[hawc]

Who would I write to to suggest that either more yield signs be put up at this merge or just get rid of the yield signs altogether. Because nobody ever treats this as a yield. Traffic exiting the DVP absolutely just tries to merge onto the Bayview extension northbound instead of stopping if its not clear to do so. No driver treats this a yield. I drive it a few times per day, it's hopeless the way it's currently signed.

https://goo.gl/maps/GoswFzhuhu22

 

[jsjaker]

This is a common problem everywhere. The meaning of "yield" doesn't seem to mean anything to anyone nowadays. It's the "me first" attitude that seems to prevail everywhere. Yesterday I was at a major intersection where the traffic lights were out - should therefore have been a four way stop, right? Yeah, right! It was a free-for-all! People drove through the intersection without stopping, saw a few potentially serious accidents in the making.
Don't know where these people learned to drive but basic driving rules are left in the dust.........literally!

 

[BurlOak]

Who would I write to to suggest that either more yield signs be put up at this merge or just get rid of the yield signs altogether. Because nobody ever treats this as a yield. Traffic exiting the DVP absolutely just tries to merge onto the Bayview extension northbound instead of stopping if its not clear to do so. No driver treats this a yield. I drive it a few times per day, it's hopeless the way it's currently signed.

https://goo.gl/maps/GoswFzhuhu22

It looks just like a speed change lane on a highway. It looks long enough for the entering vehicles to reach speed (of Bayview) and then the merge is one-at-a-time (zipper merge).
I would say the "yield" sign should be replaced with a "merge" sign or a "lane ends" sign.

 

[Panontario]

This reminds of another spot, but for a different reason:
https://www.google.ca/maps/@43.6450...n1C7cNUbd67oKLJVXvYA!2e0!7i13312!8i6656?hl=en
This is an off-ramp from Gardiner to Lakeshore West. It has a very long merging lane going almost all the way to Yonge intersection. Normal people would just continue onwards. But I have seen multiple people slam on their brakes and come to a complete stop even though there are no cars what so ever. This creates a very dangerous situation. However, this is not a unique or surprising situation in GTA. A large proportion of the people are horrible drivers that would have never gotten their licenses if they were in Europe.

 

[TransitBart]

This reminds of another spot, but for a different reason:
https://www.google.ca/maps/@43.6450...n1C7cNUbd67oKLJVXvYA!2e0!7i13312!8i6656?hl=en
This is an off-ramp from Gardiner to Lakeshore West. It has a very long merging lane going almost all the way to Yonge intersection. Normal people would just continue onwards. But I have seen multiple people slam on their brakes and come to a complete stop even though there are no cars what so ever. This creates a very dangerous situation. However, this is not a unique or surprising situation in GTA. A large proportion of the people are horrible drivers that would have never gotten their licenses if they were in Europe.

You realize that all you have to do to get a license if you emigrate is show up with a license. No road test. There are many drivers here who were not trained and tested here. I think that needs to change. Awareness of our rules (the formal ones) and customs (informal ones) and the meaning of say yield vs merge are important.

Anticipation is an important part of being a good driver. When everyone follows the rules and customs, it is easier to drive safely. When someone does something unexpected, that causes accidents.

 

[steveintoronto]

Another problem with merging and exiting is the lack of signalling. Unless the lane is dedicated to turning, the HTA requires signalling a "change of lanes". Very few drivers now do what used to be done subconsciously in the past. And that failure to signal is the reason that roundabouts can't work the way they were intended. They de-escalate the severity of collisions (by avoiding head-ons) but unless the driver behind knows what the driver in front is doing, it's doomed to grief.

 

[steveintoronto]

You realize that all you have to do to get a license if you emigrate is show up with a license. No road test.

Only for a limited period of time. And even then, only if it meets certain criteria:
https://settlement.org/ontario/dail...try-how-do-i-get-an-ontario-driver-s-licence/

 

[Skeezix]

You realize that all you have to do to get a license if you emigrate is show up with a license. No road test. There are many drivers here who were not trained and tested here. I think that needs to change. Awareness of our rules (the formal ones) and customs (informal ones) and the meaning of say yield vs merge are important.

I can't see how this would help, because I see plenty of white drivers everyday who ignore yield signs, roll though stop signs, race through pedestrian crossings, run reds, etc. I'm sure the overwhelming majority were trained and tested here, and are very well aware of most of the rules they are ignoring. This has nothing to do with new versus old stock Canadians. It's a system that allows everyone to drive like cr*p on a equal basis.

I very much agree with your point about following the rules and customs. I am in favour of regularly retesting motorists. Seems odd that we do a test when we are 16 or 17, and that is generally good for the next several decades, and the MTO doesn't want to see us again until we're 80.

 

[steveintoronto]

I am in favour of regularly retesting motorists. Seems odd that we do a test when we are 16 or 17, and that is generally good for the next several decades, and the MTO doesn't want to see us again until we're 80.

Should be every three years. The MTO grabs your money to renew the licence, but does no check on your ability to drive. That has to change, as the HTA alone has many revisions that many drivers seem totally unaware of. Crosswalks and cyclist provisions are just two of the major changes recently that most drivers appear oblivious to.

 

[lenaitch]

This is a common problem everywhere. The meaning of "yield" doesn't seem to mean anything to anyone nowadays. It's the "me first" attitude that seems to prevail everywhere. Yesterday I was at a major intersection where the traffic lights were out - should therefore have been a four way stop, right? Yeah, right! It was a free-for-all! People drove through the intersection without stopping, saw a few potentially serious accidents in the making.
Don't know where these people learned to drive but basic driving rules are left in the dust.........literally!

Absolutely. I find malfunctioning traffic signal intersections probably the most dangerous situation I encounter, especially on a motorcycle. I avoid them like the dentist. Lights out = 4-way stop? As you say - free for all. Flashing lights (failed control logic), everybody stops, even on the amber. If you are approaching the amber and proceed with caution like you are supposed to, you run the risk of hitting someone who thinks you are going to stop. If you do stop out of fear, you can get rear-ended by the guy behind you.

Rant over. Back to the topic at hand.

 

[pman]

I’ve noticed the opposite problem a lot in Toronto: drivers in the right lane on freeways refusing to make any accommodation for traffic entering on a merge, even if the merging lane is really short. I’ve driven a lot on motorways in Britain and Australia, and I’ve never seen such widespread piggish, dangerous driving there. Even drivers on French autoroutes seem more courteous to merging traffic.

 

[hawc]

It looks just like a speed change lane on a highway. I would say the "yield" sign should be replaced with a "merge" sign.

Agree. It might as well be. Because NOBODY treats it as a yield. Who do I write to about it?

 

[Panontario]

I’ve noticed the opposite problem a lot in Toronto: drivers in the right lane on freeways refusing to make any accommodation for traffic entering on a merge, even if the merging lane is really short. I’ve driven a lot on motorways in Britain and Australia, and I’ve never seen such widespread piggish, dangerous driving there. Even drivers on French autoroutes seem more courteous to merging traffic.

Yeah. There a lot of drivers who are totally oblivious to the dangerous situation they create. Good example is this on/off ramp:
https://www.google.ca/maps/@43.7010...c4NbHIEgo1gW9rQulmAw!2e0!7i13312!8i6656?hl=en
Cars are merging on and off DVP within a span of 100m. It's a poor design amplified by horrible drivers. In GTA we have several types of drivers:
1. Terrified of everything, unable to drive. Period. Slam on the breaks, sudden unpredictable moves etc. They are unable to make a safe lane change. Hence, they park themselves in the most right lane, and drive 30-50km below the speed of traffic.
2. Drivers that believe they are amazing drives. However, in reality, they are horrible. You will find them in the left-lane driving below the speed of traffic. They park themselves in one lane (typically on the left). They are either unaware that there is a dozen cars behind them trying to overtake them, or they do it on purpose "defending the law".
3. Drivers that don't know any rules. They tend to either be extra cautious because they are not sure what's legal and what's not, or the opposite because of their ignorance.
4. Drivers that think that the road belongs to them. They would cut you off (like in an example provided by hawc), won't let you merge, or just plan act dangerously.

I specifically left out drivers that speed. Speed in itself (within a reason) is not dangerous. It's drivers that drive not according to the conditions or make sudden unpredictable actions that are way more dangerous.

 

[Neutrino]

@Panontario Agreed on your last point. Driving fast in a straight line is fine and the entire point of a highway. As long as the driver is being safe and predictable, it's totally fine. The drivers I can't stand are the ones who weave in and out between the top lane and right lane and then you see them all of three cars lengths ahead after 30 minutes.

 

[steveintoronto]

^All incredibly good posts. There's little better to demonstrate inability to use bog simple protocol (and required by the HTA) than four way stop signs, and many/most drivers being oblivious of the Golden Rule in driving: (For right hand driving): Assuming all arrive at the four-way stop simultaneously, it's the driver on your right who has RoW. Failing this most simple test, is it any wonder that drivers can't do any of the other protocols required by Law and common sense?