Some stupidity if they follow the letter of the law... Having a little fun in the snow with your AWD now consitutes 'stunt' driving. As well as if you're at an intersection facing a truck or two full of iron... You KNOW you can easily make your turn before they even get started, but nope, it's a 'stunt'.

As is intentionally driving 'too close' to something without cause. So all of those people you see that swerve 10' away from something because they CAN'T drive any closer to it? Well, that's the acceptable thing to do, now... Anything else? A 'stunt'!

Aha... however I've gotten off saying I was practicing my winter driving skills, and honing my skid control skills so I can better avoid an accident if need be.

You don't use it and you lose it. Where else are you supposed to practice?

I have said the same thing a Ryan on several occasions. I have even once asked one officer if he would like to follow us (my wife and I) home and back again. As we where about to go swap to the van and let my wife practice in the same lot if it was safe when we returned. He did not follow but was there when we got back.

That seemed to satisfy the police in my area.

In parking lots it's fine. You can tell the cops where to go because they have no jurisdiction on private property without a complaint...

As for your comment, Waldo, you CAN refuse to give up your license. But it's like refusing to submit for a breathalyzer, they take it as admitting your guilt.

I'm not so sure about that Troy, they seem to be specifically excluding 'some' events on private property, it leaves me with the impression they intend to enforce this new bill on private property.

(c) an event held on a closed course with the written approval of the road authority having jurisdiction over the highway, including any event lawfully using any of the trademarks “CART”, “Formula One”, “Indy”, “IndyCar”, “IRL” or “NASCAR”. O. Reg. 455/07, s. 4 (1).

I see no reason for this clause to exist, if they had no authority to enforce it anyhow?

Paul

I'm pretty sure that clause was written to cover events like a Grand Prix held on public streets. They're closed to the public, making it a 'closed course', but someone could complain why these cars are on public roads yet the cops aren't going after them... Stupid, but that's the legal system for you. They have to cover all the bases.

Touche, never even considered that.

Lets hope so...and open our own private roads

Paul

Its kinda funny, how they are so careful with their words for one thing (indy, Nascar etc), but the conviction is so vague.

It's actually far more specific than the original bill was.
A lot of it is common sense, but there are some items that are obviously wide open to abuse.


"No officer, it was not my intent to lose traction, the car makes that decision..."
Seriously though, I am glad they say "while turning", because otherwise I would be totally screwed!!!


All drives are scenic drives?

Fantino is a tool.

With an average of 38 busts a day and a total of over 1060 our streets should be much safer. Obviously it isn't. Even he was surprised by the numbers. I'm not but I'm still wondering where the outrage is.

Saw that this morning, my girlfriend sent it to me.

Rediculous!!!

Which girlfriend, the one cheating on you? And how is your rad leak??

Maybe he should think the other way and realize that society is driving faster and the current speed limits are bullshit.

A 125 km/hr or more! speed limit or staggered speeds depending on lane should be introduced.

That way old people can still do 80 on the 401 in the slow lane. Problem solved. They also really need to get moving on the 3 lanes from Cobourg to Kingston.

I'm sort of happy to see the assholes doing 160 in there SUV's or even dodge caravans getting nailed. Looks good on them especially the people who weave, ride your ass, get in between you and another vehicle (taking up stoping room).

The absolute worst is people who cruise control pass at 101km/hr, if you see a car coming step on it for christ sakes.

Everyone's a comedien.

Now... About that protest we are trying to get organized.....

I have to argue with you on this one...

I weave...the reason?? all the assholes in the left lane that NEVER leave it....

I will ride your ass....the reason?? so that you KNOW I want by will HOPEFULLY move over...

I get in your "stopping space"..the reason?? If you are in the left hand lane and leaving "stopping space" in front of yourself, the guy in front of you assumes you are happy to be following at his pace, and he just carries on happily, while the line builds behind him.....

If you don't want these things done to you, STAY OUT OF THE LEFT LANE....it is really simple...

I should of been more specific, like I mentioned, the people in cruise in the passing lanes are the problems.

By weaving I mean people who are literally cutting people off as in me having to slam on my brakes, also even if I am in the passing lane the asshole in front of me or 10 cars ahead is causing the problem not me. Holding up a bunch of cars. What advantage is someone going to create by bunching the cars up even more? Even better when people think they are gettting somewhere when they come zooming up the slow lane only to hit their brakes and think they can "squeeze" in, only making the problem worse.

It all drives me nuts so I usually just stick to the slow lane and cruise at a speed where I interfere with no one and no one interferes with me. Less stress that way.

Ziggy I do concur with what your saying, but sometimes you can ride someones ass and they look at you like your the stupid one and still don't get it. I'd rather not be in a pile up then try to educate the retards that won't learn.

I've flashed highbeams, slowed down sped up, honked the horn, shake my fist. 70% of the time it does not do anything. If only the PIT manouver could be used by more than just the police.

I find that usually happens because when I signal that I am going to pull into the passing lane, the guy "cruising" there decides to speed up to keep me out. I pull in anyways, and he ends up braking, and then shaking his fist and honking at me. Does he not realize that the turn signal was "notice of my intentions", not a "challenge"??


The problem is that EVERYONE thinks this way, so you have ONE asshole going to slow, and a MILLION morons just following him. If you are not going to crowd the guy in front of you and send him the message to move over, then move over yourself and let me do it....EVENTUALLY we will get to the front of the "pack"...


happens to me often. It is not always possible to judge EVERYONE's relative speed and figure out whether I will get stuck in the slow lane or not. Sometimes I have to slow down again, and get over left again....but at the end of the trip, I will still be there well before the guy that rode the left lane all the way...


I wish everyone drove that way ....

When I heard that this morning it confirmed that Fantino is a retard. And he wonders why the City of Toronto didn't extend his contract.

Did he not know the daily number of charges over 50 KM/hr before the new law? I don't see anymore police on the highway than before so the chances of getting pulled over are still pretty damn low, no matter what speed you drive. So who's going to slow down?. The majority of people continue to ignore the normal speed limits because they believe them unreasonable. It's collective social disobedience and that's what happens when government interferes too much in the minutiae of our daily lives.

Fantino wants to reduce the maximum to 30 KM/hr over, so he can impound more vehicles? When did the police start making the laws? He is a Fascist, pure and simple.

Just to clarify, I don't have a problem with the impounding of vehicles necessarily. I just believe with all my heart that Fantino was in the same Special Ed class as Forrest Gump.

What is he going to do next?, I guess ask the car manufacturers to put a speed limiter in every car in Ontario?, this is ridiculous!!

I don't weave per say but if someone is in the left lane going 105-110km/h, I'll wait for an opening, open up my exhaust dump and hit 30psi of boost past them. Maybe they'll get the picture when they hear untamed, black exhaust gases ripping by them in the 'slower' lane.

I do make a personal note not to hit 150km/h though.

Yeah with this new law, my whole outlook on speeding has changed.
In my head, adding 50 to what's posted...
"Know the limit, speed within it."

I hate to say it, Ziggy, but you're dangerous. Although I know you have more 'skilz' to do it... If I can't judge the relative speed of all the vehicles around me, I won't pull into less than 2 car-lengths of space unless I can be sure it won't make the car I'm pulling ahead of brake hard.

And yes, a lot of people can be idiots and see you as 'butting in' (even if you're merging) and 'challenging' them. Some people just aren't happy unless they're in front of everyone else. But as you say, I get there ahead of the slow guy in front, too. Quite often it's only 30-40 seconds ahead of him, ultimately. It's not worth it.

I'll crowd people for a second or two, to see if they'll take the hint. Quite often they don't. I think the extreme example was a lady on one of our larger highways (2-lanes). She was sitting in the fast lane doing about 95kph, but there was no other traffic. So I pulled in behind her and flashed my lights a few times. Nothing. I got in close and layed on the horn. Nothing. Doing all that and signalling and gesturing to her to move right. Nothing. So I signalled right and passed her in the slow lane, then signalled left to get in front of her...and slowed down to 80kph. She slowed and maintained a car length or so of distance behind me. I slowed to 60kph, the same...40kph...20...5! She just sat there behind me. I pointed right, and she just sat there with a blank expression on her face. So I just pulled to the slow lane and left, and she merrily re-accelerated to 90kph, in the fast lane. At least she was better than these teen-20ish girls in Florida doing the same thing, and glared at me when I passed them in the slow lane like I was some kind of criminal...

Some people shouldn't have licenses, Zig. Nothing you can do about it.

I figure if the guy is going to be a moron and try to "close the gap" only because I signalled my intention to pull into that space, let him brake! That, plus the fact the guy doesn't BELONG there to begin with. For that reason, I often don't signal until I am halfway into the space...I can generally judge other peoples' speeds and intentions fairly well, but when you need to calculate how much slower is the guy in the right hand lane going than the guy in the middle lane, and how long will it take me to accelerate to the point where I can safely pass the guy on the right....plus would it be faster to pull into the right lane...every now and then I miscalculate and get "stuck" behind someone, and need to slow down and get left again....but I don't think that makes me dangerous..
I have been driving a lot longer than most guys on this board have been alive! Thinking back, in that time I DID have ONE at fault accident..a fender bender in an intersection. I looked away for a SECOND and the guy in front of me stopped for no apparent reason half way through his left turn...I bumped into him. That was about 15 years ago. I had 2 accidents on my bike. One time, we were at a dead stop in a traffic jam, and a guy rear ended us, the other a guy pulled out of his driveway right in front of me. I ALMOST made it around him, but lost control when I clipped his rear bumper. I still stand by my record.



I never signal when I pull back in front of people I had to pass to the right. I figure if they are too inconsiderate to pull over, they don't DESERVE the courtesy of a turn signal!




THERE we have the problem with drivers in this country!! There SHOULD be something done about it.

<shrug> perhaps that guy is trying to "close the gap" because he'd rather have 3 car lengths between him, and the other car travelling at 110km/h than 1 car length?

I'm too lazy to look it up, but does anyone happen to know how many car lengths is deemed safe between 2 vehicles travelling at 100km/h?

It's about 6-7 car lengths. They say keep a minimum 3-4 second gap on the highway.

I understand what you are saying, but if you are prepared to just cruise along behind the guy in front of you at a "safe" multiple car lengths distance, get the hell out of the PASSING lane!! If I signal that I am going to move into that space, and he wants that much "safety margin", then he should SLOW DOWN a little, not speed up and try to keep me out!!

You're right.. unfortunately, with how crowded our highways seem to be, I don't think that the "keep right except to pass" is ALWAYS feasible. Imagine how "red" you'd get if you were BEHIND the guy that was slowing down to let someone in front of him.

I spend MOST of my time in the middle/right lanes. (Rare, I know..) but some days/ times it's just not possible.


Unfortunately, this isn't the ONLY time the left lane is filled with people not passing anyone.

I agree that the majority of people DON'T drive properly on our highways. I also agree that sometimes you do what you have to to get where you're going.

Bah.. I don't have any answers, I'm just rambling and playing a bit of "devil's advocate".

It is really just a matter of common courtesy, but that doesn't seem to exist on our roads. We seem to have road rage instead.
Think about it, if someone wants to pass, he wants to go FASTER than you..so he is not going to hold you up...let him by...
If EVERYONE would think that way, the roads would be a lot less congested, AND a lot safer!!

Ahh.. but does he want to go faster than ME, or just faster than the pinhead that's holding me up?

Remember: anyone who drives slower than you is an idiot. Anyone who drives faster, is a jackass. We all think we know the proper speed for conditions, etc. Too bad only a few of us are right.

Well, if you want to go faster than the pinhead that is holding you up, don't leave a "safety margin" of several car lengths in front of you, or the pinhead will assume you are quite content to be following at that speed. Let the pinhead know that you want by....

I bought some of those "move over" windshield decals...can't wait to get them onto my vehicles and see if they work...now, how am I going to put one of those on my scooter???

Like I said, Ziggy, you can have the skill, but the full 'courtesy' goes beyond that. I like to think my skill at driving extends so that I can drive for the people around me. When I slow down or speed up to let people in, it almost ALWAYS improves the total flow of traffic around me. I've seen people see that, and do the same (at least temporarily). But there's the idiots that ruin it (like you said) by accelerating like mad to shut the door on you when all they need to do is slow by 2-3kph to let you in front of them. Sometimes I'll 'trigger' them, and then snug into the gap they've made behind them. Let them waste their gas, and I wave as I pass by them later. Great to see the looks on their faces. They sure showed me.

Of course, if they're REAL idiots I'll duplicate their maneuver and slam the door on them...HARD. I had one guy confront me over it and when I said, "Do what to you? What you did to me a few seconds before?" he kind of got the hint and left.

I also laugh at people that signal like you do, Ziggy. Halfway through the maneuver, THEN signal? What's the use? By that time, even a half-wit can see what you're doing. The point of signalling is to advertise your INTENTION to perform an action. And every time I do it, people usually allow for it as best they can. True in Nova Scotia (although a few are too stunned to realize what I'm doing even then), true in Toronto, hell it was true in LOS ANGELES... Again, it's the few that ruin things for the many.

As for the 'keep right' rule, it's just not enforced, so drivers adopt their habitual behaviour as 'law'. Even the police do this. Besides, if the 401 through York is anything like portions of our highways here, they're considered boulevards where the 'keep right' rule isn't in effect.

I think we all knew this was going to happen. It seems they are surprised that this speeding law doesn't target racers, it targets everyone. But we all know you can speed in any car and every one is always in a rush.

Here's a solution. You want safer roads? Then drivers need better training. Anything less then that is an insincere effort. A law is not going to prevent someone from speeding, but training will save lives.

Lets take for example motorcycles. Everyone knows these crotch rockets are dangerous. But people are still allowed to ride them? Why? Because when you ride a motorcycle you know full well the dangers of it. And even though you can hop on any bike with an M1 every other motorcyclist will tell you to take the training. You don't rely on stupid laws to keep you safe. You rely on your training. It's no different in a car. 4 tires and a cage don't make you safe. Good driving makes you safe. When people will start looking to themselves to be better drivers then they will realize that it's the drivers that make safer roads, not the laws.

That lack of enforcement is a big part of the problem. They CLAIM they want to make the roads safer...they should enforce this law. And here in Ontario, it IS law under the highway traffic act. I don't believe there is an exception for "boulevards"....I don't think there is even a definition of a "boulevard" in the HTA in Ontario.

Fun fact of the day. Iceland has only 16 rules of the road, all on the back of your license.

Whats housing there cost?

Sure there is, Ziggy. Otherwise, everyone would have to keep right on Yonge St. downtown unless they were passing... Or cases like the Westbound 401 exit to Allen Rd.?

As for the people caught that, 'didn't know how fast they were going'. Those are the type of people I like to see finally caught...

I disagree with McDonald's comments that 'the guy speeding past you is an idiot'. Everyone thinks that, but it isn't necessarily the case.

Yes, Troy, according to the law, everyone on Yonge street should be in the right hand lane. The Ontario Highway traffic act defines every road as a "highway".

More proof that every one speeds. Criminalizing speeding won't curb it. It will just make more criminals and make victims of a crime in which there were none to begin with.

I'm curious, of those who were caught 50 over since the new law change, how many were modified, pure street racing, dangerous, automobiles? I bet less than 5%.