Driving in America

[LDora 7]

So I come from a small town in rural Canada. Everything was within walking distance of everything else, so it never made sense to me when I was a teenager to get a driver's license when I could spend that money on important things like sparkly nail polish and slurpees.

The upside is this has given me a tolerance for walking distances my husband calls "camel-like".

The downside is that here in Tampa, Florida, the daystar is a molten fist in the sky, and everything is huge and far away from everything else. Walking is rarely an option, especially as far as the store is concerned.

So I now have my learner's permit, at 24 years old, and I start lessons next month. The problem is I am secretly terrified because it seems to me everyone here drives like they're on a formula one race track that is also rigged to explode if they go under seventy. My husband is a great driver, but we've had a lot of close calls with people zipping in front of us, braking suddenly, and tailgating and the like. (Boston was the worst for this.)

Am I being irrational about this, or is everything slower in Canada? Canadians, did you notice anything different when you began driving down here?

[Emancipation 2]

Am I being irrational about this, or is everything slower in Canada? Canadians, did you notice anything different when you began driving down here?

Not irrational.. just maybe not an experienced driver.. ever drive on the 401 or drive through Montreal on the way to Ottawa? those can be scary experiences

I was terrified of driving in CT when I arrived.. but eventually I toughened up.. it's the aggression that amazes me.. you have to really anticipate everyone driving with a serious chip on their shoulder and a desire to get to their destination before anyone else. I have a REAL hard time adjusting to driving back on PEI now.. I want to run everyone down.. I have to really calm myself down as a driver when I go either south of here or up north.. cause the style of driving is very very different aggression wise.

[trailmix 77]

I have not set foot in the driver's seat since we moved here - ok that's not true, I did drive down the block last week to ensure I could still drive

The upside is this has given me a tolerance for walking distances my husband calls "camel-like".

and this is soooooooooooooo true!!!! "the daystar is a molten fist in the sky"

I'm not from a small town, i'm from Calgary and have really only ever lived in big cities and I still get your race track comment. I have mentioned it before. We live in Lake Mary - not big town USA - then again, it's really only a suburb of Orlando.

I'm not sure what the speed limits are like in Tampa, but here, for instance, if we go down to the end of our road we are on Lake Mary Boulevard - not a huge road, but main road for this area, obviously. The speed limit is 45 MPH - which equates to 72.5 KPH - there are no 70 kph roads in Calgary. Large roads, like Glenmore Trail have a speed limit of 90.

Basically if you are on anything other than a big road, you are driving 50.

So YES, it's like you drive down your sleepy little street and then you are off!!

It's great you are taking lessons here though, the instructor should be able to help you out in terms of driving style here in the Sunshine State

Edited May 29, 2009 by trailmix

[JillA 2]

Well driving in Quebec hardened because they are all crazy drivers there.... Plus as Eman said, the 401 is crazy too.... I got used to the tailgaters, swervers, speeders, etc. I find the drivers the same in Philly, full of road rage, rush and anger. I just mind my own business and carry along how I feel comfortable

[Krikit 1,163]

You're a writer aren't you, Dora?

Coming from the GTA in Ontario I find the drivers here in Central Florida veeerrrrrry slooooooowwww. Tampa is very much more like Toronto, though. But, no. Things are definitely not slower in Canada. What is true is it's dependent upon the area. High density areas tend to create aggressive drivers. Low density areas have much more laid back and mellow drivers.

Oh! Speaking of very slow! I saw the most amazing thing yesterday. I was driving down the road when I saw something shiny run across the road. As I got closer I could see it was a turtle! I am not sh!tting you when I say that I saw that thing RUN. I mean, all four of its little legs were just hurtling through the air. Hard to imagine, I know, but it's true. I think evolutionary survival must be kicking in.

[LDora 7]

Haha, well, I am a video game reviewer, so sort of! I think it's just that I'm self important and overly fond of the sound of my own voice. "WHY YES HELLO ALLOW ME TO BE WITTY AT YOU TODAY."

You know, that turtle thing does not surprise me. My husband has turtles, which I believe to be the worst pet ever. I feed them, I clean their tank, and they still HURTLE into the water whenever I pass by like they know I think they must be delicious or something. They are surprisingly fast. The last time I was cleaning the small one's bowl, I decided I was going to HOLD that sucker until it knew I wasn't a threat.

So it's sitting in the palm of my hand, all tucked into it's shell. And I'm like, "Turtle, I can wait alllllllllll day." And slowly, so slowly, it's little head begins to come out. And slowly, so slowly, it turns it's head towards me. And I look into it's tiny eyes. And we share a moment of understanding, one species to another, and the universe seems to hold it's breath for a moment, as though everything, everywhere, is going to be okay.

And then it EXPLODES off my hand onto the carpet like it has a rocket up it's butt and BOLTS for the safety of beneath the couch.

Stupid turtle.

[The_Dude 1,142]

Just be glad you aren't in Los Angeles. We invented both the drive-by shooting and Road Rage

[TayRivers 4]

If you survive driving in Boston then you can drive anywhere in the world... Oh and you will be SUPER ACE at Mario Kart on the Wii

[LDora 7]

If you survive driving in Boston then you can drive anywhere in the world... Oh and you will be SUPER ACE at Mario Kart on the Wii

I like to joke that I don't need driving lessons because Mario Kart and Grand Theft Auto have taught me everything I know.

This makes my husband very nervous.

[Ontarkie 13,969]

I know what ya mean with all the crazzy drivers, I'm not use to it either plus in Sault Ste Marie we only have 1 highway and the way to my place it was just 2 lanes haha. I miss it.

I only drove twice since being here once around the block and the second not really much further. I'm starting to think I could possibly go farther.

Danielle

Edited May 29, 2009 by Ontarkie

[trailmix 77]

Go go turtles!

Edited May 29, 2009 by trailmix

[Krikit 1,163]

Just be glad you aren't in Los Angeles. We invented both the drive-by shooting and Road Rage

We get drive-by shooters here in Florida. Yes, even in "the happiest place on earth". Crazy.

[Misty1979 0]

Just be glad you aren't in Los Angeles. We invented both the drive-by shooting and Road Rage

Quite literally so. My car has this problem right now with shutting off in the middle of intersections. Never before have I been so worried of being shot at for delaying traffic...I find myself pretty much ducking behind my wheel to avoid the bullets while I try to restart my car these days. Not fun.

Haha speaking of Road Rage, I saw the most hilarious scenario going down in downtown LA a few days ago. Some guy in a wheelchair was pi$$ed off at a guy driving a truck coming through an intersection, so the wheelchair dude drove into the middle of the intersection while the light was GREEN, and refused to move. He kept charging at the truck with his wheelchair like he was playing chicken with him. Traffic was held up in all directions, horns were honking, and people were filming it with their cell phones. I'm betting the wheelchair dude is sitting behind bars or in a white padded room right now...

[Krikit 1,163]

Go go turtles!

I was a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle for Halloween once, with three of my co-workers. I should find that picture. I think we used clothes hampers for our "shells". Or was it garbage can lids? (New ones, of course.) Yes, I think it was the garbage can lid.

Just be glad you aren't in Los Angeles. We invented both the drive-by shooting and Road Rage

Quite literally so. My car has this problem right now with shutting off in the middle of intersections. Never before have I been so worried of being shot at for delaying traffic...I find myself pretty much ducking behind my wheel to avoid the bullets while I try to restart my car these days. Not fun.

Haha speaking of Road Rage, I saw the most hilarious scenario going down in downtown LA a few days ago. Some guy in a wheelchair was pi$$ed off at a guy driving a truck coming through an intersection, so the wheelchair dude drove into the middle of the intersection while the light was GREEN, and refused to move. He kept charging at the truck with his wheelchair like he was playing chicken with him. Traffic was held up in all directions, horns were honking, and people were filming it with their cell phones. I'm betting the wheelchair dude is sitting behind bars or in a white padded room right now...

Should be on YouTube by now.

[The_Dude 1,142]

LoL, GTA is the worst game to play before getting in your car to commute somewhere. I always want to get out of my car, and rip someone out of theirs and take their car.