Traffic in our city is always a concern I drive roughly 600 to 700km a week, and I have a few things I’d like to share. I will state I am not the best driver on the roads, but I work very hard at being a safe driver, I have worked too long and hard for what I have to be careless.
1) Cyclists (bike riders): As most people that drive I spend a lot of money for the privilege, (yes driving is not a right) and for doing so I, as well as all the other drivers, have very specific laws that we must follow, which now included some new laws for our responsibilities for cyclists. So all I ask is that cyclists show some common sense and follow the few simple laws that apply to you when on the roads with us motorists. (Yes I know there are a lot of cyclists who follow the rules this is to the ones that don’t.)
2) Texting while driving: Don’t be so stupid. There is nothing on that phone that’s worth your life or worse someone else’s life that can’t wait until you arrive at your destination.
3) Speeders: Slow down, drive safe and smart. You’ll save a life and gas.
4) Access NS (formally the Registry of Motor Vehicles): Why is it a driver can walk in, pay the fee, show their insurance card and renew their driver license, without proving they are a safe driver? There are so many dumb and dangerous people with a driver’s licence I am shocked and amazed. They need to set stiffer rules and penalties for new drivers. Some of these kids get behind the wheel and it’s like a video game for them. They need to learn that for every dumb action there are consequences for poor judgment and reckless behaviour. When we renew our licence after five years there should be a written test to prove we are up on the current laws and requirements and we should all have to take a road test to prove we are not a menace on the roads. For a lot of us it’s been a lot of years since we got our license, a lot of bad habits formed in this time so we may not be as good as we think we are. As we all get to a certain age we should all have to go for re-testing every year, and if necessary pull the driver’s licence and hold the vehicle until it can be retrieved by a competent driver. Taking these kinds of actions is aggressive; but when we get to the point we are a danger to ourselves and others. Common sense should outweigh hurt feelings.
These are one person’s views. —One Person
This article appears in Sep 6-12, 2012.
as a new driver older than average, I would appreciate not having a 2 year period to be a ‘real’ driver. However, I understand legislation is not always written to accommodate us all. Being over 30 (and then some) I think I deserve a little credit for my maturity and perhaps should only be an “N” for a year, not 2 but that’s how it is.
On the other hand, my father has voluntarily given up his driving due to his medical condition. I only wish all ill people would do the same when their condition affects their ability to react quickly.
Having to study for the tests, I am more appalled then ever at how awful people drive! I agree that some education every 10 years even would be helpful to drivers. To think you get to do a test once and you’re good for 70 years….kind of scary.
Cyclists show common sense – aint happening in Gotham
to your 2nd and 3rd points….
http://jalopnik.com/5940584/and-then-there…
Excellent post by one person. I wish “it goes without saying” but, unfortunately it doesn’t.
Yeh Zed, the YOLO character is an example of Darwinism at work.
o.p., i have always been of the opinion that everyone, aged 25 and over, should have a mandatory driving test, every 5 years. i have seen some doozie drivers in my time on the roads too. the latest being in the states, last month. there are some serious fuckheads behind the wheel down there. halifax is bad enough, couple that thought with being a u.s. citizen, and the entitlement is just insane. the worst are the tractor trailor drivers, man they are fucking crazy.
OB I only drive as fast as I can see.
I really believe posted speed limits should be a minimum speed you have to drive at. With a provision of still being legal, up to 15% faster than the posted speed. the only exception should be school zones … the little ones are generally too young to realise how badly they can be hurt by 2+ tons of low flying steel on rubber tires !
Oh yes, anyone crossing in a cross walk who has a stop signal (you know the flashing red hand telling you to stay off the fucking street & wait your turn…) should be fair game to run over & if they survive, are responsible for any damage to your vehicle, if not it falls to the family to pay it.
The roads of HRM are a safer place without me .
“When we renew our licence after five years there should be a written test to prove we are up on the current laws and requirements and we should all have to take a road test to prove we are not a menace on the roads”
I couldn’t disagree more.
The bad drivers have already proven that they can pass both written and road test.
And, the good drivers don’t need their money sucked out of their pockets over shitty ideas like this.
LOLOLOLOL, 600-700km’s/week. That’s probably a less than average amount of weekly driving, and does not make you an authority on anything driving related.
“the worst are the tractor trailor drivers, man they are fucking crazy.”
My father was a long haul driver for most of his life, (now retired), and while there ARE idiots in big rigs out there, my experience has shown me that this is usually the exception and not the rule. I would trust a seasoned tractor trailer driver long before trusting about 95% of the other drivers out there, for knowing and practicing the rules of the road/safe driving techniques. The good ones know that this is their livelihood. Pushing the limits or being careless usually does not end well and if they’re injured, their rig is damaged or their license is suspended, they’re not getting a paycheque. If the wheels aren’t turning, you aren’t making any money.
Not only that, but when you’re strapped to 85,000 + pounds rolling down the road at 120km/h, you ALWAYS have to be thinking 2-3 steps ahead. You aren’t stopping on a dime nor are you going to out manoeuvre the smaller, lighter vehicles out there, most of them piloted by meat heads.
I remember my Dad telling me of one of his biggest fears while driving truck and it was the disturbing trend at the time, down in the States of suicidal people intentionally steering their cars into the oncoming path of a tractor trailer. While he wasn’t worried so much about himself being injured/killed, (he’s got rolling weight and size on his side), he said the thought of having killed someone, even if it wasn’t his fault, would have destroyed him.
Harper,, I drive < 10 000 km a year.
My nearly antiquated car should still last easily another 8-10 years because of it…
but when you factor I have been driving 14 years now, it adds up.
Not to mention you learn a LOT about drivers around here by both taking the bus (plenty of accidents on Metro Transit’s record) and just trying to survive as a pedestrian.
I also happen to notice you didn’t really contest ANY of the points they made… congrats on the useless post. At least your avatar pic is pretty…
Off topic
I read awhile ago about train engineer’s and subway train engineer’s needing help for PTSD because of suicial people running(jumping)onto the tracks infront of the train.
I couldn’t imagine living with the guilt, if I was an engineer that unknowingly killed a person.
just a person?
I don’t think I’d have any qualms with accidentally killing a suicidal person willing to do that,
but this… is abhorrent.
http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/world/2012-09…
I’d have a hard time sleeping after something like that.
5 dislikes on my previous posts LMAO
Seems I have pissed off a bunch of ‘J walkers’ !
~:p
There is no common sense today, that is a thing of the past. It has become extinct.