Canadian Drivers vs American Drivers

[Iroquois]

I want to speak to Americans who travel up north and my fellow Canadians on this topic. Driving habits of your average Canuck is a topic that has been bothering me for quite some time.

It seems to me that Canadian drivers take more risks than American ones do. The following is from my perspective having to commute to school everyday. We speed constantly, going at rediculus speeds through school zones and residential areas. We are impolite, we don't give fellow drivers enough room and cut them off. We do wreckless things like run red lights, try to beat trains, cut the corners, etc. I'm trying to figure out if this insanity on our roads is just a local problem or spreads nation wide. I also want to hear the American perspective. Being to Miami recently, which is probably not much bigger than Toronto, I noticed people were more polite while driving. They leave enough room and are generally courtious. Many other people I know who travel frequently to the US agree that they are more polite than us when in their cars.  

[Craig.]

howdy orenda,
although i am not from either,, i have been to both countrys and also here.
i have noticed that canadian drivers seem to be alot like drivers here, exactly how you put it. very agressive, and impatient, although i have heard alot of people say that defensive driving in america is the norm, i have never seen any evidence of it, and generally it seems alot less stressfull. half the reason i am at best hesitant to get my license here is because people dont care about you being a learner they pull right up on your rear bumper you can see them getting impatient, and then when they do speed past they give you an evil look

[Felix/FFDS]

I didn't know that DominicanRepublic, Trinidad, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Venezuela (and a host of other places) were in Canada!

My main experiences with Canadian drivers are with those that travel through/to Orlando ... generally I see their Quebec plates as they fly by.

[BFMF]

Living in a border town just 30 miles south of the Canadian border, we see a LOT of canadians who come through. And you're right, they're very reckless and rude. And all the canadian truck drivers, don't even get me started

[Hagar]

My last visit to the US was some 8 years ago so things might have changed. I believe the speed limits are higher now. Generally, I found the drivers polite & courteous which made driving less stressful & a pleasure I had long forgotten in my own country. Mind you, I find that being courteous myself rubs off on other drivers. I rarely have a problem around my home town.

I've never visited Canada so can't comment.

[Smoke2much]

I have to echo Craigs comments about the treatment of learner drivers over here (UK).  I am currently learning to drive and I'm not that bad but there is a section of the population who seem to feel that rudeness towards learners is the right thing to do.  They overtake you on blind corners even when you are driving at the speed limit, give rude gestures whenever possible and generally treat you like poo.

B*stards.

Will

[Craig.]

lol Will, i have already warned my instructor that should anyone decide confrontation is the way they want to go i wont back down because i am a learner.apparently it has happend before to a few of her students where they have made a small mistake or stalled at lights or whatever that may have cost a little more time and someone has gotten out and started yelling at them at the next set of lights. I dislike those who do decide to cheese it past you on corners, but theres little you can do, and i have generally tried to just keep well out of the way

[Hagar]

I try to remember I was a learner myself once & treat learners accordingly. I do feel that some instructors take their pupils on crowded roads far too early or at the wrong time. Yes, they must get used to driving on main roads in traffic but not until they're ready for it. Silly things like stalling at traffic lights in the rush hour is not a good idea & bound to make everyone bad-tempered.

Some years ago I found myself behind a learner driver stopped at traffic lights on a hill. Every time the lights changed, she stalled the engine & ran backwards towards me. Get the picture? Some 10 minutes later I was still stuck there. After about 5 failed attempts she was in immediate danger of hitting my car so I gave a short toot on the horn to warn her & the instructor. All I got for my pains was a rude sign & shouted abuse. He even got out of the car & argued with me. It's not always the fault of the experienced driver.

[Smoke2much]

I agree that it is not always the fault of the experienced driver but it is not always the fault of the learner either.  Two days ago i was driving at about 30mph down a road which had a 30 limit.  Ahead of me there is a side road on the left hand side with a car waiting to pull out.  When I am about 15 yards away the car pulls about a foot clearly trying to get out in front of me.  The road was not busy (there was nothing behind me) so I continued at the same speed and moved out slightly to go around him.  As I got level with him he leaned on his horn then pulled out behind me giving me an education in finger signals.  He over took when we were coming into a 20mph zone and nearly got all four wheels off the ground when he hit the first speed bump.  My example is as extreme as yours but this kind of thing happens every time i go out.  I have been learning to drive on and off for nearly 12 years.  I had a motor bike for two years, if I could take my test tommorow I could be reasonably sure of passing (I hate tests!).  When is the right time to have lessons?  Early in the morning (7-9) is rush hour and school drop off. 9-4 most learners are at work and school.  4-6 is rush hour again and school pick up.  After 6 most DI's have quit for the day and everybody hates to be delayed by a learner whether they are going to work or going to buy a pint of milk, it makes no differance.  I guess I must be one of the unfortunate few who didn't spring forth from my mothers womb with the ability to drive a car already there, oh well

Will

[Hagar]

LOL Will. I've been driving for well over 40 years & the same thing happens to me almost every day. They wait until I'm almost on top of them before deciding to pull out. I often get the feeling my car is invisible.

I'm experienced enough to slow down & let them get on with it. If they're in so much of a hurry they want to kill themselves or some other unfortunate I don't want to get involved. I usually catch up with them at the next set of traffic lights anyway.

As for the best time, it depends on your circumstances & where you live. Most instructors know somewhere quiet where they can take their less experienced pupils at almost any time of day. The poor girl I mentioned on the hill was almost hysterical & the experience couldn't have helped her confidence. It probably destroyed it for good & I wouldn't have been surprised if she gave up after that lesson. She had obviously never needed to do a hill start before. I felt her instructor was incompetent & told him so in no uncertain manner. If he'd had any sense at all he would have swapped seats & driven her to somewhere more appropriate for her experience.

[Craig.]

i have to agree about the instructor on that one, he shouldnt have really allowed it to continue, and perhaps just switched seats after the first two attempts, would have saved both her confidence and alot of time to go another day when more practise has been given. me an my instructor have always agreed one where i can and cant drive right night, she will ask if i feel i am ready for said roads and i will say yes or no depending on how busy it is. Although i am usually to cocky and confident for my own good:) add the stubborness to it aswell, i am likely to find myself in a position i prob dont want to be to quickly.
but its just  a shame its no fun to drive. i have heard it used to be and would like to know what fun driving is:)

[Hagar]

Sorry Orenda. We seem to have taken over your thread.

Craig. I would argue that your instructor should decide when you're ready for different road conditions, not you.

I still remember my first driving instructor. His attitude was wrong for me & he made me nervous. I failed my first driving test miserably. For all I know he was a good instructor but his methods didn't suit me. I changed schools on the advice of a friend & passed with flying colours after a few more lessons with a different instructor.

[Craig.]

howdy hagar. what i meant was its a dual desicion, she only asks when she thinks i am ready, but instead of making me go because she thinks i am ready she will ask if i think i am ready personally. i could be the best driver in the world but if i lack the confidence to do an up hill start at a set of traffic lights i could end up like that girl you encountered, whether i am ready in skills or not. and since there is a place exactly like that in bristol, where i have been told i will have to learn at, its a really busy set of lights on the main corner into the center of bristol, which i am personally dreading getting to.

[Hagar]

My point is that a good instructor will know when you're ready & tell you so. You wouldn't expect a flying instructor to ask if you thought you were ready to go solo.

If you're at all nervous about the thought of that hill start you're not ready. You should practice & practice until it's second nature & you're confident of doing it without thinking about it.

[RollerBall]

Have driven in the UK, US, Canada (Niagra/Toronto) and most of western Europe and don't have any problem with US or Canadian drivers. You try driving in say Paris, Milan or Barcelona in the rush hour...

Not to mention taking on the average white van driver around Hyde Park Corner.

Drove in NY again in April and EVEN cab drivers gave way. Don't get that in London!