Topic: Douchebag season has begun

[seat safety switch]

about turning into the correct lane......

A couple weeks ago my wife was taking a defensive drive course.. (for work)

during the driving portion:

Instructor:
"Make a left here" (on to a multi- lane road).
" then make a right at the end of the block:
Wife
"OK" (proceeds to turn into correct lane)

Instructor:
" no.. wrong lane, you need to make a right, so turn into the curb lane"

Wife
" No, that would be a California lane change, I'm turning into the correct lane, then I will change lanes"
(im not sure of the actual definition of "California lane change", but it's what we call it in our house)

Instructor :
"...silence"...

after about 3 minutes of silence...
instructor: "your right, about that turning into lanes... I have to brush up my skills"
red face...

He needs to brush up being euthanized.

[Canuckrz]

He needs to brush up being euthanized.

This.

You are teaching people how to drive, it's not just that you're not teaching people well, it's that you're specifically teaching them to do things the wrong way. Not acceptable in the slightest if that's what you do for a living. Kudos to your wife for having the knowledge and balls to put him in his place.

[Jimpreza111]

IMO opinion this is the reason for so many bad drivers: there is no accountability on the trainers/testers that issue the licenses.
I wonder if giving the training and testing over to a private organization (as opposed to the gov't) that has a vested interest in the success of the drivers. Like possibly in the hands of the insurance companies themselves, these are the companies that have to pay out for all of the itshay these crappy drivers cause. Just a passing thought but a gov't employee who works 9-5 and doesn't give a itshay about the actual driving performance of the individual and will award them a license based upon many other factors aside from the skill required (Hot girl, friend of a friend, $$$, etc) and on top of that has no accountability for issuing said licenses, this just doesn't work. I would totally be game for a 5 year renewal cycle on license testing, bad habits do creep in for anybody and would serve as a refresher, this would weed out some of the really bad drivers and encourage people to stay on top of this skill. Unfortunately our current system makes people think it is their RIGHT to drive a vehicle on public roads but in fact is only a PRIVILEGE and one that can be taken away but seems to occur for only the most heinous offences (DUI/excessive speed or racing/vehicular manslaughter).

Anyhow that is my rant for the day.

[Unholysavage]

I've always wondered how so many Calgary drivers could be so bad, but a ittshay teacher can only produce a ittshay student.
what I don't understand is why a drivers license can only be taken away after a heinous offense (or an outrageous number of not-so-good ones). why not take the damned thing away every single time a person gets into an at-fault accident, only to be re-instated by successful completion of a defensive driving course? perhaps even a 3 strikes, you're out forever policy. as much as I dislike insurance companies, maybe they need to hit their wallets harder so that they leave space between their vehicle and the one ahead of them, or conscientiously leave their phones in their pockets while behind the wheel? 
this past week the Deerfoot, during my evening commute time (usually 6-6:30pm), there has been at least one multi-vehicle incident on the way home. every single day. hell, on Tuesday there was a FIVE car pile-up near 130th. driving conditions were utterly perfect - perfectly straight, clear road and not even a setting sun to contend with. having lived within walking distance of work up until this spring, I'm appalled at the poor quality of driving in this city. when winter hits I feel that things won't be so fun...

rant aside, I saw some karma that made me smile the other day. I'm in the left lane, southbound going over Calf robe bridge, going around a slower driver in the middle lane. just as I'm next to him, a black BMW (535?) flew past us on the far right (30-40km/hr faster than everyone else). he gets only a few cars ahead when I see him jam on his brakes and abruptly cut back into the middle lane. looking ahead, it becomes obvious that he was hoping to do an infamous BMW double-laner, but karma slapped him - there's a vehicle in the left lane next to him that thwarts his douchiness. just as the BMW driver was attempting to bolt back into the right lane a grey Dodge Ram flew by (also driving like a oucheday) and cut him off. followed immediately by brake lights on the Ram and slowing down to pace the BMW. from what I could tell, the driver in the left lane must have decided to do the same (because we all slowed down to ~90km/hr, and space was opening up ahead of them). the BMW driver was blocked in until the truck exited onto Anderson.
the green line can't come soon enough. LOL

[Cbxj]

About provincial instructors licensing
I've been licensed by the province 3 separate times as a provincial driving instructor (motorcycles)
Just for full disclosure- you have to teach a minimum of so many hours yearly to keep
Your instructor license- and working overseas makes it frequently hard for me to get my minimum hours in.. so re write
And re quality it is.
The written part is actually pretty complete with a good exam with a high pass mark - and an additional portion for motorbike stuff on top.
However the skills and practice part is 100 % left to the private sector. and if you teach your min hours and keep your medical up to date.. you never have to re quality.
I've witnessed some instructors with very poor skills teaching in fact
To the extent they were not able to demonstrate some required skills to the students.
It's  a broken process.
I'm sure it's the same in the auto instruction world- just its
WAY easier to spot lack of skill on a motorcycle.
That said  we (my family) take some type of driving instruction every year- from auto Cross to winter driving to
Track time. As mentioned above you just have to be very careful about the quality of instruction.

[darthekai]

Mandatory 5 year re-training for everybody has my full support.

Cbxj - that's a load of crap. Imo, the rules and local focus change often enough that a yearly practical renewal program seems barely adequate.

[RockThePylon]

I've witnessed some instructors with very poor skills teaching in fact
To the extent they were not able to demonstrate some required skills to the students.

The majority of instructors I've dealt with, only got the cert so they could flex nuts. They find every opportunity to remind you that they're an instructor, almost as bad as engineers.

[snakeman]

*murderous rage*

I feel like this is 200% more prevalent out west. But maybe I'm getting old(er) and cranky(ier).





Whoops, thought this was the Pet Peeve thread.

It's true that most people are horrible at understanding this but this scenario isn't ALWAYS the case. There are a surprising amount of spots in Calgary where there will be a dual left turn that turns onto a 3 lane road and you're guided into the centre and far right lanes because the left lane is a turning lane.

[DaDuke99]

Those ones have lines on the road guiding people, and in my experiences, some people don't even do that right either.

[LilDrunkenSmurf]

Those ones have lines on the road guiding people, and in my experiences, some people don't even do that right either.

The one going from Crowchild -> 53rd southbound isn't like that. Single left turn, left lane is turn back onto crowchild, right lane goes straight, but there's no worries about cars from from other directions due to how the intersection is setup.

[snakeman]

The one going from Crowchild -> 53rd southbound isn't like that. Single left turn, left lane is turn back onto crowchild, right lane goes straight, but there's no worries about cars from from other directions due to how the intersection is setup.

That's true. Have you noticed there's actually another left lane on SB 53rd in that spot that's been blocked off by concrete barriers for years? I wonder if they're ever gonna open that up, or why it's even there if they don't use it.

[LilDrunkenSmurf]

That's true. Have you noticed there's actually another left lane on SB 53rd in that spot that's been blocked off by concrete barriers for years? I wonder if they're ever gonna open that up, or why it's even there if they don't use it.

I think it used to be a dual turn, but they've even repainted the lines. I think they should steal that blocked off lane, and make a dedicated turn lane from 53rd onto Crowchild. It's been like that since I used to live in edgemont, over 8 years ago.

[snakeman]

I think it used to be a dual turn, but they've even repainted the lines. I think they should steal that blocked off lane, and make a dedicated turn lane from 53rd onto Crowchild. It's been like that since I used to live in edgemont, over 8 years ago.

It's never been open since they built that overpass.

[Stealthbombing]

does anyone else get annoyed at people that stop at the lights to turn right on a green light ? it drives me bonkers, if there is no pedestrians crossing you dont need to stop..

[Canadian]

does anyone else get annoyed at people that stop at the lights to turn right on a green light ? it drives me bonkers, if there is no pedestrians crossing you dont need to stop..

people constantly do this turning right from currents drive to windermere blvd (leaving windermere sopping area by the mc donalds) it drives me insane!

[cha0tik]

people constantly do this turning right from currents drive to windermere blvd (leaving windermere sopping area by the mc donalds) it drives me insane!

I'm from around that same area and it annoys me to no end.

Or people that fully stop at a yield sign (while turning right) when there aren't any cars passing by.

[thedude]

Got overtaken in a double left turn bay by none other than a Mustang (license plate "GD D UP") because apparently I wasn't rushing to the red light quick enough...*thumbs up*

[sub_man]

Being from Europe, few things that blow my mind when driving here.

Lack of left/fast line concept, "I am driving speed limit so f.o.",

Stopping at a free merge line, at an intersection, looking left because "I wanna jump right to the left line right away" instead of driving slowly, getting to speed and merging to middle line.

People getting confused about cars turning left at an intersection in front of them, and they are turning right, they have right of way but they get confused and stop, letting the car turning left go, even thou they have a right to go first.

People on a merging line assuming they have a right to merge, not understanding its a coming car courtesy to let them in.

Stopping at an intersection and turning right, just before a car that goes straight at full speed.

Zipper merge, when one line is under construction, instead of using two lines to the point where the flow goes one way, there is all weird s..t happening with guys trying to block the line that ends far before it ends. 

Good thing, driving is very defensive here, you dont get too many testosterone freaks that make the roads extremely unsafe so above its just stuff you can anticipate knowing local driving habits.

[milkpumba]

Stopping at a free merge line, at an intersection, looking left because "I wanna jump right to the left line right away" instead of driving slowly, getting to speed and merging to middle line.

+1000. Happens every single time coming from Glenmore Trail West merging into Macleod Trail North when people try to get to the very left lane to get into Chinook.

[bigdl]

+1000. Happens every single time coming from Glenmore Trail West merging into Macleod Trail North when people try to get to the very left lane to get into Chinook.

It is easier to just go to the next set of lights for parking anyways,  I hate parking in the outside parking there such a pain in the butt to get out.  The underground parking lot turn light usually doesn't have a massive line up, and way easier to get to after getting off of glenmore.

[Jessica]

I'm not sure if douchebag season ever stops... But this intersection, for how tiny and easy it is, invariably always see's something stupid.

[jellynuts]

I'm not sure if douchebag season ever stops... But this intersection, for how tiny and easy it is, invariably always see's something stupid.

Fantastic title

[seat safety switch]

What's with all the angry pricks on the road today? I don't know if I've ever been tailgated so much in one day.

[Mendozer]

Guy (in a mini van) doesn't signal turning right.  Then, once turned, he drifts in and out of the lane (2 lane road).  Pull up at the light, say hello and how he failed to signal and was drifting.
Proceeds to tell me; "You can F*** right off you D***"  You aren't the police, stay behind me if you don't know how to drive.  I respond;  "we'll that has nothing to with how I drive but more specifically has to do with courtesy and the rules of the road.  However, you are right, I am not police".

Light turns green, and off he speeds until he's stuck slamming on the brakes for the car in front of him.

Calgary driving is my favorite.  Every day is a new exciting adventure .