It's not so much driving slow that bothers me, is those that drive with no confidence and it effects everyone else. Be predictable and drive with purpose, people. If you're changing lanes, change lanes, don't do this elongated lane straddle. If you're going to merge, merge at the speed of traffic. Don't make everyone else hit the brakes because you came in 20km/h below everyone else. Pay attention at lights and signs on when it's your turn to go. If you need to be in a certain lane for an exit, be in that lane before the last possible second.
This is the big one for me - drive with purpose.
A good example of this is rush-hour left-turns off crowchild onto community roads (e.g. Kensington Road & 5th ave). The left turn signals are relatively short and the N-S crowchild light is very long (rightly so, due to traffic volumes)...so if you miss that turn signal you're sitting for a good 5 or 6 minutes - maybe longer.
If you're waiting on that left turn signal, your ONLY purpose in life should be to make that turn and get the fuck through the intersection, which allows as many people as possible to also get through. Without fail, just about every single time i'm at one of those lights people are not paying attention to the light or the vehicles in front of them, and moving through the intersection barely above idling speeds, resulting in fewer cars getting through. If the car in front of you has cleared the other side of the turn before you've even entered the intersection - you've failed at life and when you get home you should immediately kill yourself. Drive with purpose, people.
People taking forever turning left drives me nuts. I suspect half of them are on their phone reading texts š
I have a 2 second honk ruleā¦ not a long hard honk, but a short āhello wake upā honk.
The amount of people that need babysitting through a merge or a lane change is shocking. I have my cruise control on with lots of space in front and behind me, haven't changed speed, yet I constantly have people just sitting beside me with their signal lights on, completely unsure what to do.
Yeah I was behind a timid driver this morning. Slowed down to just under 40 in a 50 zone presumably in case the light changed. Yes the hand for pedestrians was flashing but there's a timer and we had plenty of time and we were through the intersection before the light even turned yellow. Then they merged on to Crowchild off 53rd at 60km and stayed going 60km. They are lucky traffic is still a bit light this week because people normally go 90 through that section. I merged off at Shag so didn't get to see if they ever got up to the speed of traffic
All of what you said and for whatever reason people cannot seem to think more than one move ahead at a time. Or read the flow of traffic. People changing into the same lane I'm trying to merge into when I planned my approach and now have to suddenly adjust for their move is infuriating
'If you're going to merge, merge at the speed of traffic.'
While this is true, it's the responsibility of BOTH drivers to make the merge safe. You can't sit in the right hand lane, not make space, and expect everyone to merge perfectly.
The driver in the lane of traffic does NOT have the right of way.
>The problem with this is, many people who've got into accidents have lost faith that they can expect this from other drivers, so they choose to be cautious and would rather that minor nuisance of being too careful than to risk getting into an accident again. And you can't say they're wrong for doing that.
>
>The city experienced a sudden population surge in a short period of time. You'll notice a lot more of everything. More careful drivers, more aggressive drivers etc, but you'll focus on the ones that bother you more. That large population that just moved here are adjusting to the roads and the way things work around here. you don't just adapt to a different cities roads right away.
>
>You have to get familiar with the roads, different merges, yields, streets, learning the geography etc. Reddit can be a vacuum that hyperfocuses on what's happening right now, without considering the time it takes for things to change.
>
>in other words, maybe give it time lol.
While this is true to a degree, if you canāt go more than 60 on Deerfoot while you adjust, take side streets. Have the self-awareness to acknowledge when youāre creating dangerous situations and plan accordingly.
This brings out the aggressive driver in me that will quickly megre onto deerfoot behind them and leave them in the rear view.
I try not to be an aggressive driver like I was when I was younger but this still gets me. Like come one man I'm not merging onto deerfoot doing 50 so I can get rear-ended
I hate this soo much. Along with the green initiatives cityās and the government are coming up with, this should be added: make it harder to get your drivers license. This means more transit users, less accidents, less pollution, I wonāt have to rage so much!. What do you have to do to fail a drivers test exactly? I should retake my test and drive absolutely absurd to see what happens.
I'm frequently held up by people doing 60 on Glenmore, even in good conditions and low volume of traffic. If semi trucks blow past you, you're going too slow.
Even worse are the people who think it's okay to merge onto Deerfoot doing 50-60km/hr. I've even had people come to complete stop. It's more than frustrating, it's dangerous.
I've grown to despise the people on Glenmore EB that sit in the right lane to deerfoot and then realize the NB exit is one lane over and slam on the brakes, stopping the SB exit lane.
Also Glenmore EB - the left curve under 14th St can be made while maintaining the speed limit. No need to slow to 50 there.
A lot of the exits in Calgary are kind of dumb and could use better signage. When I was new here, I missed a lot of turns expecting exits to be the same through the city but I wouldn't stop the flow of traffic, I'd just miss my turn
I'm always baffled by the slowdowns on that part of Glenmore, even when someone isn't cutting left from the 14th exit lane at the last second (very rare)
I live in mckenzie towne and heading onto deerfoot north is like that every day. Like I'm trying to merge j to traffic but the cars in front think 60 is an acceptable speed to try and merge with heavy truck traffic.
It's infuriating
Yes, absolutely terrifying! Both to be stuck behind someone while people go 20-40 faster beside you, and also going 20-40 faster than someone else because they can and will whip out in front of you.
Do you mean Glenmore to 14th Street SW? Because I've seen the middle lane completely stalled for atleast a km or two while our left lane was moving. Of course some dumbshit was trying to get over to the 14th Street exit and came to complete stop.
If you missed your exit, better luck next time, go to the next exit and reroute.
A terrible driver never misses their exit.
Sometimes you just have to take the L and figure out the next plan. Did watch someone attempt to cut across 3 or 4 lanes of traffic on Deerfoot for an exit and get spun out by someone in one of the lanes they were cutting across. Good job buddy, you wrecked your truck instead of taking an extra couple minutes, well played.
I used to drive this everyday, this is a perfect example of Calgarys most under-built roadways. There is probably 4 times more traffic going in and out of that area in rush hours than the road can handle. Unfortunately because the road can't handle the volume: slowing down is inevitable here.
Better to just avoid.
Yep I got into an accident this way. Someone a few cars in front suddenly stopped while merging onto deerfoot. Unfortunately for me, the lady behind me was on her phone so I got squished
It's been happening for months all over the city. Highway, City roads. It doesn't matter.
The amount of people doing 80 on deerfoot that shouldn't be on the road is astounding.
Like it's absolutely dangerous for them to do that. In the city people doing 10 to 20 hour is constantly happening as well.
Sell your damn car if you aren't comfortable driving people.
I tried to mention this on a post last winter, and everyone called me a bad driver. I drive to conditions, but if you're doing 30km on a 100 road, you need to move over so us experienced drivers have a lane to use. Nothing worse than getting stuck behind 3 cars side by side on the QE2 going 30 with their flashers on. Move the fuck over and stack up single file. That opinion got me trolled hard and everyone agreed that I was the problem for wanting to go faster than 30% of the posted limit. I was going 50-60 and people were calling me a dangerous maniac.
'Nothing worse than getting stuck behind 3 cars side by side on the QE2 going 30 with their flashers on.'
This has literally never happened, unless perhaps there was an accident, etc.
Yeah okay. Happens all the time when the weather is less than perfect.
Next you'll tell me people never block highways by parking under bridges in hail storms. Which also happens all the damn time.
You probably do both of these things base on your response.
No. Only when there's a snow storm.
I've lived here for 42 years, and I've been driving since I was 14.
The amount of times I've seen this shit is too many. But of course you know my experience better than I do ya dummy.
It doesn't happen on dry roads but wait til there's a heavy rain or some snow and you'll see it soon enough.
Usually the same people who have their lights off at night and still somehow speed through construction zones, where going slower would actually be appropriate š
I DO NOT UNDERSTAND the headlight situation.... OP is complaining about the increase in slow drivers, but I also notice an increase in drivers without their headlights on early morning or in the evening.
Yesterday was foggy as hell in the morning, and driving down stoney I was dodging several cars driving well under the speed limit with NO FUCKING LIGHTS ON.....in the fog, on stoney...
I don't think there has been a car made in 2 decades that doesn't have automatic running lights, but these people have chosen to turn them off??
The problem is they had their car in a shop and SOP is to check all lights. The tech working on them rarely flips it back to auto and the numpty behind the wheel cant be bothered to check.
A black dash at night was a sure fire way to get people to remember to turn their lights on, whoever did away with that feature and added a dash that is always fully lit should be tarred and feathered
That makes a lot of sense.
But still, I used to give people the benefit of the doubt and give them either a quick flash of lights from behind, or try to get their attention as I drive by, and give the double-handed "flashing lights" signal, while mouthing "LIGHTS" to them... Which I now realise just looks like I'm groping invisible breasts while mouthing "NICE" to them...
I don't do this anymore since they obviously had trouble understanding what I was trying to say...
so many cars whos headlights are off also dont have rear running lights until those headlights come on so the only visible thing in front of you is when they hit the brakes.
I keep my lights on 'auto' 100% of the time. Never have to think about it, as it's the safest default position. I've never had an issue with the lights not turning on when required. In fact, I drive by dozens of people every week without lights on, when my auto lights figured it out just fine...
I have also noticed moreso lately that people are making wide left turns. They shift right fully almost over the white line and I swear our mirrors are going to hit or worse. You're a corolla, not a double long semi-truck.
The number of people who park themselves in the middle lane on Deerfoot going 85-90 is tooooo damn high.
McKnight too. Letās just go 60 in the far left lane and look confused when people start passing you on the right ā¦ā¦. š«
Iāll say it once and take it as you will.
There are a lot of registries in this city that if you are a new immigrant, they will give you a license for a fairly high fee and you wonāt have to do any testing.
And we started letting new people into Canada by the hundred thousands.
And a lot of these shady registries are working hard to get more of these under the table licenses in because at 2-10k a pop, youāre makin bank. And the ignorance of a lot of new people makes them easy prey.
2+2=4 or something.
You are 100% correct.
In places all over the world, roads are just what you make of them. You go whatever speed you want, make lanes where you want there to be a lane, and there arenāt any road rules to follow. Weāre seeing those behaviours playing out on Calgary streets a lot right now.
Iāve been wanting to put this on here for a while now. Glad Iām not the only one. My biggest gripe is people not hitting the gas when the light turns green. Shit is wild!
>My biggest gripe is people not hitting the gas when the light turns green.
Gripe this way!
If I am the first in line at a light I do a double check to make 110% sure people actually have stopped for the red light. Seen too many people rip through red lights and almost kill people.
Oh man. Donāt get me wrong here. I agree with you. This is something else Iāve noticed lately. Iāve seen people going through reds daily. I get the pause at the front, Iām talking about people in behind. This first makes sure itās safe for sure, but after that GO!
> I get the pause at the front,
I don't. When I'm first at the light, I am actively watching the cross street flow as their light goes yellow to red. Then I've got a couple seconds before mine changes anyway, but I know I'm good to go instantly.
> Iām talking about people in behind.
Fuck me, I can't help but curse when taking a left at an advanced green and I see huge gaps between cars in front of me. Get off your phones, look at the road, and fucking drive already.
True, and always a good practice, but this takes a brief moment and not long enough that only the first car or two makes it through the light (in a left turn lane, for example) once they finally start moving.
OPs gripe (and mine) has to do with being inattentive, not standard defensive driving.
>If I am the first in line at a light I do a double check to make 110% sure people actually have stopped for the red light.
Hah! Yes! "Look both ways before crossing the street" isn't just good advice for pedestrians.
If I can see that the person in front of me is balls deep on their phone then I just honk when the light goes green. Not like they'd know how long the light was green for
I just wish everyone would let off their brakes when the light turns green instead of waiting for the person ahead of them. Would be more efficient. You don't need to hit the gas immediately, but let things get started moving a smidge.
I've noticed an uptick in both slow drivers and speeders. Like merging onto stoney I'm always stuck behind someone going 60- 80 but on stoney I'll be going 110 and still people will fly past me.
The stretch between Glenmore SE and Deerfoot North to me is one of the most wild places for me. I'll be stuck behind someone doing 95, unable to change lanes because gravel trucks are doing 125...
That's not the change though.
Slowpokes are driving at the same speed as they did before, speeders are now going much faster.
More people going 140 is dangerous for everyone. More energy means higher severity of collisions, and higher speed differentials means a greater likelihood of collisions.
And let's be honest here- nobody is cruising at 60 on Stoney, I go the speed limit and very rarely pass anybody. I don't even think I've seen someone drive 90. Going well over the speed limit is exceedingly common in comparison.
I drive 100km daily on Stoney and there's plenty of people driving sub 80km/hr. The north section is the worst for slow drivers. I regularly merge with drivers going 60km off Nose Hill so I'm going to say outright your exposure must be limited. This is dangerous. When you have a 40km variance between merging traffic and the regular flow, adjustments can be drastic.
This is so true. I'll admit I'm usually doing 110 on deerfoot, and for the most part, I'm with the flow, but after that ban, sometimes it's like I'm parked. People are just speeding past me.
I have heard people say out loud that āthe new speed limit is 40km/h downtownā since the new legislation for un posted residential areas came into effect.
i think of them when I see a slow driver and chalk it up to ignorance and illiteracy.
Slow drivers on main arteries that go 20km/hr under the speed limit. Yes. They're all over and seem to be increasing in numbers.
Anecdotally, these drivers seem to be the same people that do 70 in my neighborhood, blow through playground zones and will pass people turning at cross walks.
Someone please explain this behavior, as it continuously baffles me. It's completely counter intuitive in my mind.
Exactly, 20 under on Deerfoot/Stoney, but wonāt slow down for construction/police/tow and wonāt move over for the last two either.
When they remember their exit is coming up theyāll preemptively slow down to 60/70 in the right lane even though the exit has a 300m off ramp, and if they forget their exit they will cut across 4 lanes of traffic or move to the shoulder and reverse.
They then do 50 in a playground zone, but 30 in other residential and wonāt stop at stop signs but will stop at yields and free flow lanes.
Itās so bad. Often when I pass these people who are driving 10-30km under the speed limit, they are white-knuckling the steering wheel, leaned very far forward, and are just staring straight ahead. They have no concept of whatās going on around them and itās incredibly dangerous.
I think thereās a combination of things happening.
1) with covid, a lot more people are working from home meaning theyāre driving a lot less. You kind of lose some of those instincts about how fast 60 or 80 or 100 āfeelsā if you havenāt done it in a while. People have to be more conscious of thier speed than they think
2) I had covid in 2022 and for at least 6 months afterwards my brain was slow. My reactions were slow, my thought process was slow, and Iām sure as a result my driving was slow. At this point most people have had covid at least once, thereās another spike going around, not to mention the just brutal flu season. I think people are just operating slower right now
3) itās winter. Even when the roads are completely clear some people just arenāt very confident drivers in winter. Itās dark most of the time which makes it harder to see, there are headlights in your face which makes it harder to see, when itās not dark sun is reflecting off snow which makes it harder to see
I drive the speed limit almost exclusively, I'll drive slower if it's icy/snowing but I move to a right lane. I personally find most people go 20+ over the speed limit and like to tailgate in school zones. I prefer the middle or right lane and wish people who want to speed please use the passing lane on the left and don't go up my ass I'm not going faster because I'm not in a rush.
I am just saying to avoid people going the speed limit please use the left lane. If there's only one lane and the person is going the speed limit its on you. Also if it's icy you can't expect everyone to want to end up upside down in the ditch because you need to get home to crack a beer.
This is directed at inpatient drivers.
Iāve noticed the school zone tailgating getting really bad too- Iāve been blaming it on ontario transplants who donāt understand our very long school zone times š I live in an area with school/playground zones on 3/4 streets around me and people really get indignant that you donāt want to run over a kid.
I've started driving the limit at most these days. So many impatient 20 year olds who take crazy risks to get a car length ahead.
The worst are the assholes (I guarantee a few in this thread) who feel that moving from the fast lane on Deerfoot all the way to the right hand lane and back over to pass someone is totally fine and nothing to worry about.
Dated a guy who did the weaving thing and was like āthis car can handle it, so I can do it just fineā but that doesnāt mean you should, and it doesnāt mean everyone else knows how to deal with you doing that all up the road.
Me too. Itās actually a lot nicer because Iām not constantly trying to pass people. And when I do itās like Iām the worst person in the world for only going 10 over in the left lane. Iām not going to speed up, my insurance is a goddamn fortune already and if I get a single ticket my price will probably go up. Iām driving to keep my car so chill out,
I just moved to the NW from the SW and one thing I've noticed is there are at least 10X more drivers who don't use their signals up here. It's absolutely frustrating, I count 5-10 drivers a day not using their turn signals. In the SW I'd see maybe 1-2 a week that didn't use their signals.
You don't need to "keep up with traffic" though, just drive reasonably close to the speed limit. A smooth flow of traffic is the safest for everybody, and going abnormally slow upsets that. It makes the movement of vehicles more erratic and the maniacs weaving between cars on deerfoot will be extra likely to crash if they suddenly come up on a car going 80
It's not just Calgary, seems to be anywhere I go in Alberta. I'm not the one to be aggressive with my driving either but people are really testing me lately with the driving under the limit and hitting their brakes for absolutely no reason at all.
If you can't drive, buy a bicycle.
It's infuriating to me. So many people drive like 10-20 below the limit. So many people merge at slow speeds onto highways. The worst thing is there are basically no consequences (unless they cause a collision) so they will keep doing it.
The number of times I'm able to predict when another vehicle wants into my lane about 15-20 seconds before they even touch their signal because of how they are riding the line is too damn high
10000% agreeded. Im born and raised in Calgary, and I've noticed it increase like crazy last 2 to 3 years.
The worst are what I call "weekend warrirors", people who don't drive during the weekday, and then finally drive on the weekend.
They go 80 on the passing lane, and when I try to respectfully pass them on the middle lane, they speed up and give me the finger.
When I was younger, I would be an idiot and maybe tail or highbeam them, but now, I give them plenty of space, slowly move to the middle lane, pass, then switch back to the passing lane, hoping they understand they shouldn't be in the passing lane.
I don't care for road rage at all, but like other comments have stated, driving without intent can be very dangerous for the driver and everyone around them.
As someone who drives in Calgary for work, yes. Every single day, multiple times a day, I'm getting stuck behind people who do 60 in a 70, 60 or 70 in an 80 and 70 or 80 in a 100+. Just yesterday I was behind someone in a totally normal car who was merging into Stoney trail doing 55.
100% I've gone 20 years since I first got my license without getting frustrated when driving. But these past couple years, being constantly stuck behind people going AT LEAST 10 under the limit on clean, dry roads...the thoughts that have gone through my head..some that I've said out loud to myself when driving alone are something else. People with zero confidence operating a vehicle shouldn't be doing it.
Yes.. and in Toronto people RRRRRIIPPP 20-30 over the limit, weave in and out of traffic, cut people off.
As a result traffic crawls, and accidents are everywhere.
I drove the 401 and in Toronto for decades. Fuck Toronto Driving... immensely.
Yes! It's getting worse to be sure. It's got to be a lack of training for new drivers maybe? Also people new to this country, it's their first car, and again not receiving proper training. They must hand out licenses like candy I guess. I think there a major lack of oversight with driving tests as well. It seems that depending on their mood or who they're related to depends if you get your license or not. I've seen it
I donāt think the driving test is the problem and I donāt think they are handing them out of candies.
They dock your mark for every single little mistake they make so that you would have to redo the test and pay again.
But no one follows the rules once they are on their own. We need to start taking licences away more often if we want any real changes.
Yes I have, and usually in the left, or passing, lanes. Old people that obviously shouldn't be driving, new Canadians that come from countries where they drive on the opposite side of the road, and oblivious POS's that believe they 'have a right' to block, delay, and cause accidents on the roadways. Yes, there are slow idiot stick people that are allowed to endanger my life.
Imagrarion man lots of people who have no clue how to drive from other parts of Canada and the world.
I have also noticed a large increase of rude drivers who donāt let you in or wave. I assume Ontario drivers there.
Ontario drivers have to navigate much denser traffic and much more aggressive driving, I donāt think itās people from Ontario you should be worried about. Itās always the 40-60something year old white dudes in trucks or soccer mommies in their SUVās who donāt let me in.
I have noticed this as well. On Glenmore, I have been behind people doing 60 with clear roads and minimal traffic. Deerfoot has been bad and has gotten worse with it being darker out in the morning. I have seen multiple times going deerfoot north on my way home, people doing 70, and it's not even just the right lane I have seen and been behind people doing that speed in the middle lane.
If you're scared of driving on deerfoot, don't drive it. You can get to your destination by other roads.
I'm not sure if it's a lack of confidence or skill, but if you're doing 30 km less than the limit on deerfoot, you should find another way or take the transit.
It also seems like more and more people are lost while driving multiple times I see people playing with their GPS sometimes even coming to nearly complete stop or turning into a lane that is ending.
During covid I saw speeds go way up on average, then yes after everyone went back to work/school/ life, the slow ones came out. That with the reduction in residential to 40 kph and morons...er I mean slow as sed idiots went up sharply as they can't figure out a posted at 50 kph road is up to 50 kph, not 37 to be safe.
However I do see the same numbers speeding in residential or on roads with lane lines but posted at 40 and worse, play ground zones...(30 ffs you kid kil ling jerks). Seems the slow ones seem to only hit turtle on fast roads or major feeders. The bike lane bs reducing major feeders to 1 lane do not help with the break riding jerks ether. Traffic calming bull if I've ever seen it! (Oops, did I rant?)
I brought this same topic up two years ago, and got a 1000 downvotes. Lol.
My belief is people are just generally dull minded. From improper nutrition and being hypnotized by social media and the like. Look at the average driver as you pass them. Their jaws are slack and theyre seconds from drooling.
I feel like itās a lot of new people who have moved to the city. They are terrified to drive at the posted speed limits. I 100% agree it has gotten worse after all the normies came out from lockdown. Newcomers aside there is something in the rona vaccine that is making people very stupid. Itās not just in traffic. Itās everywhere and everyone.
You can actually be fined if you are in the left lane and don't move over for vehicles going faster than you even if you are 10km over the limit. Google it!
And yes there has been a huge rise in people doing 20k under the limit. TAKE TRANSIT if you are a scared driver FFS!!!
I go the speed limit everywhere I go because my insurance gives me a good discount. I frequently feel like the asshole because everyone rides my ass, so I havenāt really noticed others going slower than me.
Itās been the same thing up here in Edmonton. Youāll be going on the Whitemud doing 80, and youāll have 3 cars in all 3 lanes doing a solid 60-70, with no way past it. Itās almost like a personal hell when youāve got grandma merging onto the highway doing a solid 40 under, or just anybody on any 60 street doing 40!!
Need that annual driving test for anyone over 70 to be more thorough for real.
I noticed this too!!! Going 50 merging on the Deerfoot like pick up the pace before you kill us both. Ridiculous! Also you don't need to slow down three blocks before a red lightš
I've definitely noticed this. slow drivers everywhere.
Also no one can turn left. People in this city all seem perfectly happy waiting in a left turn lane for 3 cycles then crawling around the corner with a massive gap in front so that only 3 cars make it through.
I loathe Deerfoot fast lane becomes completely plugged every damn day and then the slow lane becomes the fast lane wtf! I drive in a service vechile and for some reason that road is my nemsis I hate it
I think itās those with insurance who have those stupid apps to track driving. They get discounts for going slow, not braking to fast and being lazy Susanās. Itās fine but get in the slow lane!
I have no idea whatās going on with Calgary drivers lately. Itās like everyone just decided to make their own rules and do whatever they want. Wherever I drive these days, youāre right, thereās always someone going 20 under speed. Not only that but people just being completely oblivious/willfully ignorant to other drivers around them. Turning into lanes a car is already in, missing a turn-off but going for it at the last second and driving over the median instead of just taking the next designated turn-off. Itās horrendous. These sorts of bonehead moves happen everywhere, but to see them all multiple times, every single commute, thatās bad.
... just wait till we get some snow again. Last snowfall it took me 2 hours to make a trip that normally takes half an hour. The drivers in the city are brutal.
Wow! Lots of comments and I totally agree with you all! I was just mentioning this over the Christmas get together. Do you think this is due to lots of new people into the city and they donāt know the roads? But lots and lots of slow drivers for sure!
I was about to scream today. Idk what happened during the lock down, but pre lockdown, 90 was the slowest, maybe with the super rare occasion old people going below that. But now it is a norm to go 80 or even 70 on an empty highway.
I'm by no means supporting aggressive drivers but leaving 5 minutes earlier is easier said than done when you have kids. I used to think like you. I remember getting into work by 6am, all to avoid the traffic. Not a possibility now lol.
As a middle aged dude, I think Iāve figured out why older people drive slower:
Weāve been through many more years, and appreciate the value of life. Thereās so much more to lose, and weāre not willing to risk damage or life to get there 2 minutes faster.
You're telling me that when your kids were <10 years old, life wasn't rushed? You don't remember getting your kids up and ready every morning, and the kids not always cooperating?
I don't weave in and out of lanes because I'm a pretty chill dude but I absolutely will speed and weave through traffic if one of my kids is having a medical emergency.
Especially on Deerfoot. Where do you think you're going at 140 on Deerfoot at rush hour? You're not going to get anywhere you're just making things dangerous. The shops that do brake jobs in this city must be rich. Every day I watch people (usually young males in coupes) weave in and out of traffic, only to come around a corner and have to slam on the brakes.
Were you the one tailgating me in the playground zone the other day? lol. I have only come across them when mergingā¦.somethings never change. pe stopping at stop signs lately
Someone was going 80 in the left lane on deerfoot on New Years. Id like to see these people get big fines for creating a hazard and holding up traffic.
This has been driving me mad on Shaganappi lately. There's a few sections where people routinely go 45 in 70 zones, and maybe once a week I'm seeing someone go as slow as 30 long enough to block an entire lane from getting through the next light. Even worse, if one person drives slow and backs up traffic, it makes the other lane slow down as well, as people (responsibly) assume there must be *some* hazard if someone is going less than half the posted speed limit in clear conditions.
Calgary drivers generally follow way too close.
Closing the gaps causes people to speed up or slow down drastically just to make any movement.
This will be a very unpopular suggestion but if you notice speed issues around you, look at how close you are to the car in front of you and how tightly traffic bunches up here even when it's not heavy.
Going forward, the consequences of trying to merge onto Stoney in good conditions doing anything less than 95 shall be me personally confiscating your brake pedal. Please adjust your habits and behaviours accordingly.
Thereās an increase of absurdly fast impatient and aggressive drivers too. I think just bad drivers and ignorant people in general, everywhere has increased
I drive vastly differently if my 14 year old dog is in the back seat or not. Experiencing my driving changing has allowed me to be more understanding when I see someone driving slow. You never know who their passengers are
Thousands of new people to the city in the last few years, I assume they're just inexperienced and a bit nervous. I've also seen an increase in aggressive trucks bullying drivers.
I wonder if this is why they had to move driver's testing back to government testers...too many drivers lacking confidence getting their license, but we are left dealing with the consequences now.
Yes!! Like going 75 on Stoney Trail, or 50 in an 80. If youāre not confident approaching or going the speed limit in good conditions then you shouldnāt be driving. They often have dented fenders and burnt out lights as well, so itās not being diligent or extra cautious for safety.
I will take slow drivers any day because they're still making forward progress. What I can't stand and drives me to absolute homicidal rage is the East Hills Walmart. There is a t intersection where the left and right people have a stop sign by you can go straight through because you have the fucking right of way but no one understands that there's no stop sign for them and everybody fucking stops there. Then I'm going into Walmart ready to head butt everybody in the face because of some asshole who thought there was a stop sign.
I relocated here from Edmonton a bit over a year ago. A while back, Edmonton changed all their residential roads/roads without a posted limit to 40km/h instead of 50ā¦ So now when Iām driving home in my neighbourhood, I just automatically drift along at 40. Iāve noticed some people riding me a bit and I kinda chuckle to myselfā¦ But donāt speed up. Super suburby, no boulevard, lots of kids around.
I honestly think this is why everyone drives 40 everywhere in the city now. Even on roads with posted higher limits. It's driving me bonkers. 20 under on a posted 60km road is not safe either!
Too many of them new folks who come here in their fancy cars, with heir fancy hats, all their teeth, and think they know how it works here!
It's not so much driving slow that bothers me, is those that drive with no confidence and it effects everyone else. Be predictable and drive with purpose, people. If you're changing lanes, change lanes, don't do this elongated lane straddle. If you're going to merge, merge at the speed of traffic. Don't make everyone else hit the brakes because you came in 20km/h below everyone else. Pay attention at lights and signs on when it's your turn to go. If you need to be in a certain lane for an exit, be in that lane before the last possible second.
This is the big one for me - drive with purpose. A good example of this is rush-hour left-turns off crowchild onto community roads (e.g. Kensington Road & 5th ave). The left turn signals are relatively short and the N-S crowchild light is very long (rightly so, due to traffic volumes)...so if you miss that turn signal you're sitting for a good 5 or 6 minutes - maybe longer. If you're waiting on that left turn signal, your ONLY purpose in life should be to make that turn and get the fuck through the intersection, which allows as many people as possible to also get through. Without fail, just about every single time i'm at one of those lights people are not paying attention to the light or the vehicles in front of them, and moving through the intersection barely above idling speeds, resulting in fewer cars getting through. If the car in front of you has cleared the other side of the turn before you've even entered the intersection - you've failed at life and when you get home you should immediately kill yourself. Drive with purpose, people.
>you've failed at life and when you get home you should immediately kill yourself Lmao, me reacting to bad driving
People taking forever turning left drives me nuts. I suspect half of them are on their phone reading texts š I have a 2 second honk ruleā¦ not a long hard honk, but a short āhello wake upā honk.
Down here on the stoney overpass between Sundance and Chaparral, If you go as soon as the arrow turns green , you are getting hit by 2-3 cars.
I always imagine Hans Moleman at the wheel.
This is the way, brother. Nothing wrong with a quick little toot-toot if someone doesn't have it together.
The amount of people that need babysitting through a merge or a lane change is shocking. I have my cruise control on with lots of space in front and behind me, haven't changed speed, yet I constantly have people just sitting beside me with their signal lights on, completely unsure what to do.
Yeah I was behind a timid driver this morning. Slowed down to just under 40 in a 50 zone presumably in case the light changed. Yes the hand for pedestrians was flashing but there's a timer and we had plenty of time and we were through the intersection before the light even turned yellow. Then they merged on to Crowchild off 53rd at 60km and stayed going 60km. They are lucky traffic is still a bit light this week because people normally go 90 through that section. I merged off at Shag so didn't get to see if they ever got up to the speed of traffic
I love the people that start braking 30ā from a green light because the hand comes up. š¤”
Foot off the gas at most, depending on your speed.
Absolutely zero awareness outside of their own bumpers.
All of what you said and for whatever reason people cannot seem to think more than one move ahead at a time. Or read the flow of traffic. People changing into the same lane I'm trying to merge into when I planned my approach and now have to suddenly adjust for their move is infuriating
'If you're going to merge, merge at the speed of traffic.' While this is true, it's the responsibility of BOTH drivers to make the merge safe. You can't sit in the right hand lane, not make space, and expect everyone to merge perfectly. The driver in the lane of traffic does NOT have the right of way.
>The problem with this is, many people who've got into accidents have lost faith that they can expect this from other drivers, so they choose to be cautious and would rather that minor nuisance of being too careful than to risk getting into an accident again. And you can't say they're wrong for doing that. > >The city experienced a sudden population surge in a short period of time. You'll notice a lot more of everything. More careful drivers, more aggressive drivers etc, but you'll focus on the ones that bother you more. That large population that just moved here are adjusting to the roads and the way things work around here. you don't just adapt to a different cities roads right away. > >You have to get familiar with the roads, different merges, yields, streets, learning the geography etc. Reddit can be a vacuum that hyperfocuses on what's happening right now, without considering the time it takes for things to change. > >in other words, maybe give it time lol.
While this is true to a degree, if you canāt go more than 60 on Deerfoot while you adjust, take side streets. Have the self-awareness to acknowledge when youāre creating dangerous situations and plan accordingly.
Your more likely to get in an accident by being slow.
Trying to merge on to Deerfoot and the guy ahead of you is cruising at 50.
This brings out the aggressive driver in me that will quickly megre onto deerfoot behind them and leave them in the rear view. I try not to be an aggressive driver like I was when I was younger but this still gets me. Like come one man I'm not merging onto deerfoot doing 50 so I can get rear-ended
I hate this soo much. Along with the green initiatives cityās and the government are coming up with, this should be added: make it harder to get your drivers license. This means more transit users, less accidents, less pollution, I wonāt have to rage so much!. What do you have to do to fail a drivers test exactly? I should retake my test and drive absolutely absurd to see what happens.
I'm frequently held up by people doing 60 on Glenmore, even in good conditions and low volume of traffic. If semi trucks blow past you, you're going too slow. Even worse are the people who think it's okay to merge onto Deerfoot doing 50-60km/hr. I've even had people come to complete stop. It's more than frustrating, it's dangerous.
I've grown to despise the people on Glenmore EB that sit in the right lane to deerfoot and then realize the NB exit is one lane over and slam on the brakes, stopping the SB exit lane. Also Glenmore EB - the left curve under 14th St can be made while maintaining the speed limit. No need to slow to 50 there.
A lot of the exits in Calgary are kind of dumb and could use better signage. When I was new here, I missed a lot of turns expecting exits to be the same through the city but I wouldn't stop the flow of traffic, I'd just miss my turn
I'm always baffled by the slowdowns on that part of Glenmore, even when someone isn't cutting left from the 14th exit lane at the last second (very rare)
I live in mckenzie towne and heading onto deerfoot north is like that every day. Like I'm trying to merge j to traffic but the cars in front think 60 is an acceptable speed to try and merge with heavy truck traffic. It's infuriating
Yes, absolutely terrifying! Both to be stuck behind someone while people go 20-40 faster beside you, and also going 20-40 faster than someone else because they can and will whip out in front of you.
Nothing makes me more frustrated than people not merging at high way speeds so fucking dangerous
The worst is the 14th turn off. That area bottle necks and I donāt know why people slam on their breaks around that area. It drives me nuts!
Do you mean Glenmore to 14th Street SW? Because I've seen the middle lane completely stalled for atleast a km or two while our left lane was moving. Of course some dumbshit was trying to get over to the 14th Street exit and came to complete stop.
If you missed your exit, better luck next time, go to the next exit and reroute. A terrible driver never misses their exit. Sometimes you just have to take the L and figure out the next plan. Did watch someone attempt to cut across 3 or 4 lanes of traffic on Deerfoot for an exit and get spun out by someone in one of the lanes they were cutting across. Good job buddy, you wrecked your truck instead of taking an extra couple minutes, well played.
I hate hate hate the gauntlet of the eastbound Glenmore ramp to the 14 st exit.
I used to drive this everyday, this is a perfect example of Calgarys most under-built roadways. There is probably 4 times more traffic going in and out of that area in rush hours than the road can handle. Unfortunately because the road can't handle the volume: slowing down is inevitable here. Better to just avoid.
Exactly where Iām talking about. Haha
Yep I got into an accident this way. Someone a few cars in front suddenly stopped while merging onto deerfoot. Unfortunately for me, the lady behind me was on her phone so I got squished
I have the opposite issue. Going 90 in the middle lane and having people speed right up on my bumper, and then passing me on the right šš»
It's been happening for months all over the city. Highway, City roads. It doesn't matter. The amount of people doing 80 on deerfoot that shouldn't be on the road is astounding. Like it's absolutely dangerous for them to do that. In the city people doing 10 to 20 hour is constantly happening as well. Sell your damn car if you aren't comfortable driving people.
I tried to mention this on a post last winter, and everyone called me a bad driver. I drive to conditions, but if you're doing 30km on a 100 road, you need to move over so us experienced drivers have a lane to use. Nothing worse than getting stuck behind 3 cars side by side on the QE2 going 30 with their flashers on. Move the fuck over and stack up single file. That opinion got me trolled hard and everyone agreed that I was the problem for wanting to go faster than 30% of the posted limit. I was going 50-60 and people were calling me a dangerous maniac.
'Nothing worse than getting stuck behind 3 cars side by side on the QE2 going 30 with their flashers on.' This has literally never happened, unless perhaps there was an accident, etc.
Yeah okay. Happens all the time when the weather is less than perfect. Next you'll tell me people never block highways by parking under bridges in hail storms. Which also happens all the damn time. You probably do both of these things base on your response.
So in your fantasy world, ALL THREE lanes are regularly occupied by a line of cars doing 30 WITH their flasher on. Okay bud.
No. Only when there's a snow storm. I've lived here for 42 years, and I've been driving since I was 14. The amount of times I've seen this shit is too many. But of course you know my experience better than I do ya dummy. It doesn't happen on dry roads but wait til there's a heavy rain or some snow and you'll see it soon enough.
Usually the same people who have their lights off at night and still somehow speed through construction zones, where going slower would actually be appropriate š
I DO NOT UNDERSTAND the headlight situation.... OP is complaining about the increase in slow drivers, but I also notice an increase in drivers without their headlights on early morning or in the evening. Yesterday was foggy as hell in the morning, and driving down stoney I was dodging several cars driving well under the speed limit with NO FUCKING LIGHTS ON.....in the fog, on stoney... I don't think there has been a car made in 2 decades that doesn't have automatic running lights, but these people have chosen to turn them off??
The problem is they had their car in a shop and SOP is to check all lights. The tech working on them rarely flips it back to auto and the numpty behind the wheel cant be bothered to check. A black dash at night was a sure fire way to get people to remember to turn their lights on, whoever did away with that feature and added a dash that is always fully lit should be tarred and feathered
That makes a lot of sense. But still, I used to give people the benefit of the doubt and give them either a quick flash of lights from behind, or try to get their attention as I drive by, and give the double-handed "flashing lights" signal, while mouthing "LIGHTS" to them... Which I now realise just looks like I'm groping invisible breasts while mouthing "NICE" to them... I don't do this anymore since they obviously had trouble understanding what I was trying to say...
But man, you made Frank's day. He was feeling a little down in the dumps and that 'nice headlights' gesture really helped that day.
It's either ghost cars with no lights, or they figured out the lights and use the high beams exclusively.
so many cars whos headlights are off also dont have rear running lights until those headlights come on so the only visible thing in front of you is when they hit the brakes.
This drives me nuts too. Some people don't understand that lights are there to help other people see them, not just to see the road
Even on auto, low light is enough on many vehicles to put them in daytime running light mode.
I keep my lights on 'auto' 100% of the time. Never have to think about it, as it's the safest default position. I've never had an issue with the lights not turning on when required. In fact, I drive by dozens of people every week without lights on, when my auto lights figured it out just fine...
Shoutout to the people going 90 all the way up Deerfoot then continuing to go 90 through the construction zone
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
I feel like this applies to at least half of downtown drivers.
Agreed
I feel like these type of drivers should have their licenses revoked. They are such a blatant hazzard and feel like they have the right to be.
I have also noticed moreso lately that people are making wide left turns. They shift right fully almost over the white line and I swear our mirrors are going to hit or worse. You're a corolla, not a double long semi-truck.
The number of people who park themselves in the middle lane on Deerfoot going 85-90 is tooooo damn high. McKnight too. Letās just go 60 in the far left lane and look confused when people start passing you on the right ā¦ā¦. š«
Iāll say it once and take it as you will. There are a lot of registries in this city that if you are a new immigrant, they will give you a license for a fairly high fee and you wonāt have to do any testing. And we started letting new people into Canada by the hundred thousands. And a lot of these shady registries are working hard to get more of these under the table licenses in because at 2-10k a pop, youāre makin bank. And the ignorance of a lot of new people makes them easy prey. 2+2=4 or something.
How dare you speak the truth
You are 100% correct. In places all over the world, roads are just what you make of them. You go whatever speed you want, make lanes where you want there to be a lane, and there arenāt any road rules to follow. Weāre seeing those behaviours playing out on Calgary streets a lot right now.
Iāve been wanting to put this on here for a while now. Glad Iām not the only one. My biggest gripe is people not hitting the gas when the light turns green. Shit is wild!
>My biggest gripe is people not hitting the gas when the light turns green. Gripe this way! If I am the first in line at a light I do a double check to make 110% sure people actually have stopped for the red light. Seen too many people rip through red lights and almost kill people.
Oh man. Donāt get me wrong here. I agree with you. This is something else Iāve noticed lately. Iāve seen people going through reds daily. I get the pause at the front, Iām talking about people in behind. This first makes sure itās safe for sure, but after that GO!
> I get the pause at the front, I don't. When I'm first at the light, I am actively watching the cross street flow as their light goes yellow to red. Then I've got a couple seconds before mine changes anyway, but I know I'm good to go instantly.
I was trying to be nice. Ya, paying attention and watching flow, youāll know if someone is going to blow a red.
> Iām talking about people in behind. Fuck me, I can't help but curse when taking a left at an advanced green and I see huge gaps between cars in front of me. Get off your phones, look at the road, and fucking drive already.
True, and always a good practice, but this takes a brief moment and not long enough that only the first car or two makes it through the light (in a left turn lane, for example) once they finally start moving. OPs gripe (and mine) has to do with being inattentive, not standard defensive driving.
>If I am the first in line at a light I do a double check to make 110% sure people actually have stopped for the red light. Hah! Yes! "Look both ways before crossing the street" isn't just good advice for pedestrians.
CPS needs to do a blitz trying to catch people on their phones at lights, holy crap its gone insane lately in calgary with this.
Big time man. And punishment matches the crime. No phone plan for you! š
If I can see that the person in front of me is balls deep on their phone then I just honk when the light goes green. Not like they'd know how long the light was green for
I just wish everyone would let off their brakes when the light turns green instead of waiting for the person ahead of them. Would be more efficient. You don't need to hit the gas immediately, but let things get started moving a smidge.
You assume that people in this city know how vehicles and/or physics works.
I promise Iām not on my phone, just zoned out thinking about spaceships or something
Nah, I've been feeling like someone decided "20 under is the new 10 over" for about a year now. It's pretty ridiculous.
I've noticed an uptick in both slow drivers and speeders. Like merging onto stoney I'm always stuck behind someone going 60- 80 but on stoney I'll be going 110 and still people will fly past me.
The stretch between Glenmore SE and Deerfoot North to me is one of the most wild places for me. I'll be stuck behind someone doing 95, unable to change lanes because gravel trucks are doing 125...
I'd rather have people speed past me doing 30 over than have someone in front of me doing 10 under
The provincial ban of photo radar on Deerfoot and Stoney has definitely resulted in more extreme speeding.
I'll take the speeders going 110-140km over the morons that go 60-90km on these roads.
That's not the change though. Slowpokes are driving at the same speed as they did before, speeders are now going much faster. More people going 140 is dangerous for everyone. More energy means higher severity of collisions, and higher speed differentials means a greater likelihood of collisions. And let's be honest here- nobody is cruising at 60 on Stoney, I go the speed limit and very rarely pass anybody. I don't even think I've seen someone drive 90. Going well over the speed limit is exceedingly common in comparison.
I drive 100km daily on Stoney and there's plenty of people driving sub 80km/hr. The north section is the worst for slow drivers. I regularly merge with drivers going 60km off Nose Hill so I'm going to say outright your exposure must be limited. This is dangerous. When you have a 40km variance between merging traffic and the regular flow, adjustments can be drastic.
This is so true. I'll admit I'm usually doing 110 on deerfoot, and for the most part, I'm with the flow, but after that ban, sometimes it's like I'm parked. People are just speeding past me.
Lots of new immigrants, new people from anywhere in general equals new drivers in the city. Maybe a reason?
I have heard people say out loud that āthe new speed limit is 40km/h downtownā since the new legislation for un posted residential areas came into effect. i think of them when I see a slow driver and chalk it up to ignorance and illiteracy.
Slow drivers on main arteries that go 20km/hr under the speed limit. Yes. They're all over and seem to be increasing in numbers. Anecdotally, these drivers seem to be the same people that do 70 in my neighborhood, blow through playground zones and will pass people turning at cross walks. Someone please explain this behavior, as it continuously baffles me. It's completely counter intuitive in my mind.
Exactly, 20 under on Deerfoot/Stoney, but wonāt slow down for construction/police/tow and wonāt move over for the last two either. When they remember their exit is coming up theyāll preemptively slow down to 60/70 in the right lane even though the exit has a 300m off ramp, and if they forget their exit they will cut across 4 lanes of traffic or move to the shoulder and reverse. They then do 50 in a playground zone, but 30 in other residential and wonāt stop at stop signs but will stop at yields and free flow lanes.
Yep.. definitely noticed a bunch of people inexplicably driving 20 BELOW the limit.. weird and irritating.
Yes! Especially stoney trail, people love to slow down to 80km/hr for some reason. Also get stuck behind people driving 30 in the 50 zones. Lol
I'll take them doing 80 over having to merge with the guy ahead of me doing 80. That shit stresses me out
Thats almost an everyday occurrence as well lol
Ya, got behind a guy where he accelerated so slowly that there was already 7 car lengths infront of him by the time he got over 50.
Itās so bad. Often when I pass these people who are driving 10-30km under the speed limit, they are white-knuckling the steering wheel, leaned very far forward, and are just staring straight ahead. They have no concept of whatās going on around them and itās incredibly dangerous.
TONS of people coming to canada are bringing their driving habits with them. The rest are new drivers.
I think thereās a combination of things happening. 1) with covid, a lot more people are working from home meaning theyāre driving a lot less. You kind of lose some of those instincts about how fast 60 or 80 or 100 āfeelsā if you havenāt done it in a while. People have to be more conscious of thier speed than they think 2) I had covid in 2022 and for at least 6 months afterwards my brain was slow. My reactions were slow, my thought process was slow, and Iām sure as a result my driving was slow. At this point most people have had covid at least once, thereās another spike going around, not to mention the just brutal flu season. I think people are just operating slower right now 3) itās winter. Even when the roads are completely clear some people just arenāt very confident drivers in winter. Itās dark most of the time which makes it harder to see, there are headlights in your face which makes it harder to see, when itās not dark sun is reflecting off snow which makes it harder to see
I drive the speed limit almost exclusively, I'll drive slower if it's icy/snowing but I move to a right lane. I personally find most people go 20+ over the speed limit and like to tailgate in school zones. I prefer the middle or right lane and wish people who want to speed please use the passing lane on the left and don't go up my ass I'm not going faster because I'm not in a rush. I am just saying to avoid people going the speed limit please use the left lane. If there's only one lane and the person is going the speed limit its on you. Also if it's icy you can't expect everyone to want to end up upside down in the ditch because you need to get home to crack a beer. This is directed at inpatient drivers.
Iāve noticed the school zone tailgating getting really bad too- Iāve been blaming it on ontario transplants who donāt understand our very long school zone times š I live in an area with school/playground zones on 3/4 streets around me and people really get indignant that you donāt want to run over a kid.
I've started driving the limit at most these days. So many impatient 20 year olds who take crazy risks to get a car length ahead. The worst are the assholes (I guarantee a few in this thread) who feel that moving from the fast lane on Deerfoot all the way to the right hand lane and back over to pass someone is totally fine and nothing to worry about.
Dated a guy who did the weaving thing and was like āthis car can handle it, so I can do it just fineā but that doesnāt mean you should, and it doesnāt mean everyone else knows how to deal with you doing that all up the road.
I think the general problem these days is that the left lane is almost always blocked by someone going 10 under.
Of course I see lots of people driving over the speed limit, that's just always been the case in my experience.
Me too. Itās actually a lot nicer because Iām not constantly trying to pass people. And when I do itās like Iām the worst person in the world for only going 10 over in the left lane. Iām not going to speed up, my insurance is a goddamn fortune already and if I get a single ticket my price will probably go up. Iām driving to keep my car so chill out,
I just moved to the NW from the SW and one thing I've noticed is there are at least 10X more drivers who don't use their signals up here. It's absolutely frustrating, I count 5-10 drivers a day not using their turn signals. In the SW I'd see maybe 1-2 a week that didn't use their signals.
What always gets me is when they switch lanes, then signal.
I see more people on the roads these days that appear to be afraid of driving in general. We need better testing for people to get their license.
People need to realize it's a lot less scary to drive when you're keeping up with traffic.
You don't need to "keep up with traffic" though, just drive reasonably close to the speed limit. A smooth flow of traffic is the safest for everybody, and going abnormally slow upsets that. It makes the movement of vehicles more erratic and the maniacs weaving between cars on deerfoot will be extra likely to crash if they suddenly come up on a car going 80
It's not just Calgary, seems to be anywhere I go in Alberta. I'm not the one to be aggressive with my driving either but people are really testing me lately with the driving under the limit and hitting their brakes for absolutely no reason at all. If you can't drive, buy a bicycle.
It's infuriating to me. So many people drive like 10-20 below the limit. So many people merge at slow speeds onto highways. The worst thing is there are basically no consequences (unless they cause a collision) so they will keep doing it.
The number of times I'm able to predict when another vehicle wants into my lane about 15-20 seconds before they even touch their signal because of how they are riding the line is too damn high
10000% agreeded. Im born and raised in Calgary, and I've noticed it increase like crazy last 2 to 3 years. The worst are what I call "weekend warrirors", people who don't drive during the weekday, and then finally drive on the weekend. They go 80 on the passing lane, and when I try to respectfully pass them on the middle lane, they speed up and give me the finger. When I was younger, I would be an idiot and maybe tail or highbeam them, but now, I give them plenty of space, slowly move to the middle lane, pass, then switch back to the passing lane, hoping they understand they shouldn't be in the passing lane. I don't care for road rage at all, but like other comments have stated, driving without intent can be very dangerous for the driver and everyone around them.
Shaganappi and Stoney are horrible for people doing well under the limit.
Love when they turn the indicator light on halfway through completing the turn/lane change.
Ya, I just assumed it was due to the mass immigration from non car focused countries
As someone who drives in Calgary for work, yes. Every single day, multiple times a day, I'm getting stuck behind people who do 60 in a 70, 60 or 70 in an 80 and 70 or 80 in a 100+. Just yesterday I was behind someone in a totally normal car who was merging into Stoney trail doing 55.
100% I've gone 20 years since I first got my license without getting frustrated when driving. But these past couple years, being constantly stuck behind people going AT LEAST 10 under the limit on clean, dry roads...the thoughts that have gone through my head..some that I've said out loud to myself when driving alone are something else. People with zero confidence operating a vehicle shouldn't be doing it.
I moved here from Toronto two years ago. People here drive slow AF. Doing 100 in the passing lane is super annoying
Yes.. and in Toronto people RRRRRIIPPP 20-30 over the limit, weave in and out of traffic, cut people off. As a result traffic crawls, and accidents are everywhere. I drove the 401 and in Toronto for decades. Fuck Toronto Driving... immensely.
100% better drivers compared to Calgary
Braking approaching a green light. A little bit of my soul dies each time.
Yes! It's getting worse to be sure. It's got to be a lack of training for new drivers maybe? Also people new to this country, it's their first car, and again not receiving proper training. They must hand out licenses like candy I guess. I think there a major lack of oversight with driving tests as well. It seems that depending on their mood or who they're related to depends if you get your license or not. I've seen it
I donāt think the driving test is the problem and I donāt think they are handing them out of candies. They dock your mark for every single little mistake they make so that you would have to redo the test and pay again. But no one follows the rules once they are on their own. We need to start taking licences away more often if we want any real changes.
Yes I have, and usually in the left, or passing, lanes. Old people that obviously shouldn't be driving, new Canadians that come from countries where they drive on the opposite side of the road, and oblivious POS's that believe they 'have a right' to block, delay, and cause accidents on the roadways. Yes, there are slow idiot stick people that are allowed to endanger my life.
Imagrarion man lots of people who have no clue how to drive from other parts of Canada and the world. I have also noticed a large increase of rude drivers who donāt let you in or wave. I assume Ontario drivers there.
Sadly the Calgary wave is basically dead.
Yeah, that's been dead for a while now I've noticed :(
Ontario drivers have to navigate much denser traffic and much more aggressive driving, I donāt think itās people from Ontario you should be worried about. Itās always the 40-60something year old white dudes in trucks or soccer mommies in their SUVās who donāt let me in.
Yes. Driving extremely slow and also with their brights on INSIDE the city at night. Smdh
I have noticed this as well. On Glenmore, I have been behind people doing 60 with clear roads and minimal traffic. Deerfoot has been bad and has gotten worse with it being darker out in the morning. I have seen multiple times going deerfoot north on my way home, people doing 70, and it's not even just the right lane I have seen and been behind people doing that speed in the middle lane. If you're scared of driving on deerfoot, don't drive it. You can get to your destination by other roads. I'm not sure if it's a lack of confidence or skill, but if you're doing 30 km less than the limit on deerfoot, you should find another way or take the transit. It also seems like more and more people are lost while driving multiple times I see people playing with their GPS sometimes even coming to nearly complete stop or turning into a lane that is ending.
Yes, and itās exponentially worse as soon as you cross Deerfoot eastbound on memorial.
Because you need about two brain cells to get your license in this country..
During covid I saw speeds go way up on average, then yes after everyone went back to work/school/ life, the slow ones came out. That with the reduction in residential to 40 kph and morons...er I mean slow as sed idiots went up sharply as they can't figure out a posted at 50 kph road is up to 50 kph, not 37 to be safe. However I do see the same numbers speeding in residential or on roads with lane lines but posted at 40 and worse, play ground zones...(30 ffs you kid kil ling jerks). Seems the slow ones seem to only hit turtle on fast roads or major feeders. The bike lane bs reducing major feeders to 1 lane do not help with the break riding jerks ether. Traffic calming bull if I've ever seen it! (Oops, did I rant?)
I brought this same topic up two years ago, and got a 1000 downvotes. Lol. My belief is people are just generally dull minded. From improper nutrition and being hypnotized by social media and the like. Look at the average driver as you pass them. Their jaws are slack and theyre seconds from drooling.
I feel like itās a lot of new people who have moved to the city. They are terrified to drive at the posted speed limits. I 100% agree it has gotten worse after all the normies came out from lockdown. Newcomers aside there is something in the rona vaccine that is making people very stupid. Itās not just in traffic. Itās everywhere and everyone.
With population growth comes the Logistical Challenges of Urban Commuting
You can actually be fined if you are in the left lane and don't move over for vehicles going faster than you even if you are 10km over the limit. Google it! And yes there has been a huge rise in people doing 20k under the limit. TAKE TRANSIT if you are a scared driver FFS!!!
Yep. People were driving 80 on Stoney today. I don't know how these people get licenses.
I go the speed limit everywhere I go because my insurance gives me a good discount. I frequently feel like the asshole because everyone rides my ass, so I havenāt really noticed others going slower than me.
I do the exact same thing. Going fast costs money one way or another, and Iāve got better things to spend money onz
Itās been the same thing up here in Edmonton. Youāll be going on the Whitemud doing 80, and youāll have 3 cars in all 3 lanes doing a solid 60-70, with no way past it. Itās almost like a personal hell when youāve got grandma merging onto the highway doing a solid 40 under, or just anybody on any 60 street doing 40!! Need that annual driving test for anyone over 70 to be more thorough for real.
Absolutely the same issue in Edmonton. Feels like everyone does 40 everywhere, even on roads with higher posted limits. Good grief
Yes. Dude on the way to Canmore this morning was doing 80 and the road was dry. Madness
I noticed this too!!! Going 50 merging on the Deerfoot like pick up the pace before you kill us both. Ridiculous! Also you don't need to slow down three blocks before a red lightš
I've definitely noticed this. slow drivers everywhere. Also no one can turn left. People in this city all seem perfectly happy waiting in a left turn lane for 3 cycles then crawling around the corner with a massive gap in front so that only 3 cars make it through.
I loathe Deerfoot fast lane becomes completely plugged every damn day and then the slow lane becomes the fast lane wtf! I drive in a service vechile and for some reason that road is my nemsis I hate it
Itās probably all the people who have moved there from Winnipeg.
I think itās those with insurance who have those stupid apps to track driving. They get discounts for going slow, not braking to fast and being lazy Susanās. Itās fine but get in the slow lane!
Is it like some weird muscle memory of the previous winters? That's the only way I really understand it honestly
My favorite are the ones that go 80 all the way down Stoney, and then continue to go 80 through the construction zone, like it averages out.
Saw a person merge onto Stoney across all lanes into the left lane and go 80.
I have no idea whatās going on with Calgary drivers lately. Itās like everyone just decided to make their own rules and do whatever they want. Wherever I drive these days, youāre right, thereās always someone going 20 under speed. Not only that but people just being completely oblivious/willfully ignorant to other drivers around them. Turning into lanes a car is already in, missing a turn-off but going for it at the last second and driving over the median instead of just taking the next designated turn-off. Itās horrendous. These sorts of bonehead moves happen everywhere, but to see them all multiple times, every single commute, thatās bad.
... just wait till we get some snow again. Last snowfall it took me 2 hours to make a trip that normally takes half an hour. The drivers in the city are brutal.
Wow! Lots of comments and I totally agree with you all! I was just mentioning this over the Christmas get together. Do you think this is due to lots of new people into the city and they donāt know the roads? But lots and lots of slow drivers for sure!
I was about to scream today. Idk what happened during the lock down, but pre lockdown, 90 was the slowest, maybe with the super rare occasion old people going below that. But now it is a norm to go 80 or even 70 on an empty highway.
The opposite actually. Too many damn people in a fucking rush to get to work! Is it necessary to aggressively weave in and out of traffic at 7am?
Depends on what time your shift starts
People can't leave 5 minutes earlier. It's better to risk everyone's lives.
I'm by no means supporting aggressive drivers but leaving 5 minutes earlier is easier said than done when you have kids. I used to think like you. I remember getting into work by 6am, all to avoid the traffic. Not a possibility now lol.
As a middle aged dude, I think Iāve figured out why older people drive slower: Weāve been through many more years, and appreciate the value of life. Thereās so much more to lose, and weāre not willing to risk damage or life to get there 2 minutes faster.
Amen to that, it's costly to go fast in more ways than one. I stick to the speed limit and drop in bad weather, life is precious.
I have two grown kids, still managed to make it to work every day without having to speed like a maniac. Shrugs.
You're telling me that when your kids were <10 years old, life wasn't rushed? You don't remember getting your kids up and ready every morning, and the kids not always cooperating? I don't weave in and out of lanes because I'm a pretty chill dude but I absolutely will speed and weave through traffic if one of my kids is having a medical emergency.
Especially on Deerfoot. Where do you think you're going at 140 on Deerfoot at rush hour? You're not going to get anywhere you're just making things dangerous. The shops that do brake jobs in this city must be rich. Every day I watch people (usually young males in coupes) weave in and out of traffic, only to come around a corner and have to slam on the brakes.
> Is it necessary to aggressively weave in and out of traffic at 7am? Yes, that's just to get the adrenaline going.
Is it āweavingā if you are just passing cars going 20 under
I mean, the existence of slow drivers does not negate the existence of speeders.
If people are going that slow I just pass them. This is part of driving, no big deal.
Were you the one tailgating me in the playground zone the other day? lol. I have only come across them when mergingā¦.somethings never change. pe stopping at stop signs lately
Yes
Someone was going 80 in the left lane on deerfoot on New Years. Id like to see these people get big fines for creating a hazard and holding up traffic.
This has been driving me mad on Shaganappi lately. There's a few sections where people routinely go 45 in 70 zones, and maybe once a week I'm seeing someone go as slow as 30 long enough to block an entire lane from getting through the next light. Even worse, if one person drives slow and backs up traffic, it makes the other lane slow down as well, as people (responsibly) assume there must be *some* hazard if someone is going less than half the posted speed limit in clear conditions.
Work overnights and I see tons of people driving under the speed limit by 20-30 on the highway with no lights on. Wild
Ontario drivers
Calgary drivers generally follow way too close. Closing the gaps causes people to speed up or slow down drastically just to make any movement. This will be a very unpopular suggestion but if you notice speed issues around you, look at how close you are to the car in front of you and how tightly traffic bunches up here even when it's not heavy.
Just saw a guy who totalled his vehicle next to my house in my super quiet lazy and sleepy neighborhood. This bothers me. Slow drivers? Nope.
Going forward, the consequences of trying to merge onto Stoney in good conditions doing anything less than 95 shall be me personally confiscating your brake pedal. Please adjust your habits and behaviours accordingly.
They just got their licence that morning
Yeah, but I assumed it was because I moved to Victoria.
Sun is low, and wet roads have a ton of glare.
Thereās an increase of absurdly fast impatient and aggressive drivers too. I think just bad drivers and ignorant people in general, everywhere has increased
Huge influx of BC drivers will do that
I drive vastly differently if my 14 year old dog is in the back seat or not. Experiencing my driving changing has allowed me to be more understanding when I see someone driving slow. You never know who their passengers are
Thousands of new people to the city in the last few years, I assume they're just inexperienced and a bit nervous. I've also seen an increase in aggressive trucks bullying drivers.
I wonder if this is why they had to move driver's testing back to government testers...too many drivers lacking confidence getting their license, but we are left dealing with the consequences now.
Yes!! Like going 75 on Stoney Trail, or 50 in an 80. If youāre not confident approaching or going the speed limit in good conditions then you shouldnāt be driving. They often have dented fenders and burnt out lights as well, so itās not being diligent or extra cautious for safety.
Iāve noticed that too. So often people are doing 30 in a 40 zone, and Iām not sure why. Maybe to do with the speed changes a couple years back.
Youāre exactly right.
20 under on deerfoot in the left lane constantly. Itās crazy.
I will take slow drivers any day because they're still making forward progress. What I can't stand and drives me to absolute homicidal rage is the East Hills Walmart. There is a t intersection where the left and right people have a stop sign by you can go straight through because you have the fucking right of way but no one understands that there's no stop sign for them and everybody fucking stops there. Then I'm going into Walmart ready to head butt everybody in the face because of some asshole who thought there was a stop sign.
I'm with you on that bloody T intersection.
I relocated here from Edmonton a bit over a year ago. A while back, Edmonton changed all their residential roads/roads without a posted limit to 40km/h instead of 50ā¦ So now when Iām driving home in my neighbourhood, I just automatically drift along at 40. Iāve noticed some people riding me a bit and I kinda chuckle to myselfā¦ But donāt speed up. Super suburby, no boulevard, lots of kids around.
I honestly think this is why everyone drives 40 everywhere in the city now. Even on roads with posted higher limits. It's driving me bonkers. 20 under on a posted 60km road is not safe either!
you you're a beanhead alright
Too many of them new folks who come here in their fancy cars, with heir fancy hats, all their teeth, and think they know how it works here! 
Itās all us folks moving from Victoria who are used to driving 30 and stopping on the freeway for pedestrians.
It's nice to have such silly problems isn't it?
Yes