, a lot. Otherwise it isn't that bad really. I general, I think a better description of what I have a problem with is bad traffic conditions. Winter brings out the stupid in many people.

Adding the to list above, just from the last little bit;

-People who don't scrap off windows.
-People in big pick up trucks doing 60 down the narrow streets of mckenzie towne
-People straddling lanes when it is really obvious. I mean if they took one second to look at other traffic around them, they would realize something is wrong.
-people who drive on residential streets like they are in some sort of Tokyo Drift competition.

In the last 2 weeks I have driven my car maybe 16 blocks total a day to the Park and Ride and back, other than the occasional evening trip. Only one day, Fri Nov 19, when traffic was terrible and I waited for the 302 for 40 minutes downtown did I regret not driving, but even then I watched 4 episodes of Weeds before I got home so it really wasn't that bad.

[Cheerio]

Originally Posted by algernon

I consider the following actions worthy of indictment in the hallowed halls of Idiocy;
Not signaling
Texting while driving
Impeding traffic flow for no good reason
4" muffler tips
Tinted side front windows
SUV's crashed into the ditch due to over-reliance of AWD
Complete stop in a dedicated merge lane
Late left hand signal in a turning lane
Dash full of trinkets/bauble head dolls
Over use of brakes

There are more, but I usually see at least one of these on an average day.

OMG This!

[jolinar of malkshor]

Originally Posted by DownInFlames

What highway? I drive as much as you do and this rarely happens to me. I'm always looking far ahead anticipating what people are going to do. I think I've had to slam on the brakes once or twice in 15 years.

I drive several different ways to work but when I take highway 21 that is where I find most of the problem people. Most of the secondary highways I find that most people don't proceed when unsafe.

I always watch every vehicle on the road including those approaching the highway. I have probably saved my life on several occasions because I am very well aware of what is going on around me. This doesn't prevent people from driving out in front of you after they have stopped, waited for 30 secs and then drive out onto the highway when you are only several hundred meters away. Like I said before, if the person has to apply there breaks because you proceeded onto the highway in front of them, you proceeded unsafely.

[jolinar of malkshor]

Originally Posted by Pinner

I would agree, maybe he should turn his headlights on ?

Driving much faster than the flow and not accommodating merging traffic ?

I can't tell if you are being sarcastic but in case you are not; I always drive with my lights on and there is no such thing as merging traffic from a gravel road onto a highway.

[jolinar of malkshor]

Originally Posted by Burninator

When I was younger our family took a trip to the Maritimes and on a 100kph highway there was someone that backed out onto the highway and didn't even look. We had to swerve to avoid t-boning them. Our families reaction went from gasps of impending doom to all out rage at their idiocy.

Crazy, I have never had that happen thank goodness but I have had a lot of people just turn onto the highway without looking at all. At least with the people that fly up to a stop sign, fail to stop and turn onto the highway, you can see that coming and at least slow down. When people are stopped at a stop sign and are waiting and then all of a sudden turn onto the road seconds before you reach the intersection, there is no way to anticipate that.

[jolinar of malkshor]

Originally Posted by JustAnotherGuy

You are driving on the highway and you see a car that is waiting to turn onto the highway. What do you do?

1. Continue driving as you were and compleletly ignore them?
2. Continue driving while keeping an eye on them as you move over to the left in your lane?
3. Safely change into the left hand lane?

I can only assume you are doing option 1.

Ok smart guy, you want me to move into on coming traffic so buddy can make a unsafe turn onto the highway. Gotch ya.

What makes you think I am driving on a 4 lane highway?

[jolinar of malkshor]

Originally Posted by algernon

I love the ######s that do 200 km of highway driving a day just to get to work and back.
I can't stand how ignorant people are about road safety their actions towards mother earth.

I understand not wanting to live in Edmonton, but 10 hours a week commuting? Are you effing crazy? What kind of existence is that?

You should punch yourself in the batteries.

Wow, the arrogance. Really, who do you think you are? My existence is quite fine, in fact I couldn't ask for a better existence. I get to enjoy a quiet life from a-holes like you on my Acreage. I get to have animals and grow my own food. My wife only has to drive 5 minutes to get to work. I don't have to worry about crime, smog or noise.

I used to live in Calgary. My work was only 5 miles from my house yet regularly it took me over 40 mins to get to work, some times 1.5 hours. It takes me 1 hour to go door to door from my house to work. Some people in my office live in West Edmonton, St. Albert, Sherwood Park and many days it takes them close to an hour to get to the office. So you can take your condescending tree hugger attitude and bugger off.

[Mr.Coffee]

Originally Posted by jolinar of malkshor

Wow, the arrogance. Really, who do you think you are? My existence is quite fine, in fact I couldn't ask for a better existence. I get to enjoy a quiet life from a-holes like you on my Acreage. I get to have animals and grow my own food. My wife only has to drive 5 minutes to get to work. I don't have to worry about crime, smog or noise.

I use to live in Calgary. My work was only 5 miles from my house yet regularly it took me over 40 mins to get to work, some times 1.5 hours. It takes me 1 hour to go door to door from my house to work. Some people in my office live in West Edmonton, St. Albert, Sherwood Park and many days it takes them close to an hour to get to the office. So you can take your condescending tree hugger attitude and bugger off.

What do you use to live in Calgary?

[jolinar of malkshor]

Originally Posted by Mr.Coffee

What do you use to live in Calgary?

Where? Just off Centre Street and 78 ave.

[Mr.Coffee]

Originally Posted by jolinar of malkshor

Where? Just off Centre Street and 78 ave.

No not where, you said you "use to live in Calgary". I'd like to know what you use to live in Calgary. Like shoes, or maybe a hat? Maybe you use drugs, or other narcotics. People use all sorts of things. So the question is, what do you use to live in Calgary?

[jolinar of malkshor]

Originally Posted by Mr.Coffee

No not where, you said you "use to live in Calgary". I'd like to know what you use to live in Calgary. Like shoes, or maybe a hat? Maybe you use drugs, or other narcotics. People use all sorts of things. So the question is, what do you use to live in Calgary?

Used to, you happy...

[frinkprof]

Originally Posted by jolinar of malkshor

Wow, the arrogance. Really, who do you think you are? My existence is quite fine, in fact I couldn't ask for a better existence. I get to enjoy a quiet life from a-holes like you on my Acreage. I get to have animals and grow my own food. My wife only has to drive 5 minutes to get to work. I don't have to worry about crime, smog or noise.

I use to live in Calgary. My work was only 5 miles from my house yet regularly it took me over 40 mins to get to work, some times 1.5 hours. It takes me 1 hour to go door to door from my house to work. Some people in my office live in West Edmonton, St. Albert, Sherwood Park and many days it takes them close to an hour to get to the office. So you can take your condescending tree hugger attitude and bugger off.

This is not congruent with complaining about things. Driving, for example.

[frinkprof]

Originally Posted by jolinar of malkshor

Used to, you happy...

You happy... what?

[Mr.Coffee]

Originally Posted by jolinar of malkshor

Used to, you happy...

much better

[stuck_in_chuk]

I have a co-worker who is from some small city in BC. At least 2 times per week, she complains about "Calgary drivers" and always points out that she is a good driver. She has also averaged about 1 accident per year over the 3 years I have worked with her.

I do not consider myself to be a great driver - I am an infrequent driver, and tend to find myself trying to figure out what lane I need to be in. However, I learned to drive in Ontario on the 401, and never have had any problems driving there because everything is much better marked. My pet peeve when driving is people who speed up when you put on your turn signal so that you can't switch lanes. A-holes.

More often, I walk to work and am fortunate that most of my route has very limited traffic. I have had enough near misses in my life that I don't trust anyone, and make sure that I make eye contact with a driver before crossing the road. A few months ago, a guy talking on a cell phone pulled up to a corner and was about to just roll through when he noticed me standing on the corner glaring at him. It wasn't a near miss or anything - I had a feeling he wouldn't notice me so I didn't cross the street until I was sure he did notice me. However, this was right by a public school, and was at about 8:15 am so there were lots of kids around. It could have easily been a tragic situation.

[Rathji]

Originally Posted by stuck_in_chuk

I have a co-worker who is from some small city in BC. At least 2 times per week, she complains about "Calgary drivers" and always points out that she is a good driver. She has also averaged about 1 accident per year over the 3 years I have worked with her.

Overall, I consider myself a slightly below average driver. My ADD sometimes kicks in when I am behind the wheel and occasionally I really have to focus to make sure I stay in my lane. This is one of the reasons why I have been very happy the last year to be able to take transit to work.

I have only had 1 accident in my driving life, about 15 years now and it was the first winter I was driving. Using that as a baseline, I don't understand how someone with 3 accidents in 3 years could think they were a good driver.

That is actually really scary if you think about it.