Driving in Quebec

[Sol Tee Nutz]

Not sure if there is an automatic drivers license that arrives in the mail here and no test but the driving in Quebec is very poor. Signals are almost non existent, 4 way stops most have no clue what to do, speeding always done, driver courtesy Bahahahahahahaha. I remember 2 or 3 years ago with the radio ads I was hearing " Why is that person stopping? He is waving me through, how nice.. Be courteous while driving ". IT DID NOT WORK. You signal here and 8 out of 10 times the gap will be closed to avoid letting you in. Signaling lets people know what you are doing before you brake, helps traffic move smoothly if done right. Coming in to Montreal last night about 35 Km east of the city on Hwy 20 a huge traffic lineup was starting sometimes coming to a complete stop or going no more that 15 Kph, about 15 min later the whole issue was an accident on the other side of the Hwy and nothing even near our lanes then traffic magically went up to 120 again... keep your eyes on the fucking road and drive, no concern what happened over on the other side. When I first arrived here if I was at the front at a set of lights I would go on green.... until after the second near collision with someone running a red, not I look both ways and still see people running reds constantly. My visit before this one I was on the Cartier bridge and was almost run into the side barrier by someone until I laid on the horn, could seethe driver was terrified while driving on a snowy bridge. A cop from Alberta would have his ticket book full by noon. There my venting is done.

 

[jacep]

when you drive into quebec you don't need the bienvenu or bonjour signs to let you know you enterd belle province. you just know by the bumps and craters and potholes in the road. it is amazingly true. once yuo cross the ontario border the road is significatly different and once you pass the usa border you notice the same thing.

 

[Sol Tee Nutz]

Recently the changes were made to getting your licence and I think it's really improved. Takes a year to get a probationary licence and costs $1000 between theory classes and on the road classes.

That is a scam that should be changed, when my son took the course it was not mandatory and cost $600.00, the week after it became mandatory the price jumped to $1000.00- $1200.00

 

[oldbutartful]

They should change the regulations for Quebec cars No Indicators but big inflated bumpers and extra loud horns. Also do away with the no fault insurance. You crash and its your fault you pay, and the premiums and deductibles go up. Two or more at fault accidents and you loose your licence for 6 months.
Re Pedestrians and cyclist's the traffic lights are for you also. Not just motor vehicles.

 

[lastvisit]

I will agree with Sol Tee Nutz that a Calgary or Edmonton cop would have a good time handing out tickets in Montreal. I gave up renting cars there from the airport and getting downtown 2 years ago. Too much stress and tough parking. I just get the 747 bus from the airport and sit there for 30 minutes for $9 and let someone take me downtown. It can even be an adventure crossing the street on a green light walking. I almost got run over twice last October with cars trying to get going through pedestrians. A few manners are always appreciated with hobbying and with driving. Thanks for the time gents.

 

[Vercingentorix]

Driving in Montreal traffic reminds me of when I lived in Shrewsbury, MA. At the time I was driving a small white TR-7 and never had the right-of-way. In MA the driver with the largest most dented car has the right of way.

The last time I drove in Montreal was during the Jazz Festival several years ago. I had to navigate around the parade and got in a horrible traffic jam in Old Montreal. Asked a policeman for directions to the airport and he had no idea. This of course solidified my opinion of Montreal Policemen as several varieties of Simians, not including humans.

Don't confuse Quebec with anything like Anglo Canada. Driving in Montreal should be equated to driving in Paris, thus right of way is determined by the horn and lacks any courtesy. Just go with it and learn to drive competitively while in Quebec....LOL

 

[Techman]

Anyone who's afraid to drive in Montreal should get off the roads before we run you over. All you are doing is getting in our way and slowing us down.

As for driving schools, most of them are crap and teach little to no practical driving skills. Driving courses should be given in high school as part of the curriculum. The ability to drive a car properly is a necessary life skill in our day and age and should be taught in high school. And the driving tests to get a license are nowhere near difficult enough. The practical road test should reflect actual driving conditions and habits, not simply following the speed limit while going around the block.

 

[easyguy]

Montreal driving is a piece of cake after NYC

 

[simonpaul]

GO to Cairo and after that tell me what you think about Mlt,i can tell you that we all live in a marvellous placew.

 

[joelcairo]

GO to Cairo and after that tell me what you think about Mlt,i can tell you that we all live in a marvellous placew.

Hey, let's leave Cairo out of this.

 

[wasisname]

You should always use your signals. How else will the other guy know you want to enter his lane and thus speed up and block you.

 

[Sol Tee Nutz]

Montreal is no better and no worse than any other city of similar size and population density.

I drive in small towns also and there is no difference, they most all have no courtesy and poor habits.

 

[cuthbert]

Nobody is worse than Ontario drivers who just sit in the left lane and don't pull over when you come up on them. I'll take Quebec drivers any day!!

 

[MtlNewbie]

I agree with OP, especially on the lack of signals. I think it's so ridiculous because I see it over and over when I'm cross the street and someone is turning towards me with no light on. It's not like forgetting your signal is on because that's not that common, not signalling is really common here and I don't get why. I wish police would ticket people for that.

One thing I want to point out here is that there's the no-fault insurance system, so if you get run over as a pedestrian, you're not suing anyone and most likely getting a tiny sum of money and there will be no significant penalty unless the driver has intent, even if you're crippled or seriously injured. So you actually have to dodge the cars because they have nothing to lose.

OK wassisname's post totally cracked me up! Great post!

 

[EagerBeaver]

johnhenrygalt,

Data on traffic accidents, and resulting fatalities and injuries, are largely influenced by weather factors. In Connecticut when we have winters with a lot of snowfall and storms, the number of traffic accidents, fatalities and injuries spike. We do not require residents to use snow tires and most people do not ever put them on. The results can be chaotic during storms.

On my recent trip to Montreal, I observed severely icy conditions on the sidewalks and roadways. In fact, I slipped and fell on the sidewalk walking downhill on University Avenue, fortunately not injuring myself.

MtlNewbie,

Your comments suggest that abolishing No Fault insurance and permitting personal injury lawsuits will make people safer drivers. There is a theory of 1st year tort law which suggests that the goal of tort law should be deterrence of negligent conduct, and allowing lawsuits for damages will deter the conduct that causes these injuries. However in Connecticut we abolished No Fault insurance in 1993 and our highways are no safer. We are a state that awards much higher personal injury awards than neighboring New York, and Connecticut juries HATE tractor trailer drivers. Yet we continue to have a staggering number of traffic accidents.

In fact, in 2010 Connecticut had the highest increase in traffic fatalities of any state in the USA (42%). In my opinion, as someone who is involved in lawsuits in this area, there are reasons for this that have nothing to do with driver safety or insurance law. They are as follows:

(1) the stretch of I-95 from Stamford, CT to the Q Bridge in New Haven, CT is among the busiest and most dangerous stretches of highway traffic in the country and it is mostly due to the large number of tractor trailers which cause a significant amount of the accidents and fatalities;

(2) the intersection of I-91 and I-95 (both on I-91 going southbound and I-95 going north or eastbound), is very poorly designed and it is not easy to navigate for out of state truckers who are unfamiliar with the highway. It is they who are causing the fatal accidents. As a result it is a treasure trove of accidents and business for local personal injury attorneys. I personally have handled or been involved in handling about 6 death cases just from this stretch of highway over the years. It is the worst in the state.

(3) badly outdated infrastructure. About a year ago I was driving in a local Connecticut town which has a very low, old railroad overpass over US 1 located directly near an exit off I-95. There is a sign warning about the low clearance, but you can't see it at night. I personally observed a tractor trailer get off I-95, hang a right and immediately get stuck under the overpass, as he simply did not have clearance. I think he damaged his truck badly. I passed the poor bastard thinking it might not be until the next day that they unwedge the damn thing, but somehow the local cops and road crews freed him within a few hours. They must be used to it.

 

[TheBlob]

The signals are my biggest concerns while driving here. No one gives a fuck to signal others where they are going. People drive only for themselves.

Signaling a turn BEFORE you do it is an elementary thing in driving lessons. Not doing it is a total fail, and a selfish act. Using flashers after you start a turn is actually pointless, you give no anticipation or reaction time to others.....but this is the goal.

 

[lgna69xxx]

Driving in any major city is the same. You are always gonna have good and bad drivers out there. Now the road conditions in and around Montreal well, that is a different subject entirely.

 

[wasisname]

OK wassisname's post totally cracked me up! Great post!

Although it is a joke, it also seems to be a statement of truth too many times. Turn on your turning singnals and the bastard speeds up for the block. It is like how they tested it and apprently [unless it is an urban legend] people take more time leaving a parking lot when they know someone is waiting.

 

[Sol Tee Nutz]

Nobody is worse than Ontario drivers who just sit in the left lane and don't pull over when you come up on them. I'll take Quebec drivers any day!!

I have to agree with that one 90% of the time a Quebecker will move out of the left lane to let you pass.

 

[master_bates]

If you really want to get technical watch out for Toyota Corolla drivers you will notice they are the WORST drivers out there!

It's an odd phenomenon.