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Public Service Announcement - Driving

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Photo of Kat S.
8/31/2010 Kat "with club sauce" S. says:

Please, please Vancouver drivers, turn your lights on!

Your daytime running lights do not turn your tail lights on.  And in this dull, grey, and wet weather your car is not very visible.  And especially turn your lights on if you do not have daytime running lights.  Just get in the habit of turning on your lights every time you get in your car.  It really is worth it, day or night, rain or shine.

Thanks.

  1. Photo of Christine R.
    8/31/2010 Christine "comma wrangler" R. says:

    Thanks Kat. This is especially good advice if you're driving a white or silver car. Let your dim light shine.

  2. Photo of Jenni B.
    8/31/2010 Jenni "Yelp is Not a Singles Bar" B. says:

    Eeep I used to drive a silver car that didnt even have run lights. I was like a ghost car! I always try to flag people at traffic lights when they don't have lights turned on... reasons why this weather is terrible for accidents!

  3. Photo of Catherine W.
    8/31/2010 Catherine "Wacky Whiskers" W. says:

    And stop using your cellphones!!!  I see so many people still talking away on their phones and weaving about in traffic.

  4. Photo of Kat S.
    9/1/2010 Kat "with club sauce" S. says:

    Heh, thanks ladies for the backup.

    I have many pet peeves about drivers.  And nearly got killed on my bike on Monday because of someone either purposefully trying to ride up as close as they could, or they just didn't see me.  Also a lady on a cell phone that just about took me out.  Fun times.

  5. Photo of Marc D.
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    9/1/2010 Marc "Hole in the Wall" D. says:

    I saw a biker with a cell phone held to their left ear, and an ipod earbud dangling from their right ear, cut in front of a truck.  I think drivers, bikers, and pedestrians all need refresher courses!

  6. Photo of Inga K.
    9/1/2010 Inga "Bombeck Wannabe" K. says:

    I love driving threads because I drive form Aldergrove to Burnaby and back EVERY DAY so I spend two hours of my day angry.
    My biggest peeve is people who exacerbate the accordion stop and go effect by leaving 20 car lengths between themselves and the car in front. When everybody is doing 40... surely to god you can pay enough attention not to have to stay that far back.

    Oh ya, and if you have your phone at your ear, flick your smoke  butt or drive alone in the HOV I will give you the stink eye....

  7. Photo of Kat S.
    9/1/2010 Kat "with club sauce" S. says:

    Yes Marc, I agree!  Yikes!

    You show 'em, Inga.  I do the same.

  8. Photo of Trude H.
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    9/1/2010 Trude H. says:

    Yesterday I totally lost it - one fellow had been kissing my bumper for too long. I too love driving threads!!!

    I was stuck in 3 different rain accident incidents - and took 1.5 hours to get home from shift on the north shore. Lower Main was clogged. Ironworkers was slow due to an overturned semi. Another o/turned semi at Commissioner. Semis lined Clark Drive to Venables.

    Then this guy pulls a speed pass as I am changing lanes (headlights on, signals on)- down went my window  and I vented. OMG. He looked afraid! (I hope it wasn't a yelper!!!) Stink eye, the bird, bad words, he got the full court press - he put his window up and avoided eye contact -

    And I just took a driving at high speed refresher course two weeks ago. I leave lots of space in front of me so others can change lanes with ease - real meaning - not endangering me.

    I am forever grateful for the driver who drove this way - when I was in the wrong lane on the freeway heading from Las Vegas to Los Angeles. And it was the last exit, not to Brooklyn, but back to  LV.

    @Inga - at stoplights though, when folks stop 100 yards back - holy moley, how are we to make it through the intersection!!!!!

    Shall I go on about the ##@@ grandpa doing 180k pulling a trailer and with the grandkids' bikes on the back, fishtailing all over the road coming back from the Okanagan?

    In a past reincarnation, I worked as a first responder and saw human remains mushed all over the roads.

    Thanks, Kat, I feel so much better now!

  9. Photo of Kat S.
    9/1/2010 Kat "with club sauce" S. says:

    I try and restrain myself from giving other drivers the finger now, simply because I had a scary incident the other week.

    I was driving on Hwy 1 headed west in the fast lane and approaching Burnaby when some jerk in a big truck roared up quickly behind me and rode my ass.  Apparently, even though I was going faster than the other lane, I was still not going fast enough for him.  I didn't like what he was doing, but got out of the way because I didn't want him to cause an accident.  As I moved over I gave him the finger when he zoomed past.  Apparently this hurt his ego and he jumped back in front of me and hit his brakes (so I had to hit mine), swerved around a bit, and then went back in the fast lane.  Just to go and roar up behind someone else and bully them into pulling over.  Nice.  Thanks asshole.  

    I've had a couple other close calls by aggressive drivers who don't like being given the finger or a little honk to let them know they are in the wrong.  Sometimes it is almost better to just not do anything.  Who knows what these roid monkeys are on.

    However, the driver who nearly knocked me off my bike (and I mean very nearly, as in cms from my shoulder, zooming past) got the full arm, plus very loud expletives, that I'm sure the mother with kid on the sidewalk really appreciated.

    But, sometimes it feels real good to let it all out at another driver... Rant away, Trude.

  10. Photo of Marc D.
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    9/1/2010 Marc "Hole in the Wall" D. says:

    Wow.  Sounds like some serious road rage brewing!  

    I remember some things my driver's ed instructor said when I was in high school:

    1)  Assume all other drivers are idiots and will not follow the rules.  Part of that assumption means making sure you always have a way out when (note he said when, not if) someone else does something stupid.  

    2)  It doesn't matter who has the right of way.  If you try to stick to that, then your tombstone will read, "He had the right of way."  

    3)  When (again he said when, not if) you have your first accident, be sure to get the other person to put in writing that it was their fault before you leave the scene of the accident.  If in the unfortunate event you are the idiot at fault, then try not to sign anything.  

    Tough love for teens, eh?  But some good lessons!

  11. Photo of Trude H.
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    9/1/2010 Trude H. says:

    Marc - did we have the same driving instructor in high school? Mine always said #2.

    All is fine today. I've been out driving and I am my zen self again.

  12. Photo of Marc D.
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    9/1/2010 Marc "Hole in the Wall" D. says:

    @Trude - You never know!

  13. Photo of Catherine W.
    9/2/2010 Catherine "Wacky Whiskers" W. says:

    As a pedestrian, biker and sometimes driver I have had more near death experiences as a pedestrian or cyclist.  I have, on many occasions, had to dodge a car running a red light or turning left into me while I was in the middle of a light controlled crosswalk.  Usually they have been talking on their phones not paying attention.  Grrrrrr :)!

  14. Photo of Geoff G.
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    9/2/2010 Geoff "Fez" G. says:

    Back in the mid-90s I used to help produce a community access cable show called "Complaint Department."  Some of you Gen-X and older Gen-Y Vancouverites might remember it - It was pretty popular at the time.

    http://www.flickr.com/...

    Anyway, people used to call in and complain about stuff - But our standing rule was no complaints about transit, and no complaints about traffic.  Otherwise each and every show would be nothing but complaints about transit or traffic... It's a hot button topic :)

    Once a year or so we'd have shows dedicated to transit and traffic and the phones would practically melt - We'd open the lines five minutes before air and they'd immediately be clogged solid.

    People were so desperate to talk about traffic that they'd call in with a fake complaint ("I really don't like cold hotdogs") and then when they went on air they'd complain about traffic instead :)

  15. Photo of Kat S.
    9/2/2010 Kat "with club sauce" S. says:

    Hahahah... oh the traffic rants.  That's awesome, Geoff.

  16. Photo of Catherine W.
    9/2/2010 Catherine "Wacky Whiskers" W. says:

    Ha ha ha ha Geoff.

  17. Photo of Kat S.
    10/21/2010 Kat "with club sauce" S. says:

    Awesome new comic from one of my favourite websites: http://theoatmeal.com/...
    It's pretty spot on to how I feel when driving.

  18. Photo of Catherine W.
    10/21/2010 Catherine "Wacky Whiskers" W. says:

    @Kat - OMG that was the best!  I LOVE it!

  19. Photo of Cyndi H.
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    10/22/2010 Cyndi "Ginger Ninja" H. says:

    @ Kat BAHAHAHA!! THat is the best thing ever!! Esp the vegetable part ; )

  20. Photo of David L.
    10/22/2010 David L. says:

    Geoff, I loved watching The Complaint Department on Rogers back in the days. It was the funniest show on TV.  I haven't seen Dave Russell lately, the last time I saw him was on a show called Reach for the Top. What happened to Laura Owen?

  21. Photo of Lex B.
    10/22/2010 Lex "Lextacular" B. says:

    Yes - everyone get off your phones!  I've almost been hit in CROSSWALKS too many times, and almost every time the driver was on their phone.  Especially while drivers are turning.  It is terrifying.  Also, turn signals:  use them.  Even if there are no other cars. Pedestrians and cyclists find it really useful to know if you're turning too, not just other drivers.

    Thanks.  :D

  22. Photo of Catherine W.
    10/22/2010 Catherine "Wacky Whiskers" W. says:

    @Lex - LOL so true about the turn signals lol.

  23. Photo of Luisa D.
    10/22/2010 Luisa D. says:

    The Oatmeal link is perfect!  I'm posting to facebook. :)

  24. Photo of Catherine W.
    10/22/2010 Catherine "Wacky Whiskers" W. says:

    I love the Oatmeal link.  I need more lol.

  25. Photo of Trude H.
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    10/23/2010 Trude H. says:

    A wonderfully full laugh out loud - Oatmeal link is great!  Thank you, Kat!

  26. Photo of Kat S.
    10/25/2010 Kat "with club sauce" S. says:

    Glad I could bring some smiles to your days!  The Oatmeal is the best.

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