More drivers leaving courtesy at the curb: poll

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More drivers leaving courtesy at the curb: poll

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CTV News Video

CTV British Columbia: Brent Shearer on the drivers

Has driver courtesy been tossed out the car window? Is the traffic 'thank you' wave dead? It turns out that Canadians are forgetting the most important rules of the road.

CTV News Channel: Ian Jack, CAA

A spokesman with CAA says that of 5,000 Canadians that were surveyed about drivers on Canadian roads, 75 per cent say feel that Canadians have become worse drivers and have more annoying habits than before.

CTV Calgary: Reg Hampton on the survey

A survey by the Canadian Automobile Association says that Canadian drivers are more irritated behind the wheel than ever and driver etiquette seems to be falling by the wayside.

CTV Toronto: Drivers leave courtesy at the curb

Three out of four Canadians agree: drivers are getting ruder. John Musselman reports.

CTV Montreal: Camille Ross on the bad habits

A new survey finds drivers in Canada have grown more rude. Road rage and cutting off other drivers topped the list of the most annoying behaviours. Is that the case in Montreal? Camille Ross reports.

CTV News Channel: Jeff Walker, CAA spokesman

A spokesman for CAA says it's clear that Canadians think driving habits are getting progressively worse. He says if drivers concentrate more on good driving habits, and on being courteous to fellow motorists, we will all benefit.

CTV News Channel: Road rage tops bad habits list

Canadians say the people they share the road with are more annoying than ever. That's according to a new survey conducted by CAA. A CTV News correspondent discusses what exactly drivers are all worked up about and how drivers can improve their commute.

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A poll released Monday found three out of four Canadians surveyed felt drivers are showing more annoying habits.

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CTV News.ca Staff

Date: Mon. Jul. 18 2011 9:14 PM ET

If you find that driving is becoming the realm of the rude, you're not alone. Most Canadians agree that drivers have become more irritating over the past five years, according to a survey by the Canadian Automobile Association.

Three out of four people believe driving habits are worsening in Canada, the CAA said. Only two per cent of those surveyed said they thought drivers were becoming less abrasive, while 20 per cent said they thought the level of decorum in traffic hasn't changed.

Aggressive driving topped the list of the most annoying behaviours, with 86 per cent of survey respondents citing it as their number-one complaint about other drivers.

Other annoying behaviours include:

Sending a text while driving, identified by 85 per cent of respondents.
Tailgating, identified by 78 per cent.
Turning without a signal, identified by 73 per cent.

"They're all the sorts of things that we were told when we took driving lessons, or did our driving test and first got our license, that we really shouldn't do," said Ian Jack, a spokesperson for the CAA.

While such problems "seem a little bit uncivil," they're habits "that could lead you or your loved ones to be killed one day," he said.

"This isn't a matter of wearing white gloves and extending your pinky as you turn left and turn right, it's a matter of literally life and death for hundreds of Canadians every year."

The national poll was released Monday and its results, based on responses from 5,044 Canadians, are considered accurate to within 1.38 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.

The Insurance Corporation of B.C. has also singled out worsening driver etiquette as a problem, after conducting several surveys of its own.

The Crown insurance provider has even launched an ad campaign asking drivers to be more appreciative of gestures of goodwill on the roads.

"People generally feel there's a lack of courtesy, there's a lot of anger out there and people are concerned about running into aggressive drivers," said John Vavrik, an ICBC psychologist.

"We're tying to resurrect the wave" as a thank-you for good manners, he added.

Michel Bedard, the director of the Centre for Research on Safe Driving at Lakehead University, said that if those behind the wheel "relax a bit more, slow down a bit more," it would "change the whole road environment."

According to Bedard, vehicle collisions cost the Canadian economy billions every year -- even though "most crashes are preventable," he said.

Jack said the first step in fixing the problem is to recognize that all drivers have room to improve.

"The odds are that if we're civil to other people, most -- not all -- but most, will be civil back," he said.

With files from The Canadian Press and a report from CTV Toronto's John Musselman

Comments are now closed for this story

Mimi2005
said
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Have you ever driven in Niagara Falls during tourist season? It's scary! People step out onto a busy 4-lane street to take pictures of the hotel they stayed at! In front of my moving car. I saw another driver whose child's head was stuck in the automatic window her brother kept pushing it upward. Instead of the parent pulling over, I heard her yelling and screaming at the kids while driving! The little one was ok at the end of it. We think it's everyone else we have to look out for except ourselves. Unfortunately, there is and always a situation that will humble us. Hopefully we will be alive to LEARN from it and not do the same mistakes again.

Nancy
said
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Other inconsiderate driving habits are driving illegally in HOV lane, putting makeup, don't come to a full stop at STOP sign, passing a school bus with flashing lights, etc. Everyone seems to be in a rush.

ivana plavetic
said
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when the green light is on at an intersection there was a driver in front of us yesterday who stops when she has to make a left turn

TARA CROOKS
said
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How do you expect the public to become better drivers if the examples that the public transit and the police are exibiting are exactly the same, if not worse? I can't count on both hands the amount of times I have seen police vehicles turn on their lights to speed through an intersection, with no other destination or emergency to go to! I have almost been hit by police officers driving irresponsibly through my neighborhood with no lights or sirens on! There was just a huge artical on the tickets and violations that Calgary's Public Transit has incurred recently. I was born and raised in Southern Ontario, lived 4 years in Vancouver, a summer in Halifax and have now lived in Alberta for 7 years, and I have to say-Calgary is the WORST place to drive! And it's not that the drivers are necessarily bad, but just oblivious to others as well as very rude. And the simple, hard fact that road-rage has increased is due to the fact that these occurances don't happen just once a day, or even twice a day-it's ALL THE TIME!!! Coming from Ontario, I believe they employ a great idea by having discounts on car insurance for taking a Driver Education courses, as well as baning hand-held devices while driving. WHAT IS TAKING OUR PROVINCE SO LONG TO DO THIS?? Another great idea is discounts on car insurance such as "Road Star" in BC where you are actually rewarded for being a decent driver. Until our government takes plausible steps to abolish bad drivers and give good drivers the credit they deserve, it will only get worse.

Mississauga
said
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"Bob's Your Uncle" hit the nail on the head! Not surprisingly however blocking faster traffic is not one of the top complaints. Likely because so many do it! People can harp all they want about how aggressive driving is wrong. But the bottom line is this. If you are ignorant of the traffic flow around you and intent on continually blocking faster traffic, don�t be surprised when people tailgate and drive aggressively to get around you. Does that mean it�s justified? Of course not. But even an ignorant person should be able to see the cause and effect. That�s human nature. This politically correct attitude that everyone �else� should take it easy needs to start with those creating dangerous situations. If you�re driving in the left lane passing no one, holding station with the cars beside you as traffic ahead pulls further away, and the cars behind obviously want to get past, YOU are part of the problem. You�re not off the hook simply because you�re driving at the speed limit. I drive much more aggressively now than I did 5 years ago because I�m FED UP. Tired of other so called �good drivers� selfishly being ignorant of traffic flow, while all the time preaching that others should be more courteous. If police elected to enforce lane discipline, the instances of tailgating and aggressive driving would drop dramatically. Oh, and as a side benefit you keep traffic flowing and help the environment at the same time. A nice bonus for a city that is woefully short on road infrastructure yet keeps adding more homes and vehicles (!).

Melissa Knive
said
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As a pedestrian and occasional driver, I have found distracted and angry driving happening more often, yes. I always try to make eye contact with drivers when I'm crossing the street and 60% of the time, I feel that they haven't even looked in my direction. I'm very petite and I notice more people making contact when I'm part of a group. More honking at other drivers, talking on cell phones, eating and drinking behind the wheel have gone up, too.

David
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I do agree rage is getting more and more common on the road. Such behavior is preventable but people do not react to consequences until it's too late. If there isn't enough policing on the roads well, take it easy and relax. I was driving on Hwy 417 in Ottawa. I had to get on the left lane to pass couple of vehicles driving at 80, so I waited my turn and merged on the passing lane. When I got to pass the vehicle that was slowing the others down, the driver accelerated to over 100, so not being able to merge, I went to 110 to pass safely. There was more traffic so it was hard to look for a gap to re-merge on the right lane, in the mean time I had a guy tailgating me all the time I saw a gap and got my signal on; but he, the guy behind, moved to my right, passing me at over 130 and merging in front of me, closing me, trying to cause an accident. That was bad, but worse would have been to do the same thing to him. Why to escalate the situation? I eventually got to keep a safe distance between both of us while I could merge on the right lane. That is education, looking for alternatives to avoid conflict while staying safe on the road.

Rare law abiding cyclist
said
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Having almost been knocked off the road while riding my bicycle home from work (on the extreme right of a wide, one-way three lane boulevard) BY AN ON-DUTY POLICE officer in his cruiser who was talking on his hand-held cell phone and made two lane changes without looking or using his flashers (I'm in MTL where it is illegal to use a handheld phone while driving), I can honestly say that the problem with people being rude and oblivious to other people on the road and the laws that they should be following, is the lack of enforcement by the police. I can't tell you how many times a week I see police ignoring someone going through a red light or stop sign or stopping after a crosswalk or not signalling a turn or tailgating....THAT'S why people are getting killed or injured in accidents! ENFORCE THE LAW ALL THE TIME and accidents will be less frequent because people will have relearned that if you break the law, you pay a fine and lose demerit points!Now...who do I report a law-breaking police officer to in montreal??? LOL ! As if!!!

Graham in Victoria
said
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I find most of these polls seem to reflect driving habits identified by those I suspect are by far the most irritating on the road - primarily those who feel they own the left lane. You'd probably never be cut off, never tailgated and likely signals wouldn't be a problem either. Here in Victoria we suffer from those who sit in the left lane because they are preparing for that turn in Halifax. Move over!

Nathan
said
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If we had a higher standard in this country that actually weeded out incompetent drivers there would be far less upset drivers. Right in driver's ed they say "Driving is a privilege, not a right" but they hand out licenses to many people who are not competent enough to be in control of a motor vehicle, like it is a right. Driver training is pathetic, and should be much more thorough, 95% of lost lives and road tensions could be avoided by having a more thorough driver training system. Why should I be defensive and prevent accidents by having to watch the road twice as hard as someone who is oblivious to everything around them? Make training more thorough, to save lives, lower insurance claims and costs, and create smoother traffic flow with less tensions. Simple solution.

MrMarky
said
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Try riding a bike instead. Just watch out for those crazy drivers!

Bob's Your Uncle
said
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Most people don't know they're discourteous, unsafe or breaking the law. Most people don't know they're in the wrong because they don't know what they should be doing. Others know what they should be doing, but selfishly choose to do otherwise, as they would prefer that other motorists be inconvenienced instead of them.Peeves:- no shoulder check- no signal when turning/changing lanes- rolling stops- not accelerating to freeway speed and merging with traffic- not "looking well ahead" to see obstales, hazards (i.e., not looking farther then the end of their car)- entering an intersection when you can't clear it, and blocking it to the cross traffic once the light changes- on multi-lane highways - using passing lanes as driving lanes and not keeping right except to pass (while righteously telling everyone who will listen that they are a "safe driver" since they're doing the speed limit, yet not understanding that they are an obstacle to the flow of traffic)- on single-lane highways (e.g., Hwy 17 in ON), the "safe" slow driver who is just barely doing the speed limit yet who has 50 vehicles behind them all itching to pass. Pull over and let others go by.- the clueless who don't know where they are (e.g., instead of passing the exit/cross-road and doubling back, they unsafely b-line to the off-ramp or to the turning lane)- selfish people who park/stop in no parking/stopping zones; yes YOU should be inconvenienced and park/stop somewhere - it's not my (or the rest of the world's) problem that you have walk a couple of blocks; we shouldn't be inconvenienced by your law-breaking/selfishness

Small town Ontario
said
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Our town has the dubious honor of being a major tourist destination for the those trying to escape the city. While most are very nice and courteous, some are downright ignorant (on and off the highways) and treat the locals as if we just crawled out from under a rock. My husband and I were attempting to slow down (on an 80 km road) to make a right hand turn into our driveway, and someone with their trailer in tow, laid on the horn and gave us the finger! We have come to have a love/hate relationship with summer....love the weather....hate the tourists!

robin hood
said
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Another consideration to look at would be the number of drivers driving under the influence of prescription drugs�this could account for lack of attention/short attention spans!

Nobody's Perfect
said
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I agree that the large majority of people are becoming rude and/or don't pay attention. I'm not perfect I speed sometimes and do get rage when I'm impeded by stupidity(not my own of course). If everyone drove with some common sense the road would be a much safer place. Drive in the right lane always, unless you are going to pass or are moving over if safe to do so, to let someone onto the highway. The left lane is not the place to be just because you might not have to change lanes as much. If someone is going faster than you...move over, they'll be by in a second, and you can both go on your merry way. Take a second and look around you so you know what's going on... understanding what's ahead of you and what's behind you at all times and how fast things are moving is one of the best ways to drive safely and efficiently. Please don't preach that a certain type of vehicle has no right going that fast/slow/being in that lane....Someone is probably saying the same thing about your Prius.

I.C.K.Y.
said
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Impatience Can Kill You. From reading many of these comments, it all boils down to people being in too much of a hurry. I live in a small town that's pretty much a retirement community. It isn't rare to get stuck behind some blue hair who really shouldn't be driving or is simply driving too cautiously for conditions. It doesn't matter. I always get to where I'm going. Are we all really in such a big rush that behaving like a wild boar comes as second nature? Slow down, take it easy. Only emergency vehicles have a valid reason for speeding. Everybody else, you're nothing special so just get used to the idea that somebody else might be using your road. Road rage isn't caused by slow drivers...it's caused be immature people who believe they have a special reason to be in front of everybody else on the road. Time to grow up and start taking licenses away from people who prove they can't play in the sand box with everybody else.

worst drivers ever!
said
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I live in a city that is known for not signalling, running red lights, speeding, not knowing what to do when you come to a fourway flashing red light, running stop signs, cutting other drives off, driving too close and overall bad driving. That city would be none other than Thunder Bay. Home of the worst drivers hands down. If you're ever in town, drive with caution.

Paul ~ Kitchener
said
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Get used to it folks ~ what we have on the highways today , will only increase, with the new drivers being added to the already choked highways. I find it best to not drive at the peak periods, avoid major 400 highways 90% of the time, & honour the rules of the road. Idiots behind the wheel, come in all ages, and both sexes, & they are beyond any help short of a "JUDGE in TRAFFIC COURT" !

L - Ottawa
said
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Everyone has different situations. I know someone who got a speeding ticket while his child and wife were getting airlifted to the hospital. Once the cop pulled him over (which he should have) and found out what the situation was, he was kind enough to help him to get the hospital. You don't always know the reason why someone is driving too fast or too slow. Think twice before the rage sets in ... and drive safe.

bikerborz
said
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People just don't pay attention... Period. Not to speed signs, not to traffic around them, not to anything except what they, personally, are doing. I drive a large service vehicle for a living, and there is little more aggravating than to be trying to get around someone doing 50 in a 70 zone because he didn't see the sign. Moreover, I'm also a biker who nearly got squeezed into a telephone pole by some fill-in-the-blank who neither signalled nor looked before changing lanes. (Fortunately, I'm accustomed to people not seeing bikers, and thus take appropriate actions.)People don't pay attention. They might not even think (even though they think they do.)

Wayne at Trenton
said
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If everyone does the speed limit, then there is no reason to pass anyone, Because everyone is doing the same speed

Jason Fong
said
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I drive a Transit Bus, 40 ft long and 13 tonnes of fun. It takes me 1.5 seconds to give a wave out the window or flash my 4 ways as a quick thank you for fellow drivers who show a little courtesy. Perhaps we should ALL "Lead By Example" and just maybe "Will all get along"

Stu
said
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I got a speeding ticket one day after the ticket the cop pulled out a couple of cars behind me. We were going down a big hill so rather than riding my brakes I put my vehicle into a lower gear, the cop pulled me over again and said, I can give you a ticket for going 10 km/hr over the speed limit and a ticket for going 10 km/hr under the speed limit. Maybe some don't understand that the speed signs are not written in stone there is 10 km/hr either way but what gets me most angry on the road is the slow drivers that drive in the left lane when there is usually signs ever 1 km that says slower drivers keep to the right. These people are just bone heads that make other drivers mad and is the number one reason for road rage. If your allowed to drive faster and there is some bone head in front that won't pull over, it's enough to cause rage in patient people like myself. Fast drivers shouldn't bother anyone if you get out of their way.

Alexis in Victoria
said
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People need to be reminded that driving is a COURTESY, not a RIGHT! One way to remind them of that is to have full re-testing every 5 years. Hopefully, that would cause fewer accidents and insurance rates would not have to be so high!

Alexis in Victoria
said
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I gave up my car shortly after moving to Victoria! Too many impatient idiots on the streets! And too many people who either don't know the rules or are to ignorant to follow them for the courtesy and consideration of both other drivers and pedestrians. And no one seems to understand what the rules are regarding the amber light!!

A
said
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All Canadian drivers should take their driver license from Germany. Just look at the beauty of driving in Germany.

T in BC
said
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What frustrates me trying to make a lane change and someone speeding up to take the spot that was available to you. On the highway it's getting so that you HAVE to make your way into the left lane to make a left turn sooner than you used to have to, because otherwise the left lane speeders will NOT let you get in. Then the left lane speeders tailgate very closely with the vein in their forehead bulging out in anger, because you are in their way. I wouldn't be moving into the left lane so soon if i could get to it to make my left turn when i have to. I really don't want to see your bulging vein. Just information for you uptight jerks with bulging veins that do that! Relax, be cool!

G. Helm
said
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Person to person rudeness has probably not increased neaerly as much as "anonymous" bad behavior. Both behind the wheel, and behind an alias on an internet comment board, we seem to feel entitled to behave rudely to others, much more so than we would ever dare in a face to face situation.

steveo
said
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Way too many people don't know what's going on 360 degrees around their car at all times....this is the key - it's not just about what's in front of you! You should drive like you're on a team - which you are cause it's shared roads - let others in, but don't cut in, get out of the way for faster drivers, don't tailgate, etc. Why not road test drivers every 5 or 10 years - and make them pass a harsh test in real life conditions. Great source of revenue and hopefully make people know the rules of the road better - along with driving skills.

Jackson
said
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Quote: "To the best of my knowledge, in the city, the speed limit is for both lanes of a four lane street. The passing lane is for highway driving." A passing lane is a passing lane, whether it be in the city or on the highways. In Ontario, the requirement to keep right except when passing or turning applies on all of our roads, including in the city. It's right there in the Highway Traffic Act.

Bob's Your Uncle
said
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Btw ... the reason that poor driving is such an irritant to people is that it is one of the few times where you can't avoid dealing with idiots, incompetents, aggressive people, etc. In most other activities, you can pretty much keep to a limited number of people who can have an impact on you: friends/family, co-workers, etc. You can avoid pinheads, etc, because you have the choice of interacting with them or not.On the road however, it's one of the only places that you can't avoid the "lowest common denominator". And you can't avoid having to deal with their mistakes, their bad habits, their poor choices, etc. if you want to drive on the roads.

George Carter
said
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Hows about those self-entitled drivers who drive 20km/h UNDER the speed limit because they "shopping from the Road" as they pass through the commercial park and then there is the sudden "Whoa!!!! Found my store!!!!" slam on the breaks followed by the "To hell with everyone behind me and in the next lane!!!" last second, no signal light, multi-lane change to get to the turning lane on the other side. Yeah...it's more that type of behaviour that I hate.

JV
said
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I've lived in Alberta for 20 years. I have driven in every major city in Canada and find that Calgarians in general are the worst when it comes to driving courtesy. Don't ever try to be polite when merging or changing lanes. You have to be aggresive or no one will ever let you in! As for throwing trash out the window... I have no bigger pet peeve than to see cigarette butts being thrown out of a car window in the 'grass fires' capital of Canada!

Bob's Your Uncle
said
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Oh boy ... Wonder how many of the posters are brutal drivers themselves ... just seeing the problems in the driving of others and paying no heed to their own "faults".

Redneck Albertan
said
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The best advice I ever received about driving was when I first started to drive. It's simple: "Drive in such a way that others are not forced to hit their brakes because of you". That means keeping left, unless to pass, moving over to the right lane to allow a driver moving faster than you to pass safely, signalling your intentions well before you turn off. I drive - 80,000km/year and I still occasionally slip up, but I try my best. From my well worn drivers seat, what I have noticed most is not so much that drivers are getting any worse (although it seems that just about everyone has forgotten that all vehicles come with turn signals), just that roads are more congested and road infrastructure has not kept up, so one bone headed driver can cause an even greater number of drivers to experience frustration.

common sense
said
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Just a suggestion but why doesn't the ministry of transportation stop giving out drivers licenses like it's candy? Driving is a privilege NOT a right!

AC in NB
said
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Hey Joe S, your a moron. Driving defensively IS paying attention to what other cars are doing around you.

Niagara George
said
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Travel the world and you will know that Canadian drivers are much better than most. Dare I say there might be a connection between immigration and the driving habits seen on our streets.

DriversEd
said
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To the best of my knowledge, in the city, the speed limit is for both lanes of a four lane street. The passing lane is for highway driving. People who want to use the second lane in the city as a speedway are the cause of most accidents, because their more concerned about saving 30 seconds, only to get to the same red light sooner than the car(s) they passed.

bcdjt
said
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My pet hate - drivers with their Left Foot on the brake pedal. And drivers trying to make you go faster than the speed limit by tailgating.

Doug ^^^ BC
said
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LOL!!!! Hilarious. No, I'm not laughing at all the poor driving. That's never a laughing matter. What I am laughing at is the fact that we need a survery to tell us that rude and boorish behaviour is on the rise on our streets and highways. Like another poster said, rude behavior is everywhere, and spreading fast. People who needed a survey to tell them that are also probably not very bright ot observant. What else would we expect? It's "ME" time in our evolution. So entitled and self absorbed that the only one who counts, is "ME". What I WANT outweighs everything,and everyone else.Poor driving habits are just one of the many ways in which this new found philosophy is manifesting itself. I'd go so far as to suggest that the bad driving habits we see on the roads are not the disease. They are just a symptom of the real disease. "Hannibal" got it right. Now, if that wretched little import puddle jumper would just get the h** out of the way, I could get my truck and camper into the "fast lane" so I can slow down a few texting speed maniacs. Just spitballing folks. Rude behaviour is a pet peeve of mine. And it's everywhere. But it is more serious when you're driving. People get hurt and people die. So either "put your bloody cell phone down and drive the car,or park it somewhere and talk you a** off" because, in spite of what your arrogance is telling you, you are not special enough to do both at the same time.

Geoff in Lethbridge
said
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I believe all drivers should have to undergo a new road test with an examiner every five years to nip bad habits in the bud. It shouldn't wait until we're 80, and it shouldn't end when we finished our teen years' graduated licensing. Perhaps other readers have an idea how to catch people who have become used to distracting themselves but put the distractions away during their examination. Myself, I haven't had an examination for 35 years - what bad habits have I picked up, I wonder?

JTHinED
said
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Sadly, I must disagree with RHO - I think "getting a clue" is not likely going to happen. Driving is now the next area of life that has taken on the cloak of 'personal right and entitlement'. Many drivers no longer see it as a privilege to be able to drive and their actions display total disregard for the safety or well-being of others on the road OR anything else for that matter. Case in point: on a recent trip to Banff, I encountered vehicles from Alberta as well as four other provinces. Not a single one observed the posted speed of 90 Km/ h in the park. They failed to slow down for an emergency vehicle on the side of the road (similar laws exist in those provinces, so ignorance cannot be an excuse). As I entered Jasper, one car even stopped dead in the middle of the road - no signal or hazards activated - to take pictures. They sat there for five minutes. Stupidity and arrogance behind the wheel have reached epidemic proportions. Sad as it is for me to say, fines don't work. Even worse, I am beginning to understand and sympathize with those who display road rage at those who flaunt their disregard for save driving practises. Those who display road rage AND drive like morons? I pray there is a special place in hell for them...

Intelligent Liberal
said
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I don't pay much attention to other drivers since I got my smart phone. Texting is so easy, even now I can post on CTV while cruising down the highway... whoa that was some speed bump I just hit.... I think it was a speed bump anyway..., but as I was saying with texting there is no time for worrying about impolite drivers.

GoAway
said
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Go away kid, You bother me...Has turned into Get out of the way you bother me. What have we come to... WC Field said it the best, Too bad that we have become so selfish in our lives. The ME Generation is now in full Action and taken over our lives..

NS in NB
said
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And now we have over twenty comments telling us how bad the other driver is. I'm glad everybody got the gist of this article.

Hannibal
said
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Rudeness is Epidemic.

robin hood
said
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I practice defensive driving I try to be cognisant of everyone around me by using my mirrors a lot and ensure that I shoulder check every time I change lanes, using my signal light while mindful of leaving enough space between me and the vehicle ahead. I�ve been cut off more times than I care to count. So it�s a good thing that I do that! What I find most irritating and dangerous is the increasing lack of signal light usage. I�ve even been cut off by a cop while he was talking on his cell phone attempting to make a right turn from a left lane, he dam near took out my new car at the time. I�ve played stop and go with a female cop, gave up when it became my turn again and proceeded on my way. Wow, you should have seen the rage on her face, scary! For a minute there I thought for sure she was going to turn back around and come after me! I had the right of way. Yes on occasion I�ve been distracted I�m not perfect (I strive to be) and I have in the past driven through a red light� I have sat at a green light "our subconscious minds" registers the colour green as a time to relax, slow down whereas red indicates we should speed up. Our system of traffic lights tends to be more of a trained response. I have failed to signal; thankfully those occasions over the years have been rare. Even more thankfully no one was hurt� screwing up like that scares the hell out of you and tends to make a conscientious person even more vigilant. It�s all trial and error folks - collectively we got to do better! There is no cell phone in my car.

Zoltan from Saskatoon
said
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The problem is that us middle aged folks have taught our kids to be bad drivers by not practicing what we preach. I see more parents out there being totally uncourteous (with their kids riding beside them) than I do any other age group. We teach our kids bad habits and we teach our kids to react everytime we do something rude or totally stupid in front of them while driving. Drivers are getting worse becuase they have no values anymore. This is the only explanation I can come up with whenever I see a totally responsible parent act like a total idiot once they get behind the wheel. They are everywhere and they are getting scary.

Zee Lowell
said
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It's not a question of bad driving...It's the fact that many people don't know how to drive. New drivers and people afraid of the highway and drive with their blinders on. I think people are half asleep all the time... The passing lane is for passing, NOT for doing 90KM/HR... learn how to drive or stay off the roads!

chel in the Peg
said
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I'm still trying to figure out why so many drivers either don't signal or wait until they're in the turning lane before they signal.

Munro - Brampton
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I rarely try to comment twice, but some one is very confused indeed. Texting and/or talking on your phone while driving puts others in danger. My mom drives very defensively but when the light is red for several seconds and some one goes right thru the light, all you can do is minimize the damage if possible. Mind you own business ? When you are driving you have a responsiblity to be carefull.

Thomas
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Left lanes are for faster, passing traffic (generally, we need to speed up to pass, so to suggest that this lane should be for the upper speed limit folks is almost true but, a little of the mark), right lanes are for slower and slower traffic, within reason of course. It is that simple, to add or subtract to this equation, I suggest shows a person with a lower IQ trying to bully their low thoughts onto others. That being said, more and more drivers I find are becoming stupid to the rules of the road, never mind the total lack of patients some idiots display in their daily drive...

Al
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The most arrogant drivers are those in pick-ups and SUV's. For some reason they assume a right to the road and smaller vehicles be dammed. Also high profile/luxury vehicle drivers seem to think that because they have paid more for their vehicles they should be always ahead of everyone else on the road/street. As for cell phones I've seen policemen on phones while driving. Why have laws if they can't be enforced?

Jackson
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Five things that would help to make our roads safer and less stressful: 1) Recurrent drivers tests every 5 years. If you get a ticket for a moving violation, it increases to a test every year, and the driver pays a hefty fee for the test in such cases. 2) Safety checks every 2 years on all vehicles 5 yrs old and up. Expired tires and worn brakes and the car doesn't drive again until they're fixed. 3) When someone is pulled over for talking on a cell or texting, make the fine $750 and confiscate the phone. Second time, the fine is $5,000 and the same number of demerit points as running a stop sign. 4) Any driver who does not keep right except when passing gets a $250 ticket.5) Any driver who sits in the passing lane and is not passing (i.e. trying to play cop) gets a $500 fine and must retake the drivers test immediately.

Frank D.
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Aside from cell phone use when driving, the next big issue I have are these E Bike driver's. Most of these drivers have no regard for the rules of the road,... one minute they're on the road,.... next minute,... they are on the side walk,.... driving through red lights and stop sign's,...no indicator's, ...nothing!...The M.T.O. must come out with a law that, every motorized vehicle on the road must be driven by a licensed driver.....How is it equal if I or any other person operating a vehicle can loose demerit point's, but the E Bike operator's don't loose demerit point's as most E Bike operator's do not have a license to drive on the road?

Earthwatcher
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take bad drivers, distracted drivers (texting, even just a hands free phone conversation has been shown in studies to be just as distracting as a hand held) and add in a measure of anger equals ugly. I see it every day and hear about it at work taking 911 calls. It also seems many just either do not know the basic rules of driving or choose to ignore them. Scary stuff, makes you glad we have gun control. Well, sort of.

Sid
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More courtesy would certainly help things but I believe improving infrastructure is the answer. I mean, you put several thousand people in a situation that can be tense and middle-fingers is the answer.

Retired Highway Officer Dartmouth
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The number 1 culprit is people driving too fast for conditions... Example... people insist on driving 120kph under ANY... ANY conditions on our 100 series Highways regardless of the presence of thick fog restricting visibility, freezing rain and worse.... snow and blowing snow....... The Courts need to take the keys away for a month, apply heavier fines.... and when the guilty have to put out a huge towing an impound fee to get their vehicles back just maybe they will grab a clue and act responsibly!

gee
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Many times I see drivers doing dangerous things - talegating, going too slow - (70 on 401 when everyone else is going 100), not signaling and my favouite, not stopping at a red light before you make the right hand turn - most times these drivers seem to be texting and talking. The fine for Texting/Talking should be much higher. Please pay attention to driving!

Phil
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I am exceedingly courteous 99.9per cent of the time... but watch out if you are are driving below the speed limit without cause (incompetence is not a valid cause)! On the topic of littering, I'd like to see the smokers who throw their butts out the window cram them up their arses instead. Such disgusting slime of society inflict themselves on us enough already without littering too.

No lane for speeders
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Left lanes are for traffic at or very near the speed limit (no one needs to be passed at that speed), the traffic substantially below the speed limit should keep in the right lane (faster traffic at or very near the speed limit should use the left lane). There are no lanes for speeders! Much of this problem can (and will) be solved with speed cameras. You speed in either lane and you will pay with cash or even your license (hopefully not your life or someone else's)! This is not hard, even pickup truck drivers can understand it if they just squeeze their heads!!!

Joe Spumolio
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People just need to grow up and toughen up. For whatever reason people today are so fixated on what others are doing... texting (how do you know?) talking on the mobile. Whatever, who cares? Why are so preoccupied with what other people are doing? Just mind your own business, stop judging others, drive defensively and go where you have to go. Just worry about yourself and your own driving, stop worrying about what others are doing.

CSam
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Many drivers suffer from the 'Instant Jerk - just add vehicle' syndrome. It boggles the mind how people don't stop at stop signs, or red lights, or give right-of-way, etc. These are rules learned during the driving test. I realize the police can't hand out tickets for rolling-stops all day when they have other serious crimes to address, but something needs to be done or the next survey will be "More Canadians killed by preventable accidents than ever before"

Will
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this may be true of Toronto and Montreal, but my experience is that courtesy (including the "wave") has not changed. Foolishness (and that isn't the young drivers but those of my own generation) mistakes and carelessness however is increasing.

Munro - Brampton
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In Brampton at a busy intersection beside the FreshCo store I see people on their Blackberry as they drive thru the intersection. I can see this clearly as I am waiting for the light to change. And most often it is a women with her hand against her head talking. I think ignoring this law will have to be enforced more seriously by police. It's sad that some people are so selfish they can not stay off the phone just to drive to the store. My mom was hit last fall by a man that drove right thru the red light; witnesses saw him on his phone.

kjs
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It is true that people seem really impatient on the roads these days. I do, however, find many courteous drivers - even on the infamous 401 corridor through Toronto, It's the city streets where I have more encounters with rude drivers. Another problem - parking lots. In the past year my car has been hit 3 times (twice hit and run) and my mirror has been damaged by pedestrians. Out of the 4 incidents, only one person identified themselves and paid for the damages. There is definitely a lack of regard for others out there, and it's expensive and potentially dangerous. Hopefully, if everyone steps up their game in driving courtesy it will become contagious.

You gotta be
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A Nation wide program called something like "Back to Basics Driving Enforcement" is long over due. People make up the rules on their own now days. Stop at a red light or stop sign... why bother if there is no one is coming is an example of the mind set of the "Me" generation.

PB_Toronto
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Well living here in Toronto, one certainly doesn't need a poll to tell them this. Everyday I see absurd behaviour on any of the 400 series highways. To make matters worse its not just a few cars I witness being ignorant but any trip I take there is a large number of vehicles behaving like the road is their personal space. Anything from driving at high rates of speed, weaving in and out of traffic, driving in HOV lanes with no passengers, when its bumper to bumper traffic passing on an inside or right turn lane to get a few cars ahead which only worsens the jam. Refusing to keep left to let faster traffic, and one of my all time favorites, speeding up at merge lanes so the vehicle merging cannot get in. In construction areas some vehicles simply refuse to let another vehicle in when converging into one lane from two creating bigger problems. I can see why road rage is on the rise as I have felt like clocking a rude driver or two. Oh.. let's not forget the rolling down the window to throw out your little pieces of garbage, cigarette butts and coffee cups. This country has gone to hell and is reflected in our driving habits.

Rob
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Common sense is lost. Slower traffic is to keep to the right lane (this should be enforced) but I think people feel they own there lane even after a numder of cars has passed them on the right and turning right on red and yield signs does not mean it is OK to go if oncoming traffic has to hit the brakes. Cell phone and texting need stiffer fines as the message does not seem to be getting through

Fred Colbourne
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Edmontonians are among the worst drivers in my experience of having driven in many cities in Canada. My wife and I have even had drivers get visibly upset at us for stopping at a red light.

Japie
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I agree. Be careful when you drive through a green light as "right on red" drivers do not first stop at their red light anymore.