I have long been an advocate of improving our roads and transit. It has recently come to my attention that the government is not 100% to blame for the sorry state our Ontario's roads but rather the people using them.
In the last week, I have noticed several problems. Most common of which involve running red lights, speeding, driving too slow, illegal turns/Uturns, tail gating, the list goes on. Driving on the roads today has become a terror as people are treating the rules of the road more as 'guidelines' rather than rules written in stone. The biggest culprets are people driving larger vehicles, as they seem to have a false sense of security in them. Some have even gotten daring enough to try and take on city buses and tractor trailers in their Hummers. Surprisingly the bohemouth of all non-commerical/military vehicles will be crushed like an aluminum can if it hits one of those, turning the occupants into human apple sauce in the process.
So what has caused this disreguard for other drivers', and their own lives while on the road. I've identified three areas.
The 'Me' Attitude: Me, me, me, me, me.... Me first, I have to get their first, out of my way! This is how a lot of people think when behind the wheel of their car. They forget its not a race and if they just calm down, traffic will actually move faster. They choose not to follow the rules of the road because they are "inconvinient" for them. This type is usually the one driving the larger vehicles.
Everything But Driving: People seem more interested in talking to their friends on the phone, or playing with the radio, or doing their hair than driving. Driving distracted is just as bad as driving drunk, as studies have shown.
Poor Training: I have to question the practices of the driving schools. How are the larger ones teaching these kids? How do these people even get a licence? Some people drive vehicles they are not used to or treat larger vehicles as if they were a lot smaller.
Now, what do do, here are my suggestions.
-Force drivers of large vehicles (mid to large SUVs, minivans) to get an F class licence.
-Ban cell phones while driving
-Put more cops and red light cameras on the road to catch them in the act. Increase punishments for more dangerous offences such as drunk driving.
read more...
In the last week, I have noticed several problems. Most common of which involve running red lights, speeding, driving too slow, illegal turns/Uturns, tail gating, the list goes on. Driving on the roads today has become a terror as people are treating the rules of the road more as 'guidelines' rather than rules written in stone. The biggest culprets are people driving larger vehicles, as they seem to have a false sense of security in them. Some have even gotten daring enough to try and take on city buses and tractor trailers in their Hummers. Surprisingly the bohemouth of all non-commerical/military vehicles will be crushed like an aluminum can if it hits one of those, turning the occupants into human apple sauce in the process.
So what has caused this disreguard for other drivers', and their own lives while on the road. I've identified three areas.
The 'Me' Attitude: Me, me, me, me, me.... Me first, I have to get their first, out of my way! This is how a lot of people think when behind the wheel of their car. They forget its not a race and if they just calm down, traffic will actually move faster. They choose not to follow the rules of the road because they are "inconvinient" for them. This type is usually the one driving the larger vehicles.
Everything But Driving: People seem more interested in talking to their friends on the phone, or playing with the radio, or doing their hair than driving. Driving distracted is just as bad as driving drunk, as studies have shown.
Poor Training: I have to question the practices of the driving schools. How are the larger ones teaching these kids? How do these people even get a licence? Some people drive vehicles they are not used to or treat larger vehicles as if they were a lot smaller.
Now, what do do, here are my suggestions.
-Force drivers of large vehicles (mid to large SUVs, minivans) to get an F class licence.
-Ban cell phones while driving
-Put more cops and red light cameras on the road to catch them in the act. Increase punishments for more dangerous offences such as drunk driving.
