I walk most of the time, and I am amazed at the number of (well-intentioned) drivers who stop in the middle of an intersection to let me cross. This usually happens at our city’s very annoying 4-way stops (I won’t even get into the subject of drivers who don’t know how they work).
I know you’re trying to be nice (and I do appreciate that!) but if you’re already in the intersection when you see me approaching the curb please keep going! It’s illegal to stop in the middle of an intersection, causes other drivers to slam on their brakes, and one of the most common offenses when Canada’s Worst Driver does it’s real-life challenge. Are YOU Canada’s Worst Driver? —A Pedestrian who can wait 5 seconds to cross the street
This article appears in Sep 23-29, 2010.
i have never seen drivers from the eastcoast on that show…most of them that appear on the program should never ever ever drive again
I don’t know about you but as a pedestrian, I don’t wait at 4 way stops….
I feel entitled to the right of way as soon as the current car
-no matter which direction he is travelling-
is through the intersection.
Are Peds supposed to wait their turn at 4 way stops?
if so, that’s pretty messed that I’m waiting out in the cold and snow for a guy in a car who’s toasty and warm.
That’s all fine and dandy that you’ll wait until the car passes OP, but the chances of a pedestrian just walking out into the road even though they see a car coming is quite high. Which is why if I see someone close to a crosswalk I slow down because they usually don’t wait and see if you can come to a safe stop before they cross.
Those 4 way stops should not have crosswalks in every direction. If you are trying to turn, the same pedestrian can hold you up twice as long.
that show has nothing on some of the clowns locally. then again, the peds aren’t too fucking swift either.go figure.
So much can be said about the skills (or lack thereof) of drivers around here. I would love to see what driver’s ed courses are like here, because there is obviously something wrong. Sorry but the average driver here has the reflexes and the motor skills of a whale turd on ecstasy (why?).
I happen to be in the maintenance / fleet management business, and the collision rate in this area (number of accidents divided by the number of vehicles on the road) is 3 times the national average. Of all the places where I’ve lived, this is by far the scariest town to drive in.
i think the drivers in these parts don’t have necks that swivel “whale turd on ecstasy” haha
Obviously the OP has never walked in front of my SUV, because I don’t slow down if the person is not on a crosswalk.
PG: Absolutely. Just to name a few, they have tunnel vision (can’t check blind spots – as mentionned by you), can’t use signals, use the wrong lane on the highway (as in sticking to the left lane and holding up traffic unnecessarily), have no clue whose turn it is to take off when faced with a 3 or 4 corner stop, and often drive 20 km/h slower than the posted limit (but still crash more than the average). A lot of them also think it is good practice to swerve right before making a low-speed left turn (without signals) as if their sedan had the turning radius of an 18-wheeler. Seriously, driving around here was the biggest cultural shock I had when I moved to Halifax. Don’t get me wrong – a lot of things are great here, and I’m not about to move out (not for a couple years anyway), but driving here is a nightmare.
The driving here is NOTHING compared to rural NB *shudder*. Driving here is waaaaay better than there – it’s a pleasure compared to hicksville. And don’t get me started on that bilingual city in NB – holy sweet fucking motha of jebus christers – I think les acadiens should NOT be allowed behind the wheel…
my favourite leotard move is when a driver slams on the brakes when merging
Or when the driver in front of you slams on his brakes to ALLOW a merging driver onto the highway…thank goodness motorcycles fit nicely on those white lines that separate the lanes or you wouldn’t be reading this comment!
That white line is as slippery as snot though…don’t linger there! Losing the front while sandwiched between two SUV-driving retards could cause irrepairable damage to your underwear, amongst other things. I refrain from riding my motorcycle during peak commuting hours (especially on Fridays). That’s how sad it is…
Here ya go LS, you love lincolns
http://www.reghardware.com/2010/09/30/batm…
we just need a few of those out there and no-one will be breaking the law….
na na na na na na na na
na na na na na na na na
BATMAN!
Pow!
Poof!
Slam-o!
I hear ya Frenchie! You and I could probably trade highway horror stories. After 20-some years riding my own motorcycle I’ve shared the road and even my lane with some real ignoramouses (ignorami?), leotards and asshats.
aah, i can picture it…oceanlady in the front with batmobiles watching the flank. then…whatever i’m drawing a blank^^
Who drives?
http://www.mektek.net/forums/gallery/12022…
PG
it is a thing of rare beauty vroooom…lovin the dinghies donkey darlin^^
yeah zzz, love to be able to get one of those, hugo, that loks like a neat ride, must see about getting one of those for next winter.
I like your pic, Donkey. Very artistic!
The dinghies make me think of snow-flakes, no two the same.
Puss_N_Boots, I won’t say what your avatar makes me think of:)>
Thanks y’all! *said in southern accent*
Having a snow-cone?
:p
“I don’t know about you but as a pedestrian, I don’t wait at 4 way stops….”
But is the right of way really worth your life if the driver doesn’t see you?
Pedestrians need to understand that you may not always be visible to drivers. Wearing dark clothing at dusk for example, makes you incredibly difficult to see. As does stepping out from behind a pole.
Remember that incident on barrington street where a girl died in a cross walk after she was run over by a dump truck? She stepped out into the cross walk without waiting to make sure that the driver saw her – He didn’t obviously.
So poster, maybe you should rethink your statement there!
JAX, I suppose you bring up a good point.
I do wait for the current car to go through but being a largish sized human gets me a bit more visibility with regards to those driving…so I walk after car #1 is through the intersection. I suppose I should have put a disclaimer.
WARNING: not recommended for those under 110 lbs.
I would like to be on “Canada’s best cyclist”.