My view of Canada

[MrsCat 6]

I'm not complaining—I like a good protest—but

that totally made me giggle.

[Emancipation 2]

Perhaps the reason Canadians don't mind crossing the street is because there are generally less cars (yes, I know Toronto and Vancouver have many vehicles, but when compared to Los Angeles or Houston, the amount isn't even comparable) due to the population being much, much smaller than the United States. Another issue could be that Canadians simply walk than Americans, who consider driving the "normal" way of getting around. Very few people I know in the U.S. walk unless it's absolutely necessary. Therefore drivers are often given precedence over pedestrians.

I actually learned everything I know about jaywalking in Hamilton... my brother gave me a little cuff off the side of the head when I was visiting him there, and said .. you'll NEVER cross the street if you wait for these cars to stop for you.. ever since then, I've been a jaywalker...

[DeadPoolX 9]

You guys have obviously never been to NYC! The pedestrian traffic there is just out of control.

Actually, I have been to NYC. Apparently pedestrians are so wrapped up in whatever they're doing, that NYC is making a law that disallows people from using iPods while walking. It seems that when people are using iPods (or messing around with their cell phones) while walking in high traffic areas, they have no idea what's going on around them and present a danger to themselves (and drivers, as well). A lot of individuals are complaining about this, but the fact they even have to enforce it is sad.

Perhaps the reason I didn't mention NYC is because it's actually more difficult to drive yourself there. I only mentioned cities where driving is a way of life in all areas and generally lack a decent form of public transportation. Walking or taking public transportation is much easier when in NYC. I've heard people say that if you manage to find a good parking spot then you leave your car there and take the some other form of transportation home.

[Carlawarla 1]

Very funny post DeadPoolX. That was one of the first things Gene mentioned to his US buddies after a return to a visit from Canada, was the people just crossing the road without looking. I said, well, the cars are supposed to stop! He said, just doesn't happen in St. Louis...

And it's true! There are lots of pedestrians that are killed here and drivers say...well, he just stepped out into traffic! Ugh!

It's not like we continually walk across the street over and over to annoy drivers, we REALLY do think it's okay because the alternative would be to hit us, and we know someone just wouldn't do that!

Are there any scramble lights in Vancouver? I can't remember. We had a few in Saskatoon, although I think they stopped them now. All traffic stops at an intersection, and people can cross from whatever corner they want. That's funny to someone who's never seen it.

Edited November 20, 2008 by Carlawarla

[Sprailenes 47]

Even when you're jaywalking in Canada and if you're waiting for traffic to slow down, some people will actually stop and let you jaywalk.

[Carlawarla 1]

Even when you're jaywalking in Canada and if you're waiting for traffic to slow down, some people will actually stop and let you jaywalk.

You're quite right! Happens all the time!

[Reba 2]

I visited Boston once for a day, and found that pedestrians rule the roads there too. I think it was even in a tourist brochure or something we had read about the city. Wear comfy shoes (because the cobbles are not very good for dress shoes/heals) and just walk, doesn't matter what the traffic light says. So we walked. And cars always stopped even if they had the green.

That was 1991 though I think, so it may well have changed since.

I think the major difference between Canada though is as DPX mentioned, just the sheer volume of pedestrians in general is different from that of the States. The US is definitely a car centric culture, whereas Canada's towns and cities are still set up where one can walk from your home to the local grocery or pub without having to drive. And quite a lot of people will choose to walk even 10 blocks to the store rather than drive. Here however (where I'm currently living, I can't speak for the entire population of the US of course) people will drive across the freakin' street! to get to the convenience store.

[Flames9_RN 358]

lol, I remember driving in DC the first time with my wife. I was coming up to a pedestrian walk way (no lights)and I stopped, my wife was like , "what the hell are ya doing?' lol

And my first time in New York, I was first in line at a intersection, trying to make a left turn into a parking garage! It seemed almost impossible to do, as the pedestrians seemed to be in the way or cars were, they seemed to just keep going , even if it was a red light! So i missed 1 light, andf the lady behind me got out of her car, tapped on my window and said "dear I see you have Canadian plates, so I know your not used to driving down here, but trust me, you just have to stick your nose out and go for it, they won't hit you" lol I learned pretty quick to be aggressive and my wife swears that before New York I was a calm, laid back driving, but since then, I have turned into an aggressive jerk driving,lol

[Sprailenes 47]

I visited Boston once for a day, and found that pedestrians rule the roads there too. I think it was even in a tourist brochure or something we had read about the city. Wear comfy shoes (because the cobbles are not very good for dress shoes/heals) and just walk, doesn't matter what the traffic light says. So we walked. And cars always stopped even if they had the green.

That was 1991 though I think, so it may well have changed since.

I think the major difference between Canada though is as DPX mentioned, just the sheer volume of pedestrians in general is different from that of the States. The US is definitely a car centric culture, whereas Canada's towns and cities are still set up where one can walk from your home to the local grocery or pub without having to drive. And quite a lot of people will choose to walk even 10 blocks to the store rather than drive. Here however (where I'm currently living, I can't speak for the entire population of the US of course) people will drive across the freakin' street! to get to the convenience store.

I agree with you there. I have yet to see a proper sidewalk where I live. They just don't exist.

[Emancipation 2]

I learned pretty quick to be aggressive and my wife swears that before New York I was a calm, laid back driving, but since then, I have turned into an aggressive jerk driving,lol

same here flames.. i won't drive at home on PEI any more.. i get FAR too heated and frustrated, and drive like a kook.

[Sprailenes 47]

I learned pretty quick to be aggressive and my wife swears that before New York I was a calm, laid back driving, but since then, I have turned into an aggressive jerk driving,lol

same here flames.. i won't drive at home on PEI any more.. i get FAR too heated and frustrated, and drive like a kook.

Same here actually! You quickly learn to adapt and you have to be aggressive or you won't get anywhere!

[Flames9_RN 358]

Ya, when i go back to saskatoon, the slowness of the drivers kill me!!!

[thetreble 19]

I wish you could all know what it is like to drive in North Jersey. With 5,000 people per square mile, it is ANYTHING but easy going. The best part is, it is the burbs and NOT the cities!

Just so yall know, I work in transportation, have worked in everything from roads to traffic signals to parking.

Driving here has made me an absolute mad man. I wish I could go back to being strictly a pedestrian. In ottawa, most of us walked or took the bus. However, the few cars on the road never stopped for us! We had quite a few pedestrian deaths due to cars just running us over when it was okay for us to walk.

I love the walking culture of Canada..and hate that I can't do it here as I live too far from my job. Hopefully one day I can return to it.

[SpiritAlight 1]

Perhaps the reason Canadians don't mind crossing the street is because there are generally less cars (yes, I know Toronto and Vancouver have many vehicles, but when compared to Los Angeles or Houston, the amount isn't even comparable) due to the population being much, much smaller than the United States. Another issue could be that Canadians simply walk than Americans, who consider driving the "normal" way of getting around. Very few people I know in the U.S. walk unless it's absolutely necessary. Therefore drivers are often given precedence over pedestrians.

I'm originally from Houston, TX. That's the fourth largest city in the U.S. by population and the second largest geographically. We probably have more drivers than Toronto and Vancouver combined. That wouldn't surprise me since the only way to get around efficiently is with a car. You could try walking (but it'd take you far too long to get anywhere) and the public transportation system is laughable. In cities like Houston -- which accounts for most of them -- the number of drivers far outweigh those who walk. If someone attempts to walk somewhere, it's something of an anomaly. I don't recall even seeing crosswalks and I've lived in Houston for my whole life.

The real problem with pedestrians was in downtown Vancouver. Aside from all the one-way streets and super aggressive buses (half the time they venture between lanes without a turn signal or even bothering to see if a car is there), the pedestrian count is astronomical. I have never seen that many pedestrians in all my life. To make matters worse, they'd cross the street at any time -- no cross light or crosswalk necessary -- and if cars didn't immediately stop or honked one when it wasn't the pedestrian's turn to go, they'd get pissed off and start hurling vulgar language at the driver. A number of pedestrians almost got violent and told off the drivers, stating that "they were walking there so screw off!"

I finally got so annoyed that I told my wife I'm going to run over the next pedestrian who crosses without a light. She said I couldn't do that. I responded that if they're going to go when they shouldn't, so will I. After that she wanted to switch seats with me and drive.

Maybe the above sounds a little over the top, but I was really getting pissed off. A drive that would normally take 10 minutes ended up requiring an extra 30 to 40 minutes, simply due to the pedestrian traffic. We had to add about an hour on to our travel time no matter where we went, so long as it was around downtown. That's just plain crazy.

I suppose that's what we got for having a temporary place (while looking for a permanent apartment, which we did find) on Burrard at Robson.

DeadPool, you live on the corner of Burrard and Robson?

Noisy, busy, and congested.

Yup.

You are moving from there or moving there?

As far as living in Vancouver:

when I moved there from Montreal, I slowed my driving to half if not more of the speed I used to drive.

Plus I started to drive extremely cautiously.

People are not generally good drivers there and the roads are not set up for speedster types.

Too many lights, no highways in the city and many many horse and buggy roads, where passing cars do not fit.

Hee, hee...it's true.

And then after a year of living there I visited Montreal was driving my friend in her car and she looked at me and asked me if I was sick or something because I was driving too slowly. And she hates speed!!! Hahaha.... In Montreal if you do not drive fast people will kill you.

As far as too many loonies and twonies: put them all each night in a jar of box.

After a month go out and buy yourself something nice with all the money you saved. Ha!

Enjoy!

There is no perfect place to live.

(Hence why I travel so much. Hee, hee.)

ETA, if you stay in the West End and go into the heart of it or on the West side of Denman, it is paradise to live there...mmmm...yes it is.

:star:

Edited November 20, 2008 by SpiritAlight

[SpiritAlight 1]

I visited Boston once for a day, and found that pedestrians rule the roads there too. I think it was even in a tourist brochure or something we had read about the city. Wear comfy shoes (because the cobbles are not very good for dress shoes/heals) and just walk, doesn't matter what the traffic light says. So we walked. And cars always stopped even if they had the green.

That was 1991 though I think, so it may well have changed since.

I think the major difference between Canada though is as DPX mentioned, just the sheer volume of pedestrians in general is different from that of the States. The US is definitely a car centric culture, whereas Canada's towns and cities are still set up where one can walk from your home to the local grocery or pub without having to drive. And quite a lot of people will choose to walk even 10 blocks to the store rather than drive. Here however (where I'm currently living, I can't speak for the entire population of the US of course) people will drive across the freakin' street! to get to the convenience store.

Hmmm this is interesting...wnat came up for me is this:

in Chicago people walk a lot and/or take public transit because parking is either non-existent or it costs an arm and a leg in town.

I like to walk here....it is about 3 miles to the core of downtown and I do it often.

I learned pretty quick to be aggressive and my wife swears that before New York I was a calm, laid back driving, but since then, I have turned into an aggressive jerk driving,lol

same here flames.. i won't drive at home on PEI any more.. i get FAR too heated and frustrated, and drive like a kook.

Same here actually! You quickly learn to adapt and you have to be aggressive or you won't get anywhere!

Nah, after a while you can adjust...back and forth it goes.

Fast to slow to fast:

Montreal to Vancouver to Chicago.

It's all good!!

Edited November 20, 2008 by SpiritAlight