OT: The New Rules for Driving in Calgary.

[lubicon]

Originally Posted by freeweed

I will say one thing though - I thought the cellphone drivers were bad here. They are, and they're almost always doing 10-20 under the limit, and not signalling, and weaving all over the place... but they're nothing compared to the US. EVERYONE down there has this incessant need to yap 24/7 on their friggin phone. I can't wait till the laws come in on this issue.

We already have laws that pertain to this. It's called 'driving without undue care and attention' or something along those lines. We don't need a new cell phone law, we just need the present laws to be enforced.

If I was a cop I would only hand out tickets for unsafe lane changes (not signalling), and driving in an unsafe manner (cell phone use, going too slow in the passing lane etc). I'd probably stay busy my entire shift doing this too, no need to just hand out speeding tickets.

[Greco Roman]

Ok. So unfortunately, I'll be working based out of Calgary for the summer. I'll be commuting to work on Deerfoot at 7 am from the north (Beddington Tr.?) all the way to Glenmore Tr. what is rush-hour like at that time?

[freeweed]

Originally Posted by lubicon

We already have laws that pertain to this. It's called 'driving without undue care and attention' or something along those lines. We don't need a new cell phone law, we just need the present laws to be enforced.

If I was a cop I would only hand out tickets for unsafe lane changes (not signalling), and driving in an unsafe manner (cell phone use, going too slow in the passing lane etc). I'd probably stay busy my entire shift doing this too, no need to just hand out speeding tickets.

Problem is, driving with a cellphone on the surface appears safe, so you'll never get pulled over. The only time the police have enough cause to pull you over is if they see you actually weaving, etc. Otherwise, people will fight any ticket unless cellphone use is specifically mentioned - and they usually win.

Every study on the matter has shown that cellphone use has a similar or worse impact to driving impaired. Note that we have a specific law for that, because an impaired driver doesn't necessarily appear to be 'driving without undue care and attention' - but we charge them anyway, because the actual act of driving while impaired is just that dangerous. Cellphone usage needs a clear law like this, which is why you're seeing this happen already in other jurisdictions. It's only a matter of time for Alberta.

If present laws actually reflected the danger properly, we'd have no need for a cellphone law, nor an impaired driving law - but the laws aren't specific enough. In essence, a vague 'undue care and attention' law really says "we'll pull you over if you're already causing a problem". That would still leave thousands of drunk drivers on the road most nights, because most of them aren't actually visible as being a problem - until they crash their car. Traffic laws, when the situation warrants, should try to prevent that from even being a possibility in the first place.

[freeweed]

Originally Posted by Albertaboy

Ok. So unfortunately, I'll be working based out of Calgary for the summer. I'll be commuting to work on Deerfoot at 7 am from the north (Beddington Tr.?) all the way to Glenmore Tr. what is rush-hour like at that time?

A parking lot.

No, I'm not kidding. Plan for an hour-long commute, longer if an accident occurs.

[guymez]

Originally Posted by Albertaboy

Ok. So unfortunately, I'll be working based out of Calgary for the summer. I'll be commuting to work on Deerfoot at 7 am from the north (Beddington Tr.?) all the way to Glenmore Tr. what is rush-hour like at that time?

I would leave about 20 minutes earlier if I were you. It's amazing the difference that 20 minutes can make.....sure you get to work a little earlier than you would like, but I'm guessing you will save yourself a lot of aggravation.

[yads]

Originally Posted by furrycanuck

OK, but that "freeflow lane" might turn into an exit only lane- I know that when I get on crowchild at 24th Ave, I had better move over one lane ASAP or I am going to be stuck there when it becomes exit-only at bow trail with too much traffic on my left to do anything about it. I exit at 17th Ave.

Just move over then, you don't have to slow down to a crawl. A lot of people think cars go much quicker than they actually do.

[240glt]

Mind you, I also boast that I can drive from Calgary to Vancouver in 6 - 7 hours with only two fuel stops along the way

Wow... you'd have to be some kind of idiot to do that...

Calgary to Banff: 150kph no problem
Banff to Field: speed limit is 90, you can do 120, you're a dick if you're going faster than that through the park
Field to Golden: Not too bad, except the last 20k... say average 110k
Golden to Revelstoke: the first 30k, 120-130, the rest is SLOW and dangerous (animals, bad roads)
Revelstoke to Salmon Arm: Slow driving except the 4 lane stetch this side of Sicamous
Salmon Arm to Kamloops: Slowish as well, 120 average is absolute tops until you hit the hwy 97 turnoff
Kamloops to Hope: Giv'er, 140k. Watch for the RC's on the Coquihalla
Hope to Van: You can do 140, but you're guaranteed a ticket, especially right around Chilliwack

My fastest is about 9 hours, driving fast but not stupid

Then again, driving like idiots is what gives Albertans a bad rap in BC...

[Distill3d]

Originally Posted by 240glt

Wow... you'd have to be some kind of idiot to do that...

Calgary to Banff: 150kph no problem
Banff to Field: speed limit is 90, you can do 120, you're a dick if you're going faster than that through the park
Field to Golden: Not too bad, except the last 20k... say average 110k
Golden to Revelstoke: the first 30k, 120-130, the rest is SLOW and dangerous (animals, bad roads)
Revelstoke to Salmon Arm: Slow driving except the 4 lane stetch this side of Sicamous
Salmon Arm to Kamloops: Slowish as well, 120 average is absolute tops until you hit the hwy 97 turnoff
Kamloops to Hope: Giv'er, 140k. Watch for the RC's on the Coquihalla
Hope to Van: You can do 140, but you're guaranteed a ticket, especially right around Chilliwack

My fastest is about 9 hours, driving fast but not stupid

Then again, driving like idiots is what gives Albertans a bad rap in BC...

This is why Calgaryians aren't good drivers. The most common route west, isn't the best one for retarded driving.

Along Highway 22 to highway 3 I hit 230, then on several sections of highway 3 I was doing between 170 and 180. Lowest speed I did was 90 through Osoyoos, but then again those switch backs are a bitch. All this was in a tuned '99 Honda Prelude.

As for the idiot comment, I'm not going to disagree with you. I was 18 the last time I did it.

[Danma]

Originally Posted by Bigtime

Or yields coming off of southbound deerfoot onto westbound memorial, when it is a BLOODY FREE FLOW LANE!!

GRAAAAAAARGH!!!! I take that way every morning and hate people who yield. The correct procedure is:

1) Take the off ramp at 90
2) 50m before, slow down to 30 to take the tight corner
3) GUN IT.

Westbound Memorial west of Deerfoot is actually quite nice to look at but damn, move it people! It's rush hour!!!

[Danma]

Originally Posted by Albertaboy

Ok. So unfortunately, I'll be working based out of Calgary for the summer. I'll be commuting to work on Deerfoot at 7 am from the north (Beddington Tr.?) all the way to Glenmore Tr. what is rush-hour like at that time?

I take the same route, generally, at the same time.

I take Deerfoot from Country Hill Blvd to Memorial, and that takes only 10-20 minutes... every minute, however, that you wait, the worse it gets I leave my house at 6:45, turn onto Deerfoot at 6:55 and get off Memorial about 7:10.

Now, since you keep going South, Deerfoot from Memorial to Glenmore is quiet since you're going away from downtown, and I expect it's full speed ahead, another 10 minutes.

It's not too bad, but it's a long way even at full speed

The worse part is coming back after work. It's typically quite a bit slower I find.

[Greco Roman]

Thanks everyone! I appreciate your input and will plan accordingly

[YYCguys]

Originally Posted by Bigtime

Yeah I fully expected a response from people saying that I was "disrespecting the dead" and the such. The funny thing is that I was half expecting someone to end up dead on the deerfoot yesterday from an accident CAUSED by the funeral procession!

No disrespect intended, but my will is going to state that no funeral procession take place. My reasoning is environmental concerns. All those cars belching god knows what into the atmosphere. Car pool people! We're all going to the same place right?

[Champion3]

Originally Posted by 0773|=\

I'm curious which canroader you happen to be... I usually keep my name the same wherever I post...

ChampionCubed - I've only made a few posts on there, usually I just read it. I couldn't keep the same name on there because Champion3 was already taken on Yahoo.

[240glt]

I was 18 the last time I did it.

Well that makes sense then!

[guymez]

Originally Posted by Distill3d

This is why Calgaryians aren't good drivers. The most common route west, isn't the best one for retarded driving.

Along Highway 22 to highway 3 I hit 230, then on several sections of highway 3 I was doing between 170 and 180. Lowest speed I did was 90 through Osoyoos, but then again those switch backs are a bitch. All this was in a tuned '99 Honda Prelude.

As for the idiot comment, I'm not going to disagree with you. I was 18 the last time I did it.

Say no more.

[Sammy]

The great thing about shopping center parking lots is that the rules of the road do not apply. A 4 way stop means nothing, or at least it will not hold up in a court of law because its private property, with the exception of a primary access road for a few feet.

Now I'm not suggesting one ignores such signage the next time you shop, yet seeing how many drivers ignore regular traffic signage and merge lanes in Calgary, if your in a rush the next time you are at Chinook, well . . .

[entheosfog]

Originally Posted by Sammy

The great thing about shopping center parking lots is that the rules of the road do not apply. A 4 way stop means nothing, or at least it will not hold up in a court of law because its private property, with the exception of a primary access road for a few feet.

Now I'm not suggesting one ignores such signage the next time you shop, yet seeing how many drivers ignore regular traffic signage and merge lanes in Calgary, if your in a rush the next time you are at Chinook, well . . .

And some parking lots are particularly worse than others...Westbrook Mall anyone? Or how about North Hill Mall? Yikes...

[bigcanuck]

My aunt was going through a Safeway parking lot and thought she had the right of way - she was on one of the more 'major' routes (think of the one lane that goes immediately in front of a Safeway) and was hit by another car coming out of one of the parking rows. She was deemed at fault because she should have yielded to the car on her right - even through she was on the more major route and the other car was coming out of a parking row.

[entheosfog]

Originally Posted by bigcanuck

My aunt was going through a Safeway parking lot and thought she had the right of way - she was on one of the more 'major' routes (think of the one lane that goes immediately in front of a Safeway) and was hit by another car coming out of one of the parking rows. She was deemed at fault because she should have yielded to the car on her right - even through she was on the more major route and the other car was coming out of a parking row.

I've heard of that happening before from someone I know. It doesn't make too much sense because it's usually assumed the more 'main' road has the right of way.

[bigcanuck]

It's assumed wrong I guess. By the book, at an 'unmarked' intersection, the driver on the right has the right of way. So unless they slap up a yield/stop sign at the end of each parking row, this will continue to exist...