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Post by franko on Aug 23, 2008 15:39:52 GMT -5
So . . . I back out of my driveway so I can go to work yesterday and I notice that my neighbour has a visitor who is leaving at the same time [not that I’m suggesting anything, but he was getting into a Buick or and Oldsmobile . . . if you know what I mean]. So I am very careful as I put my car into drive and . . . good thing . . . he throws his car into reverse and backs out without looking. I stop and wait for him to go. He does . . . ever so slowly.
I think about passing him, but he stops after about 15 feet, and I stop (can’t get around him) . . . as does the person that has now crept up behind me. Then (I still can’t believe it) the guy in front of me starts to reverse. I hit the horn. He keeps coming. I hit the horn hard. He keeps coming. I lean on the horn . . . and when he hits me he stops.
I get out of my car [deep breaths first – car is now 7 months old] as does he. He walks over to me and asks
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Post by Skilly on Aug 23, 2008 15:52:24 GMT -5
I read the title and thought this was a tirade about experiencing Newfoundland drivers, who are without a doubt the worse drivers in the world....... oh I have stories I could tell you franko.
I wouldn't have let him go that easily. Not a chance. When he asked if there was any damage I would have replied "yes" even before I looked. Then I would have went into the ins and out of paint jobs on cars and getting scratches out .... with a 7 month old car, he'd be replacing my bumper if there was the slightest nick in it.
I have no time for idiot drivers, or people who try to shy away from responsibility .... the license plate number and person's name are the first two things I record (I know easier said then done when in the situation and you are fuming at someone's stupidity).
Glad you are alright though ....
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Post by cigarviper on Aug 23, 2008 16:06:04 GMT -5
In America you could have taken out your concealed weapon and blown him away.
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Post by duster on Aug 23, 2008 22:22:20 GMT -5
In Vancouver, you can get stickers that say "I am Volvo aware" ....for good reason.
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Post by franko on Aug 23, 2008 22:49:51 GMT -5
I read the title and thought this was a tirade about experiencing Newfoundland drivers, who are without a doubt the worse drivers in the world....... oh I have stories I could tell you franko. I've driven in Newfoundland. I've driven in Montreal. I've driven in Greece. Newfoundalnd drivers come in third in that list. The winner . . . the other Canadian city! Unfortunately, the last time I was hit (yes, four months after I bought the car someone backed into me in a parking lot and actually did damage) the bumper was "injured". I tried to get it replaced with the sports version rather than the regular (same price to the dealer) but they just filled in the dings and repainted. I stood in shock as he walked away -- by the time I realized what was happening he was gone. Then when I went to my car I couldn't remember the last part of his license. But when I see that car again I'll be noting it and calling the police to suggest that the guy be re-tested! |
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Post by seventeen on Aug 24, 2008 16:09:27 GMT -5
There's a tv commercial pushing cheap insurance for 'veteran' drivers. If they kept true stats, the worst drivers on the road, per mile (or km) driven, are aged ones and should be charged the highest rates. I say that knowing I may join them in the future. It's a simple matter of slower physical and mental reflexes. I am firmly convinced many older drivers (not all, but a larger percentage than would be expected) simply don't have an awareness of what's going on around them (right, Franko?). My father in law, before we convinced his doctor to have Dad's licence taken away, gave me skyrocketing blood pressure and several heart attacks each time we went out. The sons in law's greatest achievement was convincing Dad that one of the kids should drive instead. I'm still alive because of it.
I believe there was an article in the Globe a couple of years ago that statisticaly confirmed that older drivers (can't remember the age cut off), were 7 or 8 times more likely to have an accident than an impaired driver. Or perhaps I should restate that they were more likely to create an accident. I've seen many old fogies cause one and drive away cause they weren't directly involved in the crunch.
I know I don't have a lot of patience for slow drivers, but when I see an old guy wearing a hat, behind the drivers seat and in front of me, my teeth grate. Sigh. I'm jumping off a bridge before I get to that point. I will never wear a hat or cap in a car.
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Post by jkr on Aug 24, 2008 16:18:31 GMT -5
Seinfeld has a routine about this. He maintains that people reach a certain age & just start backing out of their driveways without looking. Evrybody is supposed to watch out for them I guess.
My dad gave up driving around the age of 80. It wasn't an easy decision to give up that independence but he realized it was the right thing to do. It's been 4 years now & he doesn't really seem to miss driving all that much.
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Post by CentreHice on Aug 24, 2008 17:26:02 GMT -5
Have you ever noticed that anybody driving slower than you is an idiot, and anybody driving faster than you is an a$$hole? – George Carlin
How about when the elderly driver leaves the left-turn signal on for miles and miles? It's what's known as "an eventaul left". - Jerry Seinfeld
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Post by franko on Aug 24, 2008 17:29:30 GMT -5
At 80 drivers in Ontario are re-tested. I'd lower the age (until I hit the cut-off -- then, whatever it is, it will be too low).
Most older-older drivers see not driving as the end of independence, and in some ways it is. But then again . . . you're80!
17: the veteran drivers who get prefered rates are "50 plus". I think rates for over . . . say 75 . . . should be on par with male 18-year-olds. Unfair to those who are older/pensioners/fixed income people (and don't get me started on that -- I'm on a fixed income too!)? Too stinking bad -- you want to drive you pay the premium -- driving -- for everyone -- is a privilege, not a right!
[/ 'nother rant]
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Post by The New Guy on Aug 24, 2008 19:45:50 GMT -5
I read the title and thought this was a tirade about experiencing Newfoundland drivers, who are without a doubt the worse drivers in the world....... oh I have stories I could tell you franko. I wouldn't have let him go that easily. Not a chance. When he asked if there was any damage I would have replied "yes" even before I looked. Then I would have went into the ins and out of paint jobs on cars and getting scratches out .... with a 7 month old car, he'd be replacing my bumper if there was the slightest nick in it. I have no time for idiot drivers, or people who try to shy away from responsibility .... the license plate number and person's name are the first two things I record (I know easier said then done when in the situation and you are fuming at someone's stupidity). Glad you are alright though .... I've driven in Newfoundland Skilly (both out the bay and in town), and I've driven in Toronto, Montreal, the Highway between the two and rural Nova Scotia. Newfoundlanders ain't that bad. Personally I found Montreal the worst, but my experience there is limited at best (one weekend where I barely drove because we were in a hotel sitting on the Metro line) and I'm sure at least part of my problems came from my own inexperience with the city. But frankly - compare St. John's to Toronto and St. John's is by far a nicer city to drive in (I assign this not to St. John's being a better city to drive in - downtown I'm sure was laid out by blind men, and the ability for roads to suddenly and without warning change names (thank you very much Kenmount-Freshwater-Whatever you're called now that I'm lost) can drive even the sanest of bay men up the wall - nor to drivers at home truly being on the whole better drivers, but to the low population - if there is roughly one bad driver in one hundred, then there's far fewer bad drivers in St. John's than there are in Toronto, and most of the bad drivers in St. John's are in Alberta anyways). I will allow that I've seen people do some pretty stupid things in St. John's (especially on the Outer Ring Road in winter just after a glitter storm) but one drive across the 404 and 401 at rush hour in Toronto and you will be cured of all those illusions. My favourite stupid driver trick is the idiot who, stuck in traffic, will suddenly pull across a solid white line into the carpool lane from stop without signalling while traffic is coming quickly toward him at 100 kph or more. And all the idiots who forget how to drive in the snow (because they think all-seasons are good enough) causing me to have to slalom through traffic rolling backwards down a hill toward me. Drivers at home also tend to be slightly more polite. Maybe it's because other drivers don't ask for as much from them, but I find drivers in town are more than happy to let you in if traffic is tight. In Toronto people don't really care, and so the only way to make it in is to play a game of low-speed chicken and force your car into the other lane. |
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Post by Polarice on Aug 25, 2008 8:51:37 GMT -5
A few years back my car was hit 3 times within 3 months on the same door and fender...twice it was old men in their 70's and other time it was a young girl...maybe 18 or so...  My body guy put my picture on the wall in his garage with pictures of my car with the dates it was hit!! He was a funny guy. lol |
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Post by CrocRob on Aug 25, 2008 10:05:22 GMT -5
A few years back my car was hit 3 times within 3 months on the same door and fender...twice it was old me in their 70's and other time it was a young girl...maybe 18 or so... My body guy put my picture on the wall in his garage with pictures of my car with the dates it was hit!! He was a funny guy. lol Did he write "Little Johnny's Tuition" overhead of them? |
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Post by seventeen on Aug 25, 2008 13:37:05 GMT -5
Personally I found Montreal the worst, but my experience there is limited at best On my one and only trip to Montreal, my wife and I were having dinner at a restaurant off Rue St. Denis (I think it was called L'Acadie) and for entertainment we watched the traffic on a side street. One person parallel parked by squeezing between two vehicles and then enlarging the space by bumping the vehicles in front and in back a couple of times each. Sure hope none of you guys were parked there in July 2000. |
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Post by jkr on Aug 25, 2008 13:48:35 GMT -5
Personally I found Montreal the worst, but my experience there is limited at best On my one and only trip to Montreal, my wife and I were having dinner at a restaurant off Rue St. Denis (I think it was called L'Acadie) and for entertainment we watched the traffic on a side street. One person parallel parked by squeezing between two vehicles and then enlarging the space by bumping the vehicles in front and in back a couple of times each. Sure hope none of you guys were parked there in July 2000. My sister saw this Paris. Apparently it's accepted practice there. Drivers park & leave their cars in neutral so that parkers can nudge the cars between them back & forth.  |
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Post by CrocRob on Aug 25, 2008 14:07:38 GMT -5
On my one and only trip to Montreal, my wife and I were having dinner at a restaurant off Rue St. Denis (I think it was called L'Acadie) and for entertainment we watched the traffic on a side street. One person parallel parked by squeezing between two vehicles and then enlarging the space by bumping the vehicles in front and in back a couple of times each. Sure hope none of you guys were parked there in July 2000. My sister saw this Paris. Apparently it's accepted practice there. Drivers park & leave their cars in neutral so that parkers can nudge the cars between them back & forth. People are too uppity about their pristine condition bumpers here. |
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Post by BadCompany on Aug 25, 2008 14:21:47 GMT -5
Hey, we're not dangerous! We're just aggressive!
;D
I always thought Ontario drivers were the worst. An Ontario driver will cut you off by three inches, and have no idea you were there. A Quebec driver will cut you off by three inches just to prove how close he can get...
Having said that...
My mother was driving along Henri-Bourrassa one day, 50 km road, two-lanes, lots of lights, lots of traffic, when this guy comes right up behind her, flashing his headlights, gesturing, the whole bit. Now there is a lot of traffic on Henri Bourrassa on this particular day, and my mother can't get over into the "slower" lane at the drop of a hat. Takes a little time for her to find an open space, made worse by the bozo behind her tailgating, flashing his lights and so on. So finally she manages to squeeze over and the guy rockets past her, pedal-to-the-metal, glaring and swearing at her, middle finger raised in disgust. Which of course greatly upset my mother.
But it REALLY upset the guy stopped at the red light just ahead of them, the guy the aforementioned bozo plowed into doing about 65 km...
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Post by Disgruntled70sHab on Aug 25, 2008 14:37:03 GMT -5
I try my best not to lose my cool when I'm driving but there are times.
Found just outside Quebec City to be pretty scary. Hwy 20 is it? But, Ottawa has the rudest drivers I've found. Too many instances to cite.
Also found New Brunswick to be a challenge as well. No highway in particular, just a very broad, general viewpoint. I found people routinely pass one another on a double line either going up or down a mountain, but that was a few years back.
Toronto and Montreal aren't too bad as far as big cities go. Vancouver's pretty civil unless you drive in East Hastings (is that the district).
European drivers are the fastest by far. No fender-benders. When they have an accident they wipe everyone and everything out.
Charlottetown is by far the most laid back. Was at a major downtown intersection when two farm pickup trucks stopped in the middle of that intersection, rolled down their windows and preceeded to have a chat. No one honked or got mad. It was like everyone knew Farmer Fred and Farmer Earl were catching up; and they just drove around them, no problem. We were only there for 2 1/2 years but it was pretty easy to get used to.
Cheers.
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Post by CrocRob on Aug 25, 2008 15:00:23 GMT -5
I actually use the "flashing headlights" technique quite often. I do it a while before I arrive at a car's rear, and maintain distance to allow them to change lanes. However, I think it's a perfectly acceptable way of asking drivers to move over a lane. It also prevents people from passing on the right, which should never be allowed if you ask me. Heck, when I'm driving from here to Detroit I get flashed by OPP cars all the time. Headlights, not the blue & reds.. at least most of the time.
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Post by Disgruntled70sHab on Aug 25, 2008 16:22:03 GMT -5
I actually use the "flashing headlights" technique quite often. I do it a while before I arrive at a car's rear, and maintain distance to allow them to change lanes. However, I think it's a perfectly acceptable way of asking drivers to move over a lane. It also prevents people from passing on the right, which should never be allowed if you ask me. Heck, when I'm driving from here to Detroit I get flashed by OPP cars all the time. Headlights, not the blue & reds.. at least most of the time. I know what you're using them for, Red, and I can see that working. I've also used flashing headlights to let the transport ahead of me know it's alright for him to get in front of me in the slow lane. We lived in Germany between August of 1986 and August of 1991 and I found some Europeans use the flashing headlights thing as a warning that they'll be pushing you out of the fast lane. We routinely drove about 140 km/hr on the autobahns over there and people were passing us more than we were passing others. However, even when we did pass we could see the speed demons coming up on us quickly. They came out of nowhere until they were practically one car-length behind us, flashed the high beams and literally accelerate into the rear of our car fully expecting us to give way. If they don't get their way we could sometimes see their hands flailing in the rear-view mirror. Once they finally did pass us it wasn't uncommon for us to get 'the bird' as they accelerated away. Canadian license plates must have given them some other kind of license. The Goggles Pisano syndrome I guess. Cheers. |
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Post by Habs_fan_in_LA on Aug 25, 2008 18:38:30 GMT -5
I read the title and thought this was a tirade about experiencing Newfoundland drivers, who are without a doubt the worse drivers in the world....... oh I have stories I could tell you franko. I wouldn't have let him go that easily. Not a chance. When he asked if there was any damage I would have replied "yes" even before I looked. Then I would have went into the ins and out of paint jobs on cars and getting scratches out .... with a 7 month old car, he'd be replacing my bumper if there was the slightest nick in it. I have no time for idiot drivers, or people who try to shy away from responsibility .... the license plate number and person's name are the first two things I record (I know easier said then done when in the situation and you are fuming at someone's stupidity). Glad you are alright though .... I've driven from Port-aux-Basques to St. John's several times and never knew Newfoundland drivers to be anything but polite and curteous. No speeding or reckless driving. I did see a tow truck driver in St. John's pulling a car at the end of a cable accross a steep street. As I watched I thought to myself, that car is going to roll over sideways down the hill due to the steep angle. Sure enough, it did almost pulling the truck by the cable. I went to a business meeting leaving my wife and 1 year old son with the car keys. She proceeded to lock my son in the car and had to break the rear window to get him out, not knowing where I was and there were no cell phones then. No newfie jokes about mainlanders locking their kids in the car. ;D |
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Post by Cranky on Aug 25, 2008 20:05:10 GMT -5
So . . . I back out of my driveway so I can go to work yesterday and I notice that my neighbour has a visitor who is leaving at the same time [not that I’m suggesting anything, but he was getting into a Buick or and Oldsmobile . . . if you know what I mean]. So I am very careful as I put my car into drive and . . . good thing . . . he throws his car into reverse and backs out without looking. I stop and wait for him to go. He does . . . ever so slowly. I think about passing him, but he stops after about 15 feet, and I stop (can’t get around him) . . . as does the person that has now crept up behind me. Then (I still can’t believe it) the guy in front of me starts to reverse. I hit the horn. He keeps coming. I hit the horn hard. He keeps coming. I lean on the horn . . . and when he hits me he stops. I get out of my car [deep breaths first – car is now 7 months old] as does he. He walks over to me and asks Been there, done that...... In '94, I stopped behind a semi at a stop sign. To my amazement and horror, he started to back up, I tried to back up before he hit me but the driver behind me is not budging because the driver behind HIM is not budging. In slow motion and in Technicolor, I see the trailer bar running up my brand new (three month old) $75,000 Benz. I'm standing on the horn and he finally stops, runs out, sees what he's done........and screams at me that I hit him so hard he almost had whiplash. Long story short, the cops come, driver still yelling that I hit him, I point out to the debris from my broken headlights that is 30 feet AHEAD of his rear tires. Slam dunk proof, now the cop is pissed off and throws the book at him. Three months later, the cop and I appear at court salivating to see some sweet justice, but lo and behold, the court "lost" the file. Case dismissed. Simply put, he had some priors and if he was charged, he would be be unemployable as a driver so he paid a friend of a friend of a friend to make the file disappear. I ask the cop if this was unusual, he says NO. From that day on, I KNOW FOR A FACT that our courts are corrupt. |
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Post by Skilly on Aug 26, 2008 7:18:58 GMT -5
Well you can't judge Newfoundland drivers by driving along the wide open TCH ... you'd have to drive in St. John's.
Now I'd be the first to admit that what makes St. John's difficult to drive in is the signage and the fact that it isn't last out in north-south / east - west grids like other cities ... but you think the citizens that live here would be used to it by now...
I'll cite an example and this is not an extreme case, I see stuff like this everyday. I was driving along a road and was approaching an intersection. I was about 300m from the intersection which was on yellow so I slowed down. I looked in my rear view mirror and this little grey Mazda is flying down the road chagning lanes like crazy, passing cars. He zips by me doing at least 80 on the inside, then he comes in front of me and passes two more cars before zipping back into the inside lane. I was surprised he stopped for the red light ... So I am chatting with my wife, we are in the outside lane, next to us is the left turning lane and of course the inside lane to our right where speedy gonzalez is. The left turn signal comes on and all the cars make there way left, and then when the left turn signal goes yellow, mr speedy gonzalez decides he wants to turn LEFT. He cuts in front of the car in front of him (the car in front of me) just when the light turns green. The look on the lady's face said it all.... she stayed where she was for a long while almost afraid to move. This guy didnt bat an eye, never honked or anything ... he just kept speeding down the road like it was normal. Everyone behind her didnt mind waiting for the next green, we were just glad she was ok ...
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Post by franko on Aug 26, 2008 8:02:34 GMT -5
Are you sure he didn't have Quebec plates?
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Post by Disgruntled70sHab on Aug 26, 2008 11:13:06 GMT -5
Well you can't judge Newfoundland drivers by driving along the wide open TCH ... you'd have to drive in St. John's. Now I'd be the first to admit that what makes St. John's difficult to drive in is the signage and the fact that it isn't last out in north-south / east - west grids like other cities ... but you think the citizens that live here would be used to it by now... I'll cite an example and this is not an extreme case, I see stuff like this everyday. I was driving along a road and was approaching an intersection. I was about 300m from the intersection which was on yellow so I slowed down. I looked in my rear view mirror and this little grey Mazda is flying down the road chagning lanes like crazy, passing cars. He zips by me doing at least 80 on the inside, then he comes in front of me and passes two more cars before zipping back into the inside lane. I was surprised he stopped for the red light ... So I am chatting with my wife, we are in the outside lane, next to us is the left turning lane and of course the inside lane to our right where speedy gonzalez is. The left turn signal comes on and all the cars make there way left, and then when the left turn signal goes yellow, mr speedy gonzalez decides he wants to turn LEFT. He cuts in front of the car in front of him (the car in front of me) just when the light turns green. The look on the lady's face said it all.... she stayed where she was for a long while almost afraid to move. This guy didnt bat an eye, never honked or anything ... he just kept speeding down the road like it was normal. Everyone behind her didnt mind waiting for the next green, we were just glad she was ok ... Somewhat the same thing happened to me on Riverside Dr in Ottawa a few years back. Was on my way into work and driving along in the left lane when I saw a lane-hopper in my rear-view mirror coming up on my tail fast. He was doing the same thing as you described, Skilly; dodging here and there, and passing anyone and anything he could. So, I stayed in the left lane figuring he'd just pass me on the right like he had been doing all along. Nope! He realized that he'd have to slow down if he did that because there was another car blocking his way. I looked back at him in the mirror and in no polite terms he was waving for me to get out of the way. He had a passenger with him as well, so I'm thinking he might have an emergency or something like that. Well, she looked fine so ... I took my time in passing the car that was blocking him in the right lane. Finally, I got enough ahead of the car to change lanes, but this guy was beside himself. As he passed me he made a gesture of rubbing his eye the way a child does when it goes "WAAAAAA" (which he did quite well actually). However, before he did his Goggles Pisano routine and sped away, I noticed his passenger and she looked embarassed. I just nodded to him, which probably miffed him a tad more. I hope they made it to where they were going in one piece. Sincerely. Cheers. |
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Post by Doc Holliday on Aug 26, 2008 12:25:47 GMT -5
Worst driver story: My aunt (from a small town) arrives at a 4 stops in a city: she became so freaked out by all the cars everywhere and trying to figure out when to go, that she eventually got out of the car (left it there), went to a near by garage and called my uncle to pickup the car she abandoned...
I found bad drivers everywhere (a guy even backed into me at a red light in Cornwall claiming he got confused with his speeds!)... but to really experience awful driving, IMO, you need to drive away from cities, onto secondary roads and small towns... I've moved away from Montreal a few years back and I'm now in a more rural surrounding and I tell you driving is an every day adventure... Speed limits are for deers, signaling line changes or intention to turn is NEVER seen (you should KWON he turns there because he ALWAYS do...), parking is done by simply stopping your car ANYWHERE and NEVER, EVER
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Post by Habs_fan_in_LA on Aug 26, 2008 17:02:38 GMT -5
Well you can't judge Newfoundland drivers by driving along the wide open TCH ... you'd have to drive in St. John's. Now I'd be the first to admit that what makes St. John's difficult to drive in is the signage and the fact that it isn't last out in north-south / east - west grids like other cities ... but you think the citizens that live here would be used to it by now... I'll cite an example and this is not an extreme case, I see stuff like this everyday. I was driving along a road and was approaching an intersection. I was about 300m from the intersection which was on yellow so I slowed down. I looked in my rear view mirror and this little grey Mazda is flying down the road chagning lanes like crazy, passing cars. He zips by me doing at least 80 on the inside, then he comes in front of me and passes two more cars before zipping back into the inside lane. I was surprised he stopped for the red light ... So I am chatting with my wife, we are in the outside lane, next to us is the left turning lane and of course the inside lane to our right where speedy gonzalez is. The left turn signal comes on and all the cars make there way left, and then when the left turn signal goes yellow, mr speedy gonzalez decides he wants to turn LEFT. He cuts in front of the car in front of him (the car in front of me) just when the light turns green. The look on the lady's face said it all.... she stayed where she was for a long while almost afraid to move. This guy didnt bat an eye, never honked or anything ... he just kept speeding down the road like it was normal. Everyone behind her didnt mind waiting for the next green, we were just glad she was ok ... One of my personal driving experiences was following the honey bucket truck on the Battery Road (at least I think it was the battery road). Eventually I had to do a U-turn with a full sized car on a half-sized road. The locals must have thought I was the terrible driver with NB plates. |
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Post by Skilly on Aug 26, 2008 19:06:22 GMT -5
Worst driver story: My aunt (from a small town) arrives at a 4 stops in a city: she became so freaked out by all the cars everywhere and trying to figure out when to go, that she eventually got out of the car (left it there), went to a near by garage and called my uncle to pickup the car she abandoned... LOL... I almost did this exact same thing my first time in Montreal. My best bud and I drove from Goose Bay to Montreal to catch a plane to Houston. We arrived in Montreal. I came up with the bright idea to drive to the airport so we'd know where it was and how to get there, before going to our hotel. So we drove up to the airport and drove around and found the parking area and then followed the signage away from the airport, spotted our hotel which was no further than 20 meters from us at one point, and then we were back on the highway (to this day I don't know how we friggin got there).... but after 30 minutes (or so, time has a way of vanishing when you are pissed/panicked) of driving West I see a sign that says "Toronto 400 (?) km" ... this is when I drove up a ramp and parked the car. I am positive there was no way to get off the highway to that hotel while going west .... but it was sooo close. Anyway, I ask my buddy if he wants to drive and he says "no way, I dont know where we are going either" ... but then I see it. A small sign that has "Est" on it.... I knew I was not allowed to go down the small street to turn back east. But I said, if I get caught the ticket would be worth it. Less than a half hour later we are at the hotel and I am eating the best burger (Harvey's - dont have one in NL) I ever had ..... |
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Post by Doc Holliday on Aug 27, 2008 7:32:09 GMT -5
Worst driver story: My aunt (from a small town) arrives at a 4 stops in a city: she became so freaked out by all the cars everywhere and trying to figure out when to go, that she eventually got out of the car (left it there), went to a near by garage and called my uncle to pickup the car she abandoned... LOL... I almost did this exact same thing my first time in Montreal. My best bud and I drove from Goose Bay to Montreal to catch a plane to Houston. We arrived in Montreal. I came up with the bright idea to drive to the airport so we'd know where it was and how to get there, before going to our hotel. So we drove up to the airport and drove around and found the parking area and then followed the signage away from the airport, spotted our hotel which was no further than 20 meters from us at one point, and then we were back on the highway (to this day I don't know how we friggin got there).... but after 30 minutes (or so, time has a way of vanishing when you are pissed/panicked) of driving West I see a sign that says "Toronto 400 (?) km" ... this is when I drove up a ramp and parked the car. I am positive there was no way to get off the highway to that hotel while going west .... but it was sooo close. Anyway, I ask my buddy if he wants to drive and he says "no way, I dont know where we are going either" ... but then I see it. A small sign that has "Est" on it.... I knew I was not allowed to go down the small street to turn back east. But I said, if I get caught the ticket would be worth it. Less than a half hour later we are at the hotel and I am eating the best burger (Harvey's - dont have one in NL) I ever had ..... LOL! Don't feel bad about it Skilly, even Montrealers get confused around the area... On a business trip to Laval on the North Shore of Montreal I had to go to an Hotel that was at the cross of an highway going East-West and one going North-South. I saw the hotel but it took me what felt like 30 minutes to actually get there, going from West, to North, to East, to South, trying to figure out which friggin' exit would get me there... |
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Post by franko on Aug 27, 2008 7:35:09 GMT -5
I've only made it through Montreal "rightly" once . . . using a GPS -- I'll never drive there without one again.
Son bought one -- I mocked him; said I use maps . . . he said "why think when a machine can do it for you?". After using it this summer and not getting turned around the wrong direction in MTL for the first time ever, I'm sold!
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Post by Disgruntled70sHab on Aug 27, 2008 7:44:29 GMT -5
I've only made it through Montreal "rightly" once . . . using a GPS -- I'll never drive there without one again. Son bought one -- I mocked him; said I use maps . . . he said "why think when a machine can do it for you?". After using it this summer and not getting turned around the wrong direction in MTL for the first time ever, I'm sold! Oddly enough I never had a problem with Montreal. We used to got down east every few years and I remembered that we always followed "Fontaine Tunnel" I think it was. Getting off the main freeway is a different story though. I'll need a map. Cheers. |
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